Chapter 1170: Feast and Furious
The grand banquet hall stretched long and wide, bathed in the glow of dozens of crystal chandeliers, yet the mood at the table remained freezing.
Royal family members of OrionHeart sat in stiff, embroidered silks alongside the regional elders who had trailed in from the throne room. At the head of the table sat Virgil, his face an unreadable mask as he maintained a quiet posure.
To his right, Rudy was already half-buried in a mountain of roasted meat, tearing a piece of meat away with his teeth without utilizing a single utensil.
“You know, for a kingdom currently drowning in a multi-front war, you people certainly don’t skimp on the grocery budget,” Rudy said around a mouthful of seasoned meat.
He reached across the polished mahogany table, pletely ignoring the silver serving tongs, and grabbed a handful of glazed carrots. “The soldiers on the western border are probably chewing on leather boots while you lot discuss tactical failures over imported wine. It is truly an inspiring display of leadership.”
Elder Kunt slammed his goblet onto the table, splashing red wine onto the immaculate white tablecloth. “You insolent barbarian! You barge into our sacred halls, threaten our military sovereignty, and now you sit at the royal table insulting the bloodlines of OrionHeart?”
Rudy didn’t look up. He picked up a whole roasted poultry leg, took a massive bite, and washed it down by drinking directly from a silver gravy boat. “You plain a lot for a man whose northern territories are currently being financed by my goodwill. Pass the butter, would you?”
Every royal family member at the table stiffened, their knuckles turning white as they gripped their silverware. General Marcus looked toward Virgil, expecting the Grand mander to finally order an execution, but Virgil merely picked up his own wine glass and took a slow, calm sip.
A group of handmaidens stood near the grand archway, waiting to clear the plates. Among them were the three maids who had spent the previous morning tormenting Niti in the servant quarters.
Rudy spotted them, a greasy grin spreading across his face as he snapped his fingers loudly.
“You three over there,” Rudy pointed a half-eaten rib directly at the ringleader of Niti’s tormentors. “My plate is looking dangerously empty. Go down to the cellars and bring up four more platters of the spiced beef. And don’t use the dumbwaiter. I want it fresh from the fires, so you better run.”
The maid blinked in disbelief, looking to her master dowager for intervention. The lady remained silent, her jaw clenched in sheer humiliation. Realizing no help was ing, the maid bowed her head and hurried out of the hall, her heavy skirts rustling loudly.
Niti stood a few paces behind Rudy’s chair, her hands folded neatly in front of her dress. She kept her eyes anchored to the floor, trying to remain invisible amid the radiating fury of the nobility.
Rudy turned around in his seat, grabbing Niti by her forearm. “What are you doing standing back there? Sit down.”
“Sir, I am a personal maid,” Niti whispered, her eyes widening as she tried to pull back gently. “I cannot sit at the royal table. It breaks every protocol of the palace.”
“I don’t care about your protocols,” Rudy said, pulling her forward with effortless strength and patting the empty, cushioned chair right beside him. “Sit. That is an order.”
Niti reluctantly slid into the chair, her face burning as the entire royal family stared at her with lethal intensity. The remaining maids near the wall glared at her, their expressions twisted with jealousy and hatred.
A servant sitting at the high table was an unprecedented insult to their heritage.
“Virgil, look at this madness!” a young royal prince burst out, pointing a trembling finger at Niti. “He seats a mon maid among the blood of kings! This is a direct desecration of our lineage!”
“Then close your eyes, princey,” Rudy interrupted, picking up a silver spoon loaded with sweet berry tart. He turned fully toward Niti, ignoring the outburst entirely. “Open up. You look like you haven’t eaten a proper meal since the last century.”
Niti looked at the spoon, then at the furious faces of the elders across the table. “Please, this is too much.”
“Eat the tart, Niti, or I will start throwing the roasted potatoes at the elders,” Rudy threatened with a cheerful wink.
Niti leaned in and took the bite, the sweet flavors bursting across her tongue. Rudy smiled, leaning his elbow on the table and resting his chin in his hand as he watched her chew.
“See? Much better,” Rudy murmured, his voice laced with a playful warmth that contrasted sharply with the hostility in the room. “You possess far better table manners than these stiff statues anyway. If you smile a little more, I might even let you choose which territory we save first tomorrow.”
The maid who had been sent to the kitchen returned, breathless and sweating, carrying a massive, heavy silver platter of spiced beef. Before she could set it down, Rudy waved his hand dismissively.
“Actually, I changed my mind. I want the honeyed pastries from the pastry kitchen on the south wing now,” Rudy said, giving her a bright, shameless grin. “Take this back and fetch those. Move along, time is ticking.”
The maid looked ready to cry from exhaustion, but she turned around, dragging her feet as she lugged the heavy meat platter back toward the corridors.
Rudy reached over, picking up a linen napkin to gently wipe a drop of berry sauce from the corner of Niti’s lip.
He did it with a deliberate slowness, making sure every single noble in the room witnessed the casual intimacy. Niti’s heart hammered against her ribs, her hands clutching her skirt under the table as she endured the collective, burning glares of the OrionHeart elite.
“You are pletely shameless,” Niti whispered under her breath, though she didn’t move away from his hand.
“I am a man of many talents,” Rudy replied, turning back to his plate to grab another handful of meat. “And making rich, nobles, royals and basically everyone unfortable happens to be my absolute favorite.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)