“You say it’s not what I think it is? But I don’t see how it could be anything but what I think it is... Do you?”
The ladies all quivered, slowly separating apart from each other as they tried to figure out how they could escape from the crime scene they’d been captured in. In a way, they looked similar to cornered beasts, willing to turn on anyone, even each other, if it meant that they themselves might be able to get away.
“No, you see, w-we were just having a little fun with her! A-as a friend!”
“R-right! We’ve known her since childhood, My Lady, and so-”
“-So that means you can just rip up her clothes and throw her into a fountain, then? ...That’s an interesting version of 'friendship' that you three are playing at.”
“N-no, you’re misunderstanding, Lady Eris! Things simply got out of hand! We weren’t trying to do anything-”
“Wow. How truly amazing. Perhaps I should clap... I don’t even know of adolescent boys who have friendships as rough as this.”
The three ladies shut their mouths, knowing that she wasn’t buying a single one of their words. They looked between themselves, trying to think of what to say next. Eris let out a huff, seeing how pathetic and obvious the three of them looked, and instead decided to look down at Siffia, who was still firmly planted against her side.
“I’m guessing that this isn’t the first time that these three have ‘played rough’ with you, is it?”
Siffia blinked, not having expected to be spoken to, and hesitantly opened her mouth.
“It’s… not.”
She was embarrassed to have the person she looked up to see her in such a shameful situation, but she also couldn’t possibly lie in the face of such a radiant person either. In the end she could only tell the truth, no matter how ashamed of it she felt.
“...I see. Well, it’s to be expected, I suppose; Bullies don’t usually decide to start up their track records this late into their lives. But ladies-”
Eris’s red eyes once again turned towards the trio, this time seeming to almost glow with intimidation.
“-To do this in His Majesty’s palace, on the day of the victory banquet. And to one of the honored veterans that this very banquet is meant to celebrate, no less… I believe you should understand how unacceptable that is, especially in front of me, one of the commanding officers.”
“““Eep!”””
The three ladies practically jumped out of their skins, all going pale before abruptly running off, as if their lives would end if they were caught. Eris scoffed once more, her eyes narrowing in disgust as she watched them disappear into the distance, before looking down and giving Siffia a brief reassuring smile and letting her go.
“There. I suppose with that, I’ve repaid you.”
Siffia blinked in confusion several times, her eyes basically big question marks as she pointed to herself and slowly asked.
“...Do you mean… me? You repaid me???”
It was an absurd thing to think, considering who Eris was. Siffia had caught glimpses of her throughout the war, watching her be the strong and capable leader that everyone knew her to be. As the child of a Margrave, she’d taken the place of her father while he’d been fighting off a dangerous illness during the war, and had helped to successfully lead the country to victory. Siffia was absolutely positive that there was no way that such a person would ever possibly need help from someone like her.
And yet, despite everything, Eris nodded along with a lightly amused smirk on her face, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Yes. I followed you while you ran away, as I wanted to thank you, and then found you stuck in that mess. ...I don’t think I’ve ever gotten to repay someone for something quite as quickly as this.”
“Um… B-but what could you possibly-?”
Siffia paused, her slow mind suddenly realizing exactly what it was that Eris had just said. After a moment she flushed bright red, the truth of the matter dawning upon her. She had to cover her face in shame, disbelief coloring her trembling voice.
“You were… the lady that was being harassed in that room?”
“Hmmmm, yes. That was most definitely me. I’m surprised you didn’t notice; I hadn’t expected that I would be so forgettable.”
“N-no, it’s not that! It’s just-”
She hadn’t seen Eris clearly at all back then. The most she could make out at the time was the woman’s long golden hair, peeking out from behind the man. Perhaps if she’d had more time back then she could have realized who it was, as only one family had such brilliant golden hair as their symbol, but without seeing it too clearly, it could have easily looked like any number of other noble families with blonde hair. How was Siffia, who’d had her vision mostly blocked by the man at the time, supposed to have realized that it was Eris of all people back there?
Eris quietly chuckled at Siffia’s troubled face. Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she were seeing something fun and intriguing as she leaned in just a tad closer towards the embarrassed woman.
“It’s fine, I was only messingwith you. It’s much better than what those thugs were doing to you, is it not?”
Siffia felt like she was shrinking a bit as the taller woman leaned towards her, but she couldn’t help but pull her hands away a little from her face and nod along with Eris in agreement.
“R-right...”
Eris gave a small upturn of the corners of her mouth at Siffia's agreement, and then straightened up and put her hands on her hips with a sigh like she was exhausted.
“Well then, that’s enough of that. Everything important about this victory banquet has all been said and done, and the medal receiving ceremony won't be taking place for a while yet, so I don’t think His Majesty will be too upset with us if we left about now. I’m sure he’d be understanding towards us weary veterans who won him the war, would he not?”
Considering the stiff King that Siffia had seen up until now, she didn’t really believe Eris’s words to be true. However, considering the state that she was currently in, she was sure that the King would find it much more disrespectful to show back up looking so disheveled.
“...Yes, maybe that’s for the best.”
“Perfect. I’m glad you agree. Well then, come along… Lady Siffia? It’s 'Lady Siffia', correct? From the Hestons?”
Siffia’s eyes widened, astonished that a person as high ranked as Eris would know anything at all about who she was. Eris’s father was a Margrave after all, only one rank lower than a Duke, while Siffa’s father was only a mere viscount, and not at all seen as someone ‘important’.
“Ah... That... is indeed my name, Lady Eris.”
Eris nodded and began to walk off in the direction of the palace’s exit. However, when she realized that Siffia was just standing there watching her leave, she stopped and waved at her, beckoning for her to follow after her.
“Come, don’t just stand there; We’ve got to get you out of here and into some proper apparel.”
“H-huh?”
Though Siffia repeatedly blinked in obvious confusion, she couldn’t possibly refuse the pointed way that Eris was staring at her. In the end, she hesitantly shuffled after her.
“Oh... Yes.”