Tea Party

*Chapter 37*
"I cannot go with you?" Frederick asked in his dejected tone as he was laying his chin on my thighs, looking at me.
I caressed his head and looked at my reflection in the mirror. "You will stay here like the good dog you are." I glanced at Holland who was fixing my hair.
"But I am your knight who is bound to escort you... Why?" His tone sounded disappointed.
I glared at him, seeing him being stubborn again. "I ordered that you will stay here, didn't I?" I fisted his hair and compelled him to look at me. "Who are you to question my decision? You are just a mere slave," I pointed out.
Frederick whimpered under my touch before he purred like a kitten. "My apologies, my goddess," he said as his voice shook in excitement.
I rolled my eyes, realizing that he was purposely acting to be stubborn so I could put more attention on him especially since I purchased new three slaves last night. Frederick looked alarmed when I brought them back.
Since then, he had been so needy like he never wanted to be left again just as I left him here last night. When I arrived here, he was already asleep in my chamber. He immediately scooped me in his arms as soon as he found out that I had arrived and took a quick bath.
I released his hair and started caressing it. "Now, be a good boy. If you become a good boy as soon as I come back, I promise that we will have playtime. Perhaps, we can go to an extreme one? Like spanking, what do you think?"
His eyes widened as he gasped at my words. I smirked, expecting that reaction from him.
"Cat got your tongue, darling?" I caressed the stubbles on his jawline that started to grow. I need to shave them again next time. I chuckled when Frederick didn't get to say anything and remained silent. "That will be fun, I assure you."
I heard his gulp as he smiled wryly. "W-Would that be h-hurt?
I traced his lips with my fingertips. "Pain is a pleasure, darling. Have no fear. Your goddess knows aftercare and will ease everything," I said softly. "Trust me."
His expression softened. "I do trust you, my goddess..." he said dreamily.
"Good." Satisfied at his answer, I bestowed him the key to my chamber. "There is something I need you to do for me, darling."
"Anything, my goddess. Anything." His eyes looked hopeful as he fluttered his attractive eyes.
I made him wrap his fingers in my key. "An envoy is coming from the Art Institute of Selenium today. His name is Johnny Rollins. He is the one who will take my paintings that I will put up for an auction. Do remember that he is not the gallery administrator but an assistant of Sir Newman. Do you get me?"
"Yes, my goddess. Understood."
"Keep the key and use it to open the other chamber connected to mine. Another thing. I am bestowing you with the authority to command my male servants to take care of him for me while I am away. Can I trust you with this task as my knight, Frederick?"
Frederick nodded, feeling delighted. "Yes, my goddess. You can count on me," he said, rejoicing.
Smiling, I caressed his head. "Then, tell me what you want as your reward later. I shall bestow it to you with the best of my abilities."
His face brightened up, nodding one more time. "Yes, my goddess!" He kissed my wrist while looking into my eyes.
"Very well." I petted his hair before I stood up. "It is time for me to leave. I am certain that Viscountess Smith of Dreck wants to meet her fellow viscountess as well." I chuckled and glanced at Holland who was bestowing me a folded fan that I need to use for later. I took it and passed by him.
Frederick followed me behind. His feet were lighter than before. And he seemed like... happy?
I turned my head and saw his lips smiling from ear to ear only to disappear quickly when I caught him. I arched my eyebrow, looking at him oddly. "Looks like you already know what shall be your reward for later, huh?" I told.
He stretched his lips into a smile. "Indeed, my goddess."
"And what is that?"
"I shall tell you later as soon as I finish my task." His smile grew wider.
I remained arching my eyebrow. "Huh... Sure thing..." I looked away as I was already in the carriage.
Frederick opened it for me. Before going inside, I turned my head to the second floor where the balcony was seeing Reginald who was looking on my way. I squinted my eyes at him, not saying a word nor mind linking him before I went inside the carriage.
"Frederick, your task, alright?"
"Yes, my goddess. I shall not fail you."
"Good."
I pecked Frederick's lips before I closed the carriage door. I chuckled seeing him stunned at my action as he didn't manage to wave his hand at me when the carriage was already set off.
I arrived at the House of Viscount Smith after an hour riding in my carriage. I almost laughed seeing the surprised look from Viscountess Smith when she saw me.
I approached her as we bowed before each other.
"Thank you for sending an invitation for this tea party, Viscountess Smith," I said, emphasizing to her that sending me an invitation was a wrong move.
She smiled, but a forceful one. "I did not expect that you will attend, Viscountess Wester—"
"Argerich," I chimed in. "I never changed my surname to my scoundrel husband's surname, my fellow Viscountess," I corrected.
Lady Rizza arched her eyebrow before she snorted silently. "I see. Viscountess Argerich then, Lady Novalie."
I nodded. "It is. Thank you for your consideration, Lady Rizza."
She forced a smile before she ushered me to come in. "Come. Some of the married women are already here. I believe you wish to get along with them. Your husband is the one who fills your seat."
I chuckled. "I made him do it." I shrugged as we went inside their manor. Then she led me to their greenhouse garden so we could shelter from the snow that hadn't been thawed out.
I frowned hearing ladies chit chatting and giggling right now. But that gradually died down as soon as they saw me. I smirked mentally, expecting that this should be their reaction because it had been a long time since I last attended some tea parties back then.
"Greetings to all the ladies who are here. I am Viscountess Novalie Argerich. I thanked Viscountess Smith for inviting me," I said with a furtive smile. "Pardon me for not being able to attend some tea parties hosted by my fellow noblewomen. I will try my best to make amends to those tea parties I hadn't attended," I said as politely as possible.
We were enveloped with deafening silence because of my words. I already expected that I wouldn't be welcomed since my reputation was already ruined when Prince Atticus broke our engagement and I ruined more of my reputation by bragging that I was sleeping with different men behind Reginald's back.
"To compensate for my absence, I brought some finest silks that I even ordered from the Waevalon Kingdom which you may use for your tailor-made dress." I turned my head when Basil came in and brought the silks I ordered him to bring with me.
When I looked at them, their eyes widened upon seeing the silks which were expensive and hard to bring here in the Sowinski Kingdom because the customs duty was in a higher amount which Alpha King Azarius already tried to work on consideration of lowering the custom tax when importing and exporting the goods from the different kingdoms.
"Wow!"
"Impressive!"
"This silk is so lustrous. I cannot halt myself from touching it."
I almost rolled my eyes from their astounding remarks the moment the silks were being handed out to them. It was such a piece of cake to make these ladies impressed. I turned my head at Lady Rizza who was huffing.
"As for Viscountess Smith, I have brought you some finest silk as well as a brooch." I glanced at Basil, signaling that he needed to bestow the jewelry box to Viscountess Smith.
She took it and opened it. Her eyes widened seeing the design of the brooch. It was a flower goldstone brooch that had red rhinestones crystal pinning on the skeleton of the brooch.
"Dear me..." she said, dropping her jaw before she looked at me. "Viscountess Argerich, this is dazzling!"
"It is specifically for you, my fellow viscountess." Ah, yes. One way to capture their interest and lighten up the mood is to gift them some luxurious items.
That was one way to divert their attention to my reputation. Even if I said that it was less effective, in time, I would be able to build up my dilapidated reputation.
Because of that, I was able to chit chat with them because of the gifts. But I knew it better that even if we were getting along, all of us were two-faced bitches. In this society, you need to flaunt your riches and how wealthy you are in purchasing some rare and luxurious items in order for the nobles to like you.
However, once it was gone, the nobles would start to dislike you. It was hard to earn their trust again until you provided something that would pique their interest.
"Have you heard, everyone? Alpha King Azarius is investigating prostitution in the north."
I glanced at Lady Mia who had just spoken. Then I quietly sipped the tea while listening.
It was Lady Grace's turn to speak. "I heard that he already set his eyes here in the south. Does this mean His Majesty finds out about the illegal business of Marquis and Marchioness Carat? You know their businesses called—"
"Bachelor's Den and Maiden's Lair," I chimed in while my eyes were transfixed to the macaroons on the table before I looked at them and smiled sweetly. "I happened to know them," I said, trying to be defensive.
They exchanged glances before they leaned forward. "Is it true? I heard that you bid a hundred million to a male slave, Lady Novalie?"
I sipped on my tea again. "Is Reginald the one who spread that?" I asked in my oh-so-sweet tone. They fell silent. I chuckled, already knowing that Reginald was the one who did that because I had my watchers investigate that gossip.
How ironic... He told me not to ruin the reputation of the House of Westervelt yet he was dragging me down along with his name, risking it.
"Have no fear. I already know it." I shrugged, treating it as a trivial matter. "I only did purchase some male slaves because I was very lonely that my husband cannot even satisfy me," I said, toning my voice in a dramatic one as I sighed like it was disheartening for me. "I am not certain if my fellow married women experience this but... my husband cannot even make me see the heaven every couple has been talking about. My sex life is discouraging me..."
I sighed as I pretended that I was about to cry, wiping something in the corner of my eye using my handkerchief.
I looked at them when their eyes had sympathy on them. "My advice for the noble ladies who haven't met their mate yet and are bound to engage with a man that isn't your mate... it is better that you pleasure yourself alone instead of them."
Suddenly, we were enveloped with silence. I was waiting for them if someone would relate their situation with me before I started to ruin Reginald again.
"I understand your feeling, Lady Novalie." I secretly smiled when Lady Rizza was the one who spoke. "My husband... Arnold... I was betrothed to him even if he wasn't my mate. This was all because of political reasons to strengthen our family ties with the Franco Family and Smith Family."
"Does your husband not be able to make you happy in bed just like me, Lady Rizza?" I asked, sympathizing with her.
She looked away and nodded. "Y-Yes..."
Lady Cora gasped. "I am, too! I tried to teach my husband but he only wants to satisfy himself! It is so infuriating."
I smiled triumphantly but I hid that smile by sipping on my tea when the other noble single ladies were starting to get curious about the sex of married couples and how disappointed it was having sex to a man you weren't fated with.
It was easy to influence the topic. This was another victory to ruin Reginald again.
"You cannot blame me that I need male slaves to pleasure me. When I am sexually frustrated, my only haven for this is the Maiden's Lair of Marchioness Carat. I get to enjoy having men around me." I paused for a moment when I saw them gulping. "Imagine that that male slave eats your cunt, sucks your nipples, and even knows where your clit is..." I paused again as I bit my lower lip, imagining Frederick that he was with me right now. "It is pure heaven once you have reached your orgasm. I could have sworn this because this is based on my experience." I sighed dreamily.
When I looked at them, their eyes were full of curiosity which made me want to smile from ear to ear but I halted myself. I needed to show that I understood and sympathize with their feelings.
When I heard that they said that they would try to go to the Maiden's Lair, I knew by then that my business was done.
Riding back home, I was feeling satisfied by it. I looked outside and wondered if Frederick had done his task for me. I am certain that he would do it because he wanted to be rewarded by me.
Before going back to the Lone Crow pack, I decided to stop by a restaurant and bought some sweet goods that I would bestow to Frederick and to my other male slaves and servants.
As I returned to the manor, Heimon's distorted face was the one I met. "Luna..." he called me nervously.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?" I looked around and saw my servants looked nervous and frightened right now. But someone was missing... "Where's Frederick?" No one answered. My heart suddenly troubled at that moment. "Did he abscond?!" I raised my tone.
They flinched when I growled back.
I glared at Heimon who still looked frightened. "Where is he?! Did he leave?! Tell me!" I barked.
His hands were fidgeting as he looked into my eyes. "N-No, Luna. Your pet... Your pet is still here."
I grabbed him by his collar. "Then where on earth is my Frederick?! Why can't you answer me, you dumbass?!"
I was starting to panic because I suddenly felt uneasy. My Frederick... Where on earth he was? If he didn't abscond, then where the fuck he was?
"Alpha..." I glanced at him and squinted my eyes.
"Alpha?" I paused and gasped before I clenched my hand at the realization. "What did Reginald do?" He silenced. I started to shake him when I felt frustrated. "Goddamn it, Heimon! Tell me what happened while I was away!" I commanded furiously.
He looked frightened when I shouted at him. "Your pet and Alpha Reginald brawled this morning! To Alpha's annoyance, he locked your pet to the prison cell and punished him with a thousand lashes, Luna!"
"W-What...?" My eyes widened as I released him in shock.