Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 248: Violet: Anything is Possible

"This is not just some chance for the two of you to go gallivanting around, without a care in the world." Lady Thierre warned them primly. "Your most important responsibility is to advance the cause of our house amongst the royal family and the other nobles. You’re to act like ladies and the daughters of a duke at all times. Am I understood?"

"Of course, Mother." Both sisters nodded politely but then enchanged elated looks.

"You’re both to ingratiate yourself with the queen and become her favourite ladies. Become her confidants and report whatever knowledge you gain to us, so that we can use it to our benefit."

Violet blinked in surprise. Had their mother just told them to spy on the queen? She bobbed her head passively but decided she’s discuss the matter with her twin later, in private.

"And above all else, your behaviour must always be without reproach. Especially when around the royal princes. If you remember nothing else, remember that." Lady Thierre continued to intone, as if giving a sermon. "Only a lady of unblemished reputation can hope to attract a decent husband. No man wants spoiled goods, even in that godless court with no morals."

Violet raised her brows, interest piqued. This was the first time she’d heard anything about the court having lax morals. When the duchess had previously talked about it, she’d made it sound like a glamorous paradise, full of refinement and impeccable manners.

She wondered what her mother had seen to make her call it a godless place.

"Mother, how many princes are there?" Ilse asked.

"Four or five. Some of them are mere children, though, so aren’t much use to us." Lady Thierre replied. "Then again, all children grow up with time so it makes sense for you both to stay on the good sides of all royals. Even the very young ones will eventually have influential friends."

Violet glanced around her parents’ bedchamber. The room was as cold as the rest of the manor house, illuminated by candles made from cheap tallow instead of beeswax. The windows rattled, the rugs were faded and the red brocade upholstery on the daybed was starting to look worn in a few patches.

Even Lady Thierre, despite her constant haughty airs and graces, was wearing a velvet gown with a frayed collar and cuffs. The lines around her eyes and mouth were cut deep, etching life’s many disappointments on her face.

I’ll do anything, literally anything to leave this miserable house ands its miserable people, Violet thought. And once I leave, I swear I’ll never look back.

- - -

The following night, over a meagre dinner of stewed sheep kidneys and turnip mash, Lord Thierre announced his plans to the entire family. He confirmed that arrangements were underway for the twins’ departure to court to serve as ladies to Her Majesty. They were to leave home no later than the last week of March.

One of the first tasks that needed to take place was summoning the local seamstresses to the manor, to measure the girls for new gowns. Ilse bounced in her seat with excitement at the mention of new clothes.

While she was very disappointed at a delay of so many months, Violet knew there were a great many preparations that needed to take place. For the sake of the family’s already battered reputation, the girls wouldn’t be allowed to leave home until they were suitably equipped.

The duke would need several weeks to secure the funds he’d borrowed and then gradually purchase all that they’d need. The new belongings would then need to be packed up into new storage chests and sent with the girls to Magdaline Castle.

Saddles, riding habits and boots, so that they could join other nobles at hunting. Silk and satin gowns for formal banquets in the warmer months and velvet ones for the winter. Chemises and nightgowns, given their current ones were little better than rags. Combs, circlets and veils, silk slippers and capes lined with rabbit and miniver fur.

Lord Thierre mumbled bitterly under his breath that he was having to spend a fortune on their wardrobes and that it was his cursed luck having two daughters, not just one, to provide for.

His wife placed a hand on his arm and gave him a meaningful look. "Think of it more as an investment in the future of the Duchy of Orravalo, my lord. We do our house no favours if we send the girls to that court looking like paupers. We’d only set them up for failure."

"You’re right, wife." The duke nodded grimly, then turned to the twins. "I have great expectations from the two of you. And I will expect a return on my investment. I’m not going into debt just to watch the both of you squander this chance."

Violet smiled wryly. Her parents made it quite clear that they were sending two pawns to the royal court to do their bidding, not two daughters.

But she didn’t really care. She was desperate to escape the dreary poverty and monotony of Thierre Manor. She felt Ilse reach for her hand under the table and gently squeeze her fingers in reassurance. Violet squeezed back.

Abel bobbed his head genially when he heard his elder sisters would soon be leaving, then went back to quietly eating his dinner. He was a reserved youth and little garnered much reaction from him.

Sancia, of course, was the opposite and took the news terribly. She reacted by hurling herself from her chair and on the floor, screaming in a wild tantrum at the injustice of it all.

Abel put his hands over his ears and retreated into his bedchamber. The duchess waved her hand helplessly in Sancia’s direction, as if she didn’t have the energy to deal with such an outburst. The duke ignored his youngest child completely and continued sipping the ale in his goblet.

"Stop your whining, Sancia!" Violet finally snapped over the ear splitting wails. "You’re far too young to go to court yet. You’ll just have to wait until your turn comes."

"But that’s not for years! It’s not fair that I’ll be left alone here waiting." Sancia shouted as she pounded the floor with her little fists, tears in her eyes.

"Sancia, please..." Ilse sighed, using the voice of everlasting patience that she often used when trying to reason with their youngest sister.

"You can’t go because the queen has no use for children. Especially not for spoiled, naughty children!" Violet butted in, ignoring Ilse’s attempts to try and deal with the situation gently. "So you’d better pull yourself together and learn to act like a proper lady, Sancia! Otherwise you’ll never get an invite to court. Do you think the queen wants a tantrum throwing little monster waiting upon her?"

That seemed to get the youngest girl’s attention. Sancia stoped thrashing her limbs and looked up at Violet with reddened eyes, breathing hard. "It’s not fair. I’ll be left here by myself. Abel never wants to play with me."

Ilse stood from the dining table and sat herself down on the floor, cross legged, next to Sancia. "You just have to be patient. You’re still very young. But if Vy and I are clever, we’ll find wealthy husbands at court and raise our family name. It’ll then be far easier to have you summoned to court as a lady-in-waiting too. And once you’re there, you can start looking for a good husband of your own. Isn’t that right, Vy?" Ilse brushed a lock of Sancia’s apricot coloured hair back from her blotchy face.

"Mmm." Violet said in a noncommittal tone as she looked out the window at the snow dusted grounds. The thought of Sancia eventually joining them at court and likely causing nothing but trouble, wasn’t one she liked very much. Worse, even if the twins caught the attention of every available man there, how were they going to turn the attention into marriage proposals without offering good dowries? No worthwhile noble would want a wife that came to him empty handed.

That will have to be a problem for another day, Violet told herself firmly. Today, just enjoy the fact that our dream of going to court is coming true. We’re finally escaping home. There will be new people, new clothes, fine food and music. Anything has to be better than here.

Ilse looked up at her from the floor and gave an excited smile. Violet grinned back, hope bubbling up inside her. Everything would soon be different, for the better. She just knew it.

That night, the twins curled up on their bed, shivering under the blankets they’d pulled over their heads. They whispered very softly to avoid waking Sancia.

"This is our time, Vy." Ilse said, reading her twin’s thoughts. "We’re going to become fine ladies and drive all the available noblemen mad! What a spectacle it’ll be when the Thierre sisters are at the heart of court life! Ilse and Violet."

Violet and Ilse, the tiny voice inside Violet’s mind corrected.