Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 246: Violet: The Perils of Being Number Two

Lord and Lady Thierre had always made it very clear the responsibility of improving the status and wealth of the Duchy, rested on their children’s shoulders. The couple had all their hopes pinned on their son Abel, as the next duke. For him, they’d hired the finest tutors they could afford.

Their daughters’ education on the other hand, could be best described as scant.

A good education would’ve apparently been wasted on them anyways, according to the duke. "Learn to be pleasing to the eye and charming company to a man. That’s all the education you need." he’d often say to his three girls. "You’ll improve our house’s fortunes through the prestigious marriages you make, not through the books you read."

Which was all well and good, Violet thought. The issue was, how were they supposed to make these fabulous marriages to families that would raise the Duchy’s social standing, if they never left their manor? How were they supposed to meet anyone at all? Their poverty was limiting their opportunities.

Their poverty was the reason the elder Thierre daughters weren’t already at court. At sixteen summers old, they should’ve already made their court debut over a year ago. What’s more, as daughters of a duke, they were entitled to serve as ladies-in-waiting to the queen herself.

But they were in no condition to go to the glamorous and decadent Islian court with nothing but their threadbare gowns that were little better than rags. They’d be laughed out of the castle gates.

Until their father could afford to send them to court with the fine gowns, shoes and jewellery that befitted a queen’s lady, they wouldn’t be allowed to go.

So the twins remained in Orravalo, in a strange state of purgatory. It felt like they were waiting for life to truly begin, without any assurances that it ever would. Their parents couldn’t really afford to keep them home or to send them away.

Violet had heard her parents ponder their future more than once, in worried, whispered conversations. What’s to be done about Ilse and Violet?

It’s how the two had always been referred to by everyone throughout their lives. Ilse and Violet.

Never, ever was it Violet and Ilse.

That’s because everyone knew that Ilse was the elder daughter and Violet was the mere afterthought.

It was as if having been born a matter of only minutes earlier, meant that Ilse had been bestowed with the best of everything the fates had to offer. Violet simply had to make do with the scraps left over.

And that included their parents’ love.

Oh, their younger brother Abel was the favourite of course, as their only living son. There had been a second son born not long after Abel, but he’d been born dead. When their parents had tried for another boy, they’d ended up with only their youngest daughter, Sancia. Lady Thierre had been unable to bear more children after that, to her husband’s great disappointment. So of course both parents clung to their precious only boy.

But as far as the daughters went, Ilse was far and away their favourite. Father even referred to her as his pretty dove.

He referred to Violet as Violet.

Problem was, Ilse was everyone else’s favourite too and always had been, for her piety, sweetness, wit...and beauty. Her beauty.

Violet thought it was the absolute greatest of cruelties that her twin sister was so similar to her and yet, so much more.

Both girls had pale, sandy hair. But where Violet’s was straight and rather thin, Ilse’s hair was a waterfall of gleaming curls streaked with ribbons of gold, honey and buttery blond.

Both girls had blue eyes. Violet’s were a simple dusty blue. Ilse’s eyes were a striking shade of cerulean, like a midsummer sky.

Both girls were middling height, with slim frames. But Ilse was curvaceous, her breasts showing plump above her necklines. Violet of course, was more flat chested.

There were a thousand small ways in which Ilse was just a little bit more that Violet. Straighter teeth. A sweeter singing voice. A flair for dance. A creamy complexion without a single freckle.

And nothing reflected those thousands of small ways better than a mirror.

For as long as Violet could remember, the two girls would sneak into their parents’ bedchamber during the day and peer into the large gilt mirror that stood in one corner. As little girls, they’d made silly expressions at themselves and laughed, talking about the kind of things they wanted in their own bedchambers when they grew up.

A six or seven year old Ilse had once announced, "I want a mirror as big as this in my chamber. When I’m a princess, I shall have one!"

Violet had scrunched her face up in a question. "How do you plan to become a princess, Ilse?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Silly!" Ilse had replied in her childish voice. "By marrying a prince, of course!"

Violet had giggled. She didn’t think there were too many princes walking around but if there were and Ilse was going to marry one, it was only fair Violet was given a prince for herself as well. The two girls had played princesses that afternoon in front of the gilt mirror.

Now, however, looking in mirrors alongside her twin was no longer a bit of fun. It filled her with sickening envy. What was it about a mirror’s power to make those who were already beautiful, even more beautiful? And yet it could make those who were pleasant enough looking but not exceptional, even less exceptional?

Violet loved her twin with all her heart. She really did. Yet, there was a secret corner of her heart that almost loathed her. She resented Ilse for being so much more than Violet could ever be.

But whenever Violet would raise her inadequacies and fears with her sister, Ilse wouldn’t listen. She’d merely flash that smile of hers that could melt a thousand hearts and say,

"Don’t be silly, Vy! We’re twins. I am you and you are me! We’re in each others’ blood for always."