Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 270: Violet: Rare and Stupid Men

29 June, 1348. Magdaline Castle, Islia.

Strolling along one of the galleries, Violet was enjoying the sunny day. It was the second day in a row that Queen Celia had sent her ladies away early because she was struggling with a migraine.

According to older courtiers, the queen had become susceptible to stress induced migraines after birthing Prince Thomas.

Violet occasionally found herself wondering what a woman with all the riches of the world at her fingertips, could possibly feel stressed about.

She didn’t normally mind the solitude. It was a relief to let the bland smile slide off her face, if only for a little while.

It was only that now, the solitude was because Ilse was off having a grand time with others and Violet wasn’t. After having several of her invitations stubbornly turned down, Ilse finally seemed to have gotten the message and had stopped inviting Violet along whenever she went.

And I don’t care, Violet told herself. I’d rather be alone.

She turned her face up to the sun and breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the gardens. Not for the first time, she remembered her escapades to eat sweet peas and raspberries along the riverbanks in Orravalo. Violet forced herself to put those memories out of her mind.

She didn’t need to dwell on happy times with Ilse. She needed to focus on herself. If she didn’t, who would?

"Ah, Lady Violet. What a surprise running into you here. What are you doing all on your own?"

She was startled to turn a gallery corner and suddenly find herself face to face with Prince Leo himself. Ugh, she thought.

Quickly bowing, she replied, "Just enjoying the peace and quiet, my lord."

"Why aren’t you with your sister?"

Violet didn’t want to admit she didn’t know where Ilse was. It always felt like the man before her was always secretly laughing at her. "There are some things, like a beautiful garden, that you don’t need the company of others to be able to enjoy."

"Do you even know where Lady Ilse is at the moment?" Leo smirked.

Yes, the bastard was definitely laughing at her. Violet kept her face blank and refused to react. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"She’s actually on a stroll with my brother James." Leo eventually told her. "He promised to show her the apple orchard."

"Is that so? Well, that’s a relief at least. There’s one Devon man who I don’t have to worry will put my sister’s virtue in peril."

Leo stared at her for a moment, the gave a whoop of laughter. "Oh dear! Do you really fear for her good name around me?"

"Are you saying I shouldn’t, Your Grace?"

The prince grinned. "No, you’re probably right, Lady Violet. James has convinced himself that he’s already in love with that betrothed of his he’s always scribbling letters to. He won’t even look at other women. Lucky for me, I don’t have that problem."

Violet looked up at him, his rich clothes and brilliant, insufferable smile. Without his family name and his handsome face, the man would be nothing, she realised. He literally had nothing else to offer a woman.

Then again, to be able to offer a woman a crown and a life of idle luxury, was plenty.

"You realise, my lord, that Ilse and I have been very strictly raised? Our mother was as immovable as an abbess. Worse, actually." Violet batted her eyelashes and gave him a teasing smile. "Ilse will never be able to give you what you’re looking for, I fear. She’ll hold onto her virtue on pain of death."

Leo immediately looked intrigued. Of course he did. What man didn’t relish the challenge of conquering such an unattainable lady?

"Was your mother really that harsh on you both?"

"Oh yes. Quite brutal." Violet replied cheerfully. "I won’t turn your stomach with tales of our punishments. But Ilse has often said she’ll never stray from our childhood teachings if it means avoiding another beating."

"I’m afraid you don’t know how convincing I can be." Leo’s voice rang with challenge.

Stupid, gullible fool, Violet thought as she smiled sweetly. "And I’m afraid you don’t know our lady mother, my lord."

He gave her a slow, calculating smile. "I take it you’re the same as your sister, then? You’ll hold onto your virtue until your wedding night also, Lady Violet?"

"My sister and I are very, very different. In this matter but also in others. You’ll probably never meet twins who think so differently."

"Is that right?" Leo’s smile turned predatory. "So what would be enough to tempt you to stray from your morals?"

"Hmmm." Violet tilted her head back and held his gaze, unflinching, for a long moment. "I suppose if a man were to offer me something so impressive, so unmatchable, that it left me no choice but to accept. Something that I’d be willing to endure a thousand beatings for. Can you think of any man that could offer such a thing, my lord?"

"I think I can, actually."

Violet managed to bite back a laugh. He was just so pathetically obvious! Prince Leo clearly thought he was irresistible, that just one chance with him would make any woman throw caution to the wind.

Instead, she bowed her goodbyes to him, straightening up slowly so that she gave him a clear view down her bodice. "Well, I haven’t been fortunate enough to encounter such a rare man yet. If you ever do, my lord, I trust you’ll let me know. Have a pleasant afternoon."

With that, Violet turned away and started walking languidly back to the castle. And when she paused to look over her shoulder flirtatiously, she saw the prince staring after her, slack jawed.

As she aimed a little smile and wink back at him, she wondered if all men were so easy to manipulate or if Leo’s vanity and pride meant he has particularly stupid.

Violet remembered Ilse once describing the prince as clever, then giggled to herself.