Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 297: Violet: Come Bearing Gifts

"For being the one to draw the queen’s attention to it. It’s because of me that she knows her favourite son is the type of man who enjoys romping with a slut." Ilse met her mother’s angry gaze head on, her own eyes hard and her face deathly pale. "Her Majesty struggles with receiving hard truths, you see."

Lady Thierre snorted with outrage, her eyes pinching into slits. "That hardly seems fair, if she’s blaming you for others’ bad behaviour. She should -"

"Why does it matter what you think, wife, when she’s the queen?" Lord Thierre interrupted rudely. "She’s going to do what she wants to do regardless. That includes banishing our daughters for ridiculous reasons." He looked at Violet briefly with a sneer. "Ridiculous reasons for one, at least."

"Why were you even involved, Ilse?" Lady Thierre demanded. "If you knew your sister had become the prince’s mistress, why didn’t you just keep the secret to yourself? There might’ve been some benefits to Violet -"

"I couldn’t keep the knowledge to myself, Mother. I was too angry. Because Prince Leo was openly courting me while he was hiding in corners with Violet, and he’d given his word to marry me."

Both Lord and Lady Thierre went slack jawed.

"D-d-daughter, are you saying-" stammered the duke, "...are you saying the prince promised to take you as his betrothed and then his wife? He actually said it?"

"Yes, Father. More than once. He’d already even spoken to the king about it."

At Ilse’s words, the duchess gave a shriek like a banshee before launching herself furiously at Violet.

"Mother! Stop!" she cried as she raised her arms and tried to defend herself from her mother’s barrage of slaps.

"How could you do that to your sister? And to us!" Lady Thierre bellowed as she continued striking Violet about the head and shoulders. "How dare you spoil such a golden opportunity for her? With her as the prince’s wife, all our family’s problems would’ve been solved! Or are you just too stupid to realise it?"

Violet was now crouched on the floor, trying to make herself as small as possible and protect her face and belly from blows. "I didn’t know they were getting betrothed! Ilse never told me!"

"You knew he was courting me, though. You pursued him despite that." Ilse said coldly. "Or because of that, I should say."

Lord Thierre turned to Ilse, an odd gleam in his eyes. "This could all still be salvaged. Had the king agreed to the betrothal before this scandal broke?"

Ilse shook her head. "From what Leo told me, the king wasn’t overly keen on the match. Not because of me per se, but because he’d hoped his son would choose a bride with a generous dowry."

Ah, the age old problem of impoverished nobles. A grand title without a ducat to its name. Violet saw her father’s shoulders slump when he realised he had no leverage - or gold - to pressure King Edward to approve the betrothal.

"It’ll have to be Ilse then." Lady Thierre broke the glum silence. "She has beauty and charm, and the king is known to enjoy a pretty face. She needs to send messages to Prince Leo and convince him to challenge his father. If the man is truly in love with her, he needs to beg the king to accept his choice of bride."

Challenge his father, Violet sneered silently? She couldn’t imagine that lazy coward being willing to fight for much of anything. Then again, she’d never voice her opinion out loud. Her mother had finally stopped slapping her and pulling her hair.

Lord Thierre also looked dubious. "The prince may be too angry to be willing. He wouldn’t have enjoyed having his appetites thrown in his mother’s face and causing an uproar. Any man would be unhappy with that behaviour from a potential wife."

Lady Thierre glared at Ilse. "That was a foolish move, daughter. You should’ve discussed the matter privately with Violet instead of having a shouting match in front of his mother!"

"Discussed it privately? You mean I should’ve just kept it a secret? Shielded the poor sensitive prince from my own hurt at discovering him fornicating with my twin sister, because heaven forbid the man be made to feel like he was wrong?"

"Yes!" Lady Thierre replied sharply. "Open your eyes, Ilse. We’re not talking about an ordinary man here. We’re talking about the heir to the throne. I hope you at least knew better than to rebuke him directly!"

Ilse rolled her eyes. "Of course I rebuked him, Mother! I told him exactly what I thought of his pathetic behaviour."

Lord Thierre clapped his hand at his forehead in disbelief. Lady Thierre turned her rage on her eldest daughter.

"How could you, Ilse? Have you run mad or are you just as stupid as Violet?"

"What was I supposed to do then? Just ignore such blatant disrespect and smile? Continue to walk and dance with him when I know full well he’s bedding others?" Ilse held her ground against their formidable mother. "Is that what you would’ve done?"

"I would’ve tolerated that and much more from a man who could make me a queen!" Lady Thierre screamed, her face an alarming shade of crimson.

"Well, then." Ilse said quietly. "That’s the difference between you and me, Mother. I value my pride and peace of mind more than my position. I’ve no intention of ever speaking to Leo again. You can beat me as hard as you like but I won’t change my mind." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Lord Thierre dropped his head as if in defeat, hands on hips. "Goddamnit, what kind of daughters have I raised? One’s a wanton and the other is a simpleton without a drop of ambition in her veins. I feel like I’ve failed as a father."

Violet saw Ilse’s eyes glaze with tears again.

"You have failed as a parent, Father. You both have. But for different reasons than the ones you’re thinking of." Ilse turned on her heel and started walking away.

"Ilse! Ilse! This conversation isn’t over!" Lady Thierre was quaking with fury.

"It is for me, Mother." Ilse threw over her shoulder as she continued walking towards the wing where all the bedchambers were located. "If you’re so determined to marry one of your daughters to the prince, I’d suggest Violet. She’s better suited to him anyway and can offer him many things I can’t."

A moment later, Ilse had disappeared from sight. The slam of a door echoed through the manor hall shortly after.

Violet had remained sitting quietly on the floor and watched while Ilse argued with their parents. Once Ilse left the room however, she could feel their gazes swinging back to her, as if they suddenly remembered she was there.

"Stand up, girl." Lord Thierre growled. "What the hell are we supposed to do with you now? What use is an utterly ruined girl?"

Violet rose slowly to her feet.

"Is there any way you can awaken the prince’s desire again?" her mother asked bluntly.

Violet remembered the resentful look on Leo’s face that last time they’d seen each other in the little courtyard. "No."

Lord Thierre guffawed. "Don’t be ridiculous, wife. Why would any man be interested in taking back a mistress he’s already discarded? Especially a young man who can have any wench with a mere snap of his fingers?"

His wife aimed him a chilly look but didn’t deny his words. "Then what was Ilse talking about? What could you possibly have left to offer the prince?"

Violet hesitated, then decided to come clean. It’s not like she’d be able to hide her belly forever. "I’m with child, Mother. That’s what she was referring to."

The duke and duchess stared at her mutely. Violet began to fidget under their scrutiny.

"Is it the prince’s child?"

Violet nodded.

"Are you quite sure of that?" Lord Thierre’s voice was strangely soft.

"Utterly sure." Violet tried but failed to keep the sourness from her reply. "Despite how Ilse might make it sound, Leo was the only man I was ever with. And we only ever lay together once."

Her parents said no more, they merely scrutinised her. Violet just stood there not knowing what else to say.

A slow smile finally broke across the duchess’s face, though it had no warmth behind it. In fact, it made Violet shiver.

"Well, husband. Perhaps not everything is lost for our family. Though both of our daughters have been forced home, at least one of them has come bearing gifts."

The duke smiled also. "Who else knows of your pregnancy?"

"No one but Ilse and now you." Violet said.

His smile widened. "Perhaps we should congratulate you then, dear daughter. If you had to act the whore with any man, you certainly chose the right one."

It was the first bit of praise Violet could ever remember receiving from either parent, even if it was rolled together with an insult.

So why did she feel so scared?