left, he would not have had to remarry. And then his daughter would never have had to walk the gauntlet of her stepmother's disdain. besides, elise could not be blamed for failing to love a child whose own mother had abandoned her.
At least with the king's second marriage, Aurelia had gained a sister.
A hush fell on the princesses' shared parlor as Aurelia entered the room. The bevy of melony's lady's maids rose as one from their seats and exited until only the two sisters remained.
"palace gossip must have traveled fast." Aurelia hurled herself onto the settee. "Honestly, mel, sometimes I think you should be the crown princess."
Her sister gave a soft laugh and twisted a jade bracelet on her wrist. "Without a hint of royal blood in my veins? I suspect your cousin montaine might disagree."
Aurelia groaned. "He'd probably swoop down and bury us all in war before the month was out."
"And he would win. The other kingdoms would never support a disruption undermining the line of inheritance."
"I know." Aurelia lifted a silk pillow and squeezed it to her chest. "And the truth is, I love my kingdom but you're the one with the gift for court life."
"yes, well." melony sank down beside her. "Our father is rather fond of tradition."
Aurelia gave a weak smile, then threaded her fingers through her sister's hand. "you're the only person who understands the pressure of being his daughter."
melony tapped the edge of the settee, then hopped up. "There are some advantages," she declared, swinging open the door to her sitting room. "Come out, girls!"
The flood of lady's maids swept back into the parlor. Two girls rushed to the bench at the pianoforte. Another four returned to a game board, and three crowded onto the window seat. The youngest girl, no more than eleven years old, hid behind her mistress's flowing skirts.
Anticipation shone on melony's unblemished face as she looked at her older sister. "I know you lost daria this morning, and I thought you might like to select one of my lady's maids as your new personal attendant."
Aurelia's jaw dropped. As if I could replace Daria that easily.
Her sister seemed to read her expression and reached out to embrace her. "I know you had a terrible day today, and I want to help. Half the girls are technically assigned to you anyway."
Of course melony meant well.
Aurelia wrinkled her forehead. "I prefer a smaller entourage. I can't imagine how you keep them all busy."
"Oh, they go on missions for me." melony twirled around. "They inform the chef of my preferences for the day and check on the status of my new gowns." she dropped her voice. "They turn in papers to my instructors and invent excuses for me to avoid class. most of the time, though," she whispered in Aurelia's ear, "they carry messages back and forth to young men."
Aurelia groaned. she had no desire to command a unit of giggling adolescents. Instead, she focused on the child who had been hiding behind her sister's skirts. Wide hazel eyes overwhelmed the pale face. A spattering of pink freckles sprinkled the sharp cheekbones, and a fringe of mousy brown hair frizzed loose from its shell comb. If I have to lose my best friend, I might as well select a lady's maid I can intimidate into leaving me alone. "What is your name?" Aurelia asked, squatting down to the child's level.
"min-minuet."
"do you think you could come assist me, minuet?"
The girl's big eyes grew even wider, and for a moment Aurelia thought the child might run away. "y-y-yes, your Highness."
"Wonderful." Aurelia glanced up to see her sister's delighted reaction, then returned her attention to the lady's maid. "I'm in for the evening," she lied, not wanting to involve minuet in her rebellious Carnival plans. "so I won't require your help until morning. If you would like to remain here in the meantime, you are welcome to do so."
"Th-thank you, your Highness."
unencumbered, Aurelia slipped out of the parlor and hurried through her personal sitting room into
At least with the king's second marriage, Aurelia had gained a sister.
A hush fell on the princesses' shared parlor as Aurelia entered the room. The bevy of melony's lady's maids rose as one from their seats and exited until only the two sisters remained.
"palace gossip must have traveled fast." Aurelia hurled herself onto the settee. "Honestly, mel, sometimes I think you should be the crown princess."
Her sister gave a soft laugh and twisted a jade bracelet on her wrist. "Without a hint of royal blood in my veins? I suspect your cousin montaine might disagree."
Aurelia groaned. "He'd probably swoop down and bury us all in war before the month was out."
"And he would win. The other kingdoms would never support a disruption undermining the line of inheritance."
"I know." Aurelia lifted a silk pillow and squeezed it to her chest. "And the truth is, I love my kingdom but you're the one with the gift for court life."
"yes, well." melony sank down beside her. "Our father is rather fond of tradition."
Aurelia gave a weak smile, then threaded her fingers through her sister's hand. "you're the only person who understands the pressure of being his daughter."
melony tapped the edge of the settee, then hopped up. "There are some advantages," she declared, swinging open the door to her sitting room. "Come out, girls!"
The flood of lady's maids swept back into the parlor. Two girls rushed to the bench at the pianoforte. Another four returned to a game board, and three crowded onto the window seat. The youngest girl, no more than eleven years old, hid behind her mistress's flowing skirts.
Anticipation shone on melony's unblemished face as she looked at her older sister. "I know you lost daria this morning, and I thought you might like to select one of my lady's maids as your new personal attendant."
Aurelia's jaw dropped. As if I could replace Daria that easily.
Her sister seemed to read her expression and reached out to embrace her. "I know you had a terrible day today, and I want to help. Half the girls are technically assigned to you anyway."
Of course melony meant well.
Aurelia wrinkled her forehead. "I prefer a smaller entourage. I can't imagine how you keep them all busy."
"Oh, they go on missions for me." melony twirled around. "They inform the chef of my preferences for the day and check on the status of my new gowns." she dropped her voice. "They turn in papers to my instructors and invent excuses for me to avoid class. most of the time, though," she whispered in Aurelia's ear, "they carry messages back and forth to young men."
Aurelia groaned. she had no desire to command a unit of giggling adolescents. Instead, she focused on the child who had been hiding behind her sister's skirts. Wide hazel eyes overwhelmed the pale face. A spattering of pink freckles sprinkled the sharp cheekbones, and a fringe of mousy brown hair frizzed loose from its shell comb. If I have to lose my best friend, I might as well select a lady's maid I can intimidate into leaving me alone. "What is your name?" Aurelia asked, squatting down to the child's level.
"min-minuet."
"do you think you could come assist me, minuet?"
The girl's big eyes grew even wider, and for a moment Aurelia thought the child might run away. "y-y-yes, your Highness."
"Wonderful." Aurelia glanced up to see her sister's delighted reaction, then returned her attention to the lady's maid. "I'm in for the evening," she lied, not wanting to involve minuet in her rebellious Carnival plans. "so I won't require your help until morning. If you would like to remain here in the meantime, you are welcome to do so."
"Th-thank you, your Highness."
unencumbered, Aurelia slipped out of the parlor and hurried through her personal sitting room into
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