Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 272: Violet: Just Us Two

Richard’s round face flushed even darker at the insult. "My father’s not a minor-"

"Shut up!" Leo silenced him with a terrifying yell that made the three other boys shake. "He is what I say he is, you hear? Because I’ll be a king from one of the most prestigious bloodlines on the continent and you’ll stay as a nobody! So shut your mouth and do as you’re fucking told by your betters!"

No one said a word, no one dared so much as breathe in the room. Even the other lords, Leo’s closest friends, were cowed by his temper. Violet felt a trickle of cold sweat slide down her back. All she could think of was Prince Johan’s ugly outburst during her first day at court.

Did all the men in the Devon royal line have such wild tempers?

"All of you, leave this room right fucking now!" Leo ordered as he stared down at the four boys. He gave Thomas a light shove backwards. "Go back to your nursemaids before I lose my patience and tell all of your parents what you’ve been doing. See what kind of beatings you’ll earn yourselves for sneaking around where you don’t belong!"

At that comment, Violet saw Prince William’s young face turn white with genuine fear. He scrambled out of the room, pulling Thomas with him by the sleeve. The third boy followed them, equally terrified.

Once they were just out in the corridor, William called out, "Rich, come on! We can’t stay here!"

Young Richard Bentworth continued to glare up at the prince for a moment longer. Violet wondered if he was exceptionally brave or just foolish. In the end, he had no choice but to follow command and leave the room.

"And Tom..." Leo called out.

"Y-y-yes?" A quivering little voice replied from the corridor.

"I don’t suppose I need to tell you to keep your mouth shut about what you’ve seen here, especially around Mother?" Leo hissed menacingly. "If I find out she’s discovered anything, I’ll hold you and your little friends responsible." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"O-of course not, brother! We p-p-promise not to say a word-"

Leo slammed the door behind him with brutal force and locked it for good measure. He stomped back to his seat and gestured for the card game to resume. The rest of the men settled around the table again and another round was dealt.

The previously jovial atmosphere in the room was gone, however. The next hand of cards was won by the lord with black hair and the amber coloured tunic.

So was the next. Half a dozen more rounds were played and Prince Leo lost all of them.

Violet stood back a little from the table, quietly observing as his mood continued to plummet. With every round of cards he lost and every wagered ducat that he had to hand over, the prince seemed to grow more and more sullen.

His friends remained quiet, not even boasting when one pocketed an especially large wager. No one wanted to say anything about Leo’s winning streak being so obviously over.

How appealing, Violet thought dryly. The pampered mama’s boy also has a foul temper and is a sore loser. Just as well he was born the heir to a throne, because he doesn’t have a lot of other redeeming traits.

His expression had turned as dark as a raging storm when Maisie foolishly decided to sit herself back on his lap and give him a seductive smile.

The action made Leo snap. Shoving her off him none too gently, he growled, "Stop disturbing me, woman. Are you too stupid to see I’m busy?"

Maisie leapt to her feet at the prince’s shove and stared down at him, pouting in disbelief. "But my lord-"

With a lazy flick of his wrist, Leo dismissed her. "You know what? You can go wherever the children went, for all I care. I’m bored of you. Get the fuck out." He didn’t even bother lifting his eyes from his cards to look at her.

Violet took that as her own sign to leave. Better to go before you’re told to go, she figured.

She bowed gracefully to the men at the table and murmured good night to them all.

Leo jerked his head up briefly in surprise. "I said the other wench had to leave, not you."

Violet smiled back at him. "It’s alright, Your Grace. Unlike others, I’m not one to overstay my welcome."

"Well, perhaps we can speak tomorrow." Leo replied, looking confused.

Of course he was confused. Why would any woman want to leave and give up the pleasure of standing around for hours, watching a handful of drunk, arrogant boors play cards? Listening to their coarse language while making sure she looked honoured to just be in their presence. What kind of woman would want to miss out on such fun?

Violet gave him an enigmatic smile. "Mmm. Yes perhaps, my lord. Have a pleasant evening."

She couldn’t help giving a quick smirk to Maisie as she calmly headed for the door. Maisie was forced to follow her since Prince Leo had ordered her to leave.

Once the two girls were in the quiet corridor, Violet turned and said in her sweetest voice, "Good night Lady Maisie and pleasant dreams. I hope you enjoyed watching everything that took place as much as I did."

At her words, Maisie’s face twisted into an ugly mask. "You and your sister must be so proud of yourselves these days, Lady Violet. Between the two of you, you’ve finally got His Grace’s attention. You have him all tied up in knots, actually."

Violet gave her a smug smile. Yes, let the silly wench think the Thierre sisters were working in tandem. It caused no harm for Maisie or even for Ilse to think that, when nothing could be further from the truth.

I’m not sharing the prize with anyone.

"It’s puzzling to me, though. I suppose I can see why Ilse appeals to the prince, if a man’s taste runs to fair haired women." Maisie continued. "But not you. What is it about a plain, sour faced bitch like you that His Grace finds so interesting?"

The rush of power surging through Violet was satisfying, especially when she remembered how Maisie had gone out of her way to insult her when she’d been newly arrived to the castle. She shrugged and gave a serene smile. "I think it must be because men enjoy a challenge. They enjoy having to work hard to earn a rare prize. You wouldn’t know anything about that, I’m sure. Women like you are fish very easily caught, then tossed away, aren’t you?"

Without waiting for a reply, Violet turned away and marched down the dim corridor. She crossed her fingers she’d remember how to find her way back to the part of the castle she was familiar with.

After a few wrong turns, she eventually found the start of the western wing. Her feet were throbbing from pain as she finally limped into the shared bedchamber.

"Vy?" A whisper broke the silence.

Violet startled, then her vision focused and she saw Ilse half sitting up in bed and shielding her own eyes. "I thought you’d be asleep."

"I was, but not very deeply. The cramps in my belly are awful."

Violet felt a twinge of sympathy for her twin, despite trying hard to suppress it. "Have you been drinking the boiled ginger root tea that the queen suggested?"

"Yes but it’s not helping much." Ilse’s expression was pinched with pain. She moved over to create more room on the bed.

Tugging off her circlet, Violet sat down on the bed and gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder. Sometimes, the distance between the two of them saddened her.

Did it sadden Ilse too?

"It could be worse, sister. At least you didn’t just get kicked out from watching a card game, like Maisie Setterten did tonight."

Ilse gave a squawk of delighted horror. "You made that up!"

"I didn’t! I swear, it happened."

"Then lie down and tell me about it at once! I need all the details!" Ilse quickly helped her sister remove her veil and unlace the back of her gown.

With a laugh, Violet stepped out of her silk dress and draped it over her clothes chest, then climbed into bed and started relaying the night’s events.

Ilse alternated between shock and uncontrollable giggles at the story. Violet laughed equally hard and for the first moment in weeks, she revelled in the ease of being with the person who knew her best. Their mutual laughter reminded her of the steady, sisterly warmth that had always existed between them.

Before courtiers and duties and arrogant princes had entered their lives, it had always been the two of them against the world. Ilse and Violet.

Violet and Ilse.

What would it take to return to that again?

And was it worth giving up on her ambitions to win over Prince Leo, just to get her sister back?