Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 273: Violet: Mending What Has Torn

5 August, 1348. Magdaline Castle, Islia.

Stifling a sigh, Violet stared out a window from the queen’s presence chamber and watched the rain steadily falling. Despite the lead coloured skies, the air was hot and still, creating a muggy ambiance.

It was the third day in a row of heavy rain. The eastern valleys of Islia where Magdaline Castle was nestled were known for their short, fierce summer storms. Day after day of uninterrupted steady rain, however, was a rarity.

Being cooped up inside for so long was grating on everyone’s nerves. Even the mildest temperaments were starting to fray within the damp castle walls.

Being stuck inside meant having to do endless sewing for the ladies-in-waiting. Queen Celia supervised them all as they stitched plain fabric shirts that would be donated to the poor peasantry in the local parish.

This is even worse than the altar cloths, Violet despaired. At least the altar cloths used pretty silks and not this horrid, coarse linen.

Then she quietly laughed at herself, given she’d spent most of her own life in cheap, ill fitting clothing. After less than half a year at court, she’d obviously grown pampered and developed a taste for the finer things in life.

The presence chamber was quiet apart from a single, rich voice crooning a ballad. One of the ladies named Giselle had an exceptional singing voice, even sweeter than Ilse’s. This of course, made her a favourite with Queen Celia, who often asked her to sing and referred to her as her little nightingale.

Violet never concerned herself with Giselle or saw her as a threat, however. The poor girl wasn’t popular with the men, probably because she had the most enormous hooked nose Violet had ever seen. What was the point in singing like a nightingale when you looked like a parrot, she figured?

The last couple of weeks, there had been a tentative mending of feelings between the twins and Violet was pleased with it. Her and Ilse never actually sat down and spoke about how they’d started drifting apart, but the sentiment had been hanging heavily between them, silent and oppressive.

But now that there was a thawing of the chill between them, Violet felt more lighthearted than she had in a long time. Even the queen had recently commented on her good cheer.

Both sisters sensed it was better to avoid friction by choosing not to talk about a certain prince. The rogue was still trying to capture both sisters’ attentions, of course. He danced with Ilse without fail every night but often with Violet also.

Violet thought there was something about her being so different from the other ladies, that intrigued Leo. Ilse had nothing to hide from him - she was as easy to read as a child. Whereas Violet, he must’ve sensed, had many hidden secrets. His ego wouldn’t let him not win her over.

Perhaps Leo’s feelings of intrigue would soon grow to attraction, which is what she really needed to extract any benefits from the man.

Until then though, Violet was glad to be arm in arm with her sister again and feeling their old, familiar closeness return between them a little more with each passing day.

Perhaps, she thought with optimism, by the time Violet captured the prince, Ilse would’ve become reconciled with the idea and would even be pleased for her. After all, every concession Violet wrangled out of the stupid man could only benefit both of them and their family, right?

Speaking of Ilse, she’d been gone from the chamber for almost an hour. The queen had sent her down to request several tonics be prepared by one of the court healers. Violet almost wished she’d been the one sent on the errand, instead of being stuck sewing in the warm, airless chamber.

The two ladies closest to started bickering about who had used the last of the thread on a spool. The others gave them irritated looks and Violet shushed them rather rudely. The two girls ignored her and continued their argument. Giselle stopped singing.

"Hush now, both of you!" Queen Celia finally stepped in sharply. "The last thing I need filling my ears is some silly quarrel. My chambers are supposed to be a place of peace within this noisy, godforsaken castle!"

Both ladies ducked their heads and swiftly murmured apologies but the queen still looked irate, her mouth pinched into a frown.

Judging by the the sheen of sweat along her hairline and her red cheeks, it seemed Her Majesty was even more uncomfortable in the damp and heat than her ladies, Violet thought unsympathetically. She must be absolutely dripping in sweat underneath her pearl encrusted dress.

After another period of sewing in complete silence, Queen Celia seemed to run out of patience for company. She abruptly sent her ladies away, announcing she planned to spend the rest of the afternoon taking a cool bath and resting.

Violet found herself with the other ladies, turned out of the queen’s appartments rather abruptly and with an empty afternoon stretching before her. Muttering goodbye to her companions, Violet strode away. She had no desire to spend more time with any of them.

She stopped to think about where to for a moment, before deciding to head towards where she knew the queen’s favourite healer was located. Once she’d crossed paths with her sister, she might even discover a little more about the myriad of complaints the queen was always seeking tonics for. Violet had a suspicion that Ilse knew far more about Queen Celia ailments than she let on.

Violet walked down the various twisting corridors, drawing closer and closer to the base of the main keep. She could now laugh at how lost and overwhelmed she’d felt when she’d first arrived at Magdaline, fearing she’d never remember where anything was.

As she approached the keep, a pungent, medicinal scent wafted through the sultry air. Down the narrow corridor, there were storerooms for various herbs and tonics, accessible from both sides.

A high pitched little cry suddenly rang our from one of the storerooms. Violet paused, thinking it might be her imagination. She heard it again.

Not again, she sighed tiredly. Was she destined to always be stumbling across other couples and their secret liaisons? Was literally everyone in the castle committing adultery but her?

I have to know who it is this time, she thought. One never knows when this knowledge will prove useful.

Each of the doors had a small grill set within it, to allow the herbs and tonics stored inside to receive at least some fresh air. Violet peeked into each room until she saw movement in one.

The first thing she noticed was the gleam of blue satin, in a shade so dark it almost looked black. Violet was familiar with the satin because she had a dress made from it herself.

That meant...no. It couldn’t be...