The Usurper's Queen | COMPLETED

06 | the proposal

Late Queen Helene's body was still warm in her grave when her sister Jane came to court. When I attended court with my mother and Lisbeth, I could see that the rumors were not exactly true. Lady Jane was indeed somewhat good looking, but her deceased sisters were still prettier than her. She did have golden blonde and sapphire eyes as rumored, but she lacked a certain charm that her sisters possessed, and she simply looked plain and uninteresting.

      "You're not as pretty as your sister either, Anne," I sighed when I looked at my reflection in the bronze mirror. I felt remorseful for belittling Lady Jane, especially since I was in the same predicament as her.

      I had lost my baby fat and looked much more mature, and my indigo eyes shine brightly, but I still had the figure of a plank. I was envious of Lisbeth, who was able to fit into multiple fashionable and trendy dresses, while I was stuck wearing clothes that resembled curtains.

I had grown taller too, and it made me look even thinner than I already was. Lisbeth called me 'Anne the Willow Tree', and although she claimed that it was in an endearing manner, the mischievous glint in her eyes spoke otherwise.

Edmund did come to visit us in Rhyland, but he was stiff and formal, and mostly conversed with my father, never with us children. Lisbeth would try to make small talk with him, only to be shot down repeatedly.

      Sometimes, she would tell Mother that she regretted accepting Lord Cedric Byron's proposal, and gradually, she began to ask my mother to call it off.

I knew what was going through Lisbeth's mind, and I understood her why she reacted in such a way.
         Even if Edmund does not ascend to the throne, his position as Duke of Cindertrappe meant that he held more power than Lisbeth's future husband ever would, and subsequently more wealth.

If Lisbeth were to wed Edmund, she would also become a royal duchess, and all her children would be of royal blood with legitimate claims to the throne.

That late autumn evening, Edmund had come to visit again, but Father was not home, so Mother instructed Lisbeth, Gilbert and I to entertain him in the sitting room until Father returned.

       As usual, Lisbeth tried to make small talk, and as usual, Edmund was cold and unimpressed. I glanced at my twin, who was clearly uncomfortable watching our already betrothed sister throwing herself at a man who does not even like her.

      "He's looking at you, Annie," Gilbert whispered, and I turned around to see Edmund gazing at me with intrigue. I knew that he wanted me to speak, to say something, but I felt as if my tongue were tied.
        I was afraid to talk to him, afraid that the secret behind Prince George's death would inadvertently spill out of my lips.

Lisbeth noticed Edmund looking at me, and her face scrunched up indignantly.
        "Your Grace," she began, "Did you know that Anne is so good at sneaking around? One time she's here, and in the other she's already disappeared!"

     Edmund chuckled softly, and Lisbeth's eyes lit up with excitement at her success in inciting a positive reaction from him. "I know. Anne is like an enigma-she is everywhere. Wherever I look, I see Anne."

      I heard a coughing sound, and I saw Gilbert choking on his drink. As I patted his back, he hissed, "What on Earth did he just say?"
      I decided to ignore both him and Edmund, and forget about what just happened, but Lisbeth was already too embittered by Edmund showing attention to me.

      "She's also good at smuggling things, like poison! She can poison people without them ever expecting-"

I stared at Lisbeth in disbelief, my jaw dropped in shock. She had a satisfied look in her grey eyes, as if she had triumphed over me.