1705. Luck had never been on Eleanora Finley's side. After her father died in a tragic fire, she was left at the mercy of her domineering and abusive mother, being deprived of all love and affection.
Truly, who would have thought that the simple red...
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Contains mentions of assault. Viewer discretion is advised.
1711, Southern Wing, Aethiel Palace, Kestramore City
How much are you willing to pay for power and glory? For Dinah Finley, the sky is the limit.
Now, the mother and daughter pair stand in absolute darkness like thieves, waiting for the Prince to pass by.
Dinah Finley, though seemingly simple, was a great schemer. She knew all about trapping and tricking others, all to further her own agenda. But scheming requires tools, and there is no better tool than her own daughter.
Though it was already spring, the nights were still particularly chilly. Eleanora was shivering in her flimsy nightgown, and she resentfully watched Dinah Finley in her layers upon layers of jackets and scarves.
"When he passes by, you must rush to him and grab him by the arm. Do you understand, Nora ?" Dinah instructed, causing Eleanora to glare at her in horror. "Why are giving your mother such a look? I am doing this for your own future!"
The Prince had left the palace earlier that day after the argument with the queen, and now, the mother and daughter pair were waiting for him to return so that they could entrap him.
Dinah Finley's plan was to knock the Prince unconscious and carry him to Eleanora's room. The next morning, she would rush down to the dining hall and cry about how the Prince had forced himself on poor Eleanora.
"There is no one around here," Dinah Finley suddenly said. "Let me rehearse the most important part, and you tell me if it needs any improvement."
Dinah slowly stepped back, and ruffled her matted blonde hair until it became dishevelled. Her empty pale blue eyes were soon overflowing with tears, and her arms and body began to tremble.
"You must come with me!" she shouted at Eleanora's face, panting heavily with grief and desperation. "Come at look at what the Prince had done to my poor daughter!
Oh, what a beast he is! He broke into our room in the middle of the night, and... And.."
Dinah Finley broke down crying on the dusty floor, and Eleanora could barely say a thing as she watched the scene unfold.
Warm and sour bile rose up in her throat, and actual, genuine tears formed in the corners of her eyes. What has she gotten into? And this woman, her 'mother', the very person who was supposed to protect her is actively trying to push her into the tiger's den.
"How was it, Nora ?" Dinah's voice rang, and Eleanora turned around to see her mother beaming at her, her cheeks wet with her crocodile tears.
"It was alright," Eleanora mustered a reply and quickly looked away. Deep down, Eleanora wished that the Prince would not return tonight. Let him stay anywhere else, anywhere but here. Even if he does come home, she hoped that he would not pass this particular hallway.
