Sisters Three (Completed)

19. Brenna (1/4)

Brenna sighed in pure happiness as a servant dropped off the last of her new dresses. She unwrapped it from the pink tissue to expose the silver beading and shimmering folds of a long train. It smelled of lavender and Brenna rubbed it against her face while smiling so hard that her cheeks began to hurt. So many new dresses! She dropped the newest arrival amongst its siblings, standing a moment to admire the collection of silk and velvet in the colors of a wildflower bouquet. Her aunts had sold something to afford them, but Brenna didn't care. The Grand House was soon to be no longer her home, and its financial situation barely registered with her anymore. She had a new wedding wardrobe and she'd be traveling to Anjeluund to become the future prince's wife. Old spinsters in a crumbling manor home were the least of her worries.

With a trounce, Brenna moved away from the pile of dresses and over to her bed where she'd laid out the contents of her wardrobe. Gloves, stockings, underthings, shoes, and other little things were scattered over the duvet in a glittering explosion of accoutrements. Brenna picked through them, tossing the more worn and dingy pieces over her shoulder and onto the floor. She'd have Aunt Perta buy her new dancing slippers and petticoats tomorrow morning. She examined a glove that she'd stained with a bit of red wine toward the cuff, and decided it didn't meet her standards. It flew through the air, quickly followed by its mate, just as Brenna's aunts entered the room.

The sound of shrill yipping announced the annoying little beasts, and Brenna scowled as she spun around.

"What are they doing here? They'll ruin my things," she said, suddenly concerned over the state of the rejected items that the little dogs were currently sniffing at.

"Child, you really shouldn't be commenting on our dear darlings when you're the one who went from a future king to his illegitimate brother," Aunt Nora said.

Brenna spun on her heel and stomped to her pile of dresses. She lifted a robin's egg blue gown and placed it over her chest, swaying so that the skirts flared. One of the aunts clucked their tongue, and Brenna glanced up just in time to snatch a fleeting look of jealousy on Aunt Perta's face. Triumph flared in Brenna's chest. The old bags had been relegated to blacks and dove grays in their old age, and nothing gave Brenna more joy than rubbing her very youthful gowns in their pointy noses. Especially when they came into her room to berate her over her marriage decisions.

"You'll be thought a woman of the streets in that sort of garment," Aunt Perta snapped, snatching the blue gown and wadding it up to toss it on the bed. Brenna gasped in indignation and rushed to save the dress from disastrous wrinkles.

"It's been two days since the announcement of your engagement," Aunt Nora said, "and you still haven't told us why you gave up the chance at Afton Glenfarrow."

Brenna frowned and wished she was anywhere else. One of the beastly little dogs waddled up to sit on her hem and Brenna nudged it roughly away with her foot.

"Well?" Aunt Perta asked. "Are we to just assume you've gone insane and can't tell the difference between an heir and the brute-like product of base passions?"

Brenna rolled her eyes and tossed the blue gown on her pillows. "He's not a brute, and, thank you, but I am perfectly capable of distinguishing which son will give me better opportunities. And that son is not Afton, despite his seemingly obvious advantages."

"How in heaven's name is Afton the lesser of the two now?" Aunt Perta demanded. "If you'd only stuck to the plan and married him, Nora and I could one day be lounging in the Anjeluund palace with servants taking our every order, and never sparing another thought for this place!"

Brenna rearranged her braid. "Only a marriage would never have taken place and if I'd kept pursuing Afton you would be the aunts of that woman of the streets you so lovingly think I dress like."

Aunt Nora shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

The old ache of embarrassment and anger pulse through Brenna's veins and she couldn't bring herself to look at her aunts. Her rejection still felt like a fault, something wrong with her, but she knew that if she didn't tell Aunt Nora and Perta then they would never let her rest with their griping and complaining. So she took a deep breath and spit out the next words.

"His father made it quite clear that Afton was meant for a higher breed than myself. I saw no way of going around the man, and so I was forced to abandon the crown."

Aunt Perta laughed roughly. "Robert Glenfarrow merely disapproved and you backed away as meekly as a lamb? My, Brenna, I'd thought you had more spark in you than that!"

Brenna grit her teeth. "You weren't there! Robert Glenfarrow wouldn't allow Afton to marry me, and I know better than to poke a bear that has that much power."

Aunt Perta huffed, but Brenna could see that her aunts were finally beginning to see the situation more clearly now. Their tempers were still hot, but understanding was starting to take the edge off. No doubt they'd always believe in some way or another that Brenna should have found another way, but Brenna held out hope they wouldn't constantly yell at her for it for the rest of their lives.