My Sister's Prince

Chapter Two:

      "Hurry up," her mother called, impatiently fidgeting inside of the carriage. Eulalie smiled, pleased that she had irritated her favorite victim. She continued to walk along the pond's edge, admiring the landscape before her. 

     They were stopped along the road to the capital, the last leg of a full day's journey. After miles and miles of stunning landscape, the final few miles before the city's gates had yielded the most picturesque of them all. Eulalie forced the entire caravan to stop, telling her mother she had to "relieve herself," so that she could admire it a little longer. 

     Suddenly, she was reminded of her favorite line from one of the few books she'd actually read. "What are men compared to rocks and mountains," she said aloud, allowing the refreshing breeze to carry the wise words of Jane Austen from her lips (A/N: technically, this is before the 19th century so just go with it). She could hear her mother's irritation all the way from over there, and she knew she was on borrowed time. She had just turned to make her way back to the caravan, when her slipper caught on some loose ground, throwing her into the pond.

     "Ready Mother," Eulalie said as she opened the door to enter the carriage. 

      "Oh thank heavens," her mother exalted promptly before she turned to her daughter, took in her soaked appearance dripping all over the fine velvet floor of the carriage, and screamed, "get out!"

         Moments later, Eulalie was scaling the side of the carriage, instructed by her Mama to sit on top so that she didn't drip onto the ladies. "Good day sir, a beautiful day for a ride, isn't it?" Eulalie joked to the coachman as he jolted the reins to resume the voyage. The man only laughed to himself, for fear of inquiring the wrath of the greatly vexed Duchess in the carriage below. Eulalie adjusted her wet skirts that clung to her legs, pulling her hair out of its ridiculous updo. She was happier up here anyway, she told herself, for she had the open road to herself. 

     Pretty soon, the party had arrived at the city's gates, and Eulalie was given a new spectacle to admire. Incredibly large stone walls stretched up from the ground to the sky, and she was surprised they weren't tickling the clouds. After stating their business, the coachman drove the carriage through the gate, over the drawbridge, revealing the incredible city within. 

     All around them, peddlers and merchants shook their arms, waving their goods above their heads. "A ribbon for the lady? Some fresh fish to go with your dinner? How about some nice silk for one of your pretty dresses?" Compared to the quiet, serene countryside in which they had grown up, the cacophony and myriad of sights that the city offered were practically overwhelming to Eulalie.

     The driver navigated the crowded streets without haste, and she watched as the caravan ascended a great slope. Using her hand to block the harsh rays of the sun, Eulalie saw the palace at the top of the mountain, looking down on the crowded city below. The meaning of the castle's placement wasn't lost on her. From up here, the people below looked like ants. She couldn't remember ever being so high up in the air. 

     "This must be how the birds feel," she said aloud, to no one in particular. 

     The caravan came to a halt within the castle's courtyard, and Eulalie saw the servants and workmen milling around the busy yard as if they were bees. Expecting some royal welcome, she found herself disappointed by the absence of the prince. "Where is the royal family?" She asked their mother as they dismounted and began to walk towards the entrance.

     "Oh Eulalie please, try not to let anyone else hear you say such idiotic phrases," her mother chastened her. "The royal family is far too busy to greet every guest that comes this way," she said, lifting her head up high. Pointing her nose in the air, the Duchess of Fennelwick marched off towards the entryway. 

     Father would've thought this all ridiculous, she thought to herself as they proceeded into the castle's front hall. Their mother made sure that the Duke understood his family's invitation would not extend to him also. Already petrified that the prince and his family would retract the engagement after seeing Leanora's withered state, the Duke's wife thought his presence would push the royals over the edge. 

     The Fennelwick lineage has been rumored to harbor a touch of madness. As a child, Eulalie's wildness was often attributed by her mother to this very gene. Their mother was always ashamed of their father's mischievous antics, and feared that outsiders looking in would mistake his mischievousness for madness. At events as crucial to their family's survival as this one, the Duchess couldn't afford any of what she referred to as "loose ends." Besides, it was bad enough Eulalie had to be here. The only reason she agreed to her pesky youngest joining them was that she didn't want to exhaust Leanora's poor nerves.

   The ladies were brought to their rooms. Much to Eulalie's dismay, her bedroom was at the opposite end of the grand castle to her mother's and sister's. How was she supposed to offer Leanora solace if she was a mile away? She was about to find her mother and protest, when her room was flooded with maids. All of them carrying hairbrushes, dresses, or rouge. 

     "My lady, you must sit so that we can make you presentable to His Highness," one of the maids said as she led Eulalie to a seat in front of the vanity. Behind her, a maid was laying out a soft pink dress on top of the luxurious bed.

     "We thought pink would suit your complexion the best, what do you think, my lady?" Asked the one by the bed. 

     Before she could open her mouth to speak, Eulalie's brown tresses were combed back into another confining updo, and a subtle pink powder was applied to her cheeks. She was ushered back up and her soggy clothes were stripped. Back home, she had always insisted that she dress herself. She felt uncomfortable and self-conscious standing naked in front of all of these ladies. 

     "My lady, the prince is a lucky man," one of the maids said, admiring Eulalie's toned physique. 

     "I think you have me confused," she finally said, understanding what was going on. These women thought the prince was her fiance, not Leanora's. "My sister is the prince's betrothed. Her own rooms are down the hall. Your talents are wasted on me, ladies." 

     She saw the maids look down to the floor in embarrassment. "Our apologies, my lady, we shall set this right at once." Hairbrushes were picked up from the vanity and poweders were removed as the room was vacated by the servants. Even the beautiful pink dress that the ladies had selected for her was taken away. 

     Only one maid stayed behind, and she helped Eulalie into an understated pale yellow day dress. "Beautiful," she said, smiling and assuring her. 

     Eulalie had never been jealous of her sister. Her path was always so different and unwanted than her own. But somehow, standing in a room filled with women complimenting her and her beauty, just to have them all rush out at once when they found out who she really was, her heart broke, and she could feel her eyes watering. 

     "Thank you, thank you so much," she said to the lonely maid, brushing her tear back and mustering up her best smile. "What is your name?" She questioned the girl, her only friend here.

     "Muriel," the young woman said, her eyes never straying from her work on Eulalie's dress. Eulalie put her hand over Muriel's, which was adjusting the sleeve on Eulalie's arm, and thanked her again. 

     "It's nothing, my lady, just doing my job," she assured her. The girl turned around and plucked a yellow rose from the bouquet on the nightstand, removing its stem. She placed the flower behind Eulalie's ear, tucking it into a delicate fold of her updo. "There," she said smiling, "perfect!" 

    Muriel cleared the way for Eulalie to inspect herself in the mirror. In dry, nice clothes, as plain as they were, she felt dazzling. Muriel's added touch of the matching rosebud brought attention to her face. "You're a miracle worker," she laughed, twirling in front of the aged glass. "Wait until Mother sees this, you may have a job offer at Fennelwick whenever we return home!" Muriel giggled, and opened the door for Eulalie. 

     "Thank you, my lady." Eulalie walked away while Muriel stayed behind to clean up the soiled clothes. 

     All by herself, Eulalie had free reign of the palace to explore as she pleased. Stealing a glance out the window to the grounds below, she spotted the stables in the distance. Smiling mischievously to herself, she hiked up her skirts and began the descent to the lush green meadow outside.