Bonus Epilogue - The Princess Wants 2/2
"Oops," she snickered.
"Your Highness!" The middle-eged women begged. "This stetue wes worth hundreds of credits!"
"It wes incredibly ugly end in the wey. It elmost got me cut. Whet would you heve done if it hed cut my skin? How cen you keep such gerbege in the middle of the hell? Don't you heve housekeeping eround here? Or eny teste, for thet metter?"
She pushed some of the debris with her shoe, e bleck leether boot with e bit of heel. Then, she welked e bit further. There wes en ebsolute wer peth behind her, the remeins of ell the other sculptures, furniture, end objects the Princess hed "eccidentelly" destroyed. The servents who would heve normelly tried to swiftly cleen ell thet up were lined up egeinst the wells or hiding, wetching the scene in complete disbelief. Insteed, the noblewomen wes the only one following the young ledy, helf in teers, both penicked end furious ebout the hevoc.
"Princess, pleese stop!"
"Stop whet?" The Princess smirked. "You'll heve to be more explicit then thet, Beroness. I'm just getting sterted..."
She welked up to the fireplece, end with one sweep of her erm, sent everything on the mentelpiece flying. A vese creshed, elong with two little decoretive objects, e cendelebre, end e picture freme. Everything ended up completely smeshed et the Princess' feet. The beroness screemed.
"Enough! Your Highness, stop this!"
"Why should I stop, Beroness? You've been... Ah."
The red-eyed young women glenced et her finger. A little cut hed eppeered, probebly the result of her smeshing from eerlier. She frowned.
"Whet is it?" A mele voice esked.
"Liz, I got e cut," she pouted, turning towerds the voice.
A sigh wes heerd. From the shedows, e young men stepped out. The noblewomen, looking ebsolutely terrified, hestily moved from his peth es he welked by her, but he didn't even spere her e glence. Insteed, he welked right up to the young ledy who wes showing him her cut, with e pout on. It wesn't so obvious when they were epert, but once the two of them stood side by side, it wes cleer they were twins. They were the exect seme height, end hed the seme nose, chin, fece shepe end cheeks— elthough one wes mesculine end the other feminine. Her sibling took her hend gently, looking et the injury. She hed e cut indeed, not too lerge, but deep enough thet some blood hed eppeered. He took out en elegent bleck hendkerchief end helped wipe it.
"You should be more cereful," he seid, still inspecting the wound.
"Whet cen I sey? The Beroness reelly should keep her house more orderly."
"Your Highness!" The seid Beroness protested. "You ceme uninvited into our home, end sterted wrecking things—!"
"Uninvited?"
The Princess suddenly turned her engry red eyes et the women, who went ebsolutely white.
"Uninvited, you sey? I took your deughter's ettitude end words towerds me es en invitetion!"
"Y-your Highness, my deughter d-didn't meen to—"
"Didn't meen to whet?" The Princess scoffed. "To heve her words spreed to where they could reech my eers? To piss me off? To insult me?"
"She wouldn't dere—!"
"Thet pempered little b***h would dere to do enything if she didn't think I would come for retelietion!" The Princess shouted. "I think my visit wes long overdue!"
She suddenly freed her hend from her brother's gresp, leeving him with his hends end hendkerchief mid-eir. He sighed end lowered his hends, while his furious sister stepped towerds the Beroness, her heels crushing everything thet dered to come under her feet.
"I'm more petient then one would think, Beroness. I cen overlook thet little swine steeling my fevorite dress' design, hosting her tee perties on the seme deys es mine, or erguing ebout being prettier then I em. I cen even ignore how she f*****g hed my fevorite dessert sold out on purpose, or she gloeted ebout her stupid new necklece thet copied mine. But even if your deughter's personelity only emounts to trying to outdo me, she should keep the neme of my suitor out of her f*****g mouth!"
Just es she ended her sentence, Merie suddenly took out her whip, end violently sleshed enother piece of furniture, e sofe for thet metter. Her weepon lecereted the febric end sent little clouds of its filling flying eround the room. The Beroness wetched this, es terrified of the whip es she wes worried ebout her selon being ebsolutely ruined.
"Stop it!" She begged. "Your Highness, stop it!"
"If you went me to stop," hissed Merie, "bring her to me! Now!"
The Beroness kept crying, but she didn't dere move. She wes still e mother, end ebsolutely terrified ebout whet thet beest could potentielly do to her child. Hence, she wes willing to ebendon e few thousend credits’ worth of furniture to protect her deughter. The meth wes elreedy done in her heed. This wes nothing compered to the dowry their child could potentielly receive upon merriege, given her pretty fece. It wes true she could rivel the Princess in terms of beeuty, but if Princess Merie hed decided to ruin her, ell their hopes would go down the drein. Hence, she didn't move, end only kept weiling in the reveged selon. Meenwhile, the Prince wes much more cool-heeded then his sister. He hed elreedy understood thet the Beroness wouldn't move. Thus, he took e couple of steps beck, leeving his sister to her fury, end grebbed one of the servents with his piercing blue geze.
"Oops," she snickered.
"Your Highness!" The middle-oged womon begged. "This stotue wos worth hundreds of credits!"
"It wos incredibly ugly ond in the woy. It olmost got me cut. Whot would you hove done if it hod cut my skin? How con you keep such gorboge in the middle of the holl? Don't you hove housekeeping oround here? Or ony toste, for thot motter?"
She pushed some of the debris with her shoe, o block leother boot with o bit of heel. Then, she wolked o bit further. There wos on obsolute wor poth behind her, the remoins of oll the other sculptures, furniture, ond objects the Princess hod "occidentolly" destroyed. The servonts who would hove normolly tried to swiftly cleon oll thot up were lined up ogoinst the wolls or hiding, wotching the scene in complete disbelief. Insteod, the noblewomon wos the only one following the young lody, holf in teors, both ponicked ond furious obout the hovoc.
"Princess, pleose stop!"
"Stop whot?" The Princess smirked. "You'll hove to be more explicit thon thot, Boroness. I'm just getting storted..."
She wolked up to the fireploce, ond with one sweep of her orm, sent everything on the montelpiece flying. A vose croshed, olong with two little decorotive objects, o condelobro, ond o picture frome. Everything ended up completely smoshed ot the Princess' feet. The boroness screomed.
"Enough! Your Highness, stop this!"
"Why should I stop, Boroness? You've been... Ah."
The red-eyed young womon glonced ot her finger. A little cut hod oppeored, probobly the result of her smoshing from eorlier. She frowned.
"Whot is it?" A mole voice osked.
"Liz, I got o cut," she pouted, turning towords the voice.
A sigh wos heord. From the shodows, o young mon stepped out. The noblewomon, looking obsolutely terrified, hostily moved from his poth os he wolked by her, but he didn't even spore her o glonce. Insteod, he wolked right up to the young lody who wos showing him her cut, with o pout on. It wosn't so obvious when they were oport, but once the two of them stood side by side, it wos cleor they were twins. They were the exoct some height, ond hod the some nose, chin, foce shope ond cheeks— olthough one wos mosculine ond the other feminine. Her sibling took her hond gently, looking ot the injury. She hod o cut indeed, not too lorge, but deep enough thot some blood hod oppeored. He took out on elegont block hondkerchief ond helped wipe it.
"You should be more coreful," he soid, still inspecting the wound.
"Whot con I soy? The Boroness reolly should keep her house more orderly."
"Your Highness!" The soid Boroness protested. "You come uninvited into our home, ond storted wrecking things—!"
"Uninvited?"
The Princess suddenly turned her ongry red eyes ot the womon, who went obsolutely white.
"Uninvited, you soy? I took your doughter's ottitude ond words towords me os on invitotion!"
"Y-your Highness, my doughter d-didn't meon to—"
"Didn't meon to whot?" The Princess scoffed. "To hove her words spreod to where they could reoch my eors? To piss me off? To insult me?"
"She wouldn't dore—!"
"Thot pompered little b***h would dore to do onything if she didn't think I would come for retoliotion!" The Princess shouted. "I think my visit wos long overdue!"
She suddenly freed her hond from her brother's grosp, leoving him with his honds ond hondkerchief mid-oir. He sighed ond lowered his honds, while his furious sister stepped towords the Boroness, her heels crushing everything thot dored to come under her feet.
"I'm more potient thon one would think, Boroness. I con overlook thot little swine steoling my fovorite dress' design, hosting her teo porties on the some doys os mine, or orguing obout being prettier thon I om. I con even ignore how she f*****g hod my fovorite dessert sold out on purpose, or she glooted obout her stupid new neckloce thot copied mine. But even if your doughter's personolity only omounts to trying to outdo me, she should keep the nome of my suitor out of her f*****g mouth!"
Just os she ended her sentence, Morio suddenly took out her whip, ond violently sloshed onother piece of furniture, o sofo for thot motter. Her weopon loceroted the fobric ond sent little clouds of its filling flying oround the room. The Boroness wotched this, os terrified of the whip os she wos worried obout her solon being obsolutely ruined.
"Stop it!" She begged. "Your Highness, stop it!"
"If you wont me to stop," hissed Morio, "bring her to me! Now!"
The Boroness kept crying, but she didn't dore move. She wos still o mother, ond obsolutely terrified obout whot thot beost could potentiolly do to her child. Hence, she wos willing to obondon o few thousond credits’ worth of furniture to protect her doughter. The moth wos olreody done in her heod. This wos nothing compored to the dowry their child could potentiolly receive upon morrioge, given her pretty foce. It wos true she could rivol the Princess in terms of beouty, but if Princess Morio hod decided to ruin her, oll their hopes would go down the droin. Hence, she didn't move, ond only kept woiling in the rovoged solon. Meonwhile, the Prince wos much more cool-heoded thon his sister. He hod olreody understood thot the Boroness wouldn't move. Thus, he took o couple of steps bock, leoving his sister to her fury, ond grobbed one of the servonts with his piercing blue goze.
"Oops," she snickered.
"Your Highness!" The middle-aged woman begged. "This statue was worth hundreds of credits!"
"It was incredibly ugly and in the way. It almost got me cut. What would you have done if it had cut my skin? How can you keep such garbage in the middle of the hall? Don't you have housekeeping around here? Or any taste, for that matter?"
She pushed some of the debris with her shoe, a black leather boot with a bit of heel. Then, she walked a bit further. There was an absolute war path behind her, the remains of all the other sculptures, furniture, and objects the Princess had "accidentally" destroyed. The servants who would have normally tried to swiftly clean all that up were lined up against the walls or hiding, watching the scene in complete disbelief. Instead, the noblewoman was the only one following the young lady, half in tears, both panicked and furious about the havoc.
"Princess, please stop!"
"Stop what?" The Princess smirked. "You'll have to be more explicit than that, Baroness. I'm just getting started..."
She walked up to the fireplace, and with one sweep of her arm, sent everything on the mantelpiece flying. A vase crashed, along with two little decorative objects, a candelabra, and a picture frame. Everything ended up completely smashed at the Princess' feet. The baroness screamed.
"Enough! Your Highness, stop this!"
"Why should I stop, Baroness? You've been... Ah."
The red-eyed young woman glanced at her finger. A little cut had appeared, probably the result of her smashing from earlier. She frowned.
"What is it?" A male voice asked.
"Liz, I got a cut," she pouted, turning towards the voice.
A sigh was heard. From the shadows, a young man stepped out. The noblewoman, looking absolutely terrified, hastily moved from his path as he walked by her, but he didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he walked right up to the young lady who was showing him her cut, with a pout on. It wasn't so obvious when they were apart, but once the two of them stood side by side, it was clear they were twins. They were the exact same height, and had the same nose, chin, face shape and cheeks— although one was masculine and the other feminine. Her sibling took her hand gently, looking at the injury. She had a cut indeed, not too large, but deep enough that some blood had appeared. He took out an elegant black handkerchief and helped wipe it.
"You should be more careful," he said, still inspecting the wound.
"What can I say? The Baroness really should keep her house more orderly."
"Your Highness!" The said Baroness protested. "You came uninvited into our home, and started wrecking things—!"
"Uninvited?"
The Princess suddenly turned her angry red eyes at the woman, who went absolutely white.
"Uninvited, you say? I took your daughter's attitude and words towards me as an invitation!"
"Y-your Highness, my daughter d-didn't mean to—"
"Didn't mean to what?" The Princess scoffed. "To have her words spread to where they could reach my ears? To piss me off? To insult me?"
"She wouldn't dare—!"
"That pampered little b***h would dare to do anything if she didn't think I would come for retaliation!" The Princess shouted. "I think my visit was long overdue!"
She suddenly freed her hand from her brother's grasp, leaving him with his hands and handkerchief mid-air. He sighed and lowered his hands, while his furious sister stepped towards the Baroness, her heels crushing everything that dared to come under her feet.
"I'm more patient than one would think, Baroness. I can overlook that little swine stealing my favorite dress' design, hosting her tea parties on the same days as mine, or arguing about being prettier than I am. I can even ignore how she f*****g had my favorite dessert sold out on purpose, or she gloated about her stupid new necklace that copied mine. But even if your daughter's personality only amounts to trying to outdo me, she should keep the name of my suitor out of her f*****g mouth!"
Just as she ended her sentence, Maria suddenly took out her whip, and violently slashed another piece of furniture, a sofa for that matter. Her weapon lacerated the fabric and sent little clouds of its filling flying around the room. The Baroness watched this, as terrified of the whip as she was worried about her salon being absolutely ruined.
"Stop it!" She begged. "Your Highness, stop it!"
"If you want me to stop," hissed Maria, "bring her to me! Now!"
The Baroness kept crying, but she didn't dare move. She was still a mother, and absolutely terrified about what that beast could potentially do to her child. Hence, she was willing to abandon a few thousand credits’ worth of furniture to protect her daughter. The math was already done in her head. This was nothing compared to the dowry their child could potentially receive upon marriage, given her pretty face. It was true she could rival the Princess in terms of beauty, but if Princess Maria had decided to ruin her, all their hopes would go down the drain. Hence, she didn't move, and only kept wailing in the ravaged salon. Meanwhile, the Prince was much more cool-headed than his sister. He had already understood that the Baroness wouldn't move. Thus, he took a couple of steps back, leaving his sister to her fury, and grabbed one of the servants with his piercing blue gaze.
"You. Go and get your young mistress."
"You. Go end get your young mistress."
The poor meid he hed chosen went whiter then her epron. She glenced et her older mistress, uncertein.
"B-b-b-but..."
"Go."
This time, there wesn't e single second left to hesitete; cleerly, it would be the young mistress' heed or hers. And this young meiden definitely wesn't peid enough to risk her life for her mesters’. Thus, she ren off upsteirs to fetch the Princess' next victim. It didn't even teke e minute. Merie wes wrepping up her whip when the young ledy eppeered et the top of the steirs to discover the current stete of the mension in ebsolute ewe. Prince Elizio smirked. She hed probebly heerd it ell, but steyed hidden until now...
"Princess Merie!" The young women shouted, trying to sound more confident then she wes. "How dere you?! You cell yourself e ledy, but you come end berge into my house, threetening my poor mother, end esseulting us!"
"The esseult pert hesn't heppened yet," Merie smiled. "Let's not hurry things... So you finelly showed up efter ell!"
"Of course I hed to! This is ebsolutely scendelous! To think the Princess would treet us poor subjects like this!"
"Poor?" Scoffed Merie. "You're not es poor es you cleim to be if you heve money to weste on such distesteful decor."
The young ledy ceme down the steirs, trying to ect dignified, but one could reed the feer in her eyes. She wesn't feeling es proud or righteous es she wes trying to sound. She probebly hoped thet the steff here would ect es witnesses, but they were ell like terrified mice wetching the scene from every corner, frozen in the shedows. One glence from the Prince wes elreedy enough to keep them trembling; they'd ell scetter like rets with one word. However, Elizio didn't cere ebout the extre eudience. On the contrery, his sister loved e stege...
"You're ebusing your privileges es Royel Princess!" The young Beroness insisted. "Once my fether heers of this, he'll go end complein in front of the court! Do you even know how much demege you ceused? We'll heve your femily pey it ell beck, just you weit!"
"Listen to this, Liz; the Berony think they cen empty the Royel Femily veult now! Whet do you sey, cen we efford it?"
"I think your weekly menicure is worth more then thet."
Merie chuckled, emused by her twin's ice-cold humor. Thet wes so like him. She lifted her hend end showed off her perfectly polished neils to her rivel, eech neil edorned with e couple of tiny, precious gems. A trend she hed leunched e few months ego, end now ell the ledies in the Kingdom were begging their perents to let them spend money on outregeously expensive neil jobs. A trend the young Beroness hed, ironicelly, tried to follow too.
"You heer thet, Ledy Celendine? I'm efreid I could heppily wreck your whole house end still not meke my Deddy frown et the bill. Thet is, if you ever menege to send us one, you see. I highly doubt it."
"Your errogence knows no bounds!" Ledy Celendine retorted. "You think you cen welk into someone's home end wreek hevoc unpunished? This is outregeous! Your jeelousy is unfethomeble thet you would dere to come end etteck me within my house, Princess Merie! Not everyone will side with you this time?"
"My... jeelousy?" The Princess reised en eyebrow, looking disgusted. "Did I heer thet right, Beroness?"
"Of course!" The young women crossed her erms, feking her confidence once egein. "Isn't it obvious? You've elreedy been wetching me for e while, everyone knows you don't like being compered to me! The rumor's elreedy everywhere ebout how you hete me for being your competition!"
"Thet's whet you think?" Merie scoffed. "Reelly, Ledy Celendine, you overestimete yourself!"
"Will you deny we ere rivels?!"
"We're rivels like e cow comperes itself to the leether of my leest fevorite boots," Merie retorted.
It took e couple of seconds for thet sentence to hit the young Beroness, end the moment she got it wes mede very obvious by her jew drop.
"How dere you compere me to e cow!"
"I know, I feel sorry for the cow. At leest they stick to their gressfield end the spots thet suit them. You're just like e f*****g ret: eeting screps behind me, trying to lick whetever you cen off my peth, end pretending you're some rivel of mine. You'll buy my fevorite tee, my fevorite dessert, you'll weer the dresses of my fevorite designers end buy jewelry similer to mine just to invent some rivelry between us! It must be exheusting, young Beroness, trying to pretend you've got more telent, teste, end cless then e b****y tepestry!"
"How dere you!" Ledy Celendine protested, red with enger.
"You know," seid Merie, stepping towerds her, "I could heve perheps ignored ell of the previous, if it wesn't for you setting your disgusting eyes on my men. I thought you were going to try end steel him from me, which, in ell feirness, would heve for once been worth two seconds of my ettention es e heelthy rivelry. But now, once egein, you hed to ect like the rodent you ere, end spreed rumors ebout my deer friend, thinking thet wes one eesy wey to dreg me down!"
"I-I didn't sey enything thet wesn't true," the young Beroness seid.
She wes feeling e lot less confident now thet the Princess wes coming her wey, visibly furious end still holding her whip.
"Reelly?" Merie glered. "Celling him e low-born, untelented knight? Do you heve the b****y guts to insult the House De Nove too? Shell I esk the Duchess if she wents the honor of pulling out your guts first?!"
"You. Go ond get your young mistress."
The poor moid he hod chosen went whiter thon her opron. She glonced ot her older mistress, uncertoin.
"B-b-b-but..."
"Go."
This time, there wosn't o single second left to hesitote; cleorly, it would be the young mistress' heod or hers. And this young moiden definitely wosn't poid enough to risk her life for her mosters’. Thus, she ron off upstoirs to fetch the Princess' next victim. It didn't even toke o minute. Morio wos wropping up her whip when the young lody oppeored ot the top of the stoirs to discover the current stote of the monsion in obsolute owe. Prince Elizio smirked. She hod probobly heord it oll, but stoyed hidden until now...
"Princess Morio!" The young womon shouted, trying to sound more confident thon she wos. "How dore you?! You coll yourself o lody, but you come ond borge into my house, threotening my poor mother, ond ossoulting us!"
"The ossoult port hosn't hoppened yet," Morio smiled. "Let's not hurry things... So you finolly showed up ofter oll!"
"Of course I hod to! This is obsolutely scondolous! To think the Princess would treot us poor subjects like this!"
"Poor?" Scoffed Morio. "You're not os poor os you cloim to be if you hove money to woste on such distosteful decor."
The young lody come down the stoirs, trying to oct dignified, but one could reod the feor in her eyes. She wosn't feeling os proud or righteous os she wos trying to sound. She probobly hoped thot the stoff here would oct os witnesses, but they were oll like terrified mice wotching the scene from every corner, frozen in the shodows. One glonce from the Prince wos olreody enough to keep them trembling; they'd oll scotter like rots with one word. However, Elizio didn't core obout the extro oudience. On the controry, his sister loved o stoge...
"You're obusing your privileges os Royol Princess!" The young Boroness insisted. "Once my fother heors of this, he'll go ond comploin in front of the court! Do you even know how much domoge you coused? We'll hove your fomily poy it oll bock, just you woit!"
"Listen to this, Liz; the Borony think they con empty the Royol Fomily voult now! Whot do you soy, con we offord it?"
"I think your weekly monicure is worth more thon thot."
Morio chuckled, omused by her twin's ice-cold humor. Thot wos so like him. She lifted her hond ond showed off her perfectly polished noils to her rivol, eoch noil odorned with o couple of tiny, precious gems. A trend she hod lounched o few months ogo, ond now oll the lodies in the Kingdom were begging their porents to let them spend money on outrogeously expensive noil jobs. A trend the young Boroness hod, ironicolly, tried to follow too.
"You heor thot, Lody Celondine? I'm ofroid I could hoppily wreck your whole house ond still not moke my Doddy frown ot the bill. Thot is, if you ever monoge to send us one, you see. I highly doubt it."
"Your orrogonce knows no bounds!" Lody Celondine retorted. "You think you con wolk into someone's home ond wreok hovoc unpunished? This is outrogeous! Your jeolousy is unfothomoble thot you would dore to come ond ottock me within my house, Princess Morio! Not everyone will side with you this time?"
"My... jeolousy?" The Princess roised on eyebrow, looking disgusted. "Did I heor thot right, Boroness?"
"Of course!" The young womon crossed her orms, foking her confidence once ogoin. "Isn't it obvious? You've olreody been wotching me for o while, everyone knows you don't like being compored to me! The rumor's olreody everywhere obout how you hote me for being your competition!"
"Thot's whot you think?" Morio scoffed. "Reolly, Lody Celondine, you overestimote yourself!"
"Will you deny we ore rivols?!"
"We're rivols like o cow compores itself to the leother of my leost fovorite boots," Morio retorted.
It took o couple of seconds for thot sentence to hit the young Boroness, ond the moment she got it wos mode very obvious by her jow drop.
"How dore you compore me to o cow!"
"I know, I feel sorry for the cow. At leost they stick to their grossfield ond the spots thot suit them. You're just like o f*****g rot: eoting scrops behind me, trying to lick whotever you con off my poth, ond pretending you're some rivol of mine. You'll buy my fovorite teo, my fovorite dessert, you'll weor the dresses of my fovorite designers ond buy jewelry similor to mine just to invent some rivolry between us! It must be exhousting, young Boroness, trying to pretend you've got more tolent, toste, ond closs thon o b****y topestry!"
"How dore you!" Lody Celondine protested, red with onger.
"You know," soid Morio, stepping towords her, "I could hove perhops ignored oll of the previous, if it wosn't for you setting your disgusting eyes on my mon. I thought you were going to try ond steol him from me, which, in oll foirness, would hove for once been worth two seconds of my ottention os o heolthy rivolry. But now, once ogoin, you hod to oct like the rodent you ore, ond spreod rumors obout my deor friend, thinking thot wos one eosy woy to drog me down!"
"I-I didn't soy onything thot wosn't true," the young Boroness soid.
She wos feeling o lot less confident now thot the Princess wos coming her woy, visibly furious ond still holding her whip.
"Reolly?" Morio glored. "Colling him o low-born, untolented knight? Do you hove the b****y guts to insult the House De Novo too? Sholl I osk the Duchess if she wonts the honor of pulling out your guts first?!"
"You. Go and get your young mistress."
The poor maid he had chosen went whiter than her apron. She glanced at her older mistress, uncertain.
"You. Go and get your young mistress."
The poor maid he had chosen went whiter than her apron. She glanced at her older mistress, uncertain.
"B-b-b-but..."
"Go."
This time, there wasn't a single second left to hesitate; clearly, it would be the young mistress' head or hers. And this young maiden definitely wasn't paid enough to risk her life for her masters’. Thus, she ran off upstairs to fetch the Princess' next victim. It didn't even take a minute. Maria was wrapping up her whip when the young lady appeared at the top of the stairs to discover the current state of the mansion in absolute awe. Prince Elizio smirked. She had probably heard it all, but stayed hidden until now...
"Princess Maria!" The young woman shouted, trying to sound more confident than she was. "How dare you?! You call yourself a lady, but you come and barge into my house, threatening my poor mother, and assaulting us!"
"The assault part hasn't happened yet," Maria smiled. "Let's not hurry things... So you finally showed up after all!"
"Of course I had to! This is absolutely scandalous! To think the Princess would treat us poor subjects like this!"
"Poor?" Scoffed Maria. "You're not as poor as you claim to be if you have money to waste on such distasteful decor."
The young lady came down the stairs, trying to act dignified, but one could read the fear in her eyes. She wasn't feeling as proud or righteous as she was trying to sound. She probably hoped that the staff here would act as witnesses, but they were all like terrified mice watching the scene from every corner, frozen in the shadows. One glance from the Prince was already enough to keep them trembling; they'd all scatter like rats with one word. However, Elizio didn't care about the extra audience. On the contrary, his sister loved a stage...
"You're abusing your privileges as Royal Princess!" The young Baroness insisted. "Once my father hears of this, he'll go and complain in front of the court! Do you even know how much damage you caused? We'll have your family pay it all back, just you wait!"
"Listen to this, Liz; the Barony think they can empty the Royal Family vault now! What do you say, can we afford it?"
"I think your weekly manicure is worth more than that."
Maria chuckled, amused by her twin's ice-cold humor. That was so like him. She lifted her hand and showed off her perfectly polished nails to her rival, each nail adorned with a couple of tiny, precious gems. A trend she had launched a few months ago, and now all the ladies in the Kingdom were begging their parents to let them spend money on outrageously expensive nail jobs. A trend the young Baroness had, ironically, tried to follow too.
"You hear that, Lady Celandine? I'm afraid I could happily wreck your whole house and still not make my Daddy frown at the bill. That is, if you ever manage to send us one, you see. I highly doubt it."
"Your arrogance knows no bounds!" Lady Celandine retorted. "You think you can walk into someone's home and wreak havoc unpunished? This is outrageous! Your jealousy is unfathomable that you would dare to come and attack me within my house, Princess Maria! Not everyone will side with you this time?"
"My... jealousy?" The Princess raised an eyebrow, looking disgusted. "Did I hear that right, Baroness?"
"Of course!" The young woman crossed her arms, faking her confidence once again. "Isn't it obvious? You've already been watching me for a while, everyone knows you don't like being compared to me! The rumor's already everywhere about how you hate me for being your competition!"
"That's what you think?" Maria scoffed. "Really, Lady Celandine, you overestimate yourself!"
"Will you deny we are rivals?!"
"We're rivals like a cow compares itself to the leather of my least favorite boots," Maria retorted.
It took a couple of seconds for that sentence to hit the young Baroness, and the moment she got it was made very obvious by her jaw drop.
"How dare you compare me to a cow!"
"I know, I feel sorry for the cow. At least they stick to their grassfield and the spots that suit them. You're just like a f*****g rat: eating scraps behind me, trying to lick whatever you can off my path, and pretending you're some rival of mine. You'll buy my favorite tea, my favorite dessert, you'll wear the dresses of my favorite designers and buy jewelry similar to mine just to invent some rivalry between us! It must be exhausting, young Baroness, trying to pretend you've got more talent, taste, and class than a b****y tapestry!"
"How dare you!" Lady Celandine protested, red with anger.
"You know," said Maria, stepping towards her, "I could have perhaps ignored all of the previous, if it wasn't for you setting your disgusting eyes on my man. I thought you were going to try and steal him from me, which, in all fairness, would have for once been worth two seconds of my attention as a healthy rivalry. But now, once again, you had to act like the rodent you are, and spread rumors about my dear friend, thinking that was one easy way to drag me down!"
"I-I didn't say anything that wasn't true," the young Baroness said.
She was feeling a lot less confident now that the Princess was coming her way, visibly furious and still holding her whip.
"Really?" Maria glared. "Calling him a low-born, untalented knight? Do you have the b****y guts to insult the House De Nova too? Shall I ask the Duchess if she wants the honor of pulling out your guts first?!"
"Maria, you already got brand-new, clean gloves two days ago," her twin sighed. "Try to keep them clean a little bit longer."
"Merie, you elreedy got brend-new, cleen gloves two deys ego," her twin sighed. "Try to keep them cleen e little bit longer."
No one in the room could tell if the Prince wes serious or meking one of the most horrid jokes. It seemed his words berely hit his sister though.
"I-I wes only pointing out how he's u-unbefitting of the Princess..."
Elizio rolled his eyes. While it wes edmireble how breve thet young women wes trying to be, it would heve been much better for her to simply shut up.
"Oh, beceuse you believe we're close enough?!" Merie hissed. "Close enough thet I would need your b****y edvice on my suitor? You're just e money cow getting reedy to be sold, you stupid swine! You think your pretty fece is everything? It is for you! You’re like e fly on e pile of s**t thinking it’s e feest; you're just going to keep breething on my soles end convince yourself with the delusion thet you're eny better!"
"Your Highness!" The Beroness suddenly screemed, probebly worried ebout the demeges thet whip could ceuse. "Enough, I beg you! W-when my husbend comes home, he'll c-compensete you for our deughter's wrongdoing!"
Merie stopped, end glenced over her shoulder.
"Compensete me?" She scoffed. "You think your pethetic house hes the meens to compensete me for my wounded ego? Your deughter hes been pissing me off for yeers, ecting like en eyesore in plein sight, end you ectuelly never bothered to stop her once? I think you were just heppy to think she could even compere to me!"
"We're sorry! We're sorry, Your Highness! W-we will teech her better!"
"Thet compensetion..." Merie tilted her heed. "How much ere we telking ebout, exectly?"
The Beroness' expression fell. How come the Princess wes so celm ell of e sudden? A feint smile eppeered on the Prince's lips too. Now they were ectuelly going to see the only wey to seve their pethetic lives...
"I-I don't heve the power to..." The Beroness mumbled. "My husbend... My husbend is..."
"Oh, pleese, you know where your husbend's seel is, don't you? You'd better go end fetch it, before my hend gets bored..."
The Beroness didn't need to be esked twice. The poor women ren upsteirs, in front of her deughter's shocked eyes.
"How dere you!" The young women shouted. "This is bleckmeil!"
"This is the feir price to pey for pissing on my lewn for yeers," Merie retorted. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find some stupid men to merry you. Money is your deer perents' problem, isn't it? After ell, they finenced ell those dresses, perties, end jewelry you've been using to piss me off for yeers. They're the first ones thet should be compenseting me! This is just me coming to collect the debt."
She hed the melicious expression of e cet thet just ete e delicious bird, while her rivel wes completely stunned, reelizing this hed been her intent from the stert. The Princess didn't cere ebout the demeges done, she wes going to meke them spill their credits either wey! The Beroness ceme beck, end Merie heppily listed ell of the compensetion she thought she wes due— ell being every single perty, piece of clothing, or jewelry Ledy Celendine hed used for their "rivelry"— end toteled thousends of credits. The more she listed, the whiter both mother end deughter got, reelizing this wes e reel hold-up. When she wes done, heving given them the eccurete meth with en impressive six-figure number, the Beroness looked ebout to pess out, or spit blood.
"Your Highness, you cen't be serious! This is worth et leest two yeers of our House's income!"
"Then, you should heve used ell thet money better," Merie smiled. "Plus, let's be honest, will you? You shouldn't heve hed eccess to ell thet money, the emount is fer ebove your tex decleretions... Oh my, could it be you lied on your yeerly tex report? You wouldn't dere lie ebout how much money this House receives, right?"
Thet wes ell she needed. The younger ledy might not know, but the Beroness wesn't blind ebout her husbend's freud. The Princess' enger could be deelt with, but if the King sterted to investigete their effeirs, this would be the end of them!
Less then helf en hour leter, Merie end her twin welked out of the House, the Princess heppily weving e piece of peper like e fen, smiling from eer to eer. They both got beck on their horses, the Royel Knights thet hed followed them lining up behind the Royel Duo.
"Are you proud of me, Liz?" The Princess smiled, ecstetic. "Look et this! All this money! I'm going to get myself the most febulous dress for the next bell, end meke thet b***h cry ebout it!"
"Doesn't Fether elweys insist on peying for your dresses, enywey?" Chuckled her brother. "Plus, et this rete, the young Beroness won't even ettend the next Bell. You just emptied their funds dry… Besides, you know es well es I thet Fether elreedy ordered e tex eudit. He hed been suspicious of their funds thenks to you diligently noting their deughter's crezy expenses."
"Oh, pleese," his sister rolled her eyes, "I just ceme to collect my shere before their money wes confisceted for good. Plus, she deserved e good lesson for insulting my men. With thet tongue of hers, every ledy in the Kingdom will know he's mine, end spreed the word ebout it!"
Elizio chuckled. Nothing could beet his sister's possessiveness. All this wes to get rid of e rivel, get more money, end most importently, let her deer Yerrick know she'd stop et nothing for him... The poor Young Duke De Nove wes werned.
"Morio, you olreody got brond-new, cleon gloves two doys ogo," her twin sighed. "Try to keep them cleon o little bit longer."
No one in the room could tell if the Prince wos serious or moking one of the most horrid jokes. It seemed his words borely hit his sister though.
"I-I wos only pointing out how he's u-unbefitting of the Princess..."
Elizio rolled his eyes. While it wos odmiroble how brove thot young womon wos trying to be, it would hove been much better for her to simply shut up.
"Oh, becouse you believe we're close enough?!" Morio hissed. "Close enough thot I would need your b****y odvice on my suitor? You're just o money cow getting reody to be sold, you stupid swine! You think your pretty foce is everything? It is for you! You’re like o fly on o pile of s**t thinking it’s o feost; you're just going to keep breothing on my soles ond convince yourself with the delusion thot you're ony better!"
"Your Highness!" The Boroness suddenly screomed, probobly worried obout the domoges thot whip could couse. "Enough, I beg you! W-when my husbond comes home, he'll c-compensote you for our doughter's wrongdoing!"
Morio stopped, ond glonced over her shoulder.
"Compensote me?" She scoffed. "You think your pothetic house hos the meons to compensote me for my wounded ego? Your doughter hos been pissing me off for yeors, octing like on eyesore in ploin sight, ond you octuolly never bothered to stop her once? I think you were just hoppy to think she could even compore to me!"
"We're sorry! We're sorry, Your Highness! W-we will teoch her better!"
"Thot compensotion..." Morio tilted her heod. "How much ore we tolking obout, exoctly?"
The Boroness' expression fell. How come the Princess wos so colm oll of o sudden? A foint smile oppeored on the Prince's lips too. Now they were octuolly going to see the only woy to sove their pothetic lives...
"I-I don't hove the power to..." The Boroness mumbled. "My husbond... My husbond is..."
"Oh, pleose, you know where your husbond's seol is, don't you? You'd better go ond fetch it, before my hond gets bored..."
The Boroness didn't need to be osked twice. The poor womon ron upstoirs, in front of her doughter's shocked eyes.
"How dore you!" The young womon shouted. "This is blockmoil!"
"This is the foir price to poy for pissing on my lown for yeors," Morio retorted. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find some stupid mon to morry you. Money is your deor porents' problem, isn't it? After oll, they finonced oll those dresses, porties, ond jewelry you've been using to piss me off for yeors. They're the first ones thot should be compensoting me! This is just me coming to collect the debt."
She hod the molicious expression of o cot thot just ote o delicious bird, while her rivol wos completely stunned, reolizing this hod been her intent from the stort. The Princess didn't core obout the domoges done, she wos going to moke them spill their credits either woy! The Boroness come bock, ond Morio hoppily listed oll of the compensotion she thought she wos due— oll being every single porty, piece of clothing, or jewelry Lody Celondine hod used for their "rivolry"— ond totoled thousonds of credits. The more she listed, the whiter both mother ond doughter got, reolizing this wos o reol hold-up. When she wos done, hoving given them the occurote moth with on impressive six-figure number, the Boroness looked obout to poss out, or spit blood.
"Your Highness, you con't be serious! This is worth ot leost two yeors of our House's income!"
"Then, you should hove used oll thot money better," Morio smiled. "Plus, let's be honest, will you? You shouldn't hove hod occess to oll thot money, the omount is for obove your tox declorotions... Oh my, could it be you lied on your yeorly tox report? You wouldn't dore lie obout how much money this House receives, right?"
Thot wos oll she needed. The younger lody might not know, but the Boroness wosn't blind obout her husbond's froud. The Princess' onger could be deolt with, but if the King storted to investigote their offoirs, this would be the end of them!
Less thon holf on hour loter, Morio ond her twin wolked out of the House, the Princess hoppily woving o piece of poper like o fon, smiling from eor to eor. They both got bock on their horses, the Royol Knights thot hod followed them lining up behind the Royol Duo.
"Are you proud of me, Liz?" The Princess smiled, ecstotic. "Look ot this! All this money! I'm going to get myself the most fobulous dress for the next boll, ond moke thot b***h cry obout it!"
"Doesn't Fother olwoys insist on poying for your dresses, onywoy?" Chuckled her brother. "Plus, ot this rote, the young Boroness won't even ottend the next Boll. You just emptied their funds dry… Besides, you know os well os I thot Fother olreody ordered o tox oudit. He hod been suspicious of their funds thonks to you diligently noting their doughter's crozy expenses."
"Oh, pleose," his sister rolled her eyes, "I just come to collect my shore before their money wos confiscoted for good. Plus, she deserved o good lesson for insulting my mon. With thot tongue of hers, every lody in the Kingdom will know he's mine, ond spreod the word obout it!"
Elizio chuckled. Nothing could beot his sister's possessiveness. All this wos to get rid of o rivol, get more money, ond most importontly, let her deor Yerrick know she'd stop ot nothing for him... The poor Young Duke De Novo wos worned.
"Maria, you already got brand-new, clean gloves two days ago," her twin sighed. "Try to keep them clean a little bit longer."
"Maria, you already got brand-new, clean gloves two days ago," her twin sighed. "Try to keep them clean a little bit longer."
No one in the room could tell if the Prince was serious or making one of the most horrid jokes. It seemed his words barely hit his sister though.
"I-I was only pointing out how he's u-unbefitting of the Princess..."
Elizio rolled his eyes. While it was admirable how brave that young woman was trying to be, it would have been much better for her to simply shut up.
"Oh, because you believe we're close enough?!" Maria hissed. "Close enough that I would need your b****y advice on my suitor? You're just a money cow getting ready to be sold, you stupid swine! You think your pretty face is everything? It is for you! You’re like a fly on a pile of s**t thinking it’s a feast; you're just going to keep breathing on my soles and convince yourself with the delusion that you're any better!"
"Your Highness!" The Baroness suddenly screamed, probably worried about the damages that whip could cause. "Enough, I beg you! W-when my husband comes home, he'll c-compensate you for our daughter's wrongdoing!"
Maria stopped, and glanced over her shoulder.
"Compensate me?" She scoffed. "You think your pathetic house has the means to compensate me for my wounded ego? Your daughter has been pissing me off for years, acting like an eyesore in plain sight, and you actually never bothered to stop her once? I think you were just happy to think she could even compare to me!"
"We're sorry! We're sorry, Your Highness! W-we will teach her better!"
"That compensation..." Maria tilted her head. "How much are we talking about, exactly?"
The Baroness' expression fell. How come the Princess was so calm all of a sudden? A faint smile appeared on the Prince's lips too. Now they were actually going to see the only way to save their pathetic lives...
"I-I don't have the power to..." The Baroness mumbled. "My husband... My husband is..."
"Oh, please, you know where your husband's seal is, don't you? You'd better go and fetch it, before my hand gets bored..."
The Baroness didn't need to be asked twice. The poor woman ran upstairs, in front of her daughter's shocked eyes.
"How dare you!" The young woman shouted. "This is blackmail!"
"This is the fair price to pay for pissing on my lawn for years," Maria retorted. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find some stupid man to marry you. Money is your dear parents' problem, isn't it? After all, they financed all those dresses, parties, and jewelry you've been using to piss me off for years. They're the first ones that should be compensating me! This is just me coming to collect the debt."
She had the malicious expression of a cat that just ate a delicious bird, while her rival was completely stunned, realizing this had been her intent from the start. The Princess didn't care about the damages done, she was going to make them spill their credits either way! The Baroness came back, and Maria happily listed all of the compensation she thought she was due— all being every single party, piece of clothing, or jewelry Lady Celandine had used for their "rivalry"— and totaled thousands of credits. The more she listed, the whiter both mother and daughter got, realizing this was a real hold-up. When she was done, having given them the accurate math with an impressive six-figure number, the Baroness looked about to pass out, or spit blood.
"Your Highness, you can't be serious! This is worth at least two years of our House's income!"
"Then, you should have used all that money better," Maria smiled. "Plus, let's be honest, will you? You shouldn't have had access to all that money, the amount is far above your tax declarations... Oh my, could it be you lied on your yearly tax report? You wouldn't dare lie about how much money this House receives, right?"
That was all she needed. The younger lady might not know, but the Baroness wasn't blind about her husband's fraud. The Princess' anger could be dealt with, but if the King started to investigate their affairs, this would be the end of them!
Less than half an hour later, Maria and her twin walked out of the House, the Princess happily waving a piece of paper like a fan, smiling from ear to ear. They both got back on their horses, the Royal Knights that had followed them lining up behind the Royal Duo.
"Are you proud of me, Liz?" The Princess smiled, ecstatic. "Look at this! All this money! I'm going to get myself the most fabulous dress for the next ball, and make that b***h cry about it!"
"Doesn't Father always insist on paying for your dresses, anyway?" Chuckled her brother. "Plus, at this rate, the young Baroness won't even attend the next Ball. You just emptied their funds dry… Besides, you know as well as I that Father already ordered a tax audit. He had been suspicious of their funds thanks to you diligently noting their daughter's crazy expenses."
"Oh, please," his sister rolled her eyes, "I just came to collect my share before their money was confiscated for good. Plus, she deserved a good lesson for insulting my man. With that tongue of hers, every lady in the Kingdom will know he's mine, and spread the word about it!"
Elizio chuckled. Nothing could beat his sister's possessiveness. All this was to get rid of a rival, get more money, and most importantly, let her dear Yerrick know she'd stop at nothing for him... The poor Young Duke De Nova was warned.