Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 252: Violet: Perception

The previously merry atmosphere in the pavilion was now completely shattered. After a couple more moments of tense silence, Prince Leo muttered some excuse about having to speak with one of his army captains and left in a hurry.

Prince Rufus stood up and wandered over to where Prince William stood, awkwardly offering to check the younger boy’s head for any broken skin.

The sisters exchanged disbelieving looks, neither daring to open their mouths. Violet wondered if she did, would the king’s terrifying brother return to accuse her of making too much noise and cuff her across the head also? She was fairly confident he wouldn’t strike down a noble lady, but who really knew? Judging by the young princes’ reactions, it wasn’t the first time Johan had behaved in such a manner.

And even if he did strike her, it’s not like anyone was going to stand up to him, were they?

Ilse looked like she was on the verge of tears over what had taken place. She’d always been the more sensitive of the two. Please, please don’t embarrass us by weeping, Violet begged silently and flashed her sister a look of warning.

Prince James walked over towards the twins and offered to escort them back to their room. Both of them nodded gratefully. Violet knew that even if her thoughts weren’t so scrambled, there was still no way she’d remember her way back through the vast castle.

Both girls left the pavilion behind and began following Prince James. Ilse gave a backward glance as if she wanted to say something young William but Violet grabbed her elbow and firmly led her away.

"Do you ladies know in which wing of the castle you’ve been placed?" James asked.

"West." Violet muttered, still holding onto Ilse’s arm and pulling her along. They walked through a series of halls and galleries that looked completely different to the ones they’d walked through with the maid Mary only a couple of hours earlier. Violet was stunned. Was the castle so enormous that there were multiple paths to reach the same destination?

How would they ever learn their way around?

James glanced back at them over his shoulder and when he saw Ilse’s face, his expression softened and he stopped walking. He pulled out a handkerchief from within his tunic and handed it to her.

"Thank you." Ilse whispered as she took the handkerchief and used it to blot her reddened eyes. "I’m so sorry for weeping like a babe. I know it’s undignified."

James gave her a sympathetic smile. "It’s quite alright, Lady Ilse. And it’s very sweet of you to be so concerned about my little cousin. To be honest, we’re so used to such behaviour from Johan that we forget how strange it must seem to those outside of our family."

"So that’s his normal manner?" Ilse looked aghast, then quickly remembered who she was talking about and to whom. "My apologies, Your Grace. I shouldn’t speak about your uncle this way."

James grinned and it made his face twice as appealing. "Don’t fret about it. The man’s a brute. I’ve made sure to stay out of his path since I learned how to walk. My brothers are all the same. It’s just that poor Will can’t run away from his father at every moment, much as he’d like to."

"But why does he have to be so harsh with his own child?" Ilse burst out. "The boys were a bit loud but they were just playing, the same way all children play. It seems so cruel to hit a child just for having fun."

"Johan’s always had a foul temper. You’d be surprised the things that can set him off. Everything, really. Some people are just made to be perpetually angry, I guess." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Wait. You call him Johan? Not uncle?" Violet aimed her elbow at Ilse’s ribs to stop all her inappropriate questions. Ilse ignored her. The prince noticed though and his smile grew wider.

"We definitely don’t call him uncle! And he’s never acted as one, as I’m sure you can both imagine." James replied cheerfully. "

"I don’t understand why Prince Leo didn’t just stand up to him." Violet blurted out. Two pairs of wide eyes stared at her. "As Crown Prince, he’d outrank his uncle."

"I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple, Lady Violet." James said.

"But it is that simple, if he’d just enforce his position." Violet replied with a shrug. "And all of the king’s sons, not just the eldest, should outrank a mere brother. So why don’t you just enforce your authority over him, instead of fearing him?"

"That’s how an outsider might understand it, yes. But perception is often very different from reality." James’s smile vanished and his voice turned somber. "Father is not only exceptionally close to his only brother but also trusts him a great deal. Johan, for all his faults, is a brilliant man. His ability to negotiate in diplomatic circles is much respected. So while we might supposedly outrank him, no, neither my brothers or I are foolish enough to try and challenge him. We’d lose."

"But..." Violet couldn’t follow such ridiculous logic. She’d grown up all her life with everyone she knew, being above her in the pecking order, except Sancia. So she couldn’t understand why someone who actually had authority over someone else, would then refuse to exert it.

The prince clearly considered the conversation over, because he spun on his heel and continued walking down a gallery. The sisters kept following him and very soon, they had turned in the corridor where their room was located.

Ilse pointed to their chamber’s door and thanked Prince James warmly for walking them back. "We’d never have found our way otherwise."

He gave her a friendly laugh. "Not at all. A pleasure to spend time with you, Lady Ilse. Even if it was more eventful than we all expected. And don’t let yourself get too overwhelmed by the castle. Soon you’ll know where you’re going and you’ll wonder why you ever thought Magdaline was hard to find your way around. You might even find it on the cosy side."

Ilse tried to hand back the handkerchief but the prince wouldn’t hear of it. The two of them exchanged genuine smiles.

Violet cleared her throat, puzzled by their behaviour. When James finally turned to look at her, his tone remained courteous but she noticed his smile had dimmed somewhat.

"Have a pleasant afternoon, Lady Violet." With a final nod, James walked away. Both girls stepped into their bedchamber and Violet waited until the door was firmly closed behind them before she opened her mouth.

"Is there something going on between you and Prince James?"

Ilse’s mouth fell open. "What? We just met the man! You were literally at my side the entire time. What kind of question is that?"

"Well, I have to ask. You were being terribly friendly with him and you kept exchanging smiles."

Ilse arched her delicate eyebrows. "It’s called being polite so someone I’ve just met, Vy. In fact, maybe it’s something you might consider doing yourself once in a while."

It was Violet’s turn to raise her brows. "What do you mean? I don’t understand. When was I not polite?"

"When you were badgering Prince James about why he didn’t challenge his uncle’s authority. Couldn’t you tell he didn’t much like it?" Ilse replied as she flopped down on their shared bed.

"Well, it was a valid question! It seems ridiculous that they’re all living in fear of the king’s brother and yet if they just challenged him-"

"Oh, lord. Vy."

"What?"

"You always do this, and you really should try to stop." Ilse sighed.

"What do I do?"

"You have a habit of asking your questions like a catapult lobs rocks. You never stop to think about how people might react or the hurt you might cause by asking. You just open your mouth and blurt out whatever’s on your mind."

"Ilse, that’s completely untrue. I was merely pointing out their problem has a solution and asking why they don’t just-"

"Good heavens, sister." Ilse rolled her eyes. "You know I love you. But trust me on this one. Just because a question can be asked, doesn’t necessarily mean it should be asked. Remember how we discussed the need to make a good impression with everyone, especially the royal family?"

So crying in front of a prince the first time you meet him is alright, Violet felt like snapping back?

But there was no point starting a little quarrel on their first day at court. Especially not when they were supposed to be join the queen for dinner in the banquet hall that night, and debut as her newest ladies.

With a sigh, Violet sat down on the bed next to Ilse. She adjusted her veil and circlet. "Alright, I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut and be my most charming and silent self during dinner. Will that make you happy?"

Ilse nudged her with her shoulder and grinned. "Us being a success here will make me happy."