The Seven Deadly Sins

“Oh my dear, I do not think violet is your color,” My mother gushed as we walked through the vast gardens, “Why not try for something more like pink or yellow? They are most fashionable for girls your age you know.”

“That is quite debatable,” I replied disdainfully, sneaking a glance at her near blinding pink satin explosion of a gown. It was very similar to the gown Queen Jayna wore, with its bejeweled bodice, crème frilled neckline and ballooned sleeves that overwhelmed my mother’s small frame. It seemed that every woman in the English court followed this same fashion, whether this would be an advantage or a disadvantage to my individual style was yet to be discovered.

“Rosalie should be arriving here soon, I do not know where she has run off to at the moment though,” My mother peered about the colorful array of flowers as if my blonde haired sister would suddenly appear amongst them. I sighed and let my mind wander as she continued to speak of things that mattered little to me, Ivan’s proposal to me flashed across my mind. As soon as I let his face come into my mind, heat flooded my body as the thought of his body being pressed up against mine, his lips molded perfectly against mine while my hands ran through his thick hair-

“Don’t you agree?” I was snapped out of my thoughts and looked at my mother, somewhat bewildered. I mentally cursed at myself for allowing my desires to overwhelm me like that when I was on a stroll with my mother out of all people. What a virtuous lady I was, fantasizing about a married king in broad daylight!

“Oh I….of course, yes, I agree,” I stammered, blushing slightly in embarrassment. My mother gave me a strange looking but continued speaking without further interrogation thankfully; she was not one to really notice much else outside of her own world.

“You’ll be first meeting him at the feast tomorrow night, I am sure you will be most charmed by him, he is a lovely man.”

“Pardon?” I spluttered, who on earth was I meeting tomorrow? My mother was beginning to become frustrated with my inattentive behavior towards her words. I could not blame her though, I was also growing frustrated with myself, I was still dazed by Ivan. He had distracted me quite thoroughly; it was rather frightening to see how much of an effect his small advances had on me.

“Really Elizabeth, it is most unattractive when you are distracted like this,” My mother sighed, her pale face pinched under her doily-esque hat, “A Lady must always be attentive even at the most mind consuming of times.”

“Yes mother,” I replied meekly, I took a deep breath and attempted a smile to cover up my previous slips, “So who is it that I will have the pleasure of engaging tomorrow evening?”

“Lord Ruben Brammingham, he’s the son of Lord James and Anna Brammingham,” My mother’s voice was somewhat dreamy as she spoke, her deep blue eyes wondering over the blossoming roses without really seeing them, “He is the man who sent you that lovely necklace of amber, he is quite taken with you.”

“How can a man be taken by me if I have yet to meet him?” I asked coldly, the idea of a suitor such as him sour in my mind. That lovely necklace of amber my mother spoke of turned out not to be amber but cheaply made colored glass.

“Love is a strange thing Elizabeth,” My mother smile secretly, but her expression turned quite business like, “Lord Ruben comes from a very long line of wealth, he would provide you with financial security for the rest of your life.”

“For you can never have enough glass necklaces,” I muttered, my mother was about to chastise me when a voice called out from before us.

“Elizabeth!”

I looked up to see a young woman standing in the middle of the garden pathway, her image the very likeness of my mother twenty years ago. An elaborate white hat with a wide brim and decorated with fuchsia and orange colored flowers sat on her head. A sheer pink ribbon tied around her oval shaped face, hiding her golden hair and revealing only her comely features. Her pale porcelain face had full lips that were spread into an inviting smile as she made her way towards me. Even from a distance, her sapphire eyes were sparkling at me, framed with full lashes. A necklace of golden pearls hung around her elegant neck, a beautiful contrast to her milky skin. Her dress was simply cut though luxurious in detail; the silvery white fabric was covered with small pink flowers and had three quarter sleeves that fitted her slender frame perfectly except for her chest. It seemed a tad bit too tight, making her bosom spill out slightly over the square neckline. This was something I had seen before in other ladies, something that surely wasn’t a mere mishap in fittings but a common trick amongst women.

“It has been so long sister!” She cried, she picked up her skirts slightly and quickly closed the space between us. Her thin arms pulled me into an embrace that was more awkward than warm, something that was most likely done for my mother rather than out of true emotion. She smelt strongly of lavender and felt very unfamiliar, it was quite uncomfortable to have someone touch me such as this without personal consent. After a moment of hesitation, I hugged her back, wondering on earth how this woman was my twin.

“You look so different Elizabeth, I can barely recognize you!” Rosalie exclaimed as she pulled away, I noticed I was quite a bit taller than her. This thought pleased me greatly for I had always been rather averagely sized in France. As I looked down at her, I smiled coldly as I saw the spark of envy deep within her eyes.

“As do you Rosalie, you are just as lovely as everyone has said,” Both our words were backhanded, meant to make the other feel unsure of what their true meaning may be.

“It is wonderful to see both my daughters back home where they belong,” My mother gushed, observing both Rosalie and I with pride. Her smile was as wide as ours but I did not feel a wink of truth in them, no matter how close or what relation a Lady was, a Lady will always despise another Lady, “If only Elizabeth could truly be at home, but she has been requested to stay with Her Majesty is that correct?”

“Yes mother,” My smile grew and I nodded, I glanced at Rosalie and saw her expression was rather sour. Ah, point for Elizabeth, “Rosalie, will you also be staying at the castle?”

“No, unfortunately I will not,” She smiled at me, but I found it closer to an animal baring its fangs rather than a mark of kindness towards me, “I will be staying at the château with Mother and her fiancée.”

“Oh what a shame,” I pretended to look melancholy, “I was quite looking forward to spending time with you.”

“Well, I shall be visiting the castle rather often.” Rosalie’s crystal blue eyes were cold like a roaring ocean, “There are to be many feasts and balls coming up, I do hope you have gowns suitable for these occasions.”

I narrowed my eyes at her tactless statement and my mother made a disagreeing sound, “Rosalie, there is no need for such behavior, I am sure Elizabeth is in possession of gowns, despite how simple they may be, I am sure they will do.”

A smirk sprouted on Rosalie’s face and I felt my blood boil beneath my skin. These women were complete dolts; they seemed to feel as if their words alone would send me down into the confines of sadness. I would show them how easily I could put them in their place, but not now, at the feast tomorrow night I shall have the entire court eating out of my hands. England will never have seen a finer lady.

“Must you tie it so tight?” I gasped gave another unmerciful yank on the strings of my corset. She gave me a rather bored look in the mirror and thankfully tied the strings of the corset, ending the torture of this goddamn beautifying contraption.

“You should have these dresses made for your size my Lady,” The maid noted as she retrieved the red silk gown I had chosen to wear tonight as I straightened in an attempt to become comfortable in my corset. I gave the maid an exasperated look, sighing inwardly as I wished that it could be as simple as that.

“If I wish to remain alone and unmarried the rest of my life than I shall have the dresses made in my size,” I replied sharply, putting the outspoken maid in her place. She bowed her head apologetically and held out the gown for me to step into. It was truly a beautiful gown, one of my favorite ones that I had been planning to use for my debut in England. It’s deep red color was bold and attention grabbing, along with the dark red rosettes decorating the sweet heart neckline and thick shoulder straps. The sleeves hugged my arms down to my elbow then fell in transparent shades of red to almost brush the ground. The skirt billowed out from underneath the curve hugging bodice in long panels of deep silk, parts of which were pinned up with more rosettes, revealing an undertone of silver silk that trailed along the ground. Overall it was a very bold dress but exceedingly gorgeous, it’s blood red color contrasting with my skin stunningly and it’s detail representing my elite status as a Duchess.

I kept my hair quite simple, pulling it up halfway with dark red rubies encrusted with silver. The rest flowed down in soft curls, framing my face and brushed the neckline of my gown. I wore a simple silver chain around my neck, blatantly not bothering to wear the man’s gift. I would not wear that mark of property. But I knew secretly I that I would not wear anything that made me appear unavailable to Ivan. As much as I was attracted to him, I refused to become his mistress. No matter how much I yearned for that man, I would refuse to become like my mother and degraded as a lady.

A knock at the door allowed me a split second’s notice of another’s arrival. The door opened to reveal Marian, her hair and dress a tad bit nicer than her usual scruffy appearance, “My Lady Elizabeth,” she curtsied low and then her doe like eyes widened as she took in my appearance, “Oh Miss Elizabeth, ‘oo look beautiful.”

The maid behind me scoffed at her words but I ignored her negativity, Marian was not sucking up to me, she was being genuinely honest. I smiled warmly at Marian and beckoned for her to come inside, “Thank you Marian, what is it you need?”

“Lady Laurelaina wishes your presence before the ball,” She replied, giving me a gap toothed grin. I nodded and waited for the maid to finish tying the laces on my gown before following Marian out of my chambers.

“Are they always so rude Marian?” I asked as the maid slammed my door behind me. I glanced behind me at the closed door and sighed, knowing that the dislike this maid had for me would not fade soon.

“O’ don’t mind ‘em, they always got ‘er knickers in ‘o knot,” She muttered with a nonchalant wave of her calloused hand, she grew rather nervous, “Miss Elizabeth, I tink oo’ should know tat your Mother wasn’t very ‘appy when she told me to bring ‘oo.”

“She is never really happy when it comes to me,” I murmured, lifting up my skirts to walk up a small set of stairs properly. We were heading towards the lesser parts of the castle, I knew this for the paintings became few as did the tapestries. The floor was also free of any carpeting; it revealed scuffs and stains that made me cringe to have the expensive fabric of my gown trail upon.

“Why on earth would anyone choose to stay in here?” I exclaimed, unable to handle all the griminess anymore. It was unfathomable that a Lady, let alone a Duchess would be staying in such an area of the castle. This was where it seemed servants would bunk, not England’s royalty!

“I believe ‘eir Majesties are not pleased with ‘te Duchess,” Marian peered around the dank halls almost nervously, she looked back at me with a worried expression, “She ‘as been most defiant regarding their rules Miss Elizabeth, I fear she ‘all be banished ‘oon.”

“Truly?” I asked in a low voice, this news intriguing me more than frightening me. I set an even gaze on Marian, “What of my sister Lady Rosalie, has she been in any hot water regarding their Majesties?”

“Well….,” Marian seemed to be slightly uncomfortable with my questions, clearly debating whether she should continue with her words, “Lady Rosalie ‘as never really been on ‘he best ‘o terms with ‘eir Majesties, most especially,” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “Queen Jayna, I do not mean to be offensive Miss Elizabeth, but Rosalie is ‘o tad….,”

“Loose?” I finished for her, I gave her a grim smile as she blushed at the truth, “Marian, it is no offense when you speak honestly with me. I am more than aware than my family’s misdoings at court.”

“Misdoings are an understatement,” She muttered, her tone turning dark for a moment. She stiffened as she realized what she had said and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh, this girl was so much like I had been as a child. Witty and utterly incapable of keeping her mouth closed, “’O dear, Miss Elizabeth, my mother is right, my mouth will be ‘te death o’ me.”

“It could be rise as well,” I countered; I wrinkled my nose as I spied a cobweb hanging from a dusty window. How could someone let a place lower to such filth? “Never change who you are Marian, your honesty is something that shall be cherished no matter how often it is reprimanded.”

“Oh…Tank yeh Miss Elizabeth,” Marian became extremely flustered, most certainly unused to any form of compliment. She paused as we began to pass a worn wooden door and gave me a warning look, alerting me that this was my Mother’s current domain. I looked at the doorway in pleasure; my Mother was most certainly going to be suffering in a place such as this, “She is most displeased Miss Elizabeth, whether it be ‘cause o’ you or teh room she’s been placed in, she is in ‘o fury.”

I nodded and took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for whatever kind of fit my Mother may be in. Marian knocked softly on the door and we both waited silently for a response. A feeling of walking into a Roman arena entered my mind for a moment; the lioness was just waiting beyond the door. Possibly with her cub, Rosalie, to help sink their claws into me.

A harried looking maid answered the door, her dark hair messy and her light brown eyes staring at us wildly for a moment, “I don’t know what to do, she’s going bonkers! Please help me calm her down!”

I bit back a grin at this maid’s distressed expression; I could hear rapid movement and things knocking over in the room beyond the door. My Mother was most dramatic in her fits from what I knew, which was something that wouldn’t make her anymore endearing in the eyes of court. The maid quickly allowed us inside a room that was smaller than a third of the chambers I had been given. It had what looked like dark blue paint covered with dust to make a rather strange gray paint on the walls. The furniture was uncovered and scuffed with age and whatever else may have been in that room. It was truly some of the most disgusting chambers I had ever seen. A rather large bed overtook most of the space, but overtaking the bed was an array of jewel ridden and rosette covered gowns. More gowns were flying out of an adjoining room, accompanied with groaning and complaining noises.

I was finding it harder and harder not to laugh at the situation before me. I briefly wondered if the ball tonight we be more entertaining than the childish behavior of the one I had to call my Mother. It seemed that Marian had the same idea, she gave me a wide eyed look and I pressed a finger to my lips. I knew it would only infuriate my mother even more and she’d start throwing objects rather than gowns.

Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear! My mother appeared outside of the closet, the sight of her truly comedic. She was not in her gown or decked out in jewels like an overdone Christmas tree, for God’s sake she wasn’t even completely dressed! All she wore was her soft white shift and her corset, her white blonde hair was undone as well and tumbled over her pointy shoulder. Her blue eyes were bugging out of her eyes but they quickly narrowed at the sight of me fully dressed in my gown.

“Ah, it’s you,” Her voice was sharp as a blade, “How do you find your private chambers in the Queen’s Hall Elizabeth? Are they suitable to your tastes as this room is to mine?”

I ignored her snippety questions and walked over to her gown ridden bed, after a quick scan of all the dresses, I picked up a gown of bright blue silk with cream beading and embroidery. It was extremely overdone but compared to the other gowns, it was fairly simplistic. I looked up to her through my dark lashes, “You shall be late to the ball if you do not get dressed.”

She glared at me for a moment, all of us locked in a tense silence as awaited the fit that was almost sure to come. Surprisingly, she beckoned for the rushed looking maid to come over, “Start preparing my hair, I shall be wearing the butterfly jewels with the sapphire gown.”

Marian let out a soft sigh, relieved that my mother wasn’t going to explode. I raised my eyebrows at her but she did not seem to notice she had done anything out of the ordinary. She took the silky gown from me and laid it on a wooden chair while my mother arranged herself in the chair in front of a small mirror as the maid began combing through the blonde tangles.

“It is an insult,” My mother started as she examined herself in the mirror, “It is a true insult that they dare place a Lady of my stature in such a disgusting place, they should ostracized for such blatantly insensitive behavior-“

“Mother is there a real reason you called me here?” I interrupted her loudly, too impatient to listen to her rambling. She stopped, surprised that I did not heed to her venting as Rosalie surely would have done.

My mother twisted to look at me, in the process, knocking the brush out of the poor maid’s hands. Her light blue eyes narrowed at me challengingly, “Do you not find this insulting? Are you not angry that your own mother is being degraded to servant’s chambers for no apparent reason?”

“If there is one thing that I find insulting, it is that you intend on being late for my very first ball as the Queen’s new Lady in Waiting,” I shot back, returning her glare without trying to hide my frustration, “If you have called me here only to rant about your misdeeds with court than I shall be taking my leave.”

“Elizabeth, there is no need to be snippety,” She sighed and studied herself meticulously in the mirror, “Do put it up higher, I refuse to walk into a ball with deflated hair. I have called you here, dear Elizabeth, to discuss Lord Ruben; he is most interested in you.”

“I am flattered,” I replied in a voice that was dripping with tangible sarcasm. Marian let out a strangled cough as she put away the gowns my mother had tossed about the room, I bit my lip to keep from smiling as well when she flashed me a grin. Unfortunately my mother wasn’t as amused with my words.

“Elizabeth you are nearing eighteen and have yet to have a husband!” my mother’s voice was almost disgusted as she spoke those words, “No dearie, I said higher, it does not mean I want to look like I’m wearing some kind of fuzzy hat. Now I want you to be as polite as you possibly can Elizabeth, he is very wealthy and would provide a very secure financial future.”

“I will do my best mother,” I rolled my eyes and glanced at the door, “Now if you will excuse me, I must be at the ball in time for my entrance with the other Ladies in Waiting.”

“You may leave,” My mother waved nonchalantly at me and I barely made a curtsy to her. As I made my way out of the room, my mother started in on the maid, “Child, are you aware of anything I have asked of you?”

I paused as I closed the door behind me, waiting in the hall for Marian who I knew would be leaving quickly after me. Less than a minute passed before the young blonde came rushing out the door, looking more than relieved to get out of my mother’s presence. She stopped short as she nearly crashed into me, her blue doe eyes staring at me in surprise.

“Your mother….,” She didn’t bother finishing her sentence as she shook her head in disbelief. I smiled at her in understanding and in amusement. That was actually a relatively good experience compared to others I had with my mother.

“Believe me Marian, that was nothing compared to her usual moods,” I laughed quietly, I picked up my scarlet skirts as started down the dank hall, “I am still unfamiliar with my new home, will you show me the way to the ball?”

“O’ course Miss Elizabeth,” she fell into step with me easily and gave me an amused look, “I tink it will be most interestin to see ‘ow you deal with Lord Ruben.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked wearily, a small grin appeared on her face which intensified the uneasy feeling growing in my stomach.

“’E is o’ man o’ many words as you might put it,” Her grin seemed to be reminiscent of a Cheshire cat.

“Oh Marian, you must say more than that,” I complained, my mind as eager for information as ever. We made our way quickly through the dark hallways into the brighter and cleaner ones of the more popular castle halls. I could hear the faint beginnings of chatter in the distance, a sign that we were nearing the domain where the ball would be. I self consciously began smoothing back the simple styling of my hair and the small wrinkles that may have been forming in the skirts of my gown.

“I tink you shall ‘ave to find out for yerself,” Was the last thing she said as we finally approached the small gaggle of Ladies in Waiting by a pair of grand doors. They looked up and cast Marian and I strange but intrigued looks. I did my best to keep a carefully composed expression and a straight posture as we drew nearer. I paused as Marian turned to me with a small smile and curtsied, “Have a good evening My Lady.”

She gave me a sly wink before disappearing into the servant’s passageways, leaving me slightly more nervous than I had arrived. I made my way towards the overdressed women and curtsied as low as I could to them, they returned the favor and opened their mouths to most likely interrogate me about anything and everything. But fortunately they did not have the chance to overwhelm me with questions for King Ivan and Queen Jayna appeared from around the corner.

I was most certainly not the only woman in the bunch who could not take their eyes off of Ivan. He looked beyond dashing. He was dressed in rich red and gold finery that accented his narrow figure, instead of clashing with his sharp gray eyes; it seemed to make them even brighter. An ornate crown sat nestled in his silky dark hair, it gleamed in the torchlight. It was something he did not even need to appear as royalty, for the way he held himself exuded regal ness and power. It seemed to dwarf everyone in the room, including the jewel ridden Jayna beside him.

We all dropped into a curtsy, each of us trying to outdo each other with grace. I looked up through my lashes with a spike of pleasure to see that Ivan was studying me with obvious interest. I offered him a small smile but quickly rebuked myself; I shouldn’t be giving out any singles that I was even slightly interested in this man.

But it was too late to take back what I had already sent out, Ivan had caught my smile and raised an eyebrow at me, a small smirk of his own flitting across his features. I looked away quickly, embarrassed by my rash behavior towards him. But there was a part of me that was quite pleased that he responded to it so easily.

Oh dear Elizabeth, what are you getting yourself into?