Chapter Text
"My dear ladies, have you heard the latest news?"
With this simple sentence, the whole story began, which brought an avalanche of troubles, scuffles, crying and gnashing of teeth behind it. However, let me bring you closer to all the confusion that was to come at that moment.
The not so large, but also not so small, kingdom in question once had a despotic, cruel ruler who (fortunately for his subjects and the inhabitants of the occupied lands) died, leaving the rule in the hands of his wife, who reigns to this day. The royal couple had two descendants, an older daughter, who became the queen of one of the previously conquered countries and left the family kingdom long ago, deciding to live in her own palace, and a son who was four years younger, who was sent to the court of his older sister when she officially took over authorities.
There were many rumors about the royal family, especially in the privacy of noble salons, where young ladies and their old mothers had nothing to gossip about, so they came up with the strangest scenarios, most often about the Queen herself or her children. However, this time, as it turned out, the latest news was not sucking nonsense, but the most honest truth, confirmed almost at the source.
"I heard from my son-in-law who is the guardian in the royal palace that His Majesty has returned from Inazuma" finished the woman who started the story, fanning herself with her blue fan.
The women who were in her closest company moved even closer, staring at each other in disbelief. Has an opportunity for social advancement just happened?!
"Ha, that's not all! Apparently, this is how the birds chirp around the palace" another mother intervened, hiding a smirk with her hand in which she was holding an embroidered handkerchief "he returned to find himself a wife."
After this information, a wave of satisfied groans from the mouths of every woman gathered there rolled through the entire living room, be it a mother with a daughter on hand or one of the daughters who would like to become a princess in the future. Apparently, no one was put off by the rumors of a future heir to the throne at the time. And, admittedly, there were many, many of them.
And although there were only a handful of people at the party organized by one of the richer noblewomen, rumors spread very quickly among the bored nobility who just waited for an opportunity to come up. It took almost nine years for the crown prince to return, so it's no wonder that many people became excited at the mere mention of a mysterious young man who was about to sit on the throne. As might be expected, the news spread quickly throughout the capital, and certainly must have reached the home of the richest and most famous lord in the entire country.
Lord Megistus in question was not from Snezhnaya, but from Fontaine, but he was delegated from the country as an ambassador to settle there permanently with his wife, who was expecting their eldest child, the beautiful daughter Mona. In addition to her, two more girls were born, Madelyn and Marion. One did not even have to imagine with what excitement the news of the prince's return was received there.
Lady Megistus, like every morning, at breakfast, when her beloved husband was reading the press and drinking black coffee without sugar, told about the latest news she heard at the market, which she and her servants were going to, because she was bored at home. Mona was sitting upright in a chair in her favorite seat in front of the large window overlooking the main street, staring blankly at the view outside, not paying attention to what her mother was saying. Her younger sisters, more affected by gossip, listened, their cheeks flushed as they smeared on the fresh rolls at the same time.
"Lady Caroline told me that Lady Gisele notified yesterday at a party that the prince was back home, do you hear that, my dear? The prince is back! And he is also looking for a wife!" Lady Megistus rose from her chair to draw the attention of her husband, who merely muttered something under his breath as he continued to read about the rising prices of goods.
Madelyn raised her hands to her face to cover her mouth with them, and Marion, who had just made her debut at the salons last month, could not sit still. Only Mona, who was unhappy with ever getting married, seemed unfazed by the whole situation. She only dreamed of being able to finally get up from the table, collect the latest books she had borrowed from her friend Sucrose, and go to meet her and their friend Albedo at the nearest library.
"Mona, maybe you want to say something about it? It's probably about time you started thinking about marriage!" her mother's voice snapped the oldest daughter out of her thoughts.
The girl only groaned under her breath as she shifted her gaze from the window to her mother, who blinked her eyelids more than necessary, staring at her with expectation painted on her face.
"I'm not interested."
Lady Megistus struck her fist on the wooden table until Lord Megistus folded his newspaper and placed it on the edge of the table. The younger sisters sat up straight, though they only hunched over for a moment, but the mother couldn't see it because she was in a face-to-face duel with Mona, who, used to her mother's attacks, was not bothered by her furious glare.
"You're twenty, for God's sake you should be married a long time ago!"
"And then sit locked in a chamber, be only a childbirth machine and endure insults, or worse, get whips from my husband? Thank you very much!"
Lady Megistus turned red in the face. She rose from her chair again and waved her hand at her husband, who was sitting almost as unfazed as Mona was. The mistress of this house hated the fact how much their eldest daughter had fallen into her own father.
"Or maybe you would do something, make her understand?!"
I can't force her to marry, the Queen long ago lifted the marriage order, come on, sweetie. If you want to get promoted so badly, and if the rumors about the prince's return are true, let's wait for the next royal ball. All our daughters are old enough to marry, maybe the prince will choose one of them?"
The words seemed to soothe Lady Megistus, who only sighed loudly and sank back into her chair again. Mona wanted to protest, but she knew that if she opened her mouth again, she would be banned from leaving the house.
"Mona, Madelyn, Marion. One of you must become the future queen. At the next ball, you are to charm the prince and make him fall in love with one of you."
The oldest Miss Megistus did not react in any way. Perhaps her younger siblings would be interested in marriage with a tyrant prince, but she preferred to have freedom and her books. She wasn't going to charm anyone. Especially not the man about whom the most horrible rumors are circulating.