Chapter Text
Dazzling golden light filtered in through the cream-colored curtains. It seeped into your shut eyelids until you were forced to reckon with the notion of a newborn day. A small groan left your lips as you bunched up the sheets of your bed up into your fists. The fabric was soft and welcoming, much unlike those who you surrounded yourself with. Yes, the eldest child of the (L/n) household was certainly an impressive title. Although, it probably would have accounted for more if you were a boy. Though, could you even still be considered that youthful at the ripe age of eighteen?
Thoughts began to hound at your mind, chasing away any sweet fantasies that had graced you in your slumber. You grumbled and turned so that you were on your back, (E/c) irises looking up at the rich green fabric that adorned your canopy. Already, a growing feeling of annoyance swept across you. What a lousy way to start one’s morning.
Gurgling noises from your stomach alerted you and you looked to the side. You would probably have to alert your maid of your current state, but the notion of that just soured your already rocky mood. You pushed herself up, brushed off the comfy blankets and duvet, and swung your legs off of the mattress. You shivered slightly as your bare feet touched the cold and unwelcoming wooden floor.
Spring was already rolling in, but the cold chill of morning still clung in the air like a desperate attempt to remind everyone that winter hadn’t yet faded into obscurity. The nightgown you donned did little to shield you, your legs mostly bare and exposed. The urge to simply sink back and spend the rest of your time lazing about was certainly tempting, but it wasn’t an option at this point. Even if you didn’t call for Rylan, the blonde-haired girl would certainly still come in anyways.
“ How annoying,” you muttered to yourself as you stretched your arms, the joints and muscles letting out a satisfying pop or two. You stood up, wobbling slightly, and stuck out your arms for steadiness. You padded over towards the window, observing as the sun peeked it’s way up above the horizon. The sky was painted in an array of pinks, oranges, and yellows. Soon they would be followed by a soft blue shade. That is of course if the clouds didn’t cover everything up by then.
A familiar creak greeted your ears. It was quickly followed by somewhat heavy steps, and you rolled her eyes, not even needing to turn around to tell just who it was.
“ I see you’re already awake. Good, I wouldn’t have wanted to drag you out this early. You weigh a ton, “ The maid scoffed as she grabbed you by the shoulders and spun you around. Green eyes looked down at the nightwear, lips curling at the sight of skin.
“ Hush, you forget yourself, “ you bit back harshly as you slapped away her hands. She recoiled slightly, her palms stinging slightly from the force. You merely blinked at the servant.
“ Don’t just stand there and dawdle! Go and draw the bath for me!” You barked out your order, and she began to rush about, all the while mumbling about ‘a lack of manners’ and such. You shook your head at her actions.
You should feel bad, really. It must be rough to have to work for someone you hated so, but then again, the two of you were almost in the same predicament. When she first had introduced herself to you at the tender age of eleven, your stepmother had swiftly explained to you that she was sent here to assist you with the process of becoming betrothed. She was shipped here as a tribute, and you were prepared like a prized cattle meant for the market. What the two of you should’ve done was to become allies with one another, like silent support beams the held up the cathedrals of your minds. However, she had only displayed disdain for you since the beginning. It wasn’t even well masked at this point.
Nobody ever did bother to veil their true intentions towards you.
You really did try to befriend her, once long ago. The novels you had read were filled with such dynamics of undying devotion to those around you. It was the most romantic thing you had ever encountered without it being actual romance. Naturally, you were excited to meet her, but unfortunately, some expectations simply do not come to fruition.
You fiddled with the buttons on your chest as you headed over to your wardrobe. It was a pretty piece of woodwork indeed, with sweeping vines covered in leaves and flowers carved into it. Your father had requested it be made for you when you had gotten betrothed. You remembered how it almost felt as if the man was proud of you, but that was six years ago so that surely wasn’t the case now. You pulled it open and began to rustle through your various garments. You planned on wearing something simple today once more. Sure, many other dresses would likely flatter you better, yet you weren’t trying to impress anyone anymore, so what was the point of getting all dolled up?
You grasped one with an emerald green skirt and bodice, with the sleeves being made up of a creme colored fabric. You draped the cloth over your arm and shut the wardrobe before bustling towards your bed, your bare feet making soft tapping noises against the hardwood flooring. You sat down as you started to wait for your maid. You had been feeling ever so irked recently at the thought of being assisted through everything. It’s not that it hadn’t bothered you before, but it had recently become almost unbearable. You knew how to take care of yourself.
Rylan came to fetch you, announcing that she had drawn the bath just as you had asked. She took your outfit from you and into her arms, yanking it from your hold when you hesitated. You grumbled in response as she led you out of your room and down the hall towards the bathing room. After you went in and she closed the door behind you, you began to undress. You tossed the white nightgown onto a pile of neatly folded towels and approached the tub.
You sighed in relief as you lowered yourself into the warm, steaming water. You liked the feeling of being submerged. It reminded you of a time when you were little, and your real mother had attempted to teach you how to swim in a lake near the estate. It was tiring, yet fun, and you constantly thought back on that memory with a certain fondness. You hadn’t tried anything like that ever since, or rather, you hadn’t been allowed to.
Your thoughts were interrupted by a sloshing noise. Rylan dipped a clean rag into the tub and brought it to your back where she began to scrub harshly. You winced as the normally soft material felt like a bunch of soggy, dead grass being rubbed into your skin. You couldn’t forget how unpleasant the blonde was as she was always right by your side, masking her spite as devotion.
“ You’re filthy as a dog,” she spits out at you, and though you can’t see her face, you know that she’s scowling.
“If you don’t like it, then you can leave me to my own devices,” you reply cooly as she sets down the cloth and begins to lather your hair in some nice smelling suds. She probably couldn’t leave you even if she wanted to, which she most certainly did. The head maid would likely restrict her meals for a while or have her go and do some more meticulous chores in the dead of night while you were tucked away, sleeping. Again, you should probably feel some semblance of pity, but after years of nothing but patience and ladylike demeanor, you figured you might as well feed into it.
Maybe you just felt slightly better about giving her a reason to hate you.
Once you were fresh and clean, your maid reached over to grab a bucket of un soapy water and dumped it over you to rinse. You yelped at the chilling sensation of icy water. You jumped up, hands clasping the rim of the tub, knuckles flushing pale as you shivered. She let out a small chuckle at your state, and you shot her a warning glare. She quickly quieted down, but as she turned away to grab the towels, you could still see her stupid, smirking face.
You tried to ignore it to the best of your abilities as you stepped out of the tub, careful not to slip on the tiled floor. You rang out your wet hair as much as you could before Rylan came to dry you off. After that, she helped you slip into today’s outfit and comb your hair until you looked presentable. It was ironic how you were expected to look immaculate on the daily when hardly anyone came to see you. You di like to go and converse with your stepmother, however you father looked down upon the interactions you shared, so you kept it to a minimum. It had been months since your last suitor came to greet you, and your younger twin brothers usually only came to pester you when they were bored.
Your shoes clacked against the wooden floor softly, alerting anyone who might’ve been loitering around of your presence. The various servants who bustled about doing their tasks glanced at you before looking away. It was almost as if you were a ghost to everyone but a select few who could find your worth. You kept your posture straight as you held your head high.
“ What an arrogant leech,” someone muttered angrily, you paid no mind.
“ If I were the duke, I would have cast her out to the streets at this point,” another giggled cruelly, and you grit your teeth slightly at that. Who were they to talk about a young noblewoman in such a manner? You supposed that they were just trying their best to fit in with another and earn the favor of your family, and the most popular way to do that seemed to be by ridiculing you.
You could take it of course. You always did.
You tapped two fingers against your side. A signal barely noticeable, but Rylan quickly caught onto it. She leaned in as close as she could and whispered their names. You smiled softly at this, a gesture that would normally be pleasant, but those who witnessed the full interaction were filled with a feeling of unease. You’d have to tell your stepmother about them the next time you saw her. Even if you were the weakest link, you still were a member of the (L/n) household, and all those who opposed you wouldn’t be met with a kind tap on the wrist. You hummed lightly. They would probably be packing up their things by next week if it went your way.
You glided through the halls with the poise and grace that were standard for any respectable young lady before coming to the dining room. It was a very grand area of the house, as it was usually needed for hosting large and official seeming events. The ceiling was high enough that it could be mistaken for a cathedral, and there was a wall made up entirely of arching windows that towered above your form. The walls were painted with beautiful men and women embracing one another and dancing, eternally frozen in a gleeful state of light debauchery, and the tile floors seemed to shimmer under your watchful gaze. It felt like a place you would frequent in your dreams, and that just made it all the more special. Plus, the servants weren’t allowed to eat in here, and everybody else normally ate in their own quarters.
You liked to have your food in relative peace, that is with the exception of Rylan. As you approached the dining table, she ran on ahead and pulled out a chair for you. You nodded in false approval as you sunk into the plush cushion. She quickly walked away to go and fetch your food, which was good since you were practically starving at this point.
You filled up in silence, taking tiny bites from your meal as to not look unsavory. You were starting to think of what you would do today. Perhaps a nice stroll in the gardens would be nice, or maybe you could go back into the library and start that novel you had been eyeing for a while.
Your musing was stopped, however, when a loud bang rang out in the empty air followed by a pair of boisterous laughs. You narrowed your eyes as you caught sight of the two boys, their bright smiles flashing cruelly at you.
“ What brings you here this morning, Roland? Duncan? “ You addressed your younger brothers cooly, masking your annoyance at the interruption. They grinned mischievously, and you felt a pit forming in the bottom of your stomach, queasy unease settling in you.
The two heirs of the (L/n) household were surrounded by a terrifying aura that would have anyone cowering in fear. They certainly took after their mother more than your father, with jet black hair and smooth tan skin, just like the Duchess, and wide (E/c) orbs that would become steely and sharp in a few short years. You would have liked to think that as your siblings, the twins would be just a little bit softer willed towards you, but of course, that wasn’t the case.
“ Oh, don’t be so drab! We just wanted to drop by and see how you were faring and all,” Duncan hummed as he moved to stand behind you, the other sliding up onto the table so that he could look down upon you. They hadn’t always been so mean. The three of you had actually gotten along with each other pretty well up until the point you had to start preparing for marriage. It was then they had started treating you with such disdain. The servants joined in with their banter soon after. It wasn’t that hard to twist the whole house until almost everyone disliked you. After all, who would question the sons of a nobleman, especially in favor of an uncooperative daughter?
You rolled your eyes.” Don’t play coy with me. I know the two of you only came here because you wanted something, so out with it,” you replied as you shifted away from their gaze. It was a bit chilling of how alike they truly were, almost as if they weren’t two separate people.
“ Ah, blunt as always (Y/n)... How unsavory. No wonder no man wants you. Well, maybe that’s for the best. You’ll get to stay here with us after all,” Roland grinned down at you, his pearly whites flashing. " Of course, that is if The Duke doesn't ship you off with the first suitor that comes to the door!" He chuckled, voice squeaking with youth.
You now openly displayed a frown on your face, and you felt Duncan's fingers ghost over your shoulders. The gesture was simple and generally non-threatening, but it felt like a thousand little bugs had crawled out from underneath your brother's skin and onto you. " Did the Duke speak of such matters to you? " You struggled to keep the anger out of your words. The two of them would always do this to you when they came in. There was never any valid reason as to why they would even converse with you other than to ridicule you.
" Not particularly, no. At least, not about anything we can tell you, " They laughed once more, and you felt your blood boil. If your father was planning something, then you would surely want to know. However, these little thorns were probably just going to keep toying with you without actually giving any information.
" If it concerns me, then I ask that I be informed." You shifted up slightly when you noticed Roland moving. It was slow and barely noticeable, but you were used to their mischief. What were they up to?
" Well we could, but I'd rather not. Don't you agree, brother?" Roland cocked his head innocently as if to pretend that he wasn't mocking you. You were just glad nobody but Rylan was here to witness the exchange.
You were seething at this point. Thoughts of weddings and gowns plagued your mind like a disease, further fueling your rage. You slammed your palms down on the table.
" Why you little-"
You were cut off by the sensation of slime and stickiness, and it took you a moment to process the fact that your little brother had just thrown your breakfast into your face. The food was dribbling down the front of your desk and soaking into your hair. You felt disgusting, to say the least. Behind you, you heard your maid snicker quietly to herself. Fury coursed through your veins as you shot up out of your seat, fists balled at your sides. You want to hit them. You wanted your palms to strike the tender flesh of their cheeks, and you wanted to see their stupid smirks be cast onto the floor along with their pride. But you couldn’t. You’d certainly be punished by your father if you did.
Instead, you grit your teeth and turned on your heel, not bothering to look at the expressions of your younger siblings. Rylan obediently followed after you, her head tilted downwards as to hide her smile. You threw open the doors of the dining room, not caring if any of the servants saw you in such a disheveled state. If any of them so much as giggled, you’d have them thrown out within the week.
As you stomped back to your quarters, all grimy and gross with bits of food stuck to you, you barked out yet another order to your maid. “ Prepare me to see the Duchess. “