Bloodied and Royal

The three of us stood there, in our gowns, waiting for the clock to strike. Time felt slower, every second passing more suffocating than the last under these layers of fabric. I’ve never been comfortable in those; too heavy to run away in. Lavish garments were simply not meant for me, at least that’s how I’ve always felt. A thread coming out of the lace caught my eye, as I slowly started pulling on it like nothing else in the world mattered more at that moment. Too busy with the task at hand to notice the burning eyes of my sister on me.

“Stop fidgeting with that!” Victoria growled. I shook my shoulders, “Why do you care, they are not even here”. She moved from her position to plant herself in front of me, her crimson dress suddenly in my line of sight. “Look at me when I speak to you”, but my eyes stayed focused on the thread. She swiftly seized my face, one hand under my chin, forcing me to meet her glacial eyes. “Our family needs allies to take over during this crisis, and they have the strongest armies money can offer”, her smile became like honey, “so, we cannot afford a bad impression”.

I had to give it to her, Victoria was the most beautiful woman you would have the misfortune to meet. She knew the power she held over others with one simple look. Malice danced behind the blue of her eyes, while mine -though the same color- were often described as too kind. Clear like the sky, unable to lie. That was one of the many differences between Victoria and I. Our physical appearance was quite similar, so I did my best to never look like her. Her raven hair was always perfectly coiffed, while I let mine wild as often as I could. Our family colors were emerald green and cobalt blue, but that never stopped her from wearing her favorites scarlet hues. Knowing her, my sister must have seen it as a sign that this family preferred the color of blood. To her, everything was an opportunity, and anything  a weapon. But the most dangerous of all was her intelligence; compared to that, her beauty was just mean to an end.

I never paid much attention to my looks, and Vivian, the youngest, was still too sheltered to realize her gift. From our beloved mother, she inherited golden locks, and the same kind and clear eyes. Her smile was always shy, but radiant. She held herself with such grace, you would never know how frail she truly was. Her health had always been fragile; so she often stayed in her quarters, protected from the world. I found myself envying her; she never had to know the truth of our family.

We made our fortune through blackmail, ransom, and treason. We were only children when we started our twisted training; Victoria became a brilliant strategist -chess was her favourite-, while I thrived in close combat lessons. I never enjoyed violence like Victoria did, but throwing her on the floor like a ragdoll gave me great satisfaction. She lets ambition blind her, and someone has to keep in check that ego of hers.

“They’re here.” Victoria’s eyes lit up. The man who entered the room, entered with a grin on his face. The kind of smile you’d love to wipe off and prove wrong. He walked with arrogance, as if he knew he had already won the war without even meeting his opponent. I could probably take him in a fight, but I don’t know if I’d come out unscathed. And with every step he took, my gut feeling became clearer and begged me to run. It’s when he stopped a few feet away from us, I met his eyes. Cold, calculating, and clear like mirrors reflecting our every flaw as they trailed from one sister to the other.

Only Vivian showed her discomfort under such scrutiny, unacquainted to those mind games. She shivered when the aristocrat made eye contact, his smile wider than before. My body moved before I could even think; maybe in hope to stop him from getting any closer. That’s when it happened. Victoria let out the most intoxicating laugh, and the room grew cold. I caught myself hoping she’d ruin this man with one look, like she had done to many before. I was rooting for her. Yet, something so much more dangerous happened in that moment.

It was like watching two predators in a danse macabre, hypnotized by each other. Running circles around each other, until every other word exchanged became part of a joke only known to them. Never had I seen my sister  in such a state; destabilized, vulnerable. Even for a short instant, Victoria lost control. Her eyes became frantic; between hunger and adoration.

I felt sick. The weight I felt in the pit of my stomach only sank deeper when he kissed her hand oh so softly. I could vomit. Enamored could barely begin to describe the way he looked at her. Maybe if I ran now, took Vivian with me, I could save us from the feeling of dread crawling down my spine.

“Vesper!”

Victoria must have noticed the fear and disgust in my eyes, because her smile had never been more brilliant.

“To great beginnings” she laughed, as if to seal our fate.