Astoria

f o r t y - t w o

The Princess Therese had grown up the youngest of three. Her two older sisters had differed in age from her by many years. One of them, a kind widow named Mariah had not seen her sisters for years due to the location of her home on the extreme eastern border of Astoria. The other sister, the Lady Catherine, paid too many visits.

It is funny, sometimes, how people might forgive a person their rudeness if they are pretty or forgive them their plainness if they are in possession of a kind soul.

The Lady Catherine had neither. Her skin was sallow and she constantly wore an expression that put people in mind of someone who had just put a lemon in their mouth. She was tall and thin, and preferred to look down with disdain upon those around her. This especially applied to servants. On occasion, one might try to feel some sympathy for her, or write her bitterness off as the result of her many years living as a spinster. Indeed, however, the oldest sister of the House Pendleton, was simply born that way.

Her own family tended to dread her visits. None of them had been of the mind to confront her about her rude behavior and she terrorized the servants and strode around the castle pronouncing it dirty and in need of cleaning ("Those lazy servants!") When Isabella and Antony had been younger, the Lady Catherine had paid a visit. The time was soon after the death of both of the children's fathers. Catherine had passed her judgment upon both of them. Isabella was, for the moment, too thin, but perhaps there was still some hope. Antony, however, she had written off. Perhaps she hadn't felt the need to patronize him, as he wasn't even her blood relative.

And so a pattern had been developed that the royal family followed faithfully upon every visit of the Lady Catherine. Antony almost altogether disappeared, choosing to stay out of the way of the woman who, besides not having any relation to him whatsoever, had been so rude to him when he was but a little boy in mourning. Isabella was required by her mother to greet her aunt or to perform perfunctory acts of welcome, but also made her escape as soon as she was able. Therese spent time with her sister, but frequently found herself out of sorts after each chat; she never had been able to stand up against her sister and had, instead, been one of the sorts of little sisters that cower beneath the heavy hand of the older.

Now, Isabella stood in the palace courtyard with her mother, the Princess Therese, and watched with a forced smile as her aunt's carriage crested the hill. She glanced at Meredith, who stood next to her in traditional lady's maid uniform: her simple waist high black skirt and white blouse made her look very professional.

It had been with great reluctance that Isabella had agreed to let Meredith serve as Catherine's lady's maid. She knew all too well how her aunt treated the servants. However, Meredith had insisted and the matter had finally been settled.

At least if one has to deal with Aunt Catherine, they cannot have much time to be distracted by grief.

She allowed herself a few moments of jealousy that Antony was away with the army and would not have to deal with the horrible woman whose carriage now pulled to a stop in front of the small group.

She watched as the driver hurried down from his perch and held the door open for his mistress.

The woman that stepped down now turned her beady eyes to Isabella, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes.

"I see that my niece has managed to grow up into a prettier adult than the skinny child she was...How are you, Isabella?"

"Perfectly fine," said Isabella, curtly, not providing any more of an answer than was necessary. Aunt Catherine only narrowed her eyes all the more before turning to Isabella's mother.

"My dear Therese," she said, her voice simpering. "It's been so long."

"It has," said Therese. Isabella noticed that her mother seemed on edge as she awkwardly hugged her sister. Catherine stepped back and examined the princess, her head cocked and a frown wrinkling her forehead.

"It would seem, sister dear, that you may, perhaps, need to cut down on some after-dinner sweets. I'll speak to the chef."

And with that, she turned to her driver. "Jefferson! My trunk, please."

The driver nodded, bowed, and rushed to retrieve the trunk while his mistress swept past Isabella, Meredith, and Therese as if she were queen.

Isabella took a deep breath before turning to follow. She glanced at her mother, who was forcing herself to hold her head high, even if the sensitive woman had a sad look in her eyes that had been put there by her sister's rude comment. Even if she were annoyed by her mother's insistence on her marriage to a man of means, she put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a small smile.

"Better to eat well than to end up a stick of a human like her," she whispered, which made her mother smile a bit.

Isabella glanced at Meredith, who seemed to be putting on a brave face as they climbed the stairs and reached Catherine's rooms.

"Aunt Catherine," said Isabella. "For the duration of your stay, my companion, Meredith, has agreed to serve you as your lady's maid. I am sure that she will do everything to your satisfaction. Please treat her well."

Catherine surveyed Meredith with a pinched expression, muttering things such as "too thin" or "plain of face". Finally, she nodded, sighing heavily as if she were put out. "She'll do, I suppose," the spinster finally said.

Isabella frowned, but nodded, casting a sideways glance at Meredith, who, from all outward appearances, was keeping perfectly calm even in the face of Aunt Catherine's scrutiny.

"Come along, girl," said Aunt Catherine, looking down her nose at Meredith before turning and sweeping into her room. Meredith held her head high and followed her without a backward glance.

The door shut, and Isabella was left standing in the hallway, wondering if she had done the right thing in letting Meredith serve her aunt.

Antony and Kade reigned in their horses, stopping on top of a hill outside of Hampshire. The rest of the soldiers that had accompanied them remained below.

Antony dismounted Emery and took a few steps forward, looking down over the town. He frowned. On a normal, sunny day like today, there should be people out and about. In fact, when he had last been in Hampshire, the streets had been very crowded. Now, however, they were empty.

"People are afraid," he said, his voice filled with disgust for the unknown enemy who had made them so.

Kade came to his side. "Hopefully once we have soldiers in place, they'll begin to return to their everyday lives again."

"Yes, perhaps..." said Antony quietly, as he looked down over the town. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and remounted his horse. Kade followed his lead and they rode down the hill, the men following them as they arrived at the main road and began to ride towards the gates of Hampshire.