"Your sister is a bumbling wench."
Vylad's eyes lift from his work. They're wide from my choice of words. I've never been one to use such words, but she's cruel.
"I'll ignore the slander of my sister because you're upset. But what on Earth happened? You were doing charity work!"
His bed becomes a landing spot for my belongings. My purse has already been thrown across the sheets. He comes my way, keeping each item together in a tidy pile.
"She deliberately demeaned me and my status. I'm aware of my illegitimacy, but it's wicked to use it against me during a moment of peace."
He shakes his head at this. There's a moment of thought on his face before he reaches for my hand. His thumbs glide over the skin of my knuckles. It's calming. Months ago I would've recoiled at his touch.
"My sister knows how to use words," he says, letting go of my hand before walking over to his desk. I follow behind him, looking at the mess he has managed to create. "And, sadly, she knows how to make them hurt."
I've seen this from him before. Books are sprawled out and open on limited open surfaces while papers dust whatever may have room. Due to my sudden outbreak, there's ink droplets on the paper. Whatever he was writing is now tattered with black.
He rummages through the desk's surface. He's trying to find something, but he doesn't know where he has placed it. Books are shut while papers are stacked together. In the process of finding something, he is cleaning up. He eventually finds a letter and hands it over to me.
"It came for you. I wasn't aware of where you were, so I told them I'd deliver it myself. The servant who brought it assumed you were with me."
My finger flicks open the wax seal. Her initials flipping upside down in the process. My sister has been prone to use cream colored paper, and she didn't disappoint in the slightest. Though, when she sends me letters as of now, they are full of criticism and scoldings. I'm unsure if I truly wish to read this letter or not.
Dearest Sister,
It is with bittersweet feelings that I write to you. I wish to announce the birth of our newest son, Daniel Benedict Richard Quincy. I was blessed with a very easy going pregnancy, and the birth went smoothly. He seems to be a very happy and bubbly babe with the few days of life he has so far been bestowed. We kept this pregnancy in a hushed state, especially once we learned of your own failed pregnancy.
My dear sister, I cannot imagine the pain you must have felt learning that you failed to bring life into this world. Theodore wishes that the babe was a girl as a male has so much potential. I told him he was being cruel with his words, but I selfishly wished the same. It broke my heart when Laurance told me it was a male after he had come to the palace due to political affairs with Theodore.
Perhaps, soon, your next child shall be a boy, and you can name him after father. Or, after King Garte himself. Father was so pleased when he learned that I bestowed the honor upon my Sebastian by gracing him with the name Hayden. I believe father would appreciate the same from you if you are to produce a son.
As would your husband.
I wish you all the luck with your fertility and hope to hear the news of a child's birth in the near future.
Your loving sister,
Cadenza Z. Quincy
My teeth grit together in my mouth. If I were a rabid dog, foam would be forming at the corners of my lips. My grip tightens around the paper itself, creasing instantly. Vylad looks up at me, alarmed.
"I take back my words. Compared to my sister, Kandilyn is a saint."
My skirts swish when I walk towards his fireplace. He reaches for me, but fails to make any form of contact. "Let's not act in haste," he tells me, following my footsteps.
The letter crackles and spits in front of me in the roaring fire. Watching something burn to death has never pleased me more to watch. Every scratch she has made on her cream paper now black soot. She has always meant well, but I haven't been a child for quite some time now.
"She spoke of my inability to birth a child so casually as if she were in the room when it happened. And amongst it, she announced of her own son's birth! I should be happy for my sister, and my newly found nephew, but it's hard to do so when faults are thrown at you in bitter reminders. So now her words shall burn like my anger."
His arms wrap around me from behind, resting his hands on my stomach. I place my hands on top of his. "What are you doing?" I ask. I feel defeated. I sound defeated.
In truth, we haven't tried for a child. There was never a conversation since that day regarding it. We wanted to grow together and fix a strained relationship. My sister doesn't understand that.
"One day, in the future, we'll have a baby of our own, and we'll love them with all our hearts. Nothing your sister says may influence that. For now, there's only thoughts."
"For now, you're only touching the boning of my corset."
