Plight of an Empire

Chapter Three: The Twins

Mynoa, Rundil

“It seems that our beloved princess has run off somewhere”, Lisbette Pellinor said to her twin sister, Laelette.  “Perhaps she means to run away.”  She gingerly pushed her golden curls behind her ear, exposing the ruby earrings that hung from the lobe of her ear.  The ruby earrings perfectly complimented the crimson silk gown she wore.  The gown was tailored in such a way that accentuated her feminine curves, without revealing so much that she be mistaken for a whore.

Laelette narrowed her eyes at her sister.  “Hush, sister”, she hissed.  “You must take care to not speak everything you think.  We are hardly welcome here.”  She glanced around at the people around her.  Each time she or her sister made eye contact with one of the guests, they immediately looked away, hiding their displeasure of the twins’ presence.  She smoothed her silk gown, which much resembled the color of ice.  The sophisticated sapphire design that was sown into the bodice of the gown caused it to crumple at the waist with every movement.  “Do not make me regret accepting the invitation.”

Lisbette glared at her.  “Doubtless, you would have come anyway, just as I would have.”  She felt her internal fire radiating heat throughout her entire body.  She closed her eyes took a deep breath and pushed the fire back into the recesses of her body.  Without even opening her eyes, she could feel the icy coldness of her twin’s stare boring down on her.  A sudden chill went up her spine.

“We have come for one reason alone”, Laelette stated, her voice completely monotone.  “You mustn’t let your disdain for Audriel stoke your fire.  We will never convince them if we aren’t genuine.”  The coldness of her voice alone was enough to chill the air.

Lisbette smirked.  “Always the voice of reason, aren’t you, dear sister?  I suppose you are correct.”

“Don’t mock me”, Laelette scowled.

Her twin held her hands up in surrender with a small smile.  “My apologies”, Lisbette offered.  “The stress of the journey has exhausted me.”  She rubbed her temples and she fluttered her eyelids.  “I’m sure you understand how tiring traveling in the snow can be, or perhaps not”, she said with a smirk.

Though the twins and their family still lived in Mynoa, they lived in the outskirts of the capital.  They lived on the property their grandfather purchased when he was exiled from the palace.  Traveling to the palace was difficult during the winter due to the poor road conditions surrounding their land.  Their mother, Kylina Pellinor, swears that the king keeps their roads in poor condition on purpose to spite their family.

“We deserve better than this”, their mother would always say.  “You are the descendants of the late High King Odirin Pellinor!  You deserve your inheritance!”  She would rant about this to their father, Owain Pellinor, but he would never want anything to do with the royal family.  Kylina would call him a coward, but he would never budge.  Finally, when her eldest daughters grew older, she put the responsibility on them.  When they received an invitation to the princess’s coming-of-age feast, she celebrated and immediately commissioned for dresses to be made for the event.  Their father tried to argue against it, but their mother was persistent.  He eventually gave up trying to convince his wife.

Both Lisbette and Laelette could practically hear the nagging voice of their mother in their head and they stood in the Great Hall.  They chose to remain on the outskirts of the crowd, as to not garner unneeded attention to themselves.  They stood under one of the great stain glass windows that decorated the Hall.  Though the sun had fallen hours ago, the windows were still a sight to behold.  Each bore a different scene in history.  The window they stood under depicted the rebellion against the Ice Kin—a particularly bloody part of their history.