The lunch table at the manor of Irina Grigoryevna was already filled with a heated conversation as the events from the day before were discussed.
"How was I to know she'd come flying out the side door? She was supposed to be getting married." Courtney said as her mother and sister interrogated her.
"I heard the Grand Duchess talked to you. What did she say?" Violet said suspiciously.
"Well, I can't be sure. It all happened so quickly. But I think what she said was; serves me right for choosing a foreigner over your sister." The clever young blonde lied. The two other women bought the lie happily, laughter and smiles finding them.
"Well, very good. Perhaps we shall just let her fret about it for a few days." The Baroness spoke smugly.
Yet when the doorbell rang seconds later, all three women hurried downstairs to see who it was. As they opened the door they were met by Captain Ivan and a royal carriage.
"His Imperial Highness, by the grace of God, the most excellent and great sovereign Emperor Pyotr Alekseevich, ruler of all of Russia, requests an audience with the Baroness Irina Grigoryevna of House Nayrshkina and her daughters immediately." Ivan said, giving Courtney a knowing look.
"Oh, is anything wrong?" Irina enquired.
"No, my lady. The Tsar demanded that you arrive in style." The Captain told the woman with a smile.
"Mmm, then in style we shall be." The Baroness said as she and her dark haired daughter hurried upstairs, whilst the blonde daughter stayed to close the door, a laugh threatening to spill as she knew a stylish affair was not at all what awaited them.
It was sunset by the time the three ladies arrived at the palace, a filled hall of courtiers and royals greeting them as they glided down the center of the ballroom to greet the Tsar.
"Baroness, did you or did you not lie to Her Imperial Highness the Tsarina of Russia?" The Emperor spoke harshly once the three women reached the podium with thrones.
"Choose your words wisely, madam, for they may be your last." The Empress spoke strictly.
"A woman would do...practically anything for the love of her daughter, Your Imperial Highnesses... Perhaps I did get a little carried away." The Baroness said nervously as she saw the venom in the eyes of the pair.
"Mother! What have you done? Your Highness, like you, I am just a victim here. She had lied to us both, and I am ashamed to call her family." Violet said in false outrage, stepping in front of her mother to address the Tsar, her sister rolling her eyes behind her as she spoke.
"How dare you turn on me, you little ingrate?" Her mother scolded, pushing her to the side.
"You see? Do you see what I have to put up with?" The dark haired girl yelled.
"Silence! Both of you!" The Emperor yelled, hitting the floor with his staff. "Good Lord. Are they always like this?" He added, the question directed towards Courtney.
"Worse, Your Highness." The blonde said with a smile. Her mother looked at her with hatred in her eyes.
"Courtney, darling, I'd hate to think you had anything to do with this." Irina spoke.
"Of course not, mother. I'm only here for the food." The girl responded boldly, mocking her mother with the words she herself had used before the masque. Ivan looked at the girl proudly from the crowd, giving her a wink and a nod.
"Baroness Naryshkina, you are forthwith stripped of your title. And you and your horrible daughter are to be banished from Russia, shipped out of the country on the first available boat or carriage, unless by some miracle, someone here will speak for you." The Empress declared.
The Baroness turned her head in every direction as she looked around the room for someone who would grant her grace.
"There seem to be quite a few people out of town." Irina laughed nervously.
"I will speak for her." A familiar voice behind her said suddenly.
Soon the Baroness saw the entire room bow for the owner of the voice whom she hoped was not who she thought it to be. Her fear grew however once she saw Violet's jaw drop and her face turn red. Irina turned around and there she was, Beatrice Mattel, her hair and skin glowing in a way the woman had never seen before, all dirt and grime gone. She was wearing a magnificant, light yellow gown with the red sash of the royals, hanging from her neck was the necklace that Violet had returned to the Empress before the masque, and on top of her head was the famous Ceylon Sapphire Diadem, which was known to be a favorite tiara of the Grand Duchess Yekaterina.
"She is, after all, my stepmother." Beatrice spoke softly, a regal calmness over her every movement. The crowd stood up once more as the young girl stepped closer to the Baroness, looking into her eyes until she bowed.
"Your Highness." Irina finally said.
"Violet, I don't believe you've met... my wife." Yekaterina said in an amused tone, the dark haired girl's jaw dropping further.
"I want you to know that I will forget you after this moment and never think of you again. But you, I am quite certain, will think of me every single day for the rest of your life." Trixie told her stepmother.
"And how long might that be?" The woman fearfully whispered.
"All I ask, Your Highnesses, is that you show her the same courtesy that she has bestowed upon me." Beatrice told the Tsar and Tsarina, who agreed to this as they knew the true punishment was the two women being humiliated before the entire court and stripped of their titles and station.
Now, the Baroness had granted Beatrice very little in life, however she had not banished her from Russia. Therefor Irina and Violet were sentenced to life long hard labour, finally getting a taste of the work they had put the poor cinder girl under.
The would get to live, but all social climbing or marriage prospects were gone in a split second.
YOU ARE READING
Ever After ✔~ trixya
Fanfiction"Her name was Beatrice Mattel. And this, was her glass slipper. Perhaps you will allow me to set the record straight?" The Grand Duchess says as she picks a beautiful shoe out of the silver box. "Then it's true? The story?" The writer enquires. "Yes...
