Eclipsed Veil

My name is Saoirse Lindy Knight, daughter of Duke Reginald Knight, a member of the royal family by title, though I have always felt like an outsider. This wasn't the first time I found myself sitting here, fingers wrapped around the delicate porcelain handle of a teacup, waiting for my new stepmother and stepsister to arrive. My cousin, Carlos Rose Cocktail, had confessed his love to me not long ago. To make matters worse, my brother, Simon, was away at war, leading our kingdom's forces against a neighboring enemy.