Invitation

For the next few days, Mia seemed to be in distress and Lily was more than worried. 

“Mia, you have to relax!” She told the older woman one day, when they were in the living room. While Lily was trying to embroider, practicing to be a very accomplished lady - which was not her especiality - Mia was pacing back and forth. 

“I am relaxed.” Mia answered and gave her sister a smile. 

“Don’t do this. It is creepy.” Lily asked and raised her eyebrows, looking back at the piece of cloth in her hands. “Just as creepy as that.”

Mia approached and took a look. Indeed, the embroidery was not very good. In fact, it was terribly bad. 

“It is not so b-”

“Don’t.” Lily asked. “This is just not for me.” She pushed the ‘masterpiece’ aside.

“Lily, every young lady has to…”

“I know, I know.” Lily interrupted her sister. “We’ve had this conversation a million times, Mia. But… I can play the piano, I can paint. I can sing. I can even play cards.”

“Which is not so good.”

“Yeah, I know. But anyway… I know how to be a good young lady and entertain. But I hate this damn embroidery!” 

“Language, Lily.” Mia sat on the sofa just near her sister and took her cup of tea, which was already cold. 

“I hate it.”

Lily folded her arms in front of her chest. 

“Don’t complain. Our lives could be terrible, but we got lucky and look at us, now!” Mia looked around her and smiled when her eyes landed on her sister. “You have the brightest future ahead of you, Lily, due to all of what we have now. Don’t complain.”

Lily took a deep breath. 

“I know I must be grateful and I am! Don’t think I am not. It is just that… Sometimes I feel I am trapped in some sort of different cage.”

“Who isn’t?” Mia asked and now the smile on her lips was sad. “We all have our little problems, our own chains in life. Some we can break, some we can’t. And all that is left to us is to endure and take the best out of it.”

“I’ll try.” Lily said. “I wish I was as brave as you, Mia.” 

Mia laughed. 

“Brave?” She asked her younger sister. 

“Yes, brave. You have always been the bravest person I have ever known. You suffered for the both of us, and I know you never regretted your decisions. I wish I was just like you. But even choosing my own pantyhose makes me regret my decision.”

“Your pant… How would you regret that, Lily?”

“I wish I didn’t have to wear them at all. So uncomfortable!” 

Mia embraced her sister and gave her a kiss on the forehead. 

“I love you so much, Lily. So, so much!” 

“I love you, too.” Lily said and hugged Mia back. 

The both women were laughing when Mr. Gordon appeared and cleared his throat. The girls looked up at him, waiting for him to speak. 

“My ladies, The Grand Duke is here.” 

“Again?” Lily asked and Mia gave her an ugly look. “What?

“We’ll receive him, Mr. Gordon. Thank you.” Mia answered the butler, who bowed and left. “Straight your clothes, Lily!” 

Mia did the same she told her sister to do. 

“I don’t even know why this man is here. Such a bore!” 

“Shh!” 

Lily shrugged and waited, with a scornful face. She didn’t like the man because as much as Mia didn’t admit, Lily knew that he was the reason why her sister was stressed and feeling uneasy. The reason behind it she didn’t know, though. Not yet.

“Your Grace!” Mia said with a fake smile and saluted the man. She looked at Lily, who did the same. 

The Grand Duke bowed to both girls and smiled. 

“I hope both Miss Chapman are in good health. I won’t take too much of your time. All I came here for was to give in hand the invitation for the Royal Ball.”

He then extended a very fancy, golden envelope. Mia took it from his hand and opened, reading its content. She knew why he was inviting them. He wanted to be around Lily. 

Lily raised her eyebrows at that, because even though they were well accepted in society and people from Volia liked them both, they were not nobles and so, they would never receive an invitation to the Royal Ball. 

“It is very thoughtful of you, Your grace. I sincerely thank you.” Mia said with her head down. 

“And I sincerely expect to see you both there.” He said and looked at Lily, who frowned just for a second, before she remembered she should keep at least a neutral face. He was not just a gentleman, he was the King’s brother. 

“I must leave now.” He said and when Mia looked up, his eyes were shining and he had a smile on his lips that she almost could believe he was, indeed, a good and charming man. But it only lasted a moment, before she remembered he was the Devil itself. 

When he was gone, Lily asked to see the invitation and Mia handed it to her. 

“That is curious. Why is he acting like that?” She asked Mia, curious. 

“Probably he is is just like the other men in town: he cannot resist your charms.” Mia said and smiled weakly at her sister. 

“He is old.” She said. “Like, really old. I am only sixteen. He is what? Thirty? Because I know the King and him are twins and older than you.”

“Wow… so I am old. Thank you.” Mia said and sat on the sofa. 

“That is not what I mean. He is handsome and all. Actually very handsome. But yet, he is old for me. But he is not old for you.” Lily said and smiled at Mia. “Maybe he is here for you, dear sister.” 

Mia chuckled. 

“Sure. I doubt it very much. You are the younger and beautiful sister. I am the old rag.”

“You are not old, you are not a rag. And don’t act as if tons of men are not asking for your hand, Mia Chapman.” Lily put both hands on her hips and squinted her eyes at Mia. 

They both laughed together. 

Radna was still outside and he had a very good hearing, permitting him to listen to both sisters. He smiled. 

‘You are everything but old and a rag, Mia Chapman’, he thought. He might be after her sister, but it didn’t mean he would lie and say the one who owed him was not a beautiful woman.