"Oh, Mother, isn't this dress just wonderful? This shop has practically any dress you could imagine!" Said Lady Aspen Ripley.
Her mother, Duchess Rosetta Ripley, gave her a sweet smile. "It's gorgeous, my dear. Is it the one you want?"
Lady Aspen turned to face her reflection in the mirror, holding the pink lace dress up to her figure. She furrowed her eyebrows then turned towards her mother again. "Do you think the Duke would like it?"
Duchess Ripley frowned at her daughter. She moved behind her and placed her hands on her shoulders, turning her daughter to face the mirror once more.
"Duke Henries' opinion doesn't matter right now, correct?" Asked Duchess Ripley.
Lady Aspen frowned back at her mother. "I'm not sure, Mother. Wouldn't it be in my best interest to choose a dress for him? He is my fiance after all."
Duchess Ripley sighed and moved back from her daughter. "I cannot tell you what choices to make. All I can advise you on is to not confuse your wants and needs with his."
Lady Aspen turned back to the mirror. "I'm sure I want this dress."
"Then we'll get it".
Duchess Ripley led her daughter around to the front of the store and waved down the owner. "Mrs. Gladwine, we're ready for you!"
Mrs. Gladwine, a frail, older woman and the owner of the shop, swiftly made her way towards the Duchess.
"I hope everything was to your liking, Your Grace."
Duchess Ripley nodded towards her daughter with a sweet smile. "Aspen seems to be content, aren't you, dear?"
Lady Aspen nodded and held up the dress to show the owner. "This gown is gorgeous! How do you come up with such beautiful designs, Mrs. Gladwine?"
The older woman laughed. "It takes lots of time, M'Lady. But when you find something you truly enjoy, time tends to fly."
Lady Aspen nodded and looked down at the dress with admiration. As the two other women chattered away, Lady Aspen looked around the store. She reached out to touch a dress on a nearby display. The red silk flowed perfectly through her fingers.
"M'Lady, is everything alright?"
Lady Aspen spun around to see her mother and Mrs. Gladwine staring at her with concerned looks. "I'm alright."
"Do you want that dress instead, dear?" Asked her mother.
Lady Aspen looked back at the red dress. She sighed and shook her head. "No. The Duke will like this one better."
Mrs. Gladwine raised an eyebrow. "Duke Henries? Why would his opinion matter? Isn't the dress for you, M'Lady?"
Lady Aspen nodded. "It is. I just feel that as his fiancee, I should be shopping with him in mind."
Mrs. Gladwine turned towards the Duchess with a look of confusion. "Are you sure, M'Lady? After all, a girl only turns eighteen once."
Lady Aspen shrugged and turned away to look out the window. The Duchess let out a sigh and gestured towards her daughter.
"Come now, Aspen. We need to oversee the decorations."
Mrs. Gladwine waved as the Ripley women left her shop. "Enjoy your party, M'Lady."
Lady Aspen turned back with a soft smile. "I will. Enjoy the rest of your day as well."
~♕~
Upon their arrival to the Duchy of Neopolo, also known as the home of the esteemed Ripley family, Duchess Ripley and Lady Aspen were greeted by chaos.
The duchy staff were spread out everywhere in preparation for Lady Aspen's eighteenth birthday party.
"May I take your belongings, Your Grace?"
The two women jolted, turning to the side to see the head butler, Mr. Todrick Darby.
"Sorry to frighten you," he said in a soft tone.
Mr. Darby gently pried Duchess Rosetta's bag from her hand and carried it off. "Duke Ripley is in the ballroom overseeing the decor," he hummed.
Lady Aspen turned towards her mother with a large smile. "Let's go see Father!" She cheered.
She grabbed her mother by her hand, tugging her towards the open door to the ballroom.
Inside, Duke Percival Ripley stood atop a ladder, failing to hang a blue and purple banner onto the banister. Duchess Ripley yelped in surprise, causing Duke Ripley to wobble. "My dear, what on earth are you doing!?"
Duke Ripley turned to face his wife and daughter with a cheeky grin. "Good afternoon my love. I see you and Aspen have returned from the shop. Did you get the dress you wanted?"
Lady Aspen nodded with a smile. "Mr. Darby is putting it up as we speak-"
She then paused mid-sentence, creasing her eyebrows. "-but whatever are you doing up there, Father? We have servants, don't we?"
Duke Ripley nodded. "I just felt that this could use a personal touch."
Duchess Ripley let out a soft laugh. "You felt it needed a personal touch or were the staff not decorating to your liking?"
Duke Ripley bashfully smiled. He stepped down from his ladder and walked over to his wife, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. Lady Aspen stuck out her tongue, causing her parents to laugh.
"You should get used to affection, Aspen. After all, you are to be wed to Duke Henries in a few months."
Mr. Darby poked his head into the room. "Duke and Duchess Ripley, Duke Ronaldo Henries has come to visit."
"Speak of the Devil…" muttered Duke Ripley.
Lady Aspen squealed at the sight of her fiance entering the ballroom and rushed over to him. "Your Grace! You've arrived so early!"
Duke Henries smiled at his fiancee, picking her up and spinning her around. "I just couldn't resist! I've missed you so much, My Lady."
He set Lady Aspen down with a frown and turned to look at the decor. "Is this what the ballroom will look like for the party?"
Duke Ripley nodded. "I spent most of my afternoon perfecting every inch of this room. Does it tickle your fancy, Duke Henries?"
Duke Henries grimaced at the sight of the decor. "With all due respect, Your Grace, I just don't think these decorations are attractive. Blue and purple for a birthday party?"
Lady Aspen frowned. "These decorations are our house colours. We're blue and purple. Don't you remember?"
Duke Henries' eyes widened. He played his surprise off with a forced laugh. "Of course I do! I was just making a joke…"
The room fell silent.
Mr. Darby stepped into the room once more. "Lady Ripley, I recommend that you start getting ready soon. The first guest is due to arrive any moment now."
Lady Aspen gasped. "Oh, you're absolutely right, sir! I should get going."
She rushed off into the corridor, her mother following behind her.
Lady Aspen quickly made her way up the grand staircase in the foyer, apologizing for bumping into staff on the way. She threw open the door to her bedroom and grabbed her dress, then turned to the mirror and held the dress up to her figure. The Duchess rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders.
"You're going to look gorgeous tonight, Aspen," she whispered.
Lady Aspen looked at the dress, her smile faltering. Her mother picked up on this. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
The younger woman sighed, looking at her mother through the mirror. "It's nothing. After all, this is the dress Duke Henries would want, right?"
Duchess Ripley gave her daughter a sad smile. "I'd think so."
Lady Aspen nodded, gently prying herself from her mother's grip and walking towards her bathroom. "Then there's nothing to be upset about."
~♕~
By the time the sun had set, the party was well underway. It felt as if the entirety of Neopolo came to see Lady Aspen.
Lady Aspen stood in front of a large cake, the candlelight danced gracefully in front of her.
"Have you made your wish, Lady Ripley?" Asked Mr. Darby.
Lady Aspen nodded. She inhaled then blew a powerful gust over the candles, extinguishing them in one blow. The party-goers cheered.
Duchess Ripley placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders and addressed the crowd. "We will be right back! Please help yourself to some cake."
She led her daughter out of the ballroom and to a side corridor. Duke Ripley followed closely behind them.
"Is something wrong?" Asked Lady Aspen.
The Duke and Duchess exchanged wary glances with each other before turning back to face Lady Aspen. "That all depends on how you take this news," said Duke Ripley.
Lady Aspen felt her stomach drop. She watched as her father produced a document from the inside of his coat and handed it to her. She unrolled it to find a birth certificate. She looked up at her parents. "What does this mean?" She asked.
Her parents stayed silent. Lady Aspen gulped, then read the document out loud.
"This certificate of birth has been filed for Princess Aspen Elizabeth Rosewall-Ripley, born on August 5th, 1819 to…" she trailed off as she read the final words.
"...to King James Rosewall of Celestine and Lady Evangeline Ripley of Neopolo."
Lady Aspen felt her mouth go dry. "What are you telling me?"
The Duchess sighed. "We're telling you that we aren't your parents, Aspen."
Lady Aspen felt tears brim in her eyes. "No, that's not true."
The Duke laid a steady hand onto Lady Aspen's shoulder. "But it is. We are not your parents, Aspen."
Lady Aspen immediately smacked his hand off of her shoulder. "Don't you dare touch me! I want to see my parents!"
Duchess Rosetta wiped a stray tear off of her face. "Lady Evangeline is dead, Aspen. You can't see her."
Lady Aspen let out a sharp gasp, stepping away from the Duke and Duchess. "That's not true,"
"Aspen…" said the Duke.
"Don't call me that! I don't even know who you are anymore! What else have you lied about!?"
The Duchess burst into tears. "Please, try to understand. We had to keep you safe."
"No! Just...get away from me!" shouted Lady Aspen.
The young girl ran from Duke and Duchess Ripley and straight into Duke Henries. She looked up in shock. He refused to meet her eyes.
"Duke Henries...how much of that did you hear?" She whimpered.
Duke Henries pushed her away. "Enough to know that you're a bastard child."
Lady Aspen looked taken aback. "But we don't know that for sure, right? I'm still the daughter of a king and a noble!"
Duke Henries shook his head. "You're the daughter of a king and noble that were never married. Did you not notice that the late Lady Ripley was never given the title of queen consort? That's because you're a child born out of wedlock. You're a bastard."
Lady Aspen clasped a hand over her mouth. "But you still love me, right?"
Duke Henries gave her a cold look and pushed past her, taking quick strides towards the ballroom. "What are you doing!?" Lady Aspen shrieked.
The Duke turned back and sneered. "I'm telling your people who you are."
Lady Aspen's eyes widened. "Please, don't! We need to discuss this first!"
The Duke could not care less about Lady Aspen's wants. He threw the ballroom doors open, catching the attention of the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make about Lady Ripley."
The party-goers went silent, waiting for Duke Henries to speak.
"Lady Aspen Ripley is the illegitimate child of King James and the late Lady Ripley."
Lady Aspen felt her breath hitch into her throat.
The crowd looked at her in shock.
Her life was over.