After their meal the sisters retired to their bedrooms. Adora couldn't fall asleep Thinking about the situation at hand. No matter how many times she went over it again and again she couldn't believe how foolish her sister was let this happen. They were both taught by their mother to never get pregnant if they chose to have lover. A royal princess should never bare a child out of wedlock. She just did whatever she wanted to do and now this happens! Adora let out a sigh 'what are we going to do' Just thinking about how people would treat her sister made her blood boil. 'She'd be shamed and looked at with persecuting eyes' she thought as she nodded off to sleep.
After a few more days of the sisters avoiding each other Marina took it upon herself to force the sisters to start talking again. There was a outdoor building that provided shade for those who wanted to enjoy the garden. She set up for tea time in this building because she knew the sisters would be missing each other. Adora found this to be the perfect time to talk about her plan.
Gwen took a deep breath after she got read to have tea with Adora. She didn't want to face her sister, but she knew she had to. 'Let's get this over with shall we' she mumbled to herself nervously. Accompanied by her loyal handmaiden, Sally, they walked down to the garden.
"You called for me sister?"
"Have a seat, Gwen. And thank you, Marina, you and Sally may come sit as well."
"The reason I decided to bring you here is because I have a plan to keep you safe and to keep your baby safe."
"Sister, please don't make me get rid of my baby!!"
Gwen pleaded while cradling her belly and her voice shaking. She knew she did something she wasn't supposed to, but she was ready for the consequences of her actions. Her response shocked Adora, Marina and Sally.
" GWEN! Stop going off on your own thoughts and listen carefully! Nobody must know anything of what we are doing, not even Angelo. Gwen, you must pretend to be me for the duration of your pregnancy. Only marina and my two most trusted maids, Lenna and Viola, will swerve you. I will also have my most trusted knights guard you. You must never come out of your room and you must not let anybody under any circumstances know you are pregnant."
"ADOR!! WHY WOULD YOU- THIS IS MY SHAME TO BARE AND MY CHOICE TO MAKE. S- so let me t- take responsibility for my own a- actions."
"NO! I may be your twin sister, But you should not forget that I am your eldest sister and you will do as I say. Marina, send this letter to Angelo. It explains to the prince that I am with child after having a regretful drunken night with a man that I do not remember and that I've brought Gwen with me to help me though this tough this time."
She also asked Sally to make a believable fake belly she could wear in cause anybody came to the château unannounced. She couldn't sent Gwen out to act as her, not that fireball who couldn't keep a level head in any conversation with nobles.
"Gwen, please understand that what I'm doing will be the most beneficial to you."
Gwen was also a free spirit and she wanted her sister to stay a free sprit. She never wanted to go on adventures or leave her duties behind. So she wanted to give her sister her freedom.
A few days later the letter Adora sent to Angelo had arrived. He was shocked and livid just as Adora was, but this time he was being lead to believe that Adora was the one who'd gotten pregnant. To be honest if he'd been told that Gwen was the one pregnant he'd have a easier time believing it. 'She was so sweet and quite and grew to be a smart and beautiful woman. How did she end up pregnant?' He thought as he sat in disbelief and anger.
The next day his anger had subsided so he decided to send his sister a reply. He rubbed his temples bracing himself to revel the news to the King. After their mother had passed away their father became overly protective over the twin sisters. He knew his father would not rest until he finds the man who got his sister pregnant.
"Your highness, Princess Adora, a letter has come from the crowned prince!"
"Pease read the letter for me, Marina."
Marina opened the letter and started to read.
"Dearest sister Adora,
When I initially read your letter I felt nothing but anger and wanted to go kill the bastard who had gotten my sister pregnant. But after long consideration I will be finding you a husband to wed after your child is born. You know I don't care much about this subject but we must do something so that you aren't faced with much scrutiny. I will send word to you after I have chosen a suitor. I hope you know that both father and I are very disappointed in you. He still hasn't gotten out of bed after falling sick from the news. So for the love of our father and our dear mother who rests in heaven. Do not object.
With love, your brother
Angelo"
'Very well brother. I trust that you'll do what's best.' She mumbled to herself. She sighed heavily because she didn't want to be married. She wanted to stay unmarried and help her brother rule the kingdom. She dedicated her life to her title, her duty and her kingdom. She looked out the window and decided to go on a walk to relieve the stress building up inside of her. Besides there's was no reason to waste such a nice and sunny day.
The breeze hugged her body as she walked through the garden down to the beach. She could smell the ocean as she walked down the steps from the hill. She started to feel her stress and anxiety dissolve to the sound of the waves crashing against the sand. She took a deep breath and let out a sigh of calmness. Then she took her shoes off and buried all ten toes into the sand. Smiling from ear to ear with nothing but peace in her heart she started walking towards the water. It was still mid-spring season so the water was still quite chilly, but the sun kept her warm. The cold water sent a shiver down her back when she dipped a toe in so she decided to walk along the water instead. Her moment of peace didn't last long though. Sally was waving at the top of the hill.
"Your highness, Princess Gwen has been awfully sick these days from morning sickne-"
"Find a physician in town and explain all the symptoms for medication. Take this to make sure he stays quiet."
She handed Sally a coin bag tied to her hip. There were 30 gold coins which was more then enough to not only treat Gwen, but keep any person quite. Doctors usually only charge 600 coins for a full checkup and treatment.
As time went by Gwen's belly got bigger. The sister would shriek and giggle when the baby would kick. Adora made sure her sister ate the best food and lived comfortably. Gwen missed going outside, but she didn't complain knowing her time locked up in a room would come to an end soon. Angelo had also sent a letter a few month later notifying Adora that the Grand Duke of Ellington had agreed to marry her.
"It's a girl! You're highness she's beautiful!"
"So, you're the little one that made my sick for all this time."
Adora looked at her niece and held her as if she was the most precious thing on earth. Tears rolled down both sisters cheeks as they adored the new baby that had made its grand entrance into the world. Adora handed her sister the baby and asked all the midwives to follow her to the drawing room. The clickings of their shoes while they walked down the hall felt endless. The midwives were all nervous not knowing what would happen to them after they stepped into the drawing room. To their surprise Adora, known to them as Gwen, handed them each a box with handfuls of gold coins and jewels fit for a nobles.
"We can't accept this your highness. We only did our job. This is too much for us to accept."
"I'm not giving this to you as a reward. It's payment to keep quite. Please live your lives as if we've never met."
The midwives were puzzled on why she'd want to keep this quite, but they figured it must be because 'princess Adoriann' had a child out of wedlock. Since she gave them each more then enough they all agreed to never speak a word of it.
The next day Adora woke up excited. She wanted to see her niece again. She practically ran down the hall and busted through the door.
"Shhhh. Sister, you'll wake the baby up."
"Are you speaking for the baby or for yourself?"
Adora said teasingly with a smirk while making funny faces for the baby. Gwen had been tending to her newborn baby all night so she was exhausted. Her eyes were dark and she was nodding off to sleep here and then. Adora took the baby from her sister's arms and told her sister to rest, but gwen wanted to convince her sister once more before the plan they committed to went any further.
"Gwen, I told you that this was a decision I made because I know what's best for you. I know what I am doing. Let me protect you for once in my life. You were always the brave one. Did you know that? Ever since we were kids you never stood back and never cared about what anybody had to say. You're meant to live a life of freedom. I want you to explore and do everything you want in life. I don't need or want any of that. I'll take the shame and Angelo has found a suitor for me. There's nothing to worry about. Speaking of which, what name will you give her?"
"I'll name name her Odessa, our mother's middle name. Isn't that quite fitting? I wonder if this is how mother felt when she first held us in her arms."
Baby Odessa had a head full of beautiful black hair that resembled theirs, but it was too early to tell what color her eyes would be because babies don't develop it until after three months. While looking down at the beautiful new life in her arms she thought of nothing but how she'd raise this baby to be the perfect mix of both her sister and her. Obviously she'd need her sense of judgment so she'd never go too far and maybe just a smidge of Gwen's outgoing personality.
"That's a beautiful name fit for a beautiful baby. We should give her your name as well, shouldn't we? Odessa Gwendolyn Vanderbilt, our daughter."
Hearing Adora call baby Odessa 'our daughter' make Gwen's heart ache a little. She cried quietly knowing that her time as a mother would be ending soon. Angelo had summed them both after the healing period so that Adora could get married. Even though Gwen was trying to hide it Adora knew her sister crying. She walk to the other side of the bed and laid next to Gwen placing baby Odessa between them and reaching her arm over the both of them.
"I've told you countless times to stop crying, Gwen. It'll be okay. I'll take the best of care of Odessa. I'll make sure to make sure that The Grand Duke of Ellington comes to love her like a daughter of his own."
The mention of the name Grand Duke Ellington sent Gwen into her thoughts. She heard of the name while attending tea parties and heard all the nasty rumors regard him. She didn't want her innocent sister to have anything to do with that wild animal other call a man.