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Absolutely outrageous, Elizabeth thought. There were people in their kingdom who could hardly eat a filling meal, and here Mother was throwing her a tea party for her birthday. She hated tea, for the underpaid and abused farmers in the foreign lands, for the countless tainted hands it passed through to reach the royal family's cup, and for all of society's pretentiousness around it.
"Ah!"
Her maid accidentally jabbed her with a hairpin. She apologized profusely and Elizabeth waved it off. It was one of the girls she'd picked up from the streets, seeing their potential was as great as any noble lady. All was made equally, and all deserved an opportunity, which she tried to provide to as many as could. She'd just trained them on more important things than hairstyling.
Elizabeth clenched her fists as she thought back again to how she'd been forced into this stupidity. After her debutante, Mother had made her a deal: one social event a year, for her birthday, or be kicked out of the family. She would've gladly taken the latter, if not for one thing: Valentina must not be allowed to become queen. It was absurd how she carried on, especially the most recent situation with that girl, right under the crown's nose! Yes, Elizabeth, one of the only who saw through her act, must see through her downfall. Then, she could finally be free of this aristocratic bullshit.
A knock on the door. She considered not answering, but decided against it. What if it was news of Valentina's downfall?
"Come in!"
"Hello, Sister."
"Brother!"
Elizabeth stood up, forgetting about the bird nest situation on her head. She winced as pins clattered around her. Her reflection looked ridiculous, which meant it was probably proper enough for Mother. At least she still felt less clownish than those silly ladies that painted their faces with toxic chemicals and spells tested on animals. Birds chirped their midday song outside her window. Just thinking about those poor things being mistreated made her blood boil.
She turned to see Oscar, who stood as regal as ever. It had been a while since she'd last seen him, and he seemed paler, though still more relaxed with her than he was in public. Hopefully that meant she could get through to him eventually. Despite all those years of being engaged to that villainess, Elizabeth never gave up the dream that he would see her for what she truly was, and act on it.
"Happy eighteenth birthday."
He held out a bunch of flowers. It was simply wrapped, likely done by himself, and she recognized the plants from the little garden where they used to play as kids. She grinned and took it from him, the only gift she would not sell or give away.
"Thank you. But you know what an even better gift would be? If you stayed a bit, and we talked like old times."
"Of course, Elizabeth," Oscar smiled.
Elizabeth placed the flowers in a vase on her table and the two sat around it. The late winter sunlight fell on the blossoms and the buds. It was a nice moment, one they hadn't had in a while, and she almost felt bad breaking it, but the knowledge that their comfort was built off of the suffering of others did not permit her to hesitate.
"You can't marry Valentina. She'll destroy the kingdom!"
Oscar's face instantly fell, but Elizabeth couldn't afford to feel bad. She continued, words rushing out of her.
"You know it as well as I do, Brother. All her lies, her crimes, her corruption. She's covered it up well, but there are clues, and I know you're smart enough to see it. Is that the kind of queen you want to have? Is that the kind of kingdom you want to rule, rotten with filth from its very core? The rich will get richer, and the poor will get poorer, and to what end? The people are not stupid, they will see, and they will rise. If she is allowed to continue in her villainous ways, how long do you think the people will stand it before they turn against you?"
"Have you learned nothing from our history lessons? Are you truly the brother I was raised with, who wanted to build a better kingdom for his people? All those years, she has done whatever she wanted without a fucking care in the world. Justice and the law are jokes to her. And you've just let her get away with it. How long will you remain willfully blind? Until it is too late, and the people lose their confidence in you? When they realize the lady that's supposed to be the mother of the kingdom is the root of their suffering?"
Oscar was silent for a while. His voice had a cold edge that Elizabeth was not unaccustomed to from their heated debates over the years.
"You get ahead of yourself, Sister. I have… considered the things you speak of, more than you know. You do not see the bigger picture. Have you brought your 'concerns' to Father?"
Elizabeth snorted. "No shit. You probably know better than I do that he's a coward."
"Do not discredit Father so much," said Oscar, his fists tightening on his lap. "Though he may be overly conservative on some matters, on this I wholly agree with him: there is no alternative. What do you propose? House Avington is too strong. Their veins are spread throughout the foundation of the kingdom. They will certainly not stand being restricted or punished, and if they even catch wind of such an attempt, they are capable of wreaking as destructive of a revolt as you speak of, except your predictions are baseless and extremely unlikely to come true."
"And whose fault is that? That House Avington was able to grow this powerful, this evil? Even putting aside the past and focusing on the present, I know you're in love with that bitch, but it's about time you put your personal feelings aside."
Faint colour crept into Oscar's pale cheeks, probably undetectable to anyone but her. "That's besides the point. Father-"
"Stop using Father as a shield from your responsibilities," Elizabeth snapped. "You have defied him many times before, with great results that he approved of, and he listens to your suggestions. In fact, he couldn't be happier to push everything to you already. You have the wits to create a plan to take her down, and if you presented it to him, he would not be against it. Even if he was, you have the power to carry it out successfully without him."
"You overestimate my prowess," Oscar said softly.
"No, I just overestimated your capacity as a selfless ruler," Elizabeth slammed the table, standing up. "I had faith that you would always put your dedication to the kingdom first, but you have been so brainwashed that you'd rather chase after a wench who doesn't give half a fuck about you."
Oscar's eyes widened wearily. She knew she'd struck a nerve. She kept at it.
"You didn't think she actually cared about you, did you? It doesn't take a genius to see that she's only after your power. She's never cared about anyone other than herself, Oscar. I'd thought you of all people would have put these juvenile affections past you. But it's not too late. Come. Think of all the real lovers she's pained, all the families, all the misery. Just look at that poor girl Catherine she framed! We both know that child could not have poisoned her in a million years."
Elizabeth extended a hand, her golden eyes boring into his. "Do your duty as crown prince. Destroy that villainess."
His eyes seemed to gleam. A moment of silence. The fate of the kingdom hung between them.
Oscar turned away.
"I have to be going," he said, standing up.
Elizabeth's hand fell. With it, her heart sank, anger boiled, and determination hardened. She watched him head out, hesitate in the doorway, and keep going.
"I won't give up, Brother!" she cried. "Valentina Avington will fall!"