A Fine Line (Being Rewritten into The Pursuit of a King)

Indifference

Hey guys this is a companion story to Unlikely Endings about Amelia's sister Violet and her husband William. You don't need one to understand the other but it might help...a lot. xx

Violet leant her chin on her hand, staring angrily out the window. 

She had not spoken since she had heard the news, she had merely given a shriek and broken three priceless pieces of China. 
Violet was so angry she felt physically sick. The bitter taste in her mouth could very well have been venom and she very well could have spat it into the face of the man sitting opposite her. Her husband lounged in the plush carriage seat and only served to increase her anger.

It just wasn't fair! She thought grinding her teeth together and clenching her fists. Indeed William was handsome enough and rich enough, but he was such a bore!  He paid her little or no attention, seemingly content to merely co-exist. Even if he had, it would have made no difference. 
Violet was consistently plagued by the notion that she could have done better.

She knew she was beautiful, breathtaking even. It was common knowledge that a glorious and advantageous career awaited her. She knew the way men looked at her, the desire and appreciation she saw refected there invigorated her. Violet was poised to have everything she had ever dreamed of before suddenly and cruelly being cut down in her prime. 
Her parents had married her off to the Duke of Rington without a second thought, glad to be rid of her when she could have achieved so much more!

Now she had received word that her condescending and conniving younger sister was engaged to Henry bloody Townsend, only the heir to the throne of Elereld.
She burned with the idea that it could have been her. She visualised Amelia's smug self-satisfied expression as the crown was placed on her head. Violet threw one of the carriage pillows across the small space where it bounced harmlessly next to William's feet. 
He regarded it idly. In the eight months he had been married, he had learned it was better to at least attempt to talk to his wife before she imploded. 

"What vexes you so Violet?" he sighed meeting his wife's furious gaze. 

"Nothing!" she snapped folding her arms under her extremely exposed busom. It was never nothing. William steeled himself for the onslaught. 

"I can't believe Amelia is to become Queen!" she fumed resuming her staring at the passing scenery.  "I have been excluded from a game I would have won!" she cried "Amelia shall be the most important woman in the kingdom and here I am..." 

"Married to a lowly Duke" William finished boredly. Violet shot him a withering glare and again focused her attention out the window. 
William by now was used to occupying himself with his own thoughts.

The castle loomed up before them and he smiled at the thought of returning to court. He had been absent since his ill-fated marriage to Violet. He loved playing their games, full of gossip and intrigue. Yet sadly they would be of a different nature now that he was bringing his wife along. 
He gave her a brief look over. Violet was as usual, showing much too much skin according to the rules of propriety. Wiliam didn't mind, she gave him something to look at when he was bored.

"Well here we are." She stated shortly, her expression becoming thunderous.

"Try not to scratch anyone's eyes out." William smirked. Violet gave him her usual look of impatience and thrust out her arm for him to take.
Even though they barely spoke to one another, Violet could never allow her sister the satisfaction of seeing it.

William had no idea why she was so hateful towards her sister. He had met Amelia on multiple occasions and while she did not match Violet's beauty, she was much more of an actual woman. Violet was merely a vengeful and shallow demon that served to make his life a living hell. 
Amelia appeared in the hall of the castle as they entered. She looked as radiant he remembered if a little worn. She was planning a royal wedding after all. Violet practically dragged him along beside her.

He remembered a time when he thought he had loved her.
Granted, it was when he had first laid eyes on her from across the room. They were at a ball he did not recall the reason for. She was so beautiful he would have sworn she was an angel, he had felt totally unworthy of her. He did however, recall how much it had hurt him when he realised she felt the same way.
At first he had been angry and hated her for it, but then he noticed she didn't care and so his anger faded into cold indifference.

He watched as Violet plastered a false grin on her delicate features. She gripped her sister a little too tightly in welcome. 

"Oh Amelia!" Violet cried dramatically "I must tell you how excited I am for tonight's ball...it's sure to be quite electrifying!"