pietá

Guilt

Leía watched her sibling head for the stairs, going up them with a dazed look. There was something about the dress (Y/n) wore. As soon as her sister was upstairs she snuck a glance to her parents, their backs were turned as they did the dishes together.

She carefully lifted herself from the couch and set her book down, quietly following after her older sister. She reached the hallway upstairs and just as she saw their room door closing she barged in.

(Y/n) gasped slightly and spun around. "Leía, geez you scared the crap out of me." She held her hand to her chest as her sister shut the door and came forward. "What are you doing?" She watched as Leía circled around her slowly, looking her up and down. Finally she reached for the back of the dress, pulling out a short tag. That's why the dress was so familiar.

"I knew it!" She then stood in front of her sibling. "Madam Grace made that dress."

"Madam Grace?" (Y/n)'s head tilted. "The tailor you worked for?"

"She made it for one of the princesses in Salem. She talked about it even before I started working there. Always bragging about how it was an honor and all that. But that's not the point." She pointed a finger. "Why are you wearing it?"

(Y/n) shook her head, growing upset. "It doesn't matter why. I'm taking it off."

"What happened, (Y/n)?"

"I don't wanna talk about it." The female went for the trunk at the foot of her bed containing all her clothes. But she was prevented from opening it, as Leía came and put her foot on top of it.

"Oh, you're gonna talk about it. I wanna know what happened and why. If the prince did anything to you-"

"If he did anything then what?!" The girl exploded, her eyes watering and her face turning red. She was shaking from all the built up frustration. "What, Leía?! What am I gonna do, huh?!..."

Her sibling's face fell. She'd never seen (Y/n) so upset.

The older female shoved her sister's foot off the top of her trunk, diverting her eyes. "Just go. I want to be alone now." She soon began rummaging around for anything else to wear and Leía eventually left.

After taking a few minutes to collect herself she came downstairs wearing clothes more suited to her taste. The fancy gown now balled up in her arms as she entered the kitchen, intent on throwing the entire thing away. She tossed the dress into the garbage bin and turned away and that's when her mother called her. She was stood by the front door with it opened just a crack.

"Uh, (Y/n)?" She sounded unsure as she glanced between her daughter and whoever was outside. "A visitor. For you."

Hesitant to go forward, the female lingered as her her mom gestured for her to come. It seemed like minutes passed before she managed to lift her feet and trudge to the door. When it was opened fully there stood a man who she didn't recognize. Tall and older, in an expensive looking uniform. Behind him on the road was a rather ornate carriage with horses wearing elaborate reigns and covers over their eyes. "(Y/n) of Harlem?" He asked with a smile.

The girl nodded in response to his question.

"One moment." He held up a finger, then turned and went back to the carriage. (Y/n) and her mother watched as he opened the door and retrieved a small sized bouquet and thin white box. He approached the door once again and handed the seemingly simplistic items off to the female.

"For you. Courtesy of the pri-" He stopped his eyes trailing off as if he was remembering something. "Forgive me. Courtesy of Sir Elliot of Salem, m'lady." He bowed halfway and then turned around, returning to the carriage and riding off down the road.