#iris is unflappable

“Theo!” Corwin’s bright voice broke her increasingly dark thoughts. “I got you something!”

He handed her a small glass figurine, a carefully carved flower. She noted that it was beautiful, but not worth any money, and suppressed her disappointment with a cheerful smile. “Thank you! It’s lovely!”

Despite her efforts, he must have sensed a difference in her tone, and asked with a look of concern. “What’s wrong? Is it that adopted child your father brought over?”

Theodora’s eyes looked down, her eyelashes hiding the dark light in her gaze, at his words. She has told Corwin that her father had chosen to adopt a poor child of a faithful servant. He had believed her without question. At the time she had been relieved, but now hearing his words…. She regretted it.

She turned away from him, keep her voice low and sad. “How could that be? I feel nothing but pity for the poor girl. She hasn’t adjusted yet, so I can’t take her words or actions personally.” Theo chose her words carefully, and her eyes flashed with satisfaction as he picked up on the implied meaning behind them.

“Wait! What do you mean 'words or actions'? What has she done?” He reached out and patted her head. “You are too kind for your own good, Theo. Just tell me if you are bullied, and I will take care of it for you. Don’t get your hands dirty.”

“She doesn’t mean it…”

“She should know her place.” He snorted, dismissing her persuading words. “A fake adopted princess trying to upstage the real thing? Trash will always be rotten, no matter how you try to dress it up, but true gold shines even in the worst situations.”

“…” How ironic that he's trying to comfort me with those words. Iris stayed silent, and Corwin must have taken it for discomfort with his speaking poorly of another person.

“I know you feel bad for her…” He patted her head, not knowing that every word he spoke was stabbing her like a knife. “But don’t worry. She could never take your place. You are a princess. The TRUE princess. And soon in the future, we will get married and you will be by my side as a queen.”

Theodora reached out and hugged Corwin, her voice tearful. “I can’t wait.” It's the only way for me to escape this closing trap.

He held her tightly, smiling. “It won’t be much longer, dear. Soon you will awaken your Royal Magic, and when the Flower of Peace blooms, our wedding can be held!”

Stepping back from his embrace, Theodora frowned. “The Flower of Peace? From the treaty? I know that its written there, but we can’t possibly be waiting for a silly flower…”

“It’s not a silly flower.” Corwin’s voice was uncharacteristically serious. “It’s a historical international symbol. A gift of peace between countries. For Estin and Komish, it is an essential of our cooperation. The seeds are native to the neighboring country of Akarnor, in fields that are just across the border, just south of the palace where I grew up.” He smiled slightly, as if remembering. “They are incredibly rare, and difficult to keep the sprouts alive. Only the royal family is allowed to care for them. One of my favorite childhood memories is learning to care for the seeds.”

“Corwin…”

“And of course, in the Estin Royal family, the women descendants are born with the power to grow plants, the only power strong enough to allow the flower of peace to bloom.” He hugged her gently. “Every generation we have come together to bloom the flower. It will last for 50 years and then die, requiring the next generation to take up the mantle. “

“But… I don’t…” Theodora started to protest, but Corwin gently shushed her.

“I know you haven’t awakened the power yet, but as the daughter to the king, you are the one who will awaken the Royal magic. You just turned eighteen so you should be starting to feel it fairly soon.” His smile widened. “And then, once you bloom the flower, the treaty allows us to marry! Generations of waiting for the right time will be fulfilled through us!"

Seeing Corwin’s excitement, Theodora felt a tightness in her chest. She opened her mouth several times, but in the end, closed it silently. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Corwin the truth: that she would never awaken the royal magic… she wasn’t a blood related member of the royal family.  Part of her hoped that he wouldn’t care. That he would take the news calmly, and assure her that he loved her all the same.

But deep in her heart, the dark suspicions lingered. That Corwin liked PRINCESS Theodora and not just simply Theo. That once the truth was revealed, he would abandon her. And not just him… her brothers, her father… the rest of the nobility. She was standing on a precipice, needing only one wrong word in one wrong ear to push her over the edge into despair and obscurity.

“Theo?”

But that day is not today. She told herself firmly, turning to face her fiancé with a bright smile. She looked every inch the innocent girl who was trying to be brave despite difficulties. The exact kind of look that Corwin would eat right up. However, even though the outer shell she presented was flawless, the inside was rotten, disgusting.

She just had to keep it hidden.

______________________________

Iris was frustrated.

She stared at the flower in front of her, and she swore it was staring back defiantly. It was a rare breed of flower, a temperamental little weakling that seemed to want to die with even the slightest change in environment.

Iris had gotten the seedlings off of a sobbing merchant, who had failed to grow them multiple times, wasting hundreds of gold pieces with each bad attempt. He was so relieved to be rid of them, he hadn’t cared that she had paid a tiny fraction of what they were worth.

But even that little money was causing Iris some regret now.

The small, stumpy flower was the last living specimen from that deal… and it refused to grow. Iris swore under her breath, frustrated. It was being grown with magic! Was that still not good enough for this stupid flower? She reached out with her hand, making sure not to touch it (having learned the hard way that touching it in the growth period could cause instant death). Her power extended beyond her hand, gently enriching the soil and water the plant fed from. For a moment it seemed to perk up, giving Iris a sense of satisfaction… before wilting again, as if barely hanging on to life.

“Stupid plant. I should let you die.” She muttered, staring intensely at the wilted leaves.

“I’m curious, Princess. Do you think the flower can hear you?” An amused voice spoke up, causing her to turn, stunned. Iris felt she was fairly observant, a holdover from growing up in an unsafe environment. It was rare for someone to successfully sneak up on her. As she saw the culprit, she sighed quietly.  

Mage Vicente smiled harmlessly, seemingly unperturbed by her unwelcoming expression. “Having struggles with this flower, Your Highness?”

“I wouldn’t call it a flower.” Iris replied, turning back towards the object in question.

“What would you call it then?”

“A soul sucking nightmare.”

The answer must have been unsuspected, as the mage burst into laughter. Shoulders shaking, he looked at the flower as well, his eyebrows raising at the sight of its pitiful state. “That bad, huh?”

“This is without a doubt the worst plant I’ve ever tried to care for.  It needs something… but I just don’t know what.”

“Hmm.” He studied the flower more closely, a small sense of recognition flaring within in gaze, a strange helpless look crossing his face. “I think you are correct, Your Highness. This flower does seem to need some additional care.”

Iris shook her head at the flower, missing the expressions of the man next to her. “Too bad I don’t know what it needs.” So much for being a flower expert.

“… Would you mind if I tried to take care of it?” Mage Vicente, now completely calm, pointed and asked gently. “I’m happy to compensate you if I fail.”

Startled, Iris stood up and quickly gathered a wooden box to place the potted plant into it, along with a stack of papers which included her observations and prior failures. She moved quickly, almost worried that he might change his mind. “I don’t know what your plans are, but don’t worry about compensation. I’m out of ideas anyways.” She passed the box over to the mage, who reached out and took it, his hands cold to the touch as they made contact with her own over the transfer. She retracted her hands quickly, feeling a bit flushed.

Must be too warm here in the greenhouse.

“Thank you for your trust.” Vicente smiled, the look transforming his handsome face. “I’ll return it once it has been cared for.”

“…You’re welcome.” Iris straightened up, feeling stiff from maintaining her position so long as she had fussed over the stubborn plant. Hearing the chime of bells outside she sighed quietly. “That’s the noon bell. I need to change to be ready in time for the castle tea party.” Anthony had mentioned it several times already, hoping that she could get in touch with other young women of the nobility.

“You should make friends!”  He had told her with a smile. “Even better to do it now before we announce your identity. You can feel more confident in their genuineness, instead of being nice to you because you are royalty.”

Iris had felt almost amused at his confident assumption that her identity would EVER be officially announced, but appreciated his care and concern either way. Unexcited about the prospect of another dress change, but knowing she couldn’t delay further, Iris turned and smiled politely at Mage Vicente.

“Thank you for your time… and good luck with the flower.”

Mage Vicente chuckled. “It was my pleasure, Princess Iris.” His smile stayed in place until she had left the greenhouse, leaving him alone with the temperamental flower. As the sound of her footsteps faded into silence, his face slowly drained of expression. Vicente stayed frozen in place, his eyes coldly watching the flower sitting in the box in his hands.

“How mysterious fate is.” He muttered, taking a deep breath. “I never thought to see you again, or to have your care placed once again in my hands.” His eyes looked past the flower, seeming lost in thought. “For that matter, I never thought I would volunteer…” Vicente’s voice trailed off, but he shook his head slowly, seeming to shake the gloomy atmosphere around him.

“Oh look, it’s Mage Vicente!” A delicate voice called out as the greenhouse door opened behind him. Three young ladies, dressed in complicated tea party attire, filed in, watching the handsome young mage with wide, eager eyes. Rose, the daughter of a duke, and the young lady who had spoken up initially, stepped closer, her two friends hanging behind, giggling.

Mage Vicente straightened up, his mysterious and cold atmosphere shrouding around him, his face stony and unreadable. Even the delicate flower sitting in the box did little to offset his unapproachable air. “Lady Gillad” His voice was bland and uninterested, but the lady in question still blushed a bright pink at his words.

“I’m so happy to run into you! I have a question about a magic formula, and I’ve been unable to figure it out.” She leaned forward, almost falling over when he stepped back to avoid being close to her. Catching herself, she blinked rapidly, small tears forming in her eyes as she looked up at the taller man, a pitiful and longing expression on her face. “Can I arrange to meet and discuss my question… privately?” The implication in her question was obvious, but the target of it was unmoved.

“If you have a question regarding magic, I am afraid that I am unworthy to attend to it.  I would recommend bringing it to the Grand Mage’s attention.”

Irritation flashed in Rose’s eyes. “But you are the next in line to be the Grand Mage! Why can’t you do it?”

“I apologize, but I cannot.” His tone made it clear that whether or not he actually could, he had no interest.  He bowed politely to the group. “Excuse me, I must go.” He left in the silence, not turning back despite the strong gaze that stayed on him until he was out of their sight.

Rose stood in place in the now quiet greenhouse, her fists clenched tightly beside her. Her two friends seemed unsure of how to comfort her, and stayed silent.

“A mere mage should be honored by my interest.” Rose muttered, her eyes still staring angrily at the empty space where the mage had been. “He will come to regret his decision, and beg me to reconsider him.”

“That’s right!”

“He’s crazy to not recognize his good fortune of having captured your eye!”

Relaxing at the fervent agreement of her companions, she smiled and left the space, the glass door slamming behind them.

______________________________

I knew this party was a mistake.

Iris stood in place at the entrance to the garden, feeling the strong gazes from all of the young women present. If she hadn’t had memories from her dreams standing strong under scrutiny from large groups of people, she felt she would have crumbled under the pressure already. Straightening her posture, Iris let out a small sigh, putting a professional smile on her face and she prepared to respond.

As for how she had gotten to this point….

When Iris had initially arrived, Iris immediately realized that she had been told the wrong time for the party’s start. Looking at the set ups on the various tables, the tea party should have started about 20-30 minutes prior. I should have known not to trust any information given to me. She sighed quietly. This was obviously planned for me to show up late. The only question is, what are they planning to do next? Surely it’s not just to cause me some mild inconvenience…

“Sister, you finally arrived!” Theodora stood up, her face lighting up with delight as she rushed towards her.

Ahh, there it is. Iris felt no joy in being proven right immediately.

Theodora came to a stop right next to her, reaching out to grab Iris’s hands in a tight grip as her fake smile widened. Iris’s skin crawled at the contact, and she gently freed her hands.

“Sister, are you still angry with me?” Theodora’s eyes filled with tears. She took out a handkerchief covered in frills and dabbed her face. Looking around at the shocked faces of the party guests, she continued, as if trying to explain. “It’s my fault, everyone. My sister was brought back to the castle recently, and she hasn’t adjusted yet. Having grown up in such a harsh environment on the streets, she is perfectly in her rights to hate me, who has had so much love and care.”

She spoke in a tone of speaking up for Iris, but her words said a great deal to the crowd. Iris had the title of sister to the princess, but had grown up on the streets. She could be an adopted child, but it made little sense for the king to make such a move with a fully grown young woman. The conclusion that many would come to was that Iris was a bastard, an illegitimate child of the king to someone besides the beloved former queen.  Given the popularity of the queen, this would definitely spark some resentment towards Iris. No one would guess the actual truth, that it was Iris who was the true princess.

I wonder if my dear father knows of his precious daughter’s plans. Iris thought, amused. She’s implying that he cheated on my mother, which will ruin his reputation as a loving husband that he has always cultivated. She silently looked forward to the new rumors reaching the king’s ears.

But in the meantime, she had to deal with the mess her “sister” had just dropped into her lap.

Her professional smile firmly in place, Iris took the cloth from Theodora’s hands and gently wiped the other’s face. “Sweet Theodora, how could I EVER hate you? You are such a joy to be around, and I have nothing but appreciation for how welcoming you have been to me despite the… circumstances of our meeting.”

She could say outright now that they had been switched, that her real identity was princess Theodora and the current Theodora was a fake. Part of her wanted to say it, just to see the chaos, but she knew that it wasn’t the right time. No one would believe her, and it would be easier for her father and Dominic to cover things up as false rumors and lies.

So instead, Iris leaned into Theodora’s narrative. Speaking just vaguely enough to possibly confirm the worst of the rumors, while never telling an actual lie. As for those that knew the actual story… She looked over at Theodora, whose face was pale with fear.

She must be worried that I will reveal the truth. Iris thought, amused.

“N-No! I was so happy to finally meet you!” Theodora stammered, speaking quickly to stop Iris from speaking further. “I’m glad that you don’t hate me…”

“Hate you! Nothing could be further from the truth!” With a gentle smile, Iris reached out and hugged the stiff, uncomfortable princess, looking for all the world like an innocent young woman happy to see a friend. “I’m so grateful to finally be home with my family.”

Theodora was frozen. Iris kept her harmless look, but inwardly was rolling with laughter. That’s what you get for going head-to-head with an actress in fooling a crowd.   She turned to the group of young women with a pleasantly surprised look.

“Hello everyone! I’m Princess Iris, Theodora’s sister! I’m so sorry I am late, I must have misheard the servant when she told me that the party would start at half past the noon bell!” She noticed the women giving each other side glances at that statement, obviously realizing she had been set up. “As my sister already said, I did not grow up in the castle here.  So now that I am reunited with my family, I hope that you will forgive any small errors I may make in my adjustment to life here.”

There were more murmurs in the crowd. Iris’ smile widened, and she patted the still frozen Theodora on the shoulder.  “My sister has told me how lovely you all are, so I look forward to becoming friends! Let’s resume the party!”

At her words, with a few more odd glances exchanged, the young women dispersed and sat back down at their tables. Iris looked around, and realized that her place was in the back of the garden, where there were fewer tables. As she walked closer, it became clear this was for the “lesser” noble ladies, their dresses less intricate, their jewelry made of silver rather than gold, the gems smaller and less ostentatious.

Another ploy by my dearest “sister.” To try to make me feel inferior. Humiliate and embarrass me. And of course preventing me from making any significant relationships with anyone in power.

Iris didn’t care about any of it. The mind games, the manipulations, the social maneuvers. None of it mattered. Because no matter how much Theodora schemed, how much she fought and lied and tried to trap her… She couldn’t change the simple truth:

Iris was the real princess.

That truth was the ticking time bomb that was sitting on top of the house of cards the king, Dominic and Theodora were desperately trying to hold up. In the story from Iris’ dream, she had forgotten that simple truth, and tried to play her games, tried to scheme and win by Theodora’s rules.

And that had caused her to lose.

Iris wasn’t about to repeat that mistake.