Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a young lady named Betsy. She was a very lonely and vulnerable young nobel, and was sometimes too accepting of things because her heart had been scarred when her own true love had been drawn and quartered for the charge of adultery.
Her best friend in the world was named Princess Heather. Heather was pretty, and young dandies came from miles around to glance on her radiance, and to try to court her royal hand. But Heather already had a love, Prince Matthew, and could never truly love another. She enjoyed her games with the dandies, however, indulging them with her companionship, and she always shared her games and joys with Betsy.
Well, it so happened that Lady Betsy took a great fancy to one of the Princess's suitors, Sir Lawrence. He wasn't a prince, and was well known for his crude and gross ways and short temper - but when he was kind, he was very kind, and he was quite fair to look upon.
At a party one evening, Lady Betsy found herself quite overtired, and infected with the flirtateous energy that surrounded her dear friend, Princess Heather. Soon, she found herself tucked away in a warm, quiet alcove with Sir Lawrence. The two kissed and petted, each knowing it was a mistake but too tired to care...that is, till Lady Betsy slipped, and whispered in Lawrence's ear, "I've fancied you for a long time, dear Lawrence. I've secretly longed for this day."
Sir Lawrence thrust Lady Betsy away, guilt in his eyes, professing his love for Princess Heather alone and vowing that although he had been involved in lurid acts such as this one, Princess Heather alone could change all that in him. Having cleared his mind, he begged and pleaded with Lady Betsy's help in aquiring his love.
Hurt and betrayed, Lady Betsy tried every so gently to explain to Sir Lawrence that the Princess would never love him. But with shining eyes and a heart burning with passion, he brushed her words aside and bid her remember her promise to help him.
Heartbroken, Lady Betsy told Princess Heather everything. Princess Heather, assuming that all of her courters were aware that she was not actually available and that they would eventually settle with one of her ladies in waiting, was upset that Lady Betsy had been so used. She vowed never to entertain Sir Lawrence again. She knew that she could never feel for him, nor be attracted to him, as always her heart yearned for the unattainable Prince Matthew.
Still, as Lady Betsy rode home in her cushioned carriage, she had a heavy heart and was guilty of conscience. She regretted trying to win the attentions of one she could never hope to have, because his heart belonged already to Princess Heather. She regretted wasting her kisses, she regretted telling Sir Lawrence the truth about how Princess Heather felt for him, and she regretted most of all breaking her vow to Sir Lawrence not to speak of what had happened between them. How could she, who supposedly cared so much for him, have been so nonchalant in breaking her vow?
In the end, Princess Heather married Prince Matthew, and publicly scorned Sir Lawrence for his fickle, heartless ways. Sir Lawrence became a drunk, and laid in the streets most nights, cursing the evil temptress Lady Betsy and vowing his undying love to Princess Heather. Lady Betsy died of a guilty conscience, for she knew her jealous and meddling nature had gone too far, and that she had overstepped the boundaries of friendship. Her will left everything to Sir Lawrence, because she felt she owed it all to him after having broken her vow. However Sir Lawrence, always suffering through lovesickness in a drunken stupor, never knew why she had left it all to him.
Her best friend in the world was named Princess Heather. Heather was pretty, and young dandies came from miles around to glance on her radiance, and to try to court her royal hand. But Heather already had a love, Prince Matthew, and could never truly love another. She enjoyed her games with the dandies, however, indulging them with her companionship, and she always shared her games and joys with Betsy.
Well, it so happened that Lady Betsy took a great fancy to one of the Princess's suitors, Sir Lawrence. He wasn't a prince, and was well known for his crude and gross ways and short temper - but when he was kind, he was very kind, and he was quite fair to look upon.
At a party one evening, Lady Betsy found herself quite overtired, and infected with the flirtateous energy that surrounded her dear friend, Princess Heather. Soon, she found herself tucked away in a warm, quiet alcove with Sir Lawrence. The two kissed and petted, each knowing it was a mistake but too tired to care...that is, till Lady Betsy slipped, and whispered in Lawrence's ear, "I've fancied you for a long time, dear Lawrence. I've secretly longed for this day."
Sir Lawrence thrust Lady Betsy away, guilt in his eyes, professing his love for Princess Heather alone and vowing that although he had been involved in lurid acts such as this one, Princess Heather alone could change all that in him. Having cleared his mind, he begged and pleaded with Lady Betsy's help in aquiring his love.
Hurt and betrayed, Lady Betsy tried every so gently to explain to Sir Lawrence that the Princess would never love him. But with shining eyes and a heart burning with passion, he brushed her words aside and bid her remember her promise to help him.
Heartbroken, Lady Betsy told Princess Heather everything. Princess Heather, assuming that all of her courters were aware that she was not actually available and that they would eventually settle with one of her ladies in waiting, was upset that Lady Betsy had been so used. She vowed never to entertain Sir Lawrence again. She knew that she could never feel for him, nor be attracted to him, as always her heart yearned for the unattainable Prince Matthew.
Still, as Lady Betsy rode home in her cushioned carriage, she had a heavy heart and was guilty of conscience. She regretted trying to win the attentions of one she could never hope to have, because his heart belonged already to Princess Heather. She regretted wasting her kisses, she regretted telling Sir Lawrence the truth about how Princess Heather felt for him, and she regretted most of all breaking her vow to Sir Lawrence not to speak of what had happened between them. How could she, who supposedly cared so much for him, have been so nonchalant in breaking her vow?
In the end, Princess Heather married Prince Matthew, and publicly scorned Sir Lawrence for his fickle, heartless ways. Sir Lawrence became a drunk, and laid in the streets most nights, cursing the evil temptress Lady Betsy and vowing his undying love to Princess Heather. Lady Betsy died of a guilty conscience, for she knew her jealous and meddling nature had gone too far, and that she had overstepped the boundaries of friendship. Her will left everything to Sir Lawrence, because she felt she owed it all to him after having broken her vow. However Sir Lawrence, always suffering through lovesickness in a drunken stupor, never knew why she had left it all to him.