"Lily inherited her mother's graceful features, I am sure she will marry well. Such a beautiful young woman. So gentle too! See how she tends the newborn animals, with such care? She will make such a good wife." Their eyes would turn toward Daphne after praising her younger sister. Their voices always lowered as they shot glances in her direction, as if she couldn't hear any of their words.
"How did Petunia not get more of her mother in her? She's too tall. Look at the way her muscles bulge, ugh! So unwomanly. Her face is too sharp, not soft and round like her sister's. Her hair is beautiful, but she always keeps it in that lazy bun on her head. Her manners...you know I heard she competes with her male cousins often? And she always speaks so plainly and bluntly. Oh! And that mark on her cheek! She could do so much better to care for herself, make herself presentable, like Lily does."
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Daphne looked in her mirror as if seeing a stranger. Why was she wearing one of her mother's dresses? That had only ever led to everyone comparing how well she wore it to how well her sister did. The outcome was ever the same. Lily was the beauty of the two daughters.
There was a reason Daphne only dressed for comfort for the past handful of years of her life. There was no point. Being in soft, "nice" clothing that felt like it could break at any moment, when there was much more comfortable clothing to be had, when there would be nobody who cares...what would be the point? Her hair was comfortably out of her face when up in a bun. Yes, she enjoyed how it felt to have the silky strands hanging below her back. But it would get in the way easily and wasn't practical to wear in such a way often.
She shook her head and began to undress hastily. She would not dress up. They would all wonder why she didn't look as pretty as the other girls, and why she didn't behave like women were expected to. They would talk about how her sister inherited every ounce of grace. All of the things she'd heard ever since she could remember.
Not only this, but now she was among ELVES! She could not even live up to her sister, she couldn't imagine what people would say in comparing her to some Elven maiden.
She snorted at herself. Her thoughts, her feelings. She wanted to laugh. Or cry. She hated herself.
"Weak. You don't care what they think, Daph. You live for you, and your parents," she said to herself quietly as she laid her mother's dress on her bed.
She sat down and covered her face with her hands, sighing deeply. None of the Company knew her sister. If they had, they'd certainly choose her over Daphne in a blink. As everyone did.
Her lips curled into a small smile, reminding herself she had no time for this. She'd choose her sister too probably anyway.
The sun shining through her window told her it was just about time to meet the rest of the Company. She needed to get dressed and get out there.
There was no time for this foolish girlishness.
