Twin Vixens

"So you finally arrived, my dear sister."

Marian felt her breath catching in her throat at hearing a familiar voice, before she turned to the side and saw a middle-aged vixen sitting in a chair next to the chimney, holding a chalice full of wine in her hand while swirling it in circles. The vixen looked awfully similar to Marian, judging by the style of dressings she wore, but the only difference was that her dress looked more sophisticated. It consisted of a long red dress with golden ornament over the middle, being fastened by a ribbon around her voluptuous waist and tied into a bow, a matching veil over her head, crimson long sleeves covering her arms, and a leather choker with an emerald jewel embedded.

"Mary... Is that you?" Marian's tears welled up in her eyes as her hands covered her mouth in a mix of shock, disbelief, but also happiness.

"It's been a while." The twin raised up from the chair before turning to face her sister.

"Marian, can you tell me what's going-" Henry suddenly barged into the room and tried to speak with Marian, but when his eyes instinctually fell upon the guest, he suddenly went speechless the moment he saw her face. Just like his vixen lover, the guest was a beautiful fox, slightly taller than Marian, with reddish brown fur with fuzzy sideburns and a long fluffy tail. Not only did he find himself captivated by the similar traits from Marian, but she had a flawless shaped body that would make every woman in this kingdom tremble with envy.

"Marian, that's such harsh words. Don't tell me you completely forgot about your sweet older twin sister." The guest, who now went by the name of Mary, spoke with an imitation of sadness in her voice, before she sauntered up to her shocked sister while still holding her wine.

"N-No! I would never! I just... I never thought I would ever see you again." Marian replied softly, though she seemed like she was struggling to take a step forward to approach her sister.

"Neither did I. But... let's just say the threads of fate have led me to finally meet you for the first time in a while." Mary said nonchalantly before leaving the chalice of wine on the round table. "I know I should have sent you a letter, but-" She was cut off and almost stumbled when Marian threw her arms around her.

"I missed you so much, Mary..." Marian muttered, hugging Mary as tight as she could, like she feared she was about to lose her again.

Mary blinked with stupefaction at her young sister's rashness, but her surprised reaction gradually softened before she returned the hug, caressing her hand across Marian's back.

Anyone would be moved by this kind of reunion, and Henry wanted to feel that way, but he never felt so confused that he remained speechless. He didn't want to think that Marian had been keeping that secret from him, that maybe she just forgot to tell him about the rest of her family.

Aware that she and Marian were not the only ones standing in the room, Mary's eyes peered at Henry in mild surprise... and interest.

"Oh, and you must be Henry, the Hero of England." She said while breaking away the hug, before approaching the stunned young knight. Mary bent forward for a bow. "I'm Lady Mary. It is a great pleasure to meet you, Sir Henry."

"Um... likewise, my lady." Henry nodded back to the mature vixen, though he couldn't help but glance at her breast hanging under her chest like a couple of watermelons.

"Hmm, judging by your reaction, I can assume my sister didn't tell you anything about me, did she?"

"N-No... She never did." Henry replied, almost stumbling his words when Mary laid her eyes on him. He couldn't help but find her very attractive, just as Marian, only more mature.

Mary raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her sister. Marian awkwardly looked away, feeling ashamed of herself for leading him to believe she didn't have a sibling.

Letting out a sigh, she turned back to Henry, wearing a neutral look. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions right now, but it's not what you think. I've been away from England for so long, and at that point, she didn't know if I would ever come back or not. I can explain everything, but right now I'm feeling a little weary after traveling all the way from France. I was wondering if you have a guest room in your castle where I could rest?"

"Oh, we sure have! Oswald!" Marian called the steward.

"Yes, my Lady?" Oswald said as he bursted into the room.

"Would you be so kind as to take my sister to the guest room?" Marian asked with a big smile on her face.

"As you command, my Lady. Please, right this way, my Lady." Oswald gestured to Lady Mary to follow him as they both left the lounge room.

Once Henry knew he and Marian were the only ones left, he looked at Marian before noticing her smile just disappeared as she was trying to avert his gaze. Aware of what's going through her mind, he approached his lover and placed a hand on her shoulder gently.

"Marian... As much as I wish you could've told me you had a sister from the beginning, I'm not mad at you. But... If you feel like you can tell me everything, I think this could be the time to do so." Henry said soothingly, clasping his hand around her furred cheek to reassure her.

Marian's eyes raised up to look at him, noticing the genuine concern in his eyes. This helped her be a little more calm, enough to have the courage to tell everything he needed to know. Letting out a sigh, Marian sat down on the couch, looking straight at the fire flickering.

"What my sister said is true... The odds that she would return has never crossed my mind to tell you. But... the other reason was because reminding me of my last conversation with Mary makes me feel like I was the reason why she left."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked as he sat on a chair next to the fireplace.

Marian looked downwards as her fingers gripped on the fabric of her dress. "When I was born in London, my parents were paying more attention to me than my sister for the fact I was the youngest. I tried to spend much time with her to show I can be a good sister, but Mary didn't stop feeling jealous of me. And as we grew up, Mary became more mature and independent."

"That must have made you feel proud of her..." Henry suggested, after he noticed her wearing a small smile.

"I did. I was so happy she was pursuing her own dreams by herself." Her smile suddenly vanished. "But one day, when uncle Richard announced he was going to the crusades, my sister stood against the decision. She argued that he was leaving England without a king just to join a war that it's not even his. When I tried to step in and defuse the tension, Mary and I got into a heated argument because she thought I was taking someone else's side instead of her..."

Marian let out a heavy sigh, wiping the tears welling up in her eyes. When Henry noticed that, he leaned forward and placed a hand on her lap to give her some comfort.

"It's funny when you think about it. Even though we were grown up, we fought as if we were still little kids." Marian chortled a giggle, but that barely made her feel better.. "Mary left the castle after that, and that was the last time I saw her. And one day when I asked my uncle if he had heard anything about her, he told me that Mary had sailed to France. I didn't even know she planned to leave England, and I realized she was upset because she wanted to say goodbye to me... And I blew it."

"That's why you didn't want to think about your sister... You didn't want to remember the last time you saw her because it would make you feel guilty." Henry concluded in understanding, placing his hand on top of hers in comfort.

"I thought Mary left because I pushed her away from me. And now, she finally came back, and I didn't even tell her how sorry I was when I had the chance. You must think I'm a joke of a sister..." Marian's tone wavered as she covered her face with her hands..

Henry held Marian closer to him, giving her a shoulder to lean on. "Marian, what happened between you and your sister in the past, it's not gonna change between us. Everyone makes mistakes, even I did when I didn't recognize you as the girl who comforted me when my parents died." Breaking the hug, Henry lifted up her chin so she could look into his eyes. "But you still have time to make things right. I don't know if Mary is gonna stay just one night or a couple of days, but this is your chance to tell her how you really feel."

"But what if she still hates me? What if she just came here for something else?" Marian said apprehensively.

"She wouldn't come here if she had another reason." Henry replied, but it wasn't enough to make Marian feel better while the doubts still clouded her mind. He knew Marian can't think she will come to terms with her sister, unless he could do something to give her an advantage. "How about this? I'll go talk to Mary and ask her about the purpose of her visit."

"Are you okay to do that for me?" Marian asked with a hint of concern in her tone.

"I would do anything to make you happy, Marian." Henry lifted her chin as he gave her a smile. "Besides, she seemed excited when she knew who I was. So maybe she could tell me everything if I use my charms."

"Oh, stop it! I didn't ask you to seduce my sister!" Marian laughed as she playfully slapped on his chest. Even though she wasn't fond of his jokes, it helped to cheer her up. Letting out a calm sigh, she smiled at Henry before hugging him. "Thank you, Henry... I don't know if me and my sister will ever go back together again. But... I'm so happy to at least have you on my side."

Henry grew a smile as he returned the hug, wanting to spend a moment to comfort his loved one. But then his smile slowly vanishes as an unsure look crossed his face. What he didn't tell to Marian was that he's not sure how he could convince Mary to forgive her or if he would get some answers from her.

He could only hope Mary's in the good mood to have a private conversation with him.

****

Going upstairs to the next floor of the mansion, he asked Oswald where he could find the guest room; even though the mansion was their new home, it felt like he was standing in a labyrinth that almost got lost a few times. And when the steward confirmed Marian's sister was still in there, he made a haste.

Once he found the guest room's door, he took a moment to brush his attire with his hands, taking a deep breath, before knocking on the door.

"Mary, it's me, Henry. Can I come in?" Henry asked.

"Sure, it's open!"

Henry opened the door, his sense of smell was welcomed by pleasant but not too strong aroma of black lilac, lavender and irises. The guest room wasn't as big or luxurious as their bedroom, but still offered all means to make it comfy. Such as providing a canopy bed with silk sheets and a bedside cabinet next to it. Close to it was a table with a bouquet and a small bowl of fruits like apples, cherries and pears. Mary was found sitting next to the table on the fancy bench with carved wood.

"Sir Henry, what do I owe the pleasure of your hospitality?" Mary asked, glancing at the visitor in delight while holding another chalice full of wine.

"Sorry to bother you, my lady. I just wanted to make sure you're feeling comfortable here." He said as he closed the door.

"Do not fret, my dear knight. I'm not the kind of noble who would ask for a room to look like a palace. If anything, being back in this mansion makes me feel like I'm back home." Mary replied, with a hint of nostalgia in her visage.

"Wish I knew that feeling. I used to live in a village when I was young before I became a knight. So while I'm enjoying a new life living in a castle, I still miss the place where it used to be my home." Henry said while looking out the window.

Mary glanced at the knight with aroused curiosity, but then she cleared her throat. "Nonetheless, I assume you're here because my sister just told you everything about me, didn't she?"

Henry bit his bottom lip while restraining a sigh. Knowing there's no point in pretending it was something else, it was best to go straight to the point.

"Yes. She told me how you and Marian used to be closer... what happened the last time you saw each other... and how sorry she felt for years." Henry said before he took a seat on another chair to face Mary, but at that moment he noticed her averting his eye contact. "I'm not here to ask you to forgive her. But I wanna know, from your point of view, what happened that day."

Mary remained speechless as she stared at her own reflection from the wine she was drinking. Even though she was keeping her face emotionless, a conflicted look could be noticed on Mary's face as Henry could only wonder what's going through her mind.

When the environment began to feel more heavy, Mary took one more sip of her wine and let out a sigh. "You know what's the irony of this? As an older sibling, it was supposed to be my responsibility to make sure my dear young sister was fine, even while we were apart. But you, you did it far better than I should."

Henry could notice the sudden change of her behavior. Just moments ago she was introduced as a prideful, straight and somewhat arrogant noble lady, but now she seemed... vulnerable.

"Did she tell you why we both got into that argument?" She asked bluntly.

"Marian said it had a lot to do about King Richard's decision to join the crusades because he would leave a kingdom without a king." Henry replied, earning a scoff from Mary.

"I wasn't shocked when Marian tried to justify his actions, but she should've known her uncle was being self-centered that he didn't think about the sake of his kingdom. And to think he would put his brother in charge in his absence... How in the blazes could he expect his brother would take care of my sister when John brought poverty to his own people? Have you ever thought about that?"

Henry grimaced as he looked downwards in deep thought. He knew Mary was speaking the truth, and at that time he was also upset that King Richard put his brother in charge. But despite that, he learned that even kings can make huge mistakes. Still, he couldn't think of a good neutral answer.

Noticing his silence, Mary sighed as she leaned against the chair. "I tried to make her understand the risks he was taking, but Marian was just naïve, as she always believed families should support each other just because Richard was our uncle. At that moment, I felt that something just snapped inside me the moment she started talking about family..."

There was an awkward moment when Mary looked downwards. A hint of sadness could be seen on her face.

"I yelled at her, which I've never done something like that to the only person who tried to bond with me when I was neglected by my parents. After saying those hurtful words to her, I walked out without looking back at her. By the time I realized I made a mistake, it was already too late when I sailed to France, which she didn't know."

Henry stood up from his chair and walked towards the window, looking at the fields outside while pondering the complex issues between Mary and Marian. "At what moment did you think about your sister after you left?" He asked, without turning around to face her.

"For a while, as a matter of fact." Mary replied with a serene face. "It started when I was trying to send letters to England, just to let her know I'm doing fine and... that I was missing her. But never got an answer for her. At that time, I thought she hated me and didn't want to know anything about me again. But by the time I learned what Prince John was doing to his brother's kingdom, I realized that Marian must have never received my messages."

"How did you find out?" Henry inquired.

"A friend told me about a merchant who traveled to England. I knew Prince John would make things worse from the beginning, but when I realized Marian was still in there, I tried to make my way back to England to at least be sure my sister was safe, but I couldn't just abandon my duties in France. I even tried to at least send her a letter, but from the looks of it, they never reached her, did they?" Mary asked.

"I'm pretty sure Marian would've told me about it if she got your letters." Henry replied with a knowing look. But suddenly, he realized one thing. "So, all this time, you tried to get in touch with Marian, even while she believed you moved on without her."

"I tried to. But... I knew that moment I couldn't just run away from my problems, and that the consequences of my actions would fall upon my sister..." Mary looked down solemnly, with her tone dipped with regret."

"So what happened after you were running out of options?" Henry continued, finally turning around to face the twin.

"I knew that the only solution I could think of was letting King Richard know what his brother was doing. So I asked my close friends to send messages to him while he was still in the crusades and hoped he would take the news seriously. Of course, I didn't want them to mention my name to my uncle, for obvious reasons." Mary looked away, though she didn't hide the bitter look on her face.

Henry nodded in understanding without making a comment that would open the old wounds.

"Can I ask you something, Henry?" Mary asked, this time addressing him by his name instead of his title.

"What is it?"

"Did Prince John ever lay a finger on my sister?" She furrowed her brows as if she was fighting back the rage piling up inside her.

At that moment, Henry almost shuddered at the slight edge in her tone, but he knew that was the sound of a sister who wouldn't hesitate to cut someone's head who hurt her sibling. Standing before the twin sister, he put his hand on his chest.

"My lady, by the time I turned against the man who I was supposed to serve, I went to get your sister out of the castle before Prince John would even think about touching her. I made sure nothing happened with Marian and I would risk my life if she's in danger again." Henry proclaimed with a determined expression.

Mary let out an enormous sigh of relief, like she felt all the anxiousness and concerns for Marian's well being suddenly faded the moment Henry gave a reassuring answer. However, there was something that just hit her.

"Sir Henry, is something going on between you and my sister?" She asked, raising an eyebrow with a quizzical look on her face.

The question almost took Henry by surprise, but then he realized Mary was not aware of the relationship he has with Marian. It's not like they're trying to keep it a secret to begin with. Moreover, a few people close to them, including King Richard already knew the history between them.

While Henry felt a little hesitated to tell Mary about it, he can't think of a reason why he shouldn't. So he started telling Mary everything that happened between him and Marian after he rescued her, and the history about how they met each other for the first time. Mary paid attention to every single detail, though that made Henry feel a little worry that she might be upset, as any sibling would feel.

"Marian... is everything to me," Henry concluded with a sigh after retelling the whole story to Mary. "I know I can be reckless sometimes when I'm trying to protect her, but if I have to risk my life to keep her safe, I would do it again, and again, and again. Until I drew my last breath."

When he turned back to Mary, she was still sitting with a blank expression on her face. It wouldn't last long as she stood up from the chair and sauntered across the room until she was now standing in front of the knight. At first Henry was feeling nervous as he looked up into her eyes, but then he felt her hands gently cupping on his face. The next thing he felt was Mary pressing her lips on his forehead for a second. After Mary removed her lips from him, Henry looked back up at her with a surprised expression.