I head down the corner as well, seeing as how I need to go this way anyway.
Charles is farther along but I can still see him in the corner of my eye, he seems to be in a hurry. But where to with a needle and thread I wonder- "Lady. Victoria, this Tea Tasting occurs in the Liquid Evaluation Room 4. Please, come this way."
One of the women waves me over, and I quickly glance at them before returning to the fleeting Charles. My eyes widen and he enters a door, shutting it hard after. A sigh comes to me as I realize he's about his own business. He wouldn't care to chat with me when he had work to do. Why did I ever think he would turn back around for me?
"Lady.Victoria!" I snap up, quickly rushing over in a hurry, "Apologies, apologies." I walk into the room and it's shut behind me. My eyes look up to be greeted by new mannequin-like people. Still and quiet, with bright smiles. Waiting for me with an empty pulled-out chair.
I walk to the chair, catching the scent of iron and pungent lemon. Sitting down as the smell starts to take over my nose, making it twitch a bit. "Greetings, Lady.Victoria." One of the people says in a monotone voice. "I am Gerald, and here with me are Abigail, Alice, and Gertrude. We will be observing your Tea Evaluation, seeing how you can recognize and identify different types of Tea. We will start simple, working our way up and you will tell us how it tastes and what tea you think it is."
The other three nodded to Gerald's comment, "At the end of the evaluations, we will tell you what you got wrong, and how many you've missed." I sat my hands next to me, trying to give a light smile, "Also will you tell me what I got right?"
They were all silent and I figured I had got my answer, a little saddened but honestly not that surprised. It is always when you are wrong, not right. After all, you don't award victories, when they are expected of you anyway.
A Tea Set was placed in front of me with 5 different teas on the tray, Mr.Gerald picked up one of them and set it in front of me. "First one out of five began." I glance at the cup, a porcelain design taking over most of it and I first take a sniff the strong smell hitting my nostrils before I sip. A strong taste for the first tea but it also makes this one a dead giveaway. The peppermint tones hit my tongue almost instantly, a Mint Tea.
"It's Mint, a tea that is served to me when I am ever ill, a strong peppermint flavor. Recommended during times of sickness." I take another sip as I hear scribbles being marked on a piece of paper, "Move to the next one, set that one on the tray." Mr.Gerald states, and I do exactly so, picking up a dark blue cup next, which kind of reminds me of Charles' eyes. I smile for a bit before going back to a neutral tone, wafting the cup under my nose before taking a drink. It is both sweet and slightly plain, seeming to be a quite common tea, "Chamomile?" "Is that a question or answer Lady.Victoria?" "Oh, apologies, that is my answer for the second tea." "Noted, answer certainly or it will count as your answer."
I gulp, giving a light nod as I put the cup back on the tray, they always have been so firm with me, with barely any lenience even as a child I was supposed to act a specific way and know things without it being a question. Nearly perfect, which is something I still fall short of, even after all these years. It's like I can never fully impress or be the heir they truly want me to be. In all honesty, I think they believe I am still a failure only being a use because I am still alive and their only child.
Disappointing child.
I pick up the next cup, the third one out of five and already I am hit with a much sweeter scent, the taste being something of floral type with a bitter aftermath due to the less sugar. Maybe Jasmine Tea? It could be Black, but I am leaning more toward Jasmine since Black Tea isn't that floral to me. "Jasmine Tea with less sugar than usual." Mr.Gerald stares at me and so do the other three, writing without looking at the paper. "Continue to the next", he states, looking at the fourth cup intensely.
"Okay", the fourth cup has a sort of swirl pattern, seeming to intrigue me even before I touch it. It has a strong smell like the first one did but gives a sort of sugary fruit smell instead of a mint, and when I tasted it, the tangy fruit hits almost instantly, pomegranate. A more floral tea like Jasmine but much sweeter on its own. Not bad actually but not exactly my favorite, "It is Pomegranate Tea." Mr.Gerald glances at the other three, a toothy smile propping on his face followed by the others. One of them who went by the name of Alice turned her head to the side and pointed to the last cup, "Drink." She states, "Drink the last one, the red one."
My breath gets tight as the words echo in my ears, her voice sounding scratchy and dry but also with malice intent, my eyes going to the dark-colored cup with skeptical feelings running throughout my brain, what's in the cup? Why does she want me to drink it so bad? Why are they smiling like that-have they always waited for this final one?
What's-"Lady.Victoria please pick up the cup." My hand nearly shakes, sweat starting to form as the scent from earlier comes back to hit me. The scent of iron-like blood with a pungent aftertone. I glance inside the cup and it's the same color as blood but also the color of my mother's house wine, definitely looks like it. This is supposed to be tea though so why would they serve me this?
It certainly doesn't look like tea and by the sour smell, it almost gives off the characteristic of animal blood, the liquid being a bit chunky as if it was drained not too long ago. But also long enough to fester at the bottom of this cup.
I don't want to drink this.