There was a sense of foreboding peace. Lumielle had been jarred into a cruel awakening that Cosette would be appearing soon. Asterias and his declaration had been a formal reminder as she looked at the wrapped present. A day prior, Leo and Lumielle had went into the town to buy a present for Allard. He was turning fifteen, the same age as Asterias. It felt frivolous, to go into town and prepare gifts. A sigh escaped her lips, there was no use mulling about it. There was nothing more she could prepare for as the debutante would arrive near the same time as her birthday. She would be turning fourteen only a couple days before the formal event was being held. It would be a silent birthday and she knew that. It didn't bother her in the slightest. The King didn't even acknowledge her birthday in the past; her birthday wish being granted after due to scale of the event.
"You aren't good at it," Aris assessed bluntly as Lumielle exhaled, turning away from the gift to peer at her brother. She had been attempting to do a spell that her brother had mastered on the first day without much luck. It would have been better if she was useless for having little to no mana meant that she was even worse than useless, she was inept. Lumielle could see the slight amusement behind Aris's eyes. He was overjoyed that his perfect sister had finally a weakness that he excelled in.
Frowning, she placed her hands flat on the table, "I just don't think I'm good at it," she said bleakly. Aris resisted the urge to laugh as Lumielle's lips pulled down into a scowl.
"That's why you should keep trying," Aris said attempting to wipe his satisfaction off of his face, "See like this." Gathering at the tip of his pointer finger was a small stream of water.
Putting up her finger, she furrowed her brows. There was a pause. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Nothing. Aris burst out laughing as Lumielle scowled feeling wronged. "If you're so good, you should teach me instead of laughing, you brat."
Aris continued to laugh, "There's no use in teaching you, sister. I don't know how Teacher does it." Faking sympathy, he placed a hand on his. best shaking his head.
Lumielle had raised him and now he was acting like this? Had he always been like this? Her fingers twitched as she raised them to squeeze his cheek, pinching the pliable skin, she couldn't help but laugh smugly in victory, "You, brat!"
Letting go of his cheeks after a while, Aris sat down pouring while clutching his abused face. "You shouldn't be upset the truth," he shot back as Lumielle looked at her brother and laughed, a relieved chuckle escaping his lips. This was who Aris should have been. A bright young child with a hefty amount of confidence, able to speak his mind and form his own opinions. Lumielle had completely stunted his growth as a person in the first time line, keeping him locked inside of his gilded cage.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Aris asked as he grabbed her cheeks with his fingers, punishing her. It was his revenge.
Lumielle also reached out, her fingers pinching his cheeks before two voices interjected.
"Princess?"
"Prince?"
Hands were dropped.
Turning, both children faced Evangeline and Heinz, respectively. It was nice for the two of them to act their age, Evangeline often worried about Lumielle. Her maturity though a strong suit made the older woman fret. She was glad to see it even if the two siblings looked chagrined by their actions, "We should head over to the Salvatore estate." There was a smile on her face as Aris stood up first, the tips of his ears becoming a slight pink.
"Then, I'll leave first!" He declared as Heinz followed suit with a knowing smile on his face. Lumielle looked at Evangeline who only retained the same knowing look.
"Eva, don't," Lumielle said sighing and standing up. Chagrin coloring her cheeks like a rose.
"I didn't do anything, Princess "
…
The Salvatore estate was where she spent most of her adolescent years. Pining fruitlessly and plucking petals off of flowers, Lumielle had never realized how fruitless her endeavors had been. There was no use in loving him. Allard would only caress Cosette. Was it because she was the heroine? It made no sense, his eyes were transfixed onto her and Lumielle had simply been an inconvenience. As she stepped inside of the gates, she felt the nostalgia. The insignia of a serpent and a sword entangled with one another being branded on the flags, the embroidery of black and gold. "Who else is coming?" Lumielle asked, managing to take her attention off of the artistry of the room.
"Lus, Rue, and Rias." Aris spoke as Lumielle nodded in response. That was right, all these boys were similar in age. It would make sense that they would all be in attendance. "Are you close with Rias?" Aris inquired, his golden eyes glittered as she observed that her brother was growing taller.
"He wishes to be my friend," Lumielle said, "Fondness aside, he's going to be of the Grand Duke's of the Empire." Whether or not she enjoyed his presence, she would need the power of one of the Duchy's on her side, in the past, she had relied on Salvatore. This time, she was unable to bring herself to join hands with him full well knowing that he would turn to Cosette.
Aris pouted, "So you do like him?"
Tilting her head, she smiled, "Is that what you heard?"
It was an outdoor event in which she was greeted by both of the parents of Allard. Evangeline placed their gift on the table, it was an extremely expensive decorative sword. Honorable, she had given it to him as slight revenge, for him to hold a sword that he could never use. A useless present and a nuisance, just as he had viewed her.
"Sir. Ruenti," Lumielle said smiling after seeing the familiar ruby red hair. His lips curled into a smile as he greeted her formally. His bright and somewhat churlish personality made her wonder what had changed, when she met Ruenti he was cold and calculating. Here, he looked like a small animal with large naive eyes and a sunny smile.
Ruenti handed her a plate of sweets, "Princess, it feels like we haven't seen one another in forever!" He exclaimed cheerily. It was obviously for her to eat. She has noticed Aris often did the same, giving her plates of food. She wondered why.
"We just saw her a couple of days ago," Lucius responded to Ruenti glaring before politely smiling at Lumielle, "I apologize, Princess."
Call it remaining guilt for slaughtering him so cruelly in her last life, but it seemed that she wasn't offended by it, "He means no harm."
Aris frowned, "It looks like you're more excited to see her than me."
"We see you all the time," Lucius pointed out as Ruenti nodded fervently. Quietly, she picked up a cookie biting into it slightly as she let herself enjoy the small treat. Watching the three of them converse, she felt relieved as Aris tried to push Ruenti off of him, the red-haired adamant that he should be hugged if he felt envious.
"Looks like someone beat me to it," Asterias said looking at the plate that was in her hands already, he also held a platter of saccharine treats. Was there some type of hidden agenda in feeding her?
Lumielle smiled, "Is that for me?" Though she was somewhat confused by the sentiment she kept up the perfect simper.
"Of course," Asterias confirmed almost expectantly looking as Lumielle looked at Ruenti's plate. A stab of guilt chasing her as she gave him a slight chuckle. These boys, seriously.
"Sir. Ruenti has already given me something to eat. Thank you," she said. For a second, Lumielle could have sworn that Asterias scowled but it was gone as soon as she blinked. A split second as Ruenti flushed a slight pink. Aris smacking the back of his head.
"Do you like Rue?" Aris asked casually looking at his sister.
"You're very kind to him," Lucius said clarifying, "Even when he's undeserving." He said cooly as Ruenti opened his mouth to complain. Asterias was staring at her, almost expectant of an answer.
Had she been? Lumielle did pay more attention to him. She had given him strawberry tarts whenever he came over to the mansion. The last time they met, she had also gifted him with some jewelry to give to his younger sister. They had casual conversations with one another. Had they become suspicious of her kindness? The answer was yes. Lumielle had shown an inclination for Ruenti, preparing the food that he liked and brewing tea that suited his taste.
She paused; Lumielle had despised him in her past life. With gritted teeth, she had to recognize his genius but she had absolutely hated how quick he was to catch onto her plots. He unraveled every single answer and thus, she ended him. Had she been obvious? The female simply felt guilty for killing him, ordering his death, and the ruin of those he loved. Seeing him as a young child and befriending Aris made her feel all the more guilty. Yet, how was she supposed to explain that? To say that she was only caring for him due to her own selfishness was the truth. "Yeah," Lumielle pathetically responded casting her eyes away from the boys. This was rather humiliating.
"What?!" Aris declared as Asterias's eyes widened at her response. God, Lumielle wanted nothing more than to vanish. Had she been the only woman invited to this forsaken event? It seemed as though she was, the older women were all mothers as they chatted amongst one another. Allard didn't like women, she had remembered his disdain towards her with a slight bitter taste. Washing it away with another cookie, she felt exhausted. "Are you going to marry him?!" Aris inquired.
Ruenti was bright red, cheeks turning almost as scarlet as her hair as Lumielle looked at her brother somewhat bewildered. What was he talking about? "I believe we are a little young to be talking about marriage, Crown Prince." Turning around, she looked towards the source of the familiar voice. It was Allard.
Lumielle decided it was better to clear up any ambiguities, "Aris, I will not be marrying anyone yet. I haven't even debuted in high society." This was also what he had said when she brought home Leo. Was this some type of trend?
Turning to Asterias, she noticed that he had been somewhat quiet. Lumielle looked at the white-haired boy who didn't meet her eyes. Had she done something wrong? Why were children so difficult to understand? Was it because she rejected the sweets off of his plate? Truly, he must have been pouting.
"Happy Birthday, Sir. Allard. May the Goddess guide you," those gathered at the table said with all slight variations. Lumielle extended her arm grabbing a small eclair from Asterias's plate and ate it. Would he stop pouting? His blue eyes met her own and she pointed at the eclair that was in her mouth and tilted her head.
Asterias laughed. Had he been foolishly upset by the desserts? She supposed that was correct, only later would she find that she was wrong.
"Are you no longer upset?" Lumielle asked patting her lips with a napkin.
Allard and Aris were politely conversing as Asterias chuckled, he had propped his elbow upon the table, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand, "I was never upset."