Verinia took time after her most pressing duties to set an engagement with the missionaries in the city, a visit she had been deprived of for far too long, as it was important for her to return to the practice of healing before she forgot the lessons she'd been given by the missionary medics.
Su'na and Su'ni Anthipeia perhaps knew much more than the missionaries did, with theirs being the House of medicine. They were the founders of all of New Oalta's medical institutes and schools, so studying under their tutorship was a great feat.
But with their knowledge came the politics of her every moment being reported to her father. The missionaries, at least, allowed her the freedom of learning with no one's surveillance.
So, she ventured to find Syvia, hoping to take her to help the missionaries as well. At the very least, it would provide a reprieve from the looming threat of getting her a husband, the likes of whom had yet to be found.
The Third Princess sat with a book of short tales under a tree with Sixth Princess Dresderia by her side and Halen sitting on a tree branch above them, carving away at a small block of wood in his hands with a dagger as he listened to them below.
Sixth Princess Dresderia and Syvia got along quite splendidly and were very close. Their relationship was opposite to Syvia's relationship with Fifth Princess Neska. The two of them were also close, but entirely for nefarious reasons.
"Good, you're all here." The Su'Adrit smiled warmly. Her golden eyes seemed to glow like pure sunshine when she looked at her siblings. "I'm off to the city to visit the missionaries. Would you like to accompany me?"
"I'll come," Syvia agreed, closing her book to stand.
Dresderia nodded. "I've nothing else to do for the day."
"I'll come as well." Halen jumped down from the tree branch and gave Verinia the carving he had made. It was a rough chisel of Syvia sitting with the book in her hands, charming in its simplicity yet astounding in its accuracy.
"You continue to surprise me, little beast." She turned the carving over in her hands, seeing that he had captured even the crude essence of his sister's hairstyle, and then gave it to Syvia. "The talent of your hands is useful. Nurture it well."
"May I keep it?" Syvia was already placing the carving into the pocket of her dress. Halen saw this and scowled at her.
"It's not finished."
She smiled sweetly at him. "It doesn't matter."
"You must wait until it's been finished," the boy insisted, holding his hand out for the carving. "I haven't captured your warts yet, or the sticky slime on your fingers that condemns you to thieving."
Syvia immediately hit the back of his head with her book ruthlessly, causing the child to wail in pain. "I am not a thief!"
Verinia turned to leave the chaos behind, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
Halen and Syvia almost always resorted to childish bickering, as they were the closest of the Su'Ailfi's children in age. The young prince followed Syvia everywhere she went more than he did with his eldest sister. In turn, the Third Princess was always hitting him for annoying her.
"First Sister, I..." Princess Dresderia shifted nervously and played with her fingers as she followed after Verinia. "I have a request."
"Speak."
Dresderia flinched as her face went pale.
First Sister was so frightening... Sixth Princess Dresderia was always terrified to be alone with her whenever Third Sister wasn't around to dispel the tension. If it were up to her, she wouldn't say a word around the First Princess.
Contrary to her Benevolent Consort mother, who was favoured by the Su'Datheram for her straightforward and bold disposition in any occasion, Sixth Princess Dresderia was more reserved and would usually not say anything without thinking through it first. For this reason, she was regarded highly by her tutors.
But now, facing the portly and formidable First Princess, she found herself at a loss for words.
She had been considering this request for so long now... Fourth Sister was betrothed and Fifth Sister was going to be betrothed soon as well. She was the same age as Third Sister, who was going to be match-made, so where did that leave her?
She clenched her small, soft fists in determination and took a deep breath. "Please allow me to find a husband."
Verinia stopped walking and turned around. Her abrupt change in direction cause the Sixth Princess to directly walk into her, and the younger girl jumped back with a squeak like a frightened mouse.
"You want me to arrange your marriage?"
Verinia knew well that Dresderia had been harbouring the desire in her heart to find a husband, but she hadn't expected to be approached about the matter directly.
Moreover, as the only person sitting the throne beside the Su'Datheram, matters of the sovereign harem obviously fell to her, but her duty was only finding matches for her full-blooded siblings.
As for the rest of the Princes and Princesses, their own mothers could arrange their marriages unless the Su'Datheram himself bestowed a match to them.
If Dresderia wanted her to find her a husband personally, she must have given the matter a lot of thought.
Verinia sized up the Sixth Princess with a clinical gaze. Her soft lips quirked up when she saw the girl avoiding her eyes with her head bowed. She wasn't quite sure why Dresderia was so scared of her.
"Very well." With that, she turned to continue walking, but addressed the Sixth Princess abruptly once more. "Never bow your head again, Dresderia."