The room gone awfully quiet for a while. The Duke only sat besides Wren and eats, not minding the fact that his nieces were having a stare contest. Which of course he didn't mind. For him, this is the best chance for Leanna to interact with the other kids, even though they all do is to stare.
Leanna bowed her head all of the sudden and said, "I-Im sorry! I was just flustered... kyaah!"
Leanna instantly covered her mouth with her hands, trying her hardest in evading the fingers poking her body. Wren and the others watched them in this ridiculous scene.
"Wahh, you do have a physical body." Said Yessenia while pinching her cheeks and back to poking her sides. Leanna didn't hold out her laughter as all of them laid on the floor. Leanna squirms and has tears in her eyes while laughing.
"W-W-Wait! Stop please hahaha!" Duke Aurea massaged his temples at the sight of his own daughter being overtaken by younger kids but relief was shown in his face. This is the first time he has seen Leanna laugh out loud.
"This will do," he says and patted Wren on her shoulders, "I will leave, Get rest Wren."
her eyes grew wider with utter horror at the realization that she will be left here with her cousins. She tried to think for a reason to chase out these fools.
"Father!" Leanna called up and there's a sinister plan formulating in her brain. She looks at Yessenia and Raelle and the three of then nod in agreement.
These three agree on one thing and that is not to look after the kids and this will be their chance to have someone older than them to watch over and that is Leanna.
"Father!! I'm coming with you!" The three were grateful that the Duke acted like he heard nothing, his strides were longer and closed the door harshly that made Leanna pale.
"You can't leave now. You have to play with these kids." she said to Leanna who was gravely shocked by Raelle's words.
"You just want to pass your responsibility on...!"
"Yes! Isn't it obvious?!" Yessenia immediately replied and pinned down Leanna on the floor who was trying to escape.
'she's been here for 20 minutes and she already wants to leave' Wren thought and pick another piece of pie while watching them.
"B-But Wren is here..." Leanna looked at Wren with a pleading eyes, she averted her gaze. She feels sorry for this kind of betrayal however, she was told to rest and she doesn't want to watch over the kids.
"She is resting, OLDEST sister" Raelle said, emphasizing the word oldest. Leanna is terrified because the last time she watched little kids she was the one crying and that happened with his little sister, Ceisia.
She only wants to play with her and yet, she stared at her with such menacing eyes and said, "I don't like you."
You could say that those words were printed in her memory.
"You...You say that I should... hic! hic!"
Wren and Yessenia look to each other upon hearing Leanna's hiccups. Both nodding as Yessenia moves towards Raelle and without hesitation she gives a loud smack on Raelle's Head. Yessenia instantly rushes to Wren's side, hiding.
"Well, You have the guts to smack her. I give you credits on that one." Wren complimented her on low tone as she patted her back while grinning at Raelle's dumbfounded face.
"What was that for?!"
"Hic!" Leanna covered her mouth and turned away. She has developed to be anxious around people, even to her own family. A reason why his father left her alone in the room.
Leanna Aurea is widely known in the Empire for being the Veiled Genius in the future. In a few years time, She will graduate at the Academy at the age of 16.
The reason she was labeled as Veiled Genius is that no one ever saw her face since she hid herself even inside the academy. Not even her shadow was seen for years. Only his 3 professors and family have seen her face. Wren of course examined Leanna. Despite being timid and socially awkward to them she felt fulfilled because she saw her before she went into seclusion.
However, there is a feeling that she forgot something important. She just brushed it off after hearing Leanna and Raelle's exchange of words.
"Y-You shouldn't shout here..."
"Get away!" Raelle pushed Leanna out of the way and lunge at Yessenia
"Young miss!!"
Wren wished that Jemina was here instead.
After ten minutes the room became quiet. Jemina picked everyone up to eat dinner at the dining room when the Duke and Countess went inside the room to check Wren.
Both of them were surprised upon seeing the sight that welcomed them. While the father and daughter had a small conversation.
"Well, I didn't know you had it in you."
Leanna fidgets and averts her gaze.
"... keep it up." Leanna was baffled with those words however she felt happy.
The Duke has seen Leanna rolling on the floor and smashing the cakes the face. The horror continued until Yessenia and Raelle stopped running away from Leanna, the horror in their face was properly shown. Even the scratch marks the two kids made to each other were visible in their hands. The two had a two minute catfight and turned the room into a mess. Anna had no words since Yessenia told her to stay.
Wren then looked at the veranda. The sky is colored in orange with a tint of pink, the final rays of the sun passed across the room, hitting on Wren's face. While she was being mesmerized by the sunset; a bright, red vibrant of waves caught her vision as it vanished once again.
"Just like at the lake, it vanished." Her brows raised at herself, why did I say that?
*****
2 days have passed. Under the basking sun and a cool shade of tree are where the kids were resting.
"So, What are we doing here?" Raelle first asked everyone before she took a sip of grape juice.
It is Wren's idea to have a picnic today under the reason that she wants to change her environment when in fact she just missed the noise Yessenia and others made.
Leanna stood up and said, "I'm going to get a book..."
Raelle raised an eyebrow but also stood up and tried to level up with her even though Leanna is much taller than the rest of them.
However, Wren is slowly losing her patience because her cousins are looking like they do not have energy for this outdoor activity as they seem... pale and lazy.
"I... I can't eat... another bite." Except for Yessenia but her energy is only for eating.
"I will come with you Sister Leanna." Raelle and Azi say as the three of them walk away from the tree.
"The weather is nice and yet you look like you lose," Wren said in a huff after finishing her cup of milk. A shadow tower over them and her face fell with Anna's suggestion, "Should we head inside?"
It has not been an 1 hour since they started and she suggested such thing.
"No. The cookies are gone. Go pick up more cookies" Wren gestured her hands lazily to Anna to make her leave immediately.
Meanwhile at the kitchen, Anna sighs quietly and closes her eyes while waiting for the plates of cookies she asks with her usual face.
"The Young Miss found a reason to remove me." she said with a straight face.
Everyone must think that at this moment that Anna, the personal maid of Yessenia is in a hurry and mad because of her face. But, no. It is because all her life she wasted it on trying to please her 9 siblings at home that she asked herself, "Why do I have to smile every time."
Thus, Anna decides to never smile and wears this poker-face and uses it everyday. It even made Yessenia challenge herself by making her smile. It was an utter failure. Its price for trying was a 1 week ban in eating sweets.
"Anna, here are the cookies for the Young Miss." a maid gave her a plate full of cookies, she had a smile on her face as she looks hopefully in Anna.
Not just Yessenia wants to see her smile, even the maids and servants join in to make her smile. Everyone might think that she is clueless with their plans. Too bad Anna knows that is why, she bowed and simply left.
After closing the door, the maid who gave her a plate fell to the floor saying, "N-Next time... for sure" everyone in that room comforted her.
There is another reason as to why the personal maid of Yessenia never indulges them in their plans. But, we will unfold this at the right time.
Anna stumbled across with the other children and came back with them. The three brought books to read in the afternoon.
Wren scanned her surroundings and sigh. Yessenia noticed this as she asked, "Is there something wrong?"
Wren shook her head and answered, "It seems that Aria won't be joining us," she sigh again in disappointment.
At the 2nd floor of the main building, A red-haired girl stares outside by the window. Face twitching as she put her hand on the window. There she can see the kids her age, eating and giggling under the tree. She felt a pang of pain in her chest as she bit her lips.
"I can't join them..." she whispered as her eyes locked on them, softening her gaze which is unusual to her fierce look, "Because of me..." Then a couple of clacking shoes can be heard throughout the quiet hallway.
She looked in front only to find Duchess Vacarella along with her knight and maids. Aria showed her greetings by curtsy as she looked down.
Her hands are trembling for a moment but she holds hide it behind. It did not escape the duchess' eyes. She looked outside and saw the kids outside.
She's deep in thought as she stares at Aria, Only to give her a fright deep inside. Adding fuel to her trembling. She thinks that Aria had trauma because of what happened to Wren which was different from what Aria's fear.
'Poor kid' she thought.
By looking down Aria can still feel the duchess' gaze, sensing this, Jemina whispered to the Duchess, "Your Grace she might be intimidated by your gaze."
She looks at Jemina with a surprise look. It is not her intention to intimidate the child. Her children were never scared of her and this is the first time someone was intimidated.
"Good morning..."
"I DON'T WANT TO!!" Aria's voice overlapped with Wren's shout. Raising her head only to see that Raelle and Wren are running. But, between the two of them only Raelle looks like enjoying this while Wren is brimming with anger as she chases Raelle.
"Why are you not with them?" The duchess' voice startled her. Strands of red hair fall in her face as she tucks it back behind her ear, "Im... I'm going to study..." Her voice became a whisper in the last part.
'It is lie...' Aria said in her mind but didn't dare to say. Because clearly she did not appear on the picnic even though Wren personally invited her and she even wanted to go.
'I think it feels wrong to befriend her' she once thought as her gaze focuses only on Wren's face. Even the duchess who was observing her finds it odd on the child to look at someone with such sadness.
'Am I overthinking this?' The Duchess also thought about it. Shrugging it off she opened her fan and she casually invited Aria, "Why don't you come with me to have a tea party?"
Aria raises an eyebrow in confusion but the duchess remained smiling, "I may have some cakes that you may like"
Aria once looked at the kids and back at the duchess. The Duchess notices that she's hesitating on her choices, 'It seems she also wants to play with them'
"You can go and play with them" once again, she's startled by the Duchess and looks shy, "But..."
'How cute' she smile at the sight.
"It's fine. Just try and go play with them. Because the more you hesitate to do something, the more likely you'll regret hesitating instead of doing it."
The duchess smile grows wider as she gives advice to a 3-year-old kid.
A small smile appeared in Aria's lips as she made a decision. It was a smile pure innocence as she nodded.
"Then, I will play with them next time. Can I join you in your tea party?" She asked brightly with those eyes. The duchess was mesmerized with her eyes.
This is the first time she sees Aria with clear eyes since she only saw her eyes clouded with sadness.
"I am more than happy. Let's go"
Aria stared at the Duchess as she took her hand and walked. Her cheeks are slightly blushing and her eyes soften more as she looks down shyly.
This is the first time she felt someone hold her hands. The warmth she held that day can't be forgotten as they walk side by side in the narrow hallway.
"So... this is warmth" She smiled and whispered in the hallway as they went to the salon.