"Vicky! Vicky! Vi-"
"Quiet! What do you want? I'm wide awake now. Is this what you were hoping for?"
Emeline and Viktor Kirchner were once again engaged in their usual argument. Despite the five year age gap between them, Emeline was often the one to scold ten-year-old Prince Viktor.
He sprang out of his tall bed and landed gracefully on the floor, quickly making his way to open the door of his personal chambers. Despite his young age and royal status, Viktor was surprisingly independent. He preferred to handle tasks like cleaning and dressing himself, much to Emeline's dismay at first. The first time he expressed this desire, she had cried for nearly an hour. Eventually, they reached a compromise: she would help him with bathing and dressing twice every two weeks.
As Viktor cautiously opened the door, it was suddenly pushed even further by a small figure jumping into his arms.
Emeline exclaimed Vicky's name with unrestrained enthusiasm, though it might have been a bit over-the-top. They had been inseparable since they were babies, sharing every experience and developing a bond as close as that of siblings.
Viktor playfully flicked Emeline's forehead in protest of her sudden attack. She rubbed the spot where she was hit, a small red mark forming.
"Ow!" she whined, her face turning bright red. Viktor couldn't help but sigh at the sight, pushing her off gently.
"You're heavy, and stop with the drama, sis," he scolded teasingly, brushing himself off as he stood up.
"I...I'm heavy?" Emeline repeated, tears welling up in her eyes once again as her expression turned to a pout.
"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I'm not strong enough yet to lift you effortlessly. But give me a few years, and I'll be able to hold you above my head with one arm," Viktor reassured her, flexing his non-existent muscles for emphasis.
Emeline's mood quickly shifted as she looked up at Viktor with hopeful and trusting eyes.
"Vicky... Do you know what day it is today?" she asked, excitement bubbling out of her like an eager puppy.
"Yes, sis, it's the anniversary of Mom's passing, right?" Viktor responded, wondering why his sister was so thrilled.
Viktor was only two years old when their mother died, leaving him with vague memories. All he had were stories and portraits hanging on the walls of their castle. Emeline, being a bit older, remembered more about their mother's death, but her memories were still limited.
"That's true, but do you know what else today is?" Emeline exclaimed excitedly as she jumped up from her crouched position.
"No, I don't," Viktor admitted, unaware of any other significance to the day besides remembering his mother.
"Today is the best day of the whole month, Viktorious Xil Kirchner! It's the day I get to give you a bath!" Emeline squealed, pouncing on Viktor once again and showering his forehead with kisses.
"Ew!" Viktor protested, pushing her away with his arm. "And didn't I tell you not to call me by my full name? You should be grateful that I let you call me Vicky," he scolded playfully as he started to change out of his pajamas.
"Can you turn around? Or, can you at least start the tub, sis?" Viktor asked, his face turning slightly red.
"Oh!" Emeline exclaimed, quickly turning her head as she remembered that Viktor was now a young man. She hurried to prepare the large bathhouse connected to his room.
"Yeah, I'll do that," she mumbled, still feeling embarrassed. She never expected Viktor to have impure thoughts, especially at his age, but they said mages matured quicker than others.
After Viktor finished undressing and wrapped a towel around his waist, he saw Emeline's hand appear, signaling that the bath was ready. He made his way to the large door connecting his room to the steamy bathhouse.
The bathhouse may not have been small, but compared to the communal areas of the castle, it seemed much smaller.
As Viktor entered, Emeline closed her eyes to maintain her modesty. She used to bathe with Viktor when he was younger, but now she simply assisted with his washing. She couldn't help but feel a little sad realizing that he was no longer the little boy she used to bathe.
"Are you getting in too, Sis?" Viktor asked playfully, directing his gaze away from her.
"Oh!" Emeline let out a surprised gasp, not realizing that Viktor was expecting her to join him in the water. She quickly undressed and slid into the warm bath.
Emeline exhaled contently as she submerged herself in the soothing water. Viktor followed suit, sitting on her lap comfortably.
Emeline had a knack for calming even the most unsettled souls with her melodious voice. She softly hummed as she cupped water and poured it over Viktor's head.
"So, how have things been in the servants' quarters?" Viktor probed, leaning back against Emeline's body. She glanced down at him, tilting her head to meet his gaze.
"I've been fine. The other servants don't pay me much attention. Some of them seem quite envious," Emeline replied, averting her eyes as she continued her gentle humming.
Viktor felt his eyelids grow heavy from the peaceful melody, drifting off once again into slumber. He found himself waking up back in bed as he was lulled to sleep by Emeline's serene song.
"Viktor... Breakfast will be ready soon," Emeline whispered, tenderly stroking the sleeping boy's face.
He slowly opened his eyes, the puffiness and redness indicating he had either just woken up or had been crying. But Emeline didn't seem to notice or care as she leaned in for a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"Just a few more minutes," Viktor pleaded, pulling her closer and settling back into sleep.
"No way," Emeline responded playfully, lightly flicking him on the forehead.
"Ouch," Viktor grumbled, rubbing his forehead. He sat up, using Emeline's strong body as support. After stretching and yawning, he asked, "Why are we even doing this? None of the other wives ever liked my mom anyways, and I barely remember her. So what's the point?"
"She was an incredible woman, Viktor. And His Majesty believes that 'All great women deserve great respect,'" Emeline explained as she put on her maid outfit.
"And he also says, 'The greatest men have the greatest lust.' So I don't know if we should be taking his advice, sis," Viktor teased with a light tone.
Emeline's cheeks turned pink, but she quickly regained her composure. "You always like to give me a hard time, even though you're so young," she replied as she finished getting dressed.
He laughed in response. "Do you know I could have you hung for talking that way?" He joked, with no actual intention to carry out such a threat.
"You could, but deep down you love me too much. So you won't." She shot back playfully.
Viktor chuckled and straightened his shirt collar before emerging from the bathroom. "You're right, sis."
"I love you too much to ever harm you."
Next Chapter: 7-Family Outing