Luan opens his mouth, ready to say something that I'm sure will only test my patience further, when Stella's voice chimes in, calling for him.
Thank the Goddess.
I don't bother hiding my relief, giving him a curt nod as he turns his attention to her. At this point, I'm over the entire tea party. The false smiles, the petty drama—it's all starting to wear thin.
"I think I've had enough for today," I mutter, feigning an excuse about feeling unwell or some other nonsense. No one questions it, of course.
I stand and leave, finding Haroun and Stacy waiting dutifully nearby. As we begin our exit, I take a moment to admire the stunning architecture of the royal grounds—the soaring crystal pillars and intricately designed walkways. Even with the annoyance of the day, I can appreciate the beauty that surrounds me.
When I bump into my other brother and his wife, I can't help but question how this even happened. The palace grounds are massive—vast enough to avoid people you'd rather not see. Yet, here we are, standing directly in each other's path.
Unfortunately, eye contact has been made, and there's no escaping the forced pleasantries. This will be my first time truly engaging with her, though I often see her from afar. Like Linus, who treats me like I'm a speck of dirt on his polished shoes, she looks at me the same way. It's why I've never been invited to her tea parties, and honestly, I don't mind. I like her for it—at least she leaves me in peace.
The kingdom's noble ladies are neatly divided into three camps: Stella and Luan's admirers, the neutral families and older noblewomen, and Linus' wife, Kelsi's faction. She's six years older than him, yet their engagement was decided before they were even born. I've always found that amusing, but standing in front of her now, I can only admire how time has seemingly frozen for her. She's in her early 30s but looks no older than 19. Honestly, I need her skincare routine.
"Brother," I say, acknowledging his presence as we finally stand before each other.
"Lucina," he replies coolly, his voice as detached and distant as ever. His icy gaze is something I doubt I'll ever grow used to, but I meet it with a blank stare before turning my attention to Kelsi.
"Sister-in-law," she says, her tone just as frigid. Like husband, like wife. It's almost impressive how they manage to look so pretentious.
"Kelsi, it's a pleasure," I respond, keeping my voice neutral.
"Likewise," she replies, her expression unreadable.
And just like that, we fall into a thick, awkward silence.
I mutter some excuse and slip away, finally free from the chilling presence of my brother and his wife. They truly are a match made in heaven—cold, aloof, and far too perfect for my taste. As I walk away, I can't help but recall something Linus mentioned during our brief, uncomfortable exchange. A hunting event, on Saturday. Ugh, how could I forget? Naturally, Linus is in charge of the preparations.
I sigh, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. It's never-ending, this life of royalty. You'd think, being outside of the succession race, I'd have the freedom to do as I please. But no, I'm still tethered to pointless events, still expected to play the role.
The tight corset, the heavy gown, and the forced smiles—I feel it all dragging me down as we make our way back to my palace. My feet ache, my head throbs, and I am so tired of associating with people I don't care about.
As expected, I find Valendor in the garden, but to my surprise, Nicholai is there as well. They're both hunched over something, talking animatedly, and whatever tiredness I was feeling flies away at the sight. Curiosity sparks, and I quietly sneak up on them, eager to see what they're up to.
"What's going on here?" I ask when I'm close enough for them to hear, and too close for them to hide whatever mischief they're involved in.
They startle, and it's absolutely adorable.
"You're back?" Nicholai says, standing quickly and offering me his hand. I take it and step closer, noticing that they're both oddly tense. What are they hiding?
There, nestled in Valendor's precious flowers, is the tiniest kitten I've ever seen. The cutest little thing. Without thinking, I let go of Nicholai's hand and squat down, completely disregarding my bright pink gown that is now surely getting dirty.
"Hi, baby," I coo, my heart instantly stolen by the little creature.
Behind me, I hear Nicholai grumble, "See, I told you we should've gotten rid of it before she came by."
I barely register his words, too enamored by the kitten in front of me. Valendor doesn't respond, and I imagine he's wisely choosing to stay out of it. The kitten slowly wriggles out from the bushes and into my waiting palm, so small and fragile.
"How did you find yourself here, little one?" I murmur, petting it softly as its tiny body curls up in my hand.
"We just spent over forty minutes trying to coax it out, and look at this," Nicholai complains, clearly annoyed by how easily the kitten trusts me.
I stand up and, without missing a beat, kick his leg hard enough that he stumbles to the ground.
"Maybe because it can sense your intentions," I say sweetly, cradling the kitten and walking toward the house.
As I leave them behind, Nicholai groans dramatically, and Valendor's soft laughter trails behind me. All I can focus on is the precious little fluffball in my hands, and how I can't wait to keep it.