The corridor outside Daphne's room buzzed with the nervous energy of a dozen maids, each one clutching their skirts as they exchanged furtive glances. Blaize stood at the forefront, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, a storm brewing in her eyes. She looked like a general preparing for battle, ready to defend her princess against the foolishness of the day.
"Your Highness, you can't be serious?" Blaize's voice rose slightly, echoing her frustration.
"I'm not serious," Daphne replied, tilting her head, genuinely puzzled by Blaize's tone.
Jaslin, standing beside her, realized that her sister had completely missed the point. "Sis—cough, Your highness," she corrected herself with a dramatic cough that echoed in the corridor, "Blaize is talking about the order you just gave."
Daphne turned her head, her brow still knitted in confusion. "Order?"
"About the—"
"Your Highness, Jaslin alone cannot prepare you for the ball," Blaize interjected, her voice firm.
Jaslin, ready to defend her capabilities, opened her mouth to retort with a confident "Actually, I can," but the look Blaize shot her made her swallow the words. Instead, she closed her mouth with a slight pout, her expression a mix of indignation and disappointment.
"No, she can," Daphne insisted, her tone unwavering.
Jaslin puffed up with pride, a small smile creeping onto her lips, ready to bask in the glory of her skills.
"No, she can't," Blaize countered, the exasperation evident in her voice.
Jaslin's proud demeanor deflated like a popped balloon, her smile replaced by a crestfallen expression.
"Why not?" Daphne pressed, her determination unwavering.
"Because…!" Blaize faltered, the words tumbling out in a rush. "She can't." Her voice trailed off, and she lowered her head in defeat, realizing the absurdity of her own argument.
An awkward silence enveloped the group, the kind that made imaginary crickets chirp loudly in the background.
"Blaize," Daphne finally said, grabbing her shoulder with a determined look that could rival a knight preparing for battle.
Blaize looked up, her expression shifting from confusion to curiosity. "Your Highness?"
Daphne leaned in, taking Blaize a few steps away from the others, ensuring their conversation remained semi-private. Jaslin, being a fay, could still hear them, but she pretended to be intensely focused on a nearby potted plant, her expression a mix of professionalism and barely contained amusement.
"The thing is…" Daphne began, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
Blaize's eyes widened, expectant and curious. "The thing is...?"
"It's a surprise," Daphne declared, sounding somewhat convincing.
"Pft—" Jaslin, unable to contain herself, let out a barely suppressed laugh, choking slightly on her amusement.
Daphne turned back to Jaslin, her eyes wide with a silent plea. 'Are you serious right now? I'm putting my life on the line here.'
Jaslin pretended to look elsewhere, adopting the most professional maid demeanor she could muster, her expression a perfect mask of innocence.
"Surprise?" Blaize echoed, visibly confused, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece together the puzzle.
"Yes... It's a surprise. I want to surprise everyone, and that includes you as well."
Blaize's expression shifted, a hint of jealousy creeping into her features. "And why is Jaslin an exception?"
Daphne hesitated, her face momentarily blank as she searched for the right words. "That…" She glanced at Jaslin, who was now staring at her with wide, innocent eyes, "It's because she's…" and then turned back to Blaize. "She is... predictable."
Jaslin's eyes widened, the words hitting her like a slap.
Blaize blinked, processing the revelation.
"Yes, predictable," Daphne continued, her voice steady but her eyes darting to Jaslin, who was now glaring at her with an intensity that could melt steel. "I can perfectly guess what her reaction would be… uh… to the surprise. So… well, it isn't very… interesting? Anyway... I also need a hand for the surprise."
Daphne felt the weight of Jaslin's glare intensify, and she gulped, internally praying for her life.
Blaize nodded slowly, as if she understood. "Ah… I see..."
"Right?" Daphne said, relief flooding her voice. "So, you should go and worry about the rest. I know it's a busy day." She turned and grabbed Jaslin by the arm, pulling her inside the room, who stood as still as a highly offended statue.
Blaize blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Okay." She turned to the other maids, her voice regaining its authoritative tone. "Well, let's go to work. Come on." The maids shuffled off, leaving the sisters alone in the room.
Inside, Jaslin wore a saccharine smile that could only be described as dangerously sweet. "Predictable? Not InTeresTinG?" she said, her voice dripping with mockery.
Daphne, avoiding Jaslin's piercing gaze, felt a nervous sweat bead on her forehead. "Jaz—"
"And why the heck did Blaize agree with it so easily?" Jaslin's smile vanished, replaced by a look of genuine offense.
Daphne gulped, her throat suddenly dry. "That... I was just trying to…" She sighed, her mind racing for a way to explain. "You know Blaize wouldn't let us if she knows."
"That's not the point!" Jaslin exclaimed, her hands on her hips, "Am I predictable?!" She pointed to herself, as if the very idea was an affront to her existence.
"Well… a little?" Daphne blinked, her honesty biting her back like a mischievous puppy.
Jaslin's face twitched, a vein pulsing in her temple as she maintained her sweet smile. "Is that so?" she asked, her tone deceptively light as she strolled towards the vase beside the bed, pretending to admire it like an art critic at a gallery.
Daphne tilted her head, utterly clueless. "What are you doing?"
In a flash, Jaslin snatched a pillow from the bed with the speed of a striking serpent and hurled it at Daphne's face.
"Did you predict that, YoUr HiGhNeSS?"
Daphne barely had time to react as the pillow smacked her squarely in the face, causing her to stumble back, looking utterly stupefied. "Ha, you little!" she exclaimed, as she snatched the pillow from her face and threw it back with surprising aggression.
Jaslin, her eyes narrowed in mock concentration, sidestepped with the grace of a dancer, but the pillow still clipped her arm with a soft thud.
"That's your best?" she scoffed, a smirk on her lips as she straightened up, brushing off the nonexistent dust from her sleeve.
Daphne, still recovering from her last pillow assault, smirked triumphantly. "Well, it hit you."
Jaslin flicked her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated flair. "No, it didn't..."
"It did," Daphne insisted, raising an eyebrow, her voice dripping with feigned seriousness. "Don't lie."
Jaslin's expression shifted from indignation to outright defiance. "That cannot be considered a hit. It merely grazed my aura!"
"Fine," Daphne relented, rolling her eyes as she picked up another pillow, the fabric plush and inviting. "You could have just asked." With a flick of her wrist, she launched the pillow with surprising accuracy, hitting Jaslin squarely in the chest.
The impact sent Jaslin stumbling back, her eyes wide with mock disbelief. "Hey! That's cheating!" she exclaimed, clutching the pillow as if it were a shield.
"Consider it a reminder of my superior aim." Daphne shot back with a rare grin as she prepared for the inevitable counterattack.
Jaslin, recovering from the shock of the sudden pillow assault, narrowed her eyes with determination. "Oh, it is on."
And hence, they forgot the fact that they have to prepare for the ball, in thirty minutes.