The next day, I woke up early, rubbing my eyes sleepily and stretching as I got out of bed. My mind couldn't help but drift back to the last conversation I had with Lucretia.
I shook my head in a futile attempt to clear my thoughts, feeling quite foolish for doing so. I dislike dwelling on situations I can do nothing about; it leaves me with a sense of impotence that I find frustrating.
I would rather be clueless than bear the weighty responsibility that accompanies knowledge. What you don't know won't hurt you. I sighed softly as I reached out and pressed the button by my bedside.
Two maids immediately entered the room and bowed in greeting. "My lady," they said, waiting for my orders.
"Prepare my bath," I replied softly. The maids, Fiona and Lucia, inclined their heads in a bow and left to prepare the bath.
My phone beeped, alerting me to a new message. I picked it up with a sigh, raising it to eye level as I unlocked the screen. It was a message from Candida, informing me of the group's decision to meet up at the shopping mall and inviting me to join.
I frowned in confusion but decided to reply, accepting the invite. I set my phone back down on the cabinet, stood up from the bed, and slipped on my discarded robe. As I walked past the full-length mirror, I paused, turned back, and assessed my reflection.
From my purple hair, which I inherited from my father, to my bright orange eyes that mirrored those of the unawakened populace, I surveyed my features. My gaze traced my full, pouty lips, my petite nose, and my overall egg-shaped face. I was, indeed, pretty for an unawakened Aurean. My body was nice too—tall and long-legged, with curves in all the right places. Yet, instead of smiling with satisfaction at the beauty staring back at me, I sighed in disappointment.
Before my wayward thoughts could take over, the maids entered. "My lady, your bath is ready. Should we stay and attend to you?" Lucia asked a tad eagerly. You certainly couldn't fault her for her anxiousness; they were supposed to wait on their lady hand and foot, but their lady was too independent, leaving her personal maids feeling somewhat useless.
Engjell smiled in amusement. "No, you don't have to. You can go attend to your other chores. I'm fine on my own."
Lucia and Fiona's faces fell in disappointment. Engjell was about to step into her washroom when she noticed the maids' hesitation. "Can I help you in any way?" she asked, puzzled.
"My lady, Sir Alexander requested an audience with you if you are feeling up to it," Fiona spoke this time.
"Tell him to expect me in two hours, max." The maids bowed before heading back. Engjell suddenly remembered something. "Wait!" she exclaimed, blushing with embarrassment at her loud outburst, which had come out louder than she intended. She composed herself as the maids turned to her in inquiry. "Sorry for that; it came out louder than intended," she said, feigning indifference.
The maids smiled in amusement at their lady's attempts to hide her shame; they thought she was so cute. "There's no need for that," they quickly reassured her, trying to assuage her embarrassment.
She let out a soft laugh. "Thank you. I wanted to ask if Sir Alexander has a particular venue in mind for our meeting?"
Realizing their mistake, the maids knelt down in remorse. "We apologize for our oversight."
Her lips turned down in a frown. "I've always told you not to kneel before me; it feels awkward. What are you two still doing on your knees? On your feet," she commanded, pulling them up forcefully.
"Thank you for your graciousness, my lady," they bowed to her in gratitude. "Sir Alexander said he'll meet you in the dining room," Lucia relayed the message.
"Okay, you can go now," she said with a slight nod. They bowed one last time before exiting. Engjell smiled in amusement; she wished she could laugh out loud, but she was still at home. A lady should remain quiet unless necessary, which meant no loud laughter for her—only gentle giggles. Ugh! What a load of nonsense—oops, that's not very ladylike. Just as her etiquette tutor would say. She chuckled to herself.
She settled into her bathtub, taking her time with her bath. After drying off, she put on her prepared outfit. She disliked the societal obligation that required everyone to change outfits frequently, almost as often as one breathes. Okay, she might be exaggerating, but that didn't excuse the ridiculous practices of her society.
Well, enough with the inner monologue; she looked really good. She checked herself out in the mirror, appreciating the work of art that she was, all due to her handiwork. Her fair skin was complemented by the simple baby blue dinner gown she wore.
Engjell blew a playful kiss at her reflection before glancing at her Uni (universal) watch and setting off.
Ten minutes later, she found herself in the dining room. "Damn these unending halls!" For the umpteenth time, she mentally cursed the huge castle. She sometimes felt like she needed transportation to navigate her own home. Ugh! Maybe she should just get a hoverboard and be done with it. But even as that thought crossed her mind, she discarded it. Just imagining it was enough to picture Alexander having a cardiac episode. She stifled a snicker and glanced back at her personal maids, Lucia and Fiona, who followed behind her at a leisurely pace. Catching their eye, she smiled at them.
Though puzzled by her sudden smile, they returned it.
She chuckled softly to herself as she settled into her seat. Gently waving her wrist, she signaled the maids to bring in her meal as she waited for Alexander's arrival.
Soon, her breakfast was brought in. She demurely ate in silence. It was during moments like this that she missed her family. Her father was at the forefront, guarding against a possible monster attack, accompanied by her mother. Her older brother, Sebastian Cato Decimus, had awakened the rare Intuitive aptitude ability and worked at the Scientific Institute of Aerospace.
Her little brother, Bruce Tyrion Decimus, was five years younger than her and was currently at a warrior preparatory camp. While not entirely precise, there were tools available to predict the potential power an Aurean might awaken. The Ability Reader (AR) had predicted that Bruce could potentially awaken the Thunder ability, like their father. However, his blood type or tier couldn't be determined, so Bruce was sent to the warrior preparatory camp and was only allowed to come home once a year.
"My lady," Alexander greeted, interrupting her thoughts at just the right moment.
"Sir Alexander," she replied politely, dabbing at her lips as she finished her meal. Alexander directed a nod at the maids on standby; they bowed in greeting before clearing away the dishes. "I was told you had instructions for me," she said concisely, avoiding any unnecessary small talk.
The old man smiled gently. "Not instructions per se, just what was left unsaid yesterday." Engjell groaned audibly, prompting a chuckle from Alexander. "Let me finish before you give me another excuse. Your father sent me a mental note yesterday, and that was what I wanted to discuss with you. He said he wouldn't be able to make it back before the convergence, he's sorry, and he will try to make it up to you when he returns." Alexander spoke in a rushed tone, getting everything out before Engjell could interrupt. As expected, Engjell's face fell for a brief second before she curled her lips in an effort to hide her disappointment. The old man's heart ached with regret over the message he had no choice but to deliver.
"Oh," she said simply.
"Your father must have his reasons. You know he wouldn't have missed it for the world," he said gently, hating to see his young lady in a bad mood. He was sure most of the household felt the same way.
"Is that all?" she asked softly, tugging at the heartstrings of those present.
"Not really," he replied.
Engjell raised her brows. "I've never known you to be so verbose," she said with a light chuckle.
Perhaps it was his ears, but to Alexander, her chuckle seemed forced. "Your mother and brothers also sent their regrets and promised to make it up to you. Your mother had a dress made for the occasion and promised you would love it. Your brother ordered an aquamarine gem to be customized into a full jewelry set for the event. Your father set aside this diamond card for you; it has an unlimited spending limit, so you can go shopping with your friends and buy whatever you want." He took a large gulp of air after finishing, not daring to pause for fear she would storm out, though that was unlike her. Still, one could never know.
"Oh," came her indifferent reply. "Is that all?" she asked softly.
"Yes." Alexander felt a bit scared seeing her current mask of indifference. Why couldn't she be like other teenagers and yell or throw a tantrum? It was heartbreaking for him to witness. "You—"
"If that's all, I'll be in my room," she said, pausing mid-step. "And before I forget, I'll be going out with my friends in the afternoon," she informed him.
"And pray tell, where will you all be going?" he asked calmly, glad for the change in topic.
"Shopping, I think. I guess the card will be useful after all." She smiled thoughtfully. "Can you—" She left the rest of the sentence unfinished. Alexander smiled in understanding. Without further words, he drew symbols in the air, transporting her back to her room.
Engjell appeared by her bed in a flash of light. She threw herself onto her bed, burying her face in a pillow. Then, finally, she allowed her lips to curl up into a grin of success.