Her smile faded and she wished the ground would open up and swallow her. Her cheeks dyed red with embarrassment and she prayed none of them would notice.
But it was clear that wouldn't be the case when Catherine asked in a teasing manner. "Tia, what's that colour on your cheeks?" She teased, successfully drawing Wilson's attention to her flushed face.
When she had gotten word of what happened that morning, she had been horrified. That was unheard of!
But somehow, after pondering about it, she had accepted that her children were children so it wouldn't do harm for them to take baths together at their age.
Aristia stared at the Grand Duchess in disbelief then back to the laughing Grand Duke, then grumbled and went back to eating her food.
She turned to Alaric who was sitting beside her on her left. The one to cause this situation in the first place.
"You're my only friend, Al. I can only count on yo—"
Her mouth hung open and her words stopped halfway. Alaric had a mischievous smile on his face.
"Gasp!"
[This little imp! He did it on purpose. Is this kid really three years old? He acts like he's five.]
Suddenly, she remembered that she needed to use the kitchen.
She turned back to Catherine, "Mama? Will you use the kitchen again?" She asked. "To cook." She added when Catherine looked like she didn't understand.
"Maybe during lunchtime." Catherine smiled. It wasn't what she had planned originally, but she was happy, thinking that her daughter wanted to eat her food and she didn't want to disappoint her. "Why do you ask?"
Aristia did want to eat her food, it wasn't just a distraction to draw their attention away from her embarrassment, but that wasn't her reason for asking.
"Well, I would like to use the kitchen as well. There's a dish I want to make." Aristia said, surprising both Wilson and Catherine.
They didn't expect her to make such a request. She had never expressed any interest in the kitchen before and had never even stepped a foot into the kitchen.
Nevertheless, they both nodded in understanding with the thought that she was probably just curious now that her mother had, and wanted to try it too.
But Catherine tried to reason with her. "You have to allow the servants to do it. You're still little and might get hurt."
After all, it would be her daughter's first time in the kitchen and she was just five years old. What if she hurt herself?
Aristia nodded so that they wouldn't change their minds. But after a while, she spoke up.
"I'd also like to ask that none of you eat anything during lunchtime. Could you ask the servants to not make us anything for lunch, Mama?"
Catherine agreed with a nod, then asked, "Why do you need that?"
"Oh." Aristia smiled. "I want us to have a... family picnic." She declared and sighed softly when she saw the confusion written all over the faces of Catherine and Wilson, even Alaric looked the same.
"A family... picnic?" Catherine asked in confusion glancing at Wilson to see if he had any idea what that meant but he shook his head.
[How could I forget that these guys don't know what a picnic is? They probably have a different name for it, if they do.]
"To have a picnic means to eat a meal outside." She explained simply.
"Oh, like eating outside in the garden?" Catherine asked.
Aristia shook her head. She knew that Catherine was referring to the meals they would have in the tables set in the garden.
"No. You'll see what I mean when the time comes. Everyone is going to contribute something to the cooking. That includes mama, papa, Al and I." Aristia answered simply, looking at each one of them in the eye as she mentioned them, ignoring the look of shock on their faces and leisurely continuing with her breakfast like she didn't just make an absurd request.
Catherine, and even Wilson, couldn't hide the shock they felt on hearing her request. It was the work of a maid to work in the kitchen. Noblewomen didn't even use the kitchen, so it was even more absurd for a nobleman to do so, not to talk of royalty.
Catherine did use the kitchen, but it was something only those in her household knew. And even when she got married to the Grand Duke, not a word of it was spoken outside and no one else was aware.
Nothing that ever happened in the Grand Duke's Mansion left the walls of the mansion unless Wilson wanted it to.
"Aristia," Catherine scolded when she finally recovered from the shock caused by Aristia's words. "Do not speak to your father like that. How can you make such a request?"
Aristia was confused, "Huh? Speak to my father like that, make such a request... Wait. Isn't it just cooking? What's wrong with cooking?" Aristia asked.
[Take it easy, will ya? Even my super rich dad used the kitchen. No need to make a big deal out of it. These ancient folks need to loosen up a bit.] She held back from rolling her eyes.
Catherine opened her mouth to speak, probably to explain to her why her request was wrong, but Wilson beat her to it. "Alright. If that is what you want."
Catherine turned to him, stunned. When Wilson caught her gaze, he smiled at her reassuringly, the love overflowing from his eyes, it almost blinded Aristia.
What Catherine didn't know was that even though Wilson only supported her decision to cook, he would also have agreed to join her if she asked, just to spend time with her. He loved her that much and was willing to do anything within his power to make his family happy.
[Reminds me of my parents.] The thought caused a sad feeling to spread in her chest, not knowing if she'll ever see her parents again, so she forcefully pushed it away, deciding to think of something more positive.
[I wonder if Wilson and Catherine will support my business venture. Oh well, even if they don't.]