Who were we even staring at?
An ice cold face, glaring specifically at Edmund with so much hate it scared me, even though I wasn't on the receiving end.
"What did you say?", he spoke in a venomous voice, a frown slipping down his face.
Edmund didn't falter, he glared even more profusely, "You know what I said. Leave".
"E-Edmund".
In worry of what Raphael would do I tugged against the shirt of the angry child. He gave me an inquiring glance in return.
"What?" He turned back to Raphael and answered.
"H-He's not a bad person. He really did help me", I stuttered, scared I wouldn't be able to diffuse the situation. "I was hungry and he gave me some food. He's a good person".
"But- you don't even"- he caught sight of what was probably my desperate face and with a reluctant sigh, turned to Raphael, who looked surprised at my words, "sorry".
Edmunds apology was ignored and the dark dangerous marble like eyes stared at me once again.
Was this Raphael now?
"A good person?" He tilted his head at me with an enigmatic look. "Is that what you think?" He smirked at me.
This wasn't Raphael. No. This definitely wasn't the friendly kid from before. This one had a cruel smile.
"Yes. I think the Raphael from the guest room and the Raphael who bought me here are good people", I felt a tremors in my arm as I held eyes with what looked like Raphael, but had the aura of a dangerous and wild beast.
"And what about me? Do you think I'm a good person?" His smirk grew larger, eyes widening a bit in the process.
He looked possessed.
"I don't know you yet. So I can't say anything about that for sure".
He started to chuckle at my words and suddenly threw back his head to laugh, "well then", he stopped all too suddenly, "I guess we should be acquainted from now on, little princess".
No. No thank you.
I couldn't speak though. I could barely maintain eye contact. My heart beat felt so loud I was sure the whole room could hear it, and when Raphael moved to once again pat my head, goosebumps ran up and down my arms.
"I'll see you again, young princess".
He stood up and with a chuckle, left.
My small legs gave out the moment he left, mouth shuddering with every breath.
"Princess!"/"Baby Sister!" The two children fell beside me in worry.
"I- I'm okay". I reassured them both.
"That guy... what was with him? I've met him before but he didn't recognise me at all. It's like he was another person" Edmunds deduction skills were admirable to say the least, especially for someone so young. But I could only nod along at him.
Why? Why did I have to enter that room? Even if it had been the room just beside it none of this would've happened.
My mind travelled back to Ruby.
He was here as well. I've met all the Male leads except the one that mother still hasn't found. But with the way I kept meeting the characters I'd rather not meet him for a long while.
This kind of sucks.
I don't think I'll be able to escape either. If I do escape, Ruby would probably notify Father judging from his statement about receiving a command from both the King of Brennus and Blackburn. If I could somehow lure him out, get him to owe me a favour and then ask him to leave for a while then my plans might hit off. But that makes the risk factor much higher... what to do?
"Hey, snap out of it", Edmund had grasped my shoulders with concern, so much that I had to ask him a question, out of fear for my future.
"Edmund, do you like me now?"
Could it be that he still hated me and wouldn't be able to deviate from his character? Or can the characters grow and change? Was all of this just temporary? Will they forget about it in the future?
Edmund double took at my words, his face flushed a bit as he shouted a quick, "No!"
"I see..."
What a bummer...
"I like you!" Victor interrupted with an innocent smile. It made me feel much much better.
"Thank you Victor!" I felt grateful tears gather in corner of my eyes.
While Victor was giving me a soothing back rub, Edmund started to mutter something incoherent, making me turn to him in interest.
"Hmm? What was that?" I asked, still disappointed from earlier.
He muttered again, and with a frown I asked again.
"Sorry I can't hear"-.
"I don't hate you!" He shouted angrily, face becoming a deep pink.
"Eh? Y- You don't!? Thank you Edmund!"
Whether it was from relief or just happiness I gave the two boys a group hug.
"Thank you guys!"
Victor returned the hug and so did Edmund, eventually.
"But that doesn't mean I like you!" Edmund had to say and with a smile I waved him off.
"Yeah. Yeah".
"I'm serious!" His face couldn't get redder.
We had gone back to playing and soon Martha had entered looking beyond tired carrying trays of food and drinks.
"I got busy downstairs. Apologies", she had set the table and without any complaints we all jumped up on, except me, who was placed in a high chair. We gobbled it down immediately.
The party had come to an end not long after. The sound of carriages and horses all bustling outside was deafening, occasionally there'd be laughter and giggles. It was intriguing, had I not read about them in the novel I'd have wanted to attend.
The heroine had experienced being scarred by many enemies in them. Specifically Mallory. They could be a support system or a complete battlefield. It was only ever one or the other. I shudder just thinking about it.
The door opened behind us, assuming it was a maid I continued to watch outside the window until soft hands covered my eyes.
"Guess who little squirt?" Came a familiar obnoxious voice.
"Duke Camellia!" Edmund answered for me.
The duke removed his hands thankfully, allowing me to see once again. He gave Edmund a warm grin.
"Doing well, Edmund?" He ruffled the boys hair.
"Yes Sir!" Edmund answered with a grin full of admiration.
"Enjoying your work?"
"Yes! I got to play all day and eat yummy food", his cheeks were full of so much colour, eyes glimmering as he recalled the day, "I had so much fun!"
The duke's eyes seemed to falter with something, the smile of happiness on his face becoming melancholic for a mere second, before he was back to that obnoxious smile. As if he had always been like that.
Wasn't he only twelve? How could a twelve year old be so... so emotionally mature? It was so obvious at that moment. The reason he had gave Edmund this job wasn't for me. It was for the boy. But how could someone so young be so aware?
I ended up staring at him for too long which he noticed and turned to me with a smirk, "Are you going to thank me now?"
"No".
"Are you sure?" He pressed.
"Yep".
"Such a difficult child", he clicked his tongue, "so why were you staring at me earlier then? Looked like you had something to say".
I was right.
"You're really clever".
Adrian looked taken aback by this and frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"You're smart. I was surprised", I've had enough.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Is this where Edmund gets it from?
"You're smart. Clever. Intelligent. Whatever you call it!" I slid off the chair and walked over to the book shelf, pulling out a thick book that had caught my interest and handed it to the stunned uncle.
"You think I'm smart?" He asked the question in disbelief.
"Smarter than you think you are", I answered, "now, read me this book".
"Eh? Oh", he hadn't realised he had grabbed the book and opened it with frowning brows. "The old traditions of the royal family? Are you sure you want me to read this? It's very gruesome".
Oh. That's what it was... It had such a fancy cover I thought it was something interesting.
"Pick something interesting and read it to me".
"I'm surprised you can't already read", he said while browsing through the shelves.
"I'm one years old..."
"Right... one years old..." he rolled his eyes. "Just another genius ready to stun the world like your brother", he muttered.
I winced at the words. Full of irritation and a loss of confidence.
He sat down on the carpet ground opening the book while I leaned against his leg.
"Adventures of Damone Cloud", he said, he read the book with fondness and smiles. Narrating it better than any audiobook I had every heard. His voice was somehow so soothing that the scenes he described came to me easily.
Edmund and Victor had come around too, lying down on the ground as they listened. No longer were they loud and rowdy, but they had become silent and just as immersed as me.
"That's enough now. I'll read the rest some other time", he shut the book.
"Awww, but I wanted to know what happens" Edmund whined and Victor shyly nodded.
"Your voice is amazing", I let out excitedly, "you have such a good voice Duke Camellia!"
"My voice?" He asked looked a bit embarrassed.
"Yeah! You'd be a great public spokesperson!"
"How do you even know what that is?"
"D-Don't change the subject! But i do think you should be a spokesperson or you could sing the national anthem for Independence Day!"
The national anthem was actually written about in the book. It was something the heroine would sing at the Independence Day festival and Jirael would hear her voice and be mesmerised. It was the duty of royals to appoint a family member to sing it. The ending iconic scene was when she sang it as the royal empress. It was such a satisfying end.
"Don't be ridiculous. Sister Cecelia usually sings. If I have do it then I might as well behead myself than face the shame of being compared to her", he shook his head dismissively.
"But it would be such a waste on your voice" I was whining at this point.
"Oh hush you" he smiled and unlike usual it was the bright smile he usually showed Edmund. He ruffled my short hair with a grin that I couldn't keep my eyes off.
Why was he so happy?