~ From Behind a Fan ~

"Yes, yes," The designer chimed, examining Winter's reflection in the mirror. "Her Highness is truly a sight to behold. There simply isn't a single colour that wouldn't go with Her Highness' fair skin. You have been blessed by the gods!"

Winter flinched under the soft touch of the designer's long fingers. She knew more than anyone that to the gods she was nothing more than a freak accident. She hardly had any time to digest her fate, since preparations for their ninth birthday banquet were at their peak.

"Now," The designer exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I've brought an abundance of designs and fabrics for Your Royal Highnesses to look at. Shall we take a look?"

Winter groaned and shifted uncomfortably beside Aiden in her seat. They flipped through a series of designs and felt several different fabrics. Winter didn't take interest in this kind of stuff, but apparently her dress was to be taken seriously. The Duchess told her that since she was the Empire's only Princess, she held significant influence in the social world. She explained how likely it was for her choice of dress to become a trend after the banquet, since Winter was currently the most popular socialite in high society.

"Well?" The designer chimed, adjusting her thin-framed glasses with a hand. "What do you think?"

"I'll just go with whatever colour Winter chooses," Aiden exclaimed half-heartedly. "Just make it so we match."

"Oh my," The designer smiled, fanning her face with a wrist decorated with a pin cushion. "Of course, matching outfits will truly be adorable!"

"Just make it simple," Aiden grumbled, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temples. "As long as it's not too frilly or gaudy, then I don't mind."

The designer nodded enthusiastically, snapping her fingers at her assistant. The assistant scribbled several notes down on a notepad with a determined look, as if she was documenting the Empire's biggest secret.

Winter frowned, studying the designs that had been laid out on the table. The dresses were all covered in either lace or ribbons, things that Winter hated most. She supposed it was the norm for kids her age, but she was mentally an adult. She felt sick at just the thought of having to wear such outfits.

"I like this design," She said, gesturing to a mermaid cut dress with lace sleeves that extended as a cape. "But could you remove the ribbons? I like simple things, so I think the lace sleeves and plain dress would be more ideal."

The designer pushed her glasses up on the nose of her bridge and studied the design carefully. She tilted her head in thought, trying to envision the adjustments.

"Yes!" She said after some time with a bright smile. "I can picture it perfectly, I will not disappoint you! Has Your Highness decided on a fabric or colour yet?"

Winter nodded, tracing the pendants of her necklace with a light finger. "Red."

The designer's eyes gleamed so brightly at her reply that Winter felt like she was going to go blind. She watched as the designer showed several fabrics and colour samples to her assistant who scribbled notes with equal excitement.

"Then, shall we discuss accessories?" The designer asked. "Now that I know what Your Highnesses like, I shall bring in several options to match my altered designs during my next visit. Is there anything specific that you'd like?"

Winter feigned a smile. "I'll just wear the necklace I have on now and perhaps some red jewels or flowers in my hair. You could design my hair pieces if you'd like."

The designer's eyes widened, flickering with excitement. "Yes, I can use lace with the design of roses. That way we can use rubies and roses in the Princess' hair!"

After several hours of measurements and fabric testing, the designer and her workers excused themselves. Winter watched as they rushed away whispering in excitement at their new projects.

"Your Highnesses," Esme said softly to the twins. "Duchess Rowena has arrived for your dance lessons."

"Ugh," Aiden whined, trudging his feet along the winding corridors and never ending hallways. "Just when will we get a break?"

They followed Esme through the Palace, their knights tailing them closely. They'd lived here for quite some time, but were still unable to find their way around without any help. Winter chuckled, patting her brother on his back.

"Just put up with it for a bit longer," She said, pouting. "I don't want to do this anymore than you do."

"This banquet will be important," Ezekiel said, laughing at the twins' pain. "It will also be Your Highnesses' official coronation."

"Coronation?" Aiden said, grabbing onto Winter's arm to support his weight.

Winter stumbled under the pressure into Ezekiel, who flinched in response to their sudden contact. Ezekiel's face flashed red before he turned his head to the side in an attempt to hide his reaction. Winter had slept, bathed and ate with her necklace on everyday. She hadn't taken it off once since Ezekiel put it on her. The thought gave him butterflies as he reached out an arm to offer her assistance.

Winter took Ezekiel's hand, regaining her footing with his support. "Apparently they're going to crown us. It's probably because His Majesty wants to publicly recognize us as monarchs under the Empire."

Aiden furrowed his brows. "I don't get it."

"You will be officially recognized as a Prince," Sir Emris explained, tugging Aiden off of Winter who could hardly keep up with him clinging to her. "The members of the Royal Family are coronated in the order for which they stand in line to the throne. Although Prince Alexion has not been officially recognized as the Crown Prince, since he has been coronated first, it is assumed that he will be next in the line of succession."

"Then it's Prince Lysander and then you," Winter explained, smiling thankfully at Sir Emris who now dragged the half-asleep Aiden along in her stead.

"What about you?" Aiden asked, clinging onto Emris' arm. "Is Winter not allowed to become King?"

Winter sighed. "I'm a female, so I can't succeed the throne."

Aiden's face turned cold and his eyes began to flicker with several thoughts. "Then I'll just become King so I can make you the next King."

The air grew tense and everyone paled. Winter sighed, remaining contents of the book dangling in the back of her mind. Aiden was still too young and naive to fully understand politics. Speaking about taking over the throne was a serious matter, one he couldn't fully understand yet.

"Y-Your Highness," Esme stuttered nervously. "You must not speak so openly about matters of succession. Some people might hear and misinterpret it."

"What did I tell you about watching your words?" Sir Emris said coldly.

Aiden whined, stretching his arms out in Winter's direction. Winter frowned, thinking about how hard and cold the floor would be against her raw knees. If Aiden clung onto her again, she would fall.

"Stop that," Sir Emris intervened, tugging Aiden back to him. "I also told you to stop clinging onto the Princess so aggressively. She's much smaller than you now that you've grown and started developing muscles from training."

Aiden growled, finally walking upright for the first time. He gently slipped his hand into Winter's. Winter giggled, watching him treat her like a porcelain doll. She squeezed his hand and hummed to herself until they arrived at the ballroom.

~***~

"Hm?" The man smiled, thinking about Aiden's words carefully. "Seems like our little Prince could be quite useful."

"You don't mean that, do you?" The lady next to him complained, covering her face with a jewelled fan dripping in feathers. "He seems too childish to be taken seriously."

"That's exactly why it'll be easy," The man said, stroking his chin with a gloved hand. "A broken child who knows nothing can be easily manipulated."

The woman clicked her tongue, fanning her face carefully. Her eyes darted around, scanning their surroundings. The boy would be easy to manipulate, but the way he clung onto his sister would be problematic. She recalled the events of the last banquet, remembering how he decided to cast away an expensive gift from the neighbouring Empire simply because his sister did it first.

"Well," She cleared her throat after confirming no one was listening in on their conversation. "What about the Princess? She doesn't look like she'd be easy to manipulate. We can't use the boy as long as she's around."

The man nodded slowly, mind lost in thought. "What if you send your daughter to the Palace as her lady-in-waiting?"

"I already tried that, but the King refused. Apparently the Princess and Prince only have one maid. They don't like being around other people."

"Then have your daughter befriend the Princess at her banquet."

The woman nearly dropped her fan, narrowing her eyes at the man. "What good will that do?"

"Your daughter is a few years older than the Princess, no?" The man's eyes smiled with mischief. "Do you think a nine-year-old with an abusive past can win against a twelve-year-old with good education and social skills?"

The woman thought slowly about Catrina. Her daughter was well-rounded in all aspects of being a noble Lady. Surely the Princess would look up to her beautiful daughter with adorning eyes. If she established a close friendship with the Princess, then she could get information from a reliable source. It would be even more beneficial if Catrina could sway the Princess' views little by little, molding her into the perfect political pawn.

"I suppose it'll work," She said after some time. "I'll gain control over the Princess."

The man grinned, satisfied with her answer. "We should leave. If the servants discover us loitering around after a meeting with the King it would cause suspicion."

The lady nodded from behind her fan before turning away and leaving, the sound of her clicking heels echoing through the empty corridor. She clenched her fingers that wrapped around her fan. She would have to speak to Catrina.