CHAPTER 7: Meeting THEM Again

Time passed by so fast. I didn't even feel it. I am already I year old. There were so many things that happened last year. My parents settled for five knights to guard me. A lot of debates happened between our family just for deciding how many knights will be my guards. My brothers also joined their ridiculous debate. It's not worth debating for, but they made it a big issue that it spreads to the whole kingdom. After that, many people also joined the debate. It almost got into voting on how many knights should I have. If I didn't cry that time, they would inevitably proceed with the voting. Gosh, it's embarrassing! I got famous for a moment there.

In my first month, I got my eyesight and it makes me pleased that I could now see my surroundings. My family had a party for me like it's my first birthday. All nobles and the royal family were invited. It was a splendid and extravagant celebration. My family was overdoing this. But, I feel blessed to have this kind of family.

In my second month, I started to smile at them when they tried to amuse and entertain me. There was one time that my father was scolded by my mother. He didn't attend the court meeting of the high-ranking nobles and the king, because he's busy making me smile. He got excited that he never leaves my side. Mom threatened him to have separate rooms with him if he wouldn't leave my side. That's the time when father came back to his senses.

When I was three months old, I started to say my first words. I know it's too early for a baby to say her first words, but I have a soul with memories of my past life and another person's memories. Daddy was so ecstatic to hear my first word, 'dada'. That's what I could do. The words, 'mama', 'dada', 'bwo(bro)', and other words that were easy to say, were all that I could speak. I could see the joy on my father's face when he heard me saying 'dada'. He almost spread the news to the whole kingdom if my mother didn't intervene. I was relieved when she stopped him. But, later on, I realized that she was just jealous because my first word is not 'mama'. She didn't want to spread it. If my first word was 'mama', I guess she would be the one to spread it and my father couldn't stop her. *sigh* So, I guess I made the right decision to make my first word 'dada', even though my father slept in another room for a week. As long as this incident won't be spread to the whole kingdom again, it's fine.

When I was four to five months old, I started to crawl and sit on my own. It's so hard. I felt like I'm exerting too much energy. I started to say hard words but I couldn't pronounce them well. I started to read scholarly books. The old Avyana didn't study that much and that's why I need to know the things that weren't in the old Avyana's memories. When mom saw me reading those books, she cried. I thought she was happy because her child is studious. But, I thought wrong. My mom cried because of anger. She confiscated it. And because of that, I was banned from the library. She scolded all the servants and my five guards because they didn't protect me properly. I just sighed at that moment. I learned my lesson to not sneak out again. One wrong move and many people would be in trouble because of me. I need to be careful next time.

This family sure is hard to handle, but they cherish their loved ones. They would do anything to make their family happy and protect them from anything. The old Avyana used them to get what she wanted.

Since I'm Avyana now, I'll make sure that they'll live long and comfortably.

When I was in my sixth and seventh month old, my brothers started to play with me. Mom did let them since they never had a chance to go near me when I was one to five months old. It's because father never let them. He would make them train after their lessons ended. So, their schedules became like this: academic lessons in the morning and training all afternoon. After their hard training, they would pass out from tiredness and they couldn't give me time. I understand them. It seems like my father didn't want me to get close to them. He didn't want to share me with my brothers. How much more when I'm going to find a man I love someday and marry him in the future? *sigh* I didn't even have a boyfriend in my past life. And now, knowing my father and brothers who are so possessive of me, I guess I'll just die an old maid.

My brothers were so happy that mom let them play with me. When mom found out that father did that crazy training to my brothers, she was so angry at him that he slept for a month in another room AGAIN. But, before that, he looked at me like he needed my help, but I just avoided his eyes. How could you ask for help from a mere seven months old, Father? I saw the dreary look on my father's face in my peripheral vision. He looked pitiful but I didn't have a choice. Mom is always the boss. Tch. You never learned your lesson to not mess with the wrong woman, Father.

Alexander was 8 years old, Adonis was 7 years old, and Axel was 6 years old at that time. They loved

swords so much that they often made the sword fight a normal game. I was shocked when they gave me a wooden sword to play with them for our first time playing together. It was so damn heavy that a seven months old like me couldn't carry. I called out to my mother and father loudly because I want to complain. These bully brothers! *cries* They forced me to hold the wooden sword. When it fell from my hands, they would get it and make me hold it again. Were they expecting that I could easily hold a wooden sword, like them? *cries* They're just bullies!

When mom and dad rushed inside my room, where we were 'playing', they saw the wooden sword on the floor in front of me and my brothers holding their wooden swords. Mom and dad were so furious that I could almost feel the intense atmosphere in my room. I saw my brothers broke a sweat just by looking at our furious parents. Uh-oh! I'm sorry brothers, but I would prefer the adult you. And because of what happened, my brothers were banned again to play with me.

When I was between my seventh and eighth month old, I received lots of toys from unknown someone. One by one, the toys suddenly appeared in my room. I got suspicious of them. I wonder why a new toy would appear whenever I went back to my room from taking a stroll outside with my nursemaid. I suspected the three idiots..no, I mean, my three brothers. So, one time, I hid under my bed with so much struggle and later on, the windows opened, then I saw three pairs of small legs tiptoeing in my room. I chuckled at the sight. I knew it! I decided to scare them since it's my way to make them pay about last time. I crawled out of bed and screamed 'ROAR!' to them. I thought they would be scared, but I was wrong. They looked at me like I was a tiny teddy bear that caught their attention. *facepalm* My plan failed.

They immediately bear-hugged me and kissed me on my cheeks. They apologized to me about last time. They said that I was too fragile to hold a wooden sword, so they won't play with swords again with me. They looked at me with their puppy faces. Oh, they're using an underhanded method to make me accept their apology. Did they think they could win me over with that? Of course, not. *cries* I was just lying to myself. How could I resist their cuteness? They're making me blind.

Since the time I was forced to accept their apology, Mom unbanned them from playing with me. So, during my eight to eleven months in this world, my brothers and I were playing every day in my room, and sometimes outside. And since I only have dolls, they also joined me at my tea party with my dolls and talking with them. They also memorized all the names of my dolls. *smirk* I will surely tell their future wives about this. *evil laugh*

"Young lady, we need to get ready for your birthday party." I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard my maid. I almost forgot that I have a birthday party tonight. I got up and the maids instantly prepare the things they need and took care of me. Ugh. I don't want to see those three bastards from the past who mocked us before the execution.

Mom said that I get to meet the children of all other nobles and royals tonight. She's excited for me to meet them. She thought I would be happy if I met children my age. She invited all nobles and royals including their children to make their appearance tonight so I can make friends. Oh, mom, if only you knew that my feelings were opposite to what you thought. But, I don't want to rain on her parade. It's the first time I saw her this excited.

Those lower ranks than us would bring their children with them because if they won't, it's disrespect to the high-ranking noble who invited you. It's also their opportunity to make allies with the high-ranking nobles. The royals, on the other side, can do what they want. If they didn't want the prince and princesses to attend, they wouldn't bring them. But, my family is the most trusted ally of the crown and the most influential and powerful family in the kingdom. Who wouldn't want to gain our favor? Even the prince and the princesses need our favor to have power. The prince who gained our favor will be sure to inherit the crown. We have many followers and allies on the nobles' side, merchants, and other wealthy people. So, I guess there will be a complete attendance to the nobles tonight. *sigh* I guess I can't avoid meeting THEM.

"You're ready, young lady." I thanked all my maids with a sweet smile on my face. I saw them blushed. I don't know why they blushed but maybe it's because of my smile? Char! *laughs*

We heard a knock and the sound of the door opening. My family came in wearing their sweet smiles. I sweetly smiled back at them. I'm so lucky to have them.

"My baby is so cute and pretty. Come to mommy." As if on cue, I started running towards my mom with my arms open wide. Mom carried me and kissed me at once, followed my father who kissed my forehead.

"Me too! Me too, mom, dad!" I heard my brothers exclaimed. They're so cute. *giggles* Well, they're still kids. *laughs* Says the One-year-old kid.

"Later, boys. Let's go to the venue. The guests are waiting for us."

Here it comes. I was preparing for this day to face the people who also caused this family into ruin from the past. And also, time to meet THEM again.