Following The Smell

"A deal is a deal. Now I have come to collect my debt!" Lia said cheerfully as she walked towards two figures in the distance. She waved her hand at them, her brother's silly expression still in her head. Just thinking about it made her want to laugh again.

"Princess Lia!" Prince Noah yelled happily as he jogged towards her after clearly noticing a basket of goods, that were probably made for him. Her other brother, Prince Ethan, followed after him with an irritated expression. His friend was being taken away by his sister, at least that's what he thought.

"Since when are you so friendly with her?" He muttered to himself. Although this wasn't the first time he'd seen her, however, it was the first time he'd really taken some time to take a look at her. She was his mother's exact image, from the hair and to the same smile which one used to shine on him and his brother, just thinking about it made him even more irritated.

"Now, now, I still have to judge them." Prince Noah said with a cheeky smile,, although he already knew that he was going to like them. The fresh smell escaped the holes of the basket and the windless still air around them made the aroma surround the kids. Lia rolled her eyes, feeling impatient.

"Of course they will be delicious, they are made by yours truly. I also brought some for you b-brother..." Lia said, her cheeks slightly turning pink from embarrassment. Ethan's eyes went wide as he looked at his sister in the eyes for the first time. They never made eye contact before. However, his gaze didn't last long before he averted his eyes.

"I don't want any," He said in a cold tone, turning to face the other way. An awkward silence followed after.

"Fine, then more for me!" Noah quickly said after seeing Lia's sad expression. "Now then, let me try them."

He opened the basket, letting the smell out. Even the brother, which stubbornly turned away could definitely smell them. He didn't deny that he wanted some too, but he'd give up his honor before he'd take any from her. And the honor was the most important thing to an aspiring knight. Noah took a bite, his face turning pink and his eyes lighting up, a completely different reaction from her Brother Lucas.

"Wow, those are delicious! How can someone so young make such things! You are very mature, my lady!" He said reaching out for another one.

"What can I say? I am the daughter of an Emperor after all!" She said proudly, as a joke of course. She knew that her being smart was because of her own determination and time, it had nothing to do with the most powerful man in this Empire. Ethan scoffed, but it didn't go unnoticed by Lia. She frowned slightly, his attitude was slowly beginning to get on her last nerves. She knew that because of her, their mother died in childbirth. But it was unfair to hate on someone for just being born, they were of the same blood after all. But in the end, she couldn't find it within her to be mad at him for treating her like that, she understood that he was just a child after all. A child who lost his mother. After all, she was there too once.

"Well then, shall we?" She asked, putting on a fake smile. Noah nodded excitedly and followed after Lia without hesitation. Ethan's face twisted in confusion, as he jumped turning around.

"W-What? Where are you going with her?!" He yelled after them, his hand reaching out towards his dear friend.

"I promised to show her around. Allow me to carry your basket, my lady," He said, extending his hand to Lia. Lia's face cringed in return.

"How were you able to learn manners in a day?" She asked innocently.

"What can I say? I am the son of an Emperor," He said smirking at her while she rolled her eyes and handed him the basket. Her hand was getting tired from holding it for so long and yet again she cursed this weak body.

"You just want to hold it so you can snack on the way there. You can't fool me, your highness."

"Hey, I do have manners you know, in fact, they are better than yours."

"Oh yeah? Prove it."

As the two figures faded in the distance, Prince Ethan was left with a heavyweight on his chest as he watched his best friend walking away. His face twisted in anger as he took out his sword. His eyes glowed a dark green as he continued practicing with a new found energy fueling magic.

* * *

"Now then, my lady, this is the plan." Prince Noah said, pulling Lia aside so that the guards passing by wouldn't see them. The two of them whispered to each other, although Noah had to shush the princess countless of times for raising her voice. She just assumed he was being mean.

"I thought you said you had access!" Lia whispered yelled again. She felt tricked!

"I never said that. You must be imagining things but I do have a way in. If you do end up being caught, well then you can just say you are the princess and they will let you off the hook." He simply shrugged it like it was no big deal, in fact he didn't even know if she was allowed in, maybe there was no punishment for the royal of this country.

"What? You aren't coming with me?" Lia asked confused, she didn't want to bump into anyone otherwise she'd feel flustered with adults questioning why a child like her was in the library. With Noah around, he could at least talk his way through the conversation with his sly ways.

"Of course not! I can be executed for treason!" He said in a 'duh' tone, Lia's eyes immediately widened.

"What?" Lia yelped as Noah pushed her towards the entrance. He quickly glanced left and right before motioning for her to go in.

"I'll guard the doors. If anyone ends up coming in, I will let you know and we will run as fast as possible. But do make it quick okay? Around this time, there are barely any visitors, only guards."

"Are you serious? This is not what I signed up for!" Before Lia could protest about this awful plan, Noah already managed to push her through the doors. She tried to push the door open but the boy had probably stood on the other side of the door keeping it closed. However, the smell of books soon hit her nose and swaying her away and making all her worries disappear. She glanced around, scanning the area with her eyes.

The library itself seemed to extend for miles in every directions. It was so much bigger than her brother's library. So big that she didn't even know where to start. She decided to take a stroll, glancing at every shelf and brushing her fingertips along the books. The air around her was so quiet and peaceful, it was almost calming and meditational. If it wasn't for the anxiety of getting caught and executed that creeped out behind her. But soon enough she was able to relax and take in the only environment that made all of her worrisome thoughts seemed to disappear into thin air.

She paused in front of one of many bookshelves, in fact it was a bright-colored book that managed to catch her eye. She has never seen such a captivating color, the texture itself looked unique. As she was about to reach for it, a hand grasped her shoulder, spooking her and sending her jumping in the air. A scream almost came out of her mouth if it wasn't for another hand clasping it shut. She glanced up at Prince Noah, whose face just screamed trouble. Her anxiety soon returned and her mood was completely ruined. He made a swift motion with his finger against his lips to silence her. What had happened to his brilliant plan? What Noah didn't know, is that Lia was already planning his demise in her head.

A sound of a door opening caught both their attention. They glanced in that direction just to hear footsteps getting louder and louder. Noah grabbed Lia's hand, pulling her away from the bookshelves into the far back of the library as they hurriedly walked as quietly as possible. Both of them couldn't dare say anything, in case the third individual would hear.

"Who is it?" She whispered finally, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Your brother."

"Ethan?"

"No, the angry-looking one." At this, Lia snickered, covering her mouth when her laugh accidentally slipped through. Noah gave her a look of disapproval, although he did feel proud for making the princess of Avrigastan laugh. Usually he'd get the occasional eyeroll, definitely a scoff, and the rare genuine smile. Most of her smiles just screamed evil. He wondered if that's how Lucas would look if he ever smiled.

"Do something, you got us into this mess. He is very scary you know," Lia said, pulling on Noah's jacket for him to hurry up as the footsteps grew louder and louder. Before Lia could react, she was pulled into a dark room.

Following after the boy, she managed to observe the room she was in. The only light was coming from the door that they just closed but it managed to give shape to the objects in the room. It looked to be some sort of supply or storage room. They were chairs stacked on top of each other, some shelves with random objects and even books. Both the children hid behind some bookshelves, in case the brother decided to check this room.

Lucas, on the other hand, knew exactly where the two were. In fact he knew who it was, and he was taking is time to find them on purpose, in a way playing with them. Not only had he hear quiet whispers and footsteps, but the entire library was filled with the fresh smell of baked cookies that made his mouth water. The ones that he had the honor of testing. It was clear to him that Lia was here, along with another person he was yet to figure out who.

He was on his way to his studies when the smell hit his nose. After following the faint aroma, he ended up in the library, in front of a storage room with his hand on the doorknob. He pushed the door open slowly. Lia's heart was beating faster than ever, she didn't know what would happen to her if Lucas found her here. Even though both of them held the same royal title, he was a male, who happened to be 'stronger' than her with more 'authority'. Maybe if she acted cute and clueless she would avoid the death sentence. In fact, the cellar didn't sound as bad anymore. Or perhaps, what would happen to Noah, who wasn't even allowed to step foot inside the library. Who got dragged in to save her and because of a dumb deal he made with her, which only now sounds like child's play.

"I can smell the cookies, I know you are here."