Chapter 18

On the branches of the tree, the birds chirping to the melody of the wind.The bright light from the sun shines through the glass door at the balcony. She opened her eyes, groaning. Pain all over her body. The milky white skin was colored with small redness in few area of her body. She blinked a few time, grabbed the bell, and ring the bell.

Nika and Yua came in with a basin of water and a face towel. She wiped her face with the warm water. 'Did he went out while I was asleep? Well, that's good, I don't really want to see him off,' she thought.

"My Lady, the bath is ready," said Yua.

She instantly felt refreshed as she soaked in the warm scented water. 'Warm bath, massage, a full body therapy. Look at what riches could give you…'

Her wavy hair was soft, smooth and easy to manage. Yua combed her hair and styled it into a single braid. "My Lady, do you have any plan for today?"

"I had gotten the permission to visit my siblings. Take me to kitchen first. I want to make them their favorite cookies." Aretha replied.

"My Lady, you could tell the chef to do it. There is no need to tire yourself."

"No worry. I am not tired at all, and it is something I must do on my own. My sibling might be feeling insecure staying in such unfamiliar place. This is nothing but a bribe to coax and comfort them."

"Must you do it by yourself, My Lady? Perhaps, you could just have the chef do it for you on your instruction."

"No. I will do it myself. How can it be the same as mine even if the ingredients used were the same? It could only be special if it is my handiwork."

"My Lady, your love for your siblings is truly commendable."

"Well, that because… they are the only family I have…"

Yua and Nika exchanged look. "My Lady, what cookies were you planning to make?" Nika said, to change the topic as the atmosphere getting heavier.

Aretha tilted her head to one side, chuckled. "Chocolate cookies for Peter and Diana, with lots of chocolate toppings. They like theirs sweet, after all. Ginger cookies for Cole, strawberry cookies for Lucy, and lemon cookies for Daphne."

Her eyes wide opened. "My Lady, your siblings, sure have a wide range of preferences," Nika commented.

Yua added, "My Lady's love for her siblings truly is something to die for. It would filled anyone with envy for that love was not something you see frequently."

Aretha chuckled. "I have my thanks for my grandparent, whom raised me with so much love. My siblings were also raised with so much love from their parent. We are too accustomed to love that we seek for love more than hatred."

Nika and Yua though it was strange. The young lady spoke as if she and her siblings were from a different family. Was they not one family? However, they kept their thought to themselves as it was not their place to question the young lady's past.

Aretha stared at the jewelries on the table in front of her, and at her face adorned with light makeup in the mirror. "Tell Sir Agustin that I wished to meet him."

"Yes, My Lady."

"Thank you."

"My Lady, you do not need to thank us for this is our obligation for you. It is an honor to be able to serve you."

"I am thankful for the loyalty that you have shown. Do not reject it, for I will be sadden if you do."

"We gladly received you thank."

***

In the evening, at the south building.

The room was bright, as sunny as it is. Five children sat on the couch holding a book each. The low coffee table in the middle of the couch was filled with cookies, macaroon, cakes and all sort of desserts, with cups of tea, coffee, and chocolate drink.

Peter put down the book he read, and grab a piece of cookies. "The one that sister made, much better than this," he said. He drank the hot chocolate to freshen his palate.

Daphne peeked on Peter as she held the book on her face. "That because she made it specially based on our preferences. That's why it suited our taste more. I too, missed the cookies she made. The lemon cookies she made was unrivaled in it sourness," she added.

Cole laid on his back holding his book upward. His eyes never left the words from the book. "Shouldn't we started the play? The earlier we started, the earlier we could finished. Don't we?"

Diana had her book lying flat on her face, as she laid on her back. She, was bored, definitely. When she heard the word 'play' she rose from her nap and blinked her eyes excitedly. "Do we started today? It still too early though. It was still the second day being here."

Peter sighed. He laughed. "Although you said that, your face clearly show how excited you are."

"I can't help it, could I? It was extremely boring without sister, and, I can't practice my swordsmanship until sister give her permission," Diana replied.

"We can't be reckless, when facing something new, after all."

"I know. That's why I'm here, doing this boring reading time with that four-eyes."

Cole's eye twitched. He closed his book, and sat on the couch. "Who are you calling four-eyes, shorty."

"No one. Why are you so conscious to it?"

"You—"

"Enough!" Peter interjected. "Do not start any fight right now."

Daphne closed her book. She cleared her throat. "It look to me, that it would be better if we occupied ourselves with some fun play time."

Lucy placed her book on her lap. She nodded. "I agree to that."

"Seem to me, everyone is eager to start our play." Peter said.

"Then, we will start with hide-and-seek." Daphne suggested. She grinned as the little heads of the other children nodded.

Lucy raised her hand. "Then, I would suggest Peter as the seeker. He best at making excuses after all."

"Making excuse, you said," Peter said, his face looked disappointed.

Lucy giggled. "He he. Not in a bad way, of course. You are the best when it come to being smooth talker. That's all."

"That's all?" Peter's shoulders dropped.

Cole laughed. "Oh! Truly, your speech is like a clear water running through a green mountain. People would instantly believed whatever you said."

Peter sighed, resigned to his fate. "That's probably for the best, and, the rest of you, will move in pair, for safety."

Daphne nodded. "I will paired up with Lucy, as usual."

"What? How is it that we never changed the pairing? I'm getting tired putting up with that shorty!" Cole refuted.

"Did you think I too want that? I had rather be alone than to be with that four-eyes.!" Diana pouted, crossed her arms, and hunched her back. Her eyebrows furrowed.

Daphne smirked. "What to do? The two of you always produced better result than any of us, and always earned sister's praised. She would be sadden if she know you did not like her arrangement."

Cole and Diana flinched. Cole groaned. "Whatever, this is the last time!" He turned to look at the girl. "Shorty! I'll put up with you this time."

"Hmph! I'm the one that had to put up with you. It's for sister though," she said.

Peter glanced at Daphne and smiled. He mouthed, 'thank you'. Daphne read his lips, and gestured with her index and thumb finger shaped into an 'o'.

'Grwooooll…'

They were silent. All eyes on Cole. Their gaze fall down to his stomach. "Did you perhaps birthed to a monster in your stomach. That was a loud one, I say," Lucy commented, her hand covered her mouth as she giggled.

Cole face turned red, to the tip of his ears. He bite his lips. "Can we eat something first? The dessert was not filling at all, and we did not had our breakfast, after all."

Peter chuckled. "Right. Let's fill our stomach first."

Lily and Glenn was both the maid and the servant from the main building that was entrusted with the children by Madam Pomona. They were colleague that started working at the same time, and were the two people whom Pomona and Agustin voted to care for the children, for they are the promising worker and would done better job, as what Pomona had said.

Lily likes children, and Glenn was a passionate man, thus they took a great care for the children well being. Lily also enjoyed taking care of children, for the atmosphere in a home full of children were bright and colorful, unlike the grim and dark atmosphere in the main building that occur from time to time whenever their master came back from war, subjugation or mission.

Soon as Lily heard the growling that came from Cole, she whispered to Glenn, "Notify the chef to prepare the food."

Glenn step away and and went to the kitchen as he was told. Lily walked closer to Peter. "Would you like to have your meal in the dining hall?"

Peter nodded. He looked at Lily. "Guide us to dining hall."

"Please." Lily pointed to the door with her hand.

On their way to dining hall, a woman voice rang in their ears. "You guys seem to be adapting well without me."

They turned around. The children's face lit up as soon as they saw the face of the owner of the voice. They exclaimed in excitement, "Sister!"

"I heard from your nanny, that you skip your meal, and have only been eating desserts. I was wondering whether you were trying to prevent your growth or were you ate too much dessert that your stomach could not accept any more meal."

The middle aged woman standing behind Aretha cleared her throat. She was actually worried for the children, afraid they would starved themselves, thus she could only seek for the help of their only guardian, the young lady.

"It was not like that, sister. We were planning to have our meal a little later, but was too engrossed in our reading, that we forgot about time," Daphne explained, "and we were about to go for a meal, when we heard you called for us."

Peter nodded. "It is the truth, sister. We were about to have our meal. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to join us, sister?" he added.

"I would love to, as I came here without having any meal yet. I was hoping to have a meal with you guys." Aretha said.

"I thought you might forgot about us." Cole pouted, he fiddling with his fingers, avoiding eye contact with the young lady.

"How could I. I was worried sick, pondering how would you adjust yourself to this new place. I still remembered the first time we moved to Lamiaceae Mansion, when you cried your eyes out and ended up sleeping with me."

"That happen?" he muttered. Cole face flushed with embarrassment. He wished he could wipe out that embarrassing memory of his.

Aretha chuckled. "Now then, shall we head to dining hall. Your body are still growing and need enough nutrition to grow. You would not want your growth to be affected, would you?"

Diana vigorously shook her head. "No, no, no."

Aretha tapped the girl's nose bridge with the tip of her finger. "Come on."

________________________

*Little Theater*

Linda : "My lady. Pardon me for my rudeness. However, I must share with you about my concern."

Aretha : "What is it? Tell me."

Linda : "My lady, the children woke up early this morning, then they have a walk in the garden. After that, they went to the study room and sat there for hours reading books and chatting with each other until it was afternoon."

Aretha : "They don't have breakfast?"

Linda : "That was it. They only eat some desserts, macaroons and cake with tea and coffee."

Aretha : "You must be worried for them because they did not eat proper breakfast."

Linda : "They are at the age where they need proper care after all. I cold not bear to let the young children to starve themselves."

Aretha : "I am glad you are their nanny."