chapter 14:The Siblings’ Revenge on Irene

Nearly a month had passed, and Irene had not been seen in the garden as she used to. It wasn't merely because of the royal physician's orders, but because the king himself had issued a punishment to his four children, forbidding them from leaving the palace for thirty days.

Inside the palace walls, tensions were rising. A silent hatred was growing, and suppressed anger flared in eyes and whispers. Selena and Even were the most affected — they couldn't stop talking in their room about that girl who had turned their lives upside down. Their discomfort towards Irene quickly evolved into open hatred.

One day, while Irene was in her suite learning to play the piano with her teacher, the royal physician entered with a calm smile and said:

— "I've brought you a surprise today."

Irene looked up with her quiet eyes, now showing slight signs of life… and he opened the cage to reveal a large bird with bright red feathers.

It was a majestic parrot, long-tailed and lively, watching everyone with intelligent eyes, tilting its head as if it understood everything.

The physician sat beside her and gently patted her shoulder.

— "Do you know what's special about this bird?... It repeats what it hears. You can teach it your words, and it will say them back to you."

(This was a clever attempt by the physician to encourage Irene to speak more.)

She looked at him, then at the bird with faint wonder, and cautiously approached it. When it didn't fly away, her eyes widened with innocent joy… a joy that didn't last long, but was enough for the physician to feel his gift had reached her heart.

Days passed, and the bird became her new friend. She walked around her suite with it, fed it, talked to it, and laughed when it repeated her few words. She named him Rad because of his red color, and often sat him by the piano, playing him the simple tunes she had just learned. Over time, Rad became more than just a bird… he was her companion in solitude, and another reason to speak.

---

Nearly two months later, Irene was walking as usual in the back garden under the maid's supervision. The weather was warm, the sky clear. She sat under a tree near the fountain, Rad perched on her shoulder, whispering to him words no one could hear.

But unseen eyes were watching her from afar.

Adeline spotted the scene first. She gestured subtly and whispered:

— "Look over there… that maid again."

The four siblings gathered silently around her, watching — but something in their eyes had changed. This was no longer curiosity… it was silent rage.

Noticing their stares, the maid rushed to Irene, picked her up quickly, and hurried back to the secluded suite without a word.

But Even wasn't about to let the moment slip.

While the others withdrew, he quietly followed the maid, hiding his steps, determined to find out where that stranger who upended their world lived.

He managed to trace her to the secluded wing, memorized its details, and withdrew quietly — as if he had never been there.

That evening, he returned to his siblings with a wicked glint in his eyes. Sitting in front of them, he said with confidence:

— "I found her suite. Now it's time for revenge… Because of her, we were punished. Because of her, everything changed."

None of them objected. Their hearts were already overflowing.

Selena raised an eyebrow with malice:

— "We should teach her this palace isn't a place for intruders. I have an idea…"

They exchanged glances.

A wicked plan began to take form — with Irene at its center… unknowingly.

A heavy silence hung in the room after Even's proposal, but it didn't last.

Selena, always hiding cruelty behind her calm demeanor, straightened up and said coldly:

— "How about we visit her suite… while she's out?"

The others looked at her as she continued slyly:

— "We know she goes out every day at three with her maid. We can use that time to sneak in. We'll destroy everything — her clothes, her books, anything personal. We'll strip her sense of safety. We'll show her she doesn't belong here."

A brief silence, then a wicked smile spread across Even's face as he nodded in approval:

— "Excellent idea."

Adeline exchanged looks with them, toying with her nail:

— "I'll help. But we can't get caught. No traces left behind."

As for Raoul, usually the most reserved, he nodded silently — but didn't object.

And so… the plan was set.

Tomorrow, at exactly three o'clock, when Irene left her suite with her maid as usual, four of King Arkson's children would sneak into the suite of the girl who never asked to be among them — to carry out the first steps of their growing hatred…

Unaware that this act would open a door of darkness that would never close.

---

The afternoon was quiet, sunlight slipping between the tall trees of the royal garden, as the five siblings gathered, as usual, in the eastern courtyard where Dimitri practiced his daily training.

Dimitri focused on his sword exercises — precise, practiced moves he'd trained for over and over, typically lasting an hour and a half. He completed his final set and sheathed his sword, then turned to his siblings.

He immediately noticed something was off.

They were all too quiet.

Even wasn't joking, Selena wasn't criticizing, Raoul wasn't complaining, and Adeline looked distracted, as if waiting for something.

He raised a brow, but chose to ignore it internally. He knew they'd been angry with him lately, especially after he had appeared to protect Irene a few times. So he said nothing.

But just as he was about to leave, he turned back one more time…

And saw them huddled near the edge of the lawn, their eyes fixed westward — toward Irene's secluded suite. They whispered, exchanged looks — not innocent ones.

Something in his chest tightened.

He stepped back, and instead of leaving… he stayed in the shadows, watching.

A few minutes later, Irene appeared in the distance with her maid, walking with her usual calm steps.

As soon as the siblings saw her, they scattered suddenly, running toward the other end of the garden, as if not wanting to be seen.

Dimitri's feet froze.

— What are they doing?

His heart began to race, an inner instinct telling him that what had been suspicion… was now reality.

He silently followed them, careful in his steps, hiding among the tall trees.

---

The four siblings reached the suite quickly. No one was around. The maid had gone with Irene, and the heavy wooden door was left slightly ajar.

One by one, they crept in.

Even entered first, followed by Adeline, then Raoul. Selena closed the door quietly behind them.

The room was still… everything in its place. The bed was tidy, white chiffon curtains swayed gently, and the music Irene had played that morning still rested on the piano keys.

But silence didn't last.

With quiet malice, Even pulled a sharp pair of scissors from his pocket, while Raoul drew a small blade from under his cloak.

Even whispered:

— "Let's leave her a lesson she'll never forget."

And the destruction began.

They tore the dresses one by one. Ripped books, shattered trinkets, flipped shelves, destroyed letters and notes… even the little wooden box where Irene kept her precious items was crushed without mercy.

They moved to the next room… where the royal physician's gifts were stored: an ivory music box, a silk doll from the Kingdom of Valerian, expensive perfumes.

Everything… turned to chaos.

Selena was tearing a pillow when Even suddenly shouted:

— "Look at this!"

He pointed to the cage with the red parrot… Rad.

He approached, opened the door, reached in, and grabbed the innocent bird, who was looking around unaware.

Adeline hesitated:

— "Even, don't touch him. He's—"

But he didn't wait.

With burning, sick rage in his eyes, he held the bird by its wings, slammed it onto the table, then stabbed it repeatedly with the scissors. The sound of feathers being ripped, the bird's choking cry before it fell silent… froze everyone in place.

Then, coldly, he grabbed its head… and tore it off.

Selena gasped and stepped back. Adeline covered her mouth. Raoul looked away in disgust.

Raoul said in shock:

— "You're insane!"

But there was no time for remorse.

Suddenly, Raoul — still by the window — cried:

— "They're coming back! Irene and her maid are returning!!"

Selena screamed, rushing toward Even:

— "You idiot! I told you not to leave any clear evidence! What have you done?!"

Even panicked, looked around wildly, then ran to the piano, lifted the lid, stuffed the bird's body among the strings, and slammed it shut.

— "They won't find it… they won't know."

— "You're a fool!" Adeline shouted, rushing to the door.

And they all fled — just as quickly as they had come, leaving behind only destruction, blood, and scattered feathers.

---

From among the trees… Dimitri saw everything.

He saw them go in, and saw them run out, panicked.

He didn't follow — he didn't need to.

He knew something terrible had happened.

In truth, he had been watching Irene from afar, expecting they might confront her directly.

But what he didn't know yet… was that Irene was just steps away from discovering the nightmare they had left behind.