Chapter Text
{The Flower Gardens on the west side of the palace}
The long grass around my body swayed in the wind, as flowers bloomed in hues of red, pink, and orange, and trees gained their leaves once more; a display of the coming spring. Fountains decorated the cobblestone pathway in the gardens, that led from one entrance of the palace’s west wing to another. The sun shone down brightly onto me as I lay in the grass of the garden. I can finally have a moment of peace away from the chaos of the royal life. My ginger hair up in a crown braid, a pair of drop opal earrings hanging from my ears. A white bloused dress with a navy blue skirt and long sleeves adorned my body, a few flowers from the garden weaved into my braided hair.
The sun shone down on my body as I basked in the warm feeling of the suns rays on my skin. I closed my eyes and relaxed my tense body. After what felt like a few seconds of warmth and relaxation the feeling of the suns rays on my skin faded, my eyebrows furrowed as I opened my eyes to see my youngest brother, Ansel standing over me, arms crossed, pouting like a little boy.
“Evangelineeee, get up I need you to help me with something.” Ansel whined, eyes boring down at me.
Well fuck my plans for a peaceful afternoon I suppose, I thought as I collected myself. “What could you possibly need right now?” I replied.
“Elodie stole my training sword and she wont give it back..” he complained, crossing his arms and pouting like a child, as if he wasn’t a 17 year old. It was pathetic really, he looked like a 9 year old boy who just lost a game of tag.
“What do you want me to do about it?” I retorted, finally sitting up from my comfortable spot in the grass. A painful goodbye to the warmth that had surrounded me just a minute ago.
“Be the responsible sister you should be and make her give it back to me, I have practice in less than an hour!” he barked back, throwing his hands around as he spoke.
“And why should I? It isn’t my fault that Elodie took your training sword?” I questioned, looking up at him as I reached my hands over my head and stretched before finding my courage to stand once more.
“Because if you don’t….ill….um…” He stood there trying to come up with a reason that she should help him out. After a few moments of stuttering a glimmer shone in his eye. “I’ll start telling father about that girl from the village that you keep sneaking out to go see!” He retorted finally, his tone confident as he placed his hands on his hips.
At the excuse he gave I found myself quickly rising to my feet. I knew for a fact that if father were to find out I was hanging out in the village especially with a girl he hadn’t given ‘approval’ to be my friend he would surely have my head.
“Fine, fine…Just keep that mouth of yours shut. got it?” I grumbled walking toward the entrance to the palace, as Ansel trailed behind me like an annoying puppy.
The walls were adorned with gold trimmings on the top and bottom of every wall, the hallway filled with the families lineage, portraits lined the walls as windows shone the rays of light onto them.
As we approached the East part of the palace Maids and Butlers started appearing more and more as we had entered the portion of the Palace where most of the Palace Staff resided, the difference in style of halls wasn’t very noticeable, there was just more doors as the Staff too needs a place to sleep during the night.
After a long stroll to Elodies room we finally arrive at her bedrooms door. I stepped forward and knocked on the large door.
“Elodie? You in there?” I questioned as Ansel stood behind me, hiding like a coward.
A few moments later I heard the doors lock move before the door slowly opened, my younger sister Elodie standing there with a scowl on her face.
“What do you want?” she said glaring at Ansel and I.
“Do you have Ansel’s practice sword?” I inquired, pushing Ansel forward, forcing him to look at Elodie.
“And if I do?” she responded, her voice holding that usual bratty tone she had.
“Then ill have to hold Prince Alan captive until you explain why you took it” I threatened. Its basically common knowledge that Elodie has a stuffed teddy bear named Prince Alan that she cherished immensely, it made sense though, its one of the few gifts our father got her. We all have at least one item we got from our father that is irreplaceable as it is one of the few times he is able to show his love for us all, he was a king after all…of course he is busy.
“NO” she screamed before coughing. “That will not be necessary Evangeline” she corrected herself a bit and stood up a bit taller.
“Alright now that we have everyone together” I started pushing Ansel into Elodies room as I followed suite. “We can figure this out”.
“There isn’t anything to figure out, she stole from me!” Ansel complained. I quickly met his complaint with a swift hit to the back of his head.
“Alright Elodie, please explain why you took his practice sword.” I encouraged, watching them both closely as to avoid any unnecessary conflicts or arguments.
“Well he made me really mad a yesterday because he broke my brand new tea set, y know the one I begged father to get me for a whole month” she grumbled “So I stole his practice sword so he could see how it feels to have something you like taken from you” she argued.
I mean really I couldn’t blame her, I have done similar things to Leviathan but that’s besides the point, I can’t condone this behavior…or could I? No I can’t no matter how much I wish I could.
“Well it seems like there is a compromise to be made then.” I concluded “Ansel you will replace the tea set that you broke and in turn Elodie will give you back the practice sword.”
I mean really my ideas are just amazing, who could’ve come up with that?… Exactly.
Eventually she gave him back the practice sword with a bit more bribery
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Who could’ve guess only an hour later I would be stuck here in a stupid tea pot shop with Elodie and Ansel. I should’ve assumed that I would somehow get pulled here. I really can never catch a break can I? I suppose its for the better that I came with though, if I didn’t someone might’ve lost a kidney.
“I want…this one!” Elodie exclaimed pointing at a beautiful tea set made of jade with golden flowers and leaves adorning its pot and cups, the price however was incredible, 1000 dollars for a simple tea set, I can only hope that Ansel has the money to pay for it.
“THAT’S SO EXPENSIVE” Ansel yelled staring at the price tag as if it had physically attacked him.
I suppose that this may be the equivalent of having a kidney stolen for Ansel based on how he reacted to that price tag.
“I am NOT buying that for you Elodie, pick another one.” he retorted.
“Well then I guess I will have to take that practice sword from you again.” she said with a smirk.
I knew this would end with someone losing a kidney… Well I suppose I will have to mediate the situation, by that I mean I am going to get stuck buying this overpriced tea set so nobody is killed in their sleep tonight.
I eventually bought the tea set as Elodie and Ansel waited outside.
“Thank you for putting up with them, Mrs.Barley” I curtly said to the woman who ran the tea set shop, we were basically regulars at this point with the amount of tea sets that Elodie bought and looked at.
“No problem Evangeline. Please let your mother know that my husband has her dress tailored and ready in his shop down the road, if you would be so kind” she asked.
“Of course I can, Mrs.Barley” I called behind me as I walked out the door.
It didn’t take long to get back to the palace gates as I handed Elodie the Jade tea set and went on with the tasks that I had to do now that it was past my two hour grace period. Tomorrow certainly isn’t going to be any easier by any stretch of my imagination.