Chapter 239: CHIRPY
Liam finally returned with two servants, each carrying trays.
He quietly took his seat with a poker expression while the servants carefully set down the teacups and teapots, then poured tea into each of them.
Bowing, they left the children be.
Everyone took a cup for themselves, sipping the tea the servants had served. The hot tea was indeed comfortable to drink.
Aristia blew on the tea lightly and took a sip, a bit of steam wafting over her face.
"Mm. Thank you, brother Liam." She said while putting down her tea cup, smiling sweetly and calling him brother.
Liam’s face softened almost instantly.
"Yes, thank you, brother Liam." Alaric and Lilith followed after.
"Thank you, brother Liam." Lauren, Alicia and Nova thanked.
"Thank you, Liam." Paige, Serina and Beatrix followed.
Liam smiled at them all in acceptance, only to suddenly hear.
"Thank you, brother Liam." Said in a sickly sweet voice.
The smile on his face faded immediately and he shivered subconsciously, turning to the person with a deep scowl.
Ivan was actually smirking at him.
Liam rolled his eyes so far Aristia feared that they would get stuck at the top of his head. "Don’t do that. It doesn’t suit a prince like you."
He was talking about the sweet, girly tone Ivan had used. "And why are you calling me brother when we’re the same age?" He asked with a bit of disgust.
Ivan pretended to frown. "But I thought it did. I was just thanking you sincerely." He said.
Unlike how Ivan expected Liam to react, Liam hummed and nodded seriously. "You’re right. It suits you. Maybe it’s better we start calling you princess Ivan."
Ivan’s smile faded and he glared at Liam.
"Princess Ivan." Lauren repeated in a whisper, covering her mouth to hide her laugh, but they all heard her words despite the buzz of people around them.
Ivan’s glare on Liam increased.
But Liam actually covered his mouth with an exaggerated gasp. "I’m sorry, I hope you aren’t angry that I called you Princess Ivan. It made it sound like you’re a boy. You look so offended. I should have called you Princess Ivanna instead. I really apologize."
"Pfft!!" Aristia burst into laughter, making a few people around turn to their table with a bit of curiosity while others showed some disapproval.
Everyone in her table turned to her too. They wanted to laugh too, and most of them did, but they didn’t make it obvious.
Aristia shook her head and stopped laughing, wiping tears from her eyes.
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Go on." She waved her hand for them to continue with what they were doing.
[Who knew you had such a sharp tongue, Liam.] She thought in amusement.
She wasn’t worried about both of them arguing and glaring at each other. The others weren’t too. Ivan and Liam had a somewhat good relationship.
They were both related to Aristia, and even if they had a problem with each other, they wouldn’t be able to do anything even with the difference in status.
They would have no choice but to get along because Wilson was close to his family and Catherine was close with hers. They were also the same with the family of the other.
They wouldn’t want to damage that relationship just because of the two boys if they didn’t like each other.
"..."
Liam and Ivan shut their mouths and sipped their tea in silence, huffing at each other since they couldn’t blame Aristia.
"Childish." Aristia mumbled. She looked away from them and to Lauren who had started to speak.
After the banquet, the Aristocrats left.
Aristia and her family remained in the palace, but the Antons hadn’t left either.
"Ivan will soon be leaving for the academy." Rowaine said with a smile to Catherine.
Catherine nodded. "Yes. We’ll miss him."
"He should spend as much time as possible with the family before he leaves." Rowaine said.
"Liam should too." Alistair said, coming towards them.
Rowaine nodded in agreement. Their two children were the same age and would also leave for the academy at the same time. It would be the first time their sons would be away from them for such a long time.
"Then we’ll hold many gatherings." Rowaine decided. "Gatherings for the family. Everyone must attend."
"That’s a good idea, your majesty. We can also invite close friends." Alistair nodded with a smile, welcoming the idea.
And so Rowaine, Alistair and Catherine got to planning tea parties that would hold five times in a week until their sons left for the academy.
Aristia’s face almost turned white.
[What’s this now? Someone tell me what the hell just happened!!! How did I get forced to attend tea parties almost everyday for more than three weeks just because my cousins are leaving for boarding school?! It’s insane!!! Insane I tell you!!]
But she couldn’t voice her thoughts, which left her eye twitching.
"...Tia!" Lauren poked her, shaking her out of whatever trance she was in.
"Eh?" Aristia asked, turning to look at her with a blank expression.
Lauren had a pointed look on her face.
"Are you alright, Tia?"
"Of course, I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be?" Aristia asked, her words coming out quickly.
"Well, I’ve been calling your name and you didn’t respond. And your eyes keep doing that." Lauren quipped with her hands on her hips.
"Doing what?" Aristia asked, now blinking multiple times.
"Doing this," Serina said from her other side and imitated the action of Aristia’s eye twitching. "And now you’re blinking nonstop."
"Oh no, I’m fine. Everything’s just chirpy!" Aristia laughed with a slightly high pitched voice, before walking forward like a robot.
"Chirpy?" Beatrix asked with a puzzled expression.
"Is she sure she’s okay?" Serina asked.
"She doesn’t look like it..." Lauren shook her head.
The three stood side by side, staring at Aristia’s leaving back.
A few seconds later.
"Uhh... The real question should be, where’s she going?" Serina asked.