[ FLASHBACK ]
"Davien, Davien!"
Aries kept calling her brother while running in the hallway of the royal palace in the land of Rikhill. The servants naturally stepped aside, smiling, as they watched the princess look for the crown prince. She was as enthusiastic and full of ever as ever.
"Davien!" Aries pushed the door open, barging into the crown prince's chambers.
Usually, no one could barge into the crown prince's chambers. They would get stopped even before they could enter the premises of the crown prince's palace. However, the marshalls and servants in the crown prince's palace were so used to the royalties' close relationship that they — Aries, in particular — could go in and out as they pleased. Davien also approved of this.
Aries looked around the crown prince's chancery. It was empty. Her expression turned sour, clicking her tongue in irritation.
"Just what the hell is he doing?" she grumbled, marching inside and going straight to another door. "He promised to spar with me, but it's already half an hour from our promised time."
The more she thought about Davien's tardiness, the more sour her countenance was. She had been waiting and Aries didn't have that much patience to wait for more. If Davien was just scared that she would beat him up this time, she would drag him to the training grounds.
"Davien!" Aries kicked the door open, startling the person inside.
"Aime!"
Aries searched the chamber she barged into and quickly found Davien. There, dipped in the tub, was her brother. He wore a look of horror, dipping his body once again when she barged in instead of getting out of the tub to dry himself.
"So here you are." Aries crossed her arms under her chest, unfazed despite nearly seeing Davien's entire soul. "I told myself, my brother is probably handling important matters that could help the royal court and our land to a better future. But alas, here he is, showering himself with self-care. Davien, you only need to sprinkle some power and colors on your face and you'd become a crown princess."
"Aime! Why would barge into the crown prince's bathroom?! Are you insane?" Davien gasped, covering his chest from his boyish sister. "You're old enough to be doing this! You're not even betrothed yet!"
Aries arched a brow. "So?"
"What —" the rest of Davien's words rolled back in his throat, speechless by her lack of interest. This was one of the reasons the king and Davien were worrying about Aries. Although the king never forced his children into an arranged marriage, they still wished Aries to have a family of her own.
However, as years go by, Aries was becoming more and more mischievous. They were afraid that with her personality, she wouldn't fancy any man. She was manlier than other noblemen, after all, and quite intimidating to some.
"Uh…" Davien pinched the bridge of his nose in distress. "I'm sorry, alright? I will change clothes and follow you to the training grounds."
Davien lifted his gaze to her once again, only to see her unchanging expression. "I promise!"
"Alright." She nodded but didn't move an inch.
"Aime, don't tell me you will watch your brother change clothes?"
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"There is a limit to ignorance, my dearest sister."
"Davien, are you shy?"
"No?"
"Then, why does my presence bother you?" she cocked her head to the side. "I heard you and some of your friends had a good time last night. Who would have thought that my brother would indulge himself in the brothel?"
"What?"
"You even dragged Curtis with you." Her gaze turned icy as she continued. "Yet… you didn't even take me."
"..."
Davien looked at his sister with blank eyes. Was she angry because he didn't take her to the brothel? Did she even know what they did there?
"Did you think I won't get a wind of it? Do not get me wrong, Davien. I find ladies beautiful like flowers that I could look at for hours, but I am not a bug to get attracted to them. However, I'm always curious about what sort of life the ladies in the brothel have. After all, those sorts of establishments just wouldn't end," Aries continued in the same cold tone. "How could you raid the brothel without me?"
"Aime, for goodness's sake…" Davien rolled his eyes, but Aries didn't stop.
"What?" Her cold temperament soon affected the atmosphere. "Did you keep it a secret from me because you think I'd mess up your plans? Don't you still trust me? I can protect myself and I can do a better job than anybody else."
"Aime." Davien breathed out heavily, grinding his teeth. "Can we talk about this later? The water is getting cold and I do not want to catch a cold."
"No." Aries shook her head. "You stay there and listen. Do you think I barge in here just because I want to peep? I came in here, knowing you are bathing and you will not go anywhere else while naked."
Davien's eyes slowly filled with horror. He figured that was her plan all along when she first mentioned the raid last night. Seeing the horror that soon dominated his face, the corner of her lips curled up into a wicked smirk.
"You… are evil," whispered Davien in disbelief, knowing her sister wouldn't stop interrogating him while he had to stay inside the bathtub.
Davien and Aries didn't have the sweetest relationship. To be fair, it was more like a love-and-hate relationship. There were times such as this when she would go through extreme means just to make him listen to her sentiments. Some days, Davien would hang her upside down just to discipline his mischievous sister.
Despite the endless pranks and irritating shenanigans, they would pull on each other, Aries and Davien had a bond that even death couldn't break. Even when his head rolled over to her feet that day in the middle of the war, her love and respect for Davien never changed.
Even if Aries Heathcliffe was dead for her, her family and friends, and people would always live in her heart. They were just in this space in her heart, where no one else could touch them ever again. But alas, Aries didn't think there was a time someone would unlock the treasure chest in her heart that brought back everything she hid for many years.
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