First Meal with the Family.

"Your Highness, please wake up. Your family has requested for your presence," Hmm? Family?

I yawned as I slowly open my eyes, and it fell right into Themis who's opening the curtain of my window--wait, no, that is not my window! I'm in a different room! And what did she just said? My family has what now?! 

Noooo! I don't want to meet them!

Ahhh!

"Your Highness?" And since when did Themis starts calling me like that?

"Themis..." I mumbled.

"Good morning, Your Highness. Please make haste, the Emperor and the Princes are waiting for you. They wished to have breakfast with you," Dang it, what a pain. This is it, the first day of my miserable life has come! What the heck should I do once I faced them?

Ignore them? No, no. Diellzain definitely wouldn't want that. Hmm, but I can't just act close to them even if they're my family. Should I observe for now? But they might get suspicious of me and blame my maids about it. Should I just...entertain them?

"Themis, where are we?" I asked. This room is not familiar after all, and the interior design is more extravagant and the loots here looks luxurious than the ones in the Antares Palace! Please, God of this world, let me go back to my previous world with these loots here. 

"Your Highness, we're at the Alphard Palace. Where the previous princesses has stayed. The Emperor ordered that you are staying here from now on," I stared at Themis as she explain. Why does it seems like she's worried about something? Is it because I am now exposed to my shitty family?

Well, that's right! I am also concerned for my own life! Ahhh! Goddess of Fate!

"The Emperor...is he my father?" I already know that he's not my father, so please reassure me with that, Themis!

"Hmm..." Themis stayed smiling at me without saying anything. She nod her head. Of course, she has to lie. There's no way you'd tell a 5 year old the harsh truth that you've got a different father from your older brothers. Not when Alina's been looking for her family ever since she started thinking. 

"Well then, let's bathe you and dress up. Ryna, Ande! Can you assist me with the Princess?" Themis went to the door and opened it. The two maids she called bow their heads before entering the room. 

"Greetings, Your Highness the First Princess," Ryna greeted...

No, don't call me like that! Argh, dang it, why are they acting like this? They usually just greet me 'Good Morning, Princess' because that's how I asked them to greet me?

"Greetings to the First Princess," Even Ande, the energetic one among the two has calmed down! This is not right, I don't like this. 

"Good morning! Looking forward to your service!" I greeted and crawl down from my bed. Ryna and Ande smiled at me. 

"Your Highness seems really happy," No, I am not. This is an act, an act. 

Why do this have to happen? Just when I asked Ryna and Themis to start eating dinner with me! Now, I won't be able to, because I am now needed in the dining hall every single meal. 

"Hihi, of course! But, but, can Themis, Ryna, and Ande still eat with me during dinner?" I asked. I couldn't be any happier if they are allowed to eat dinner with me every night, at least I still have a peaceful time of my life!

I wanna cry...

Why aren't they answering my question?!

"We apologize, Your Highness. I'm afraid the Emperor and the Princes won't allow that," Themis answered. But why not?! No, please, I want to remain sane. If I spend my time with them, I'll end up killing myself, you know? But, I can't tell them about that.

"Then, I can ask my Father about it!" I giggled and held Themis's hand. 

"Let's make haste, make haste!" 

--

I feel like throwing up. My stomach hurts, and I feel cold. These chills won't stop...

And the cause of these mixed feelings within me is...

"Greetings, Father and Brothers. Alina Devi de Ciera is honored to finally meet you," Haha, no way in hell I am honored to meet these beasts. And why are they all smiling like that to me? 

"Good morning, Ali," Aelius greets as he smile at me with those soft and gentle smile. Bruh, you can't sway me with that beautiful smile no matter what you do!

Still, something's really, really, really strange. Is this how they treated Alina when she first arrived in the Alphard Palace? Not just the way they trespassed the Antares Palace, even the way they're treating her is different. They even gave her a nickname?

But, the book mentioned that Alina never received any kind of affection from her family? No, if that's really the case, what was the reason they brought Alina out from the palace?

This Clara is in literal confusion. 

"Good morning, brother!" Yes, haha. What is plan B again? Yeah, ignore them and live the best of my life. And what was plan C? Try my best to live with them around. And that's exactly how this is going to happen. 

If I ignore them when they're the ones approaching me, they might think I am disrespecting them, and it might lead to my early death. And that's the ending I'm trying to avoid!

"Good morning, Ali. How's your sleep?" Helios asked. He's trying his best not to look scary in front of me, huh?

"It's great, Brother! I feel so comfortable!" I replied and giggled.

"That's good to hear. It would be a shame if we can't provide an even more comfortable room than the one in the Antares Palace," Diellzain spoke. He's looking at me with that blank expression. Now, that's the face they should show me. And why is he comparing my room in the Antares Palace from the one in the Alphard Palace? So competitive!

"It's nice to finally meet you, my child. It's your Dad," I look at the one who spoke. He's sitting at the end of this long table, across where we are standing. This man is gorgeous. He's got straight black hair and red eyes, an eye distinct to those of Ciera. But, only one of his children got his eyes, well Odilia's genes is that strong, I guess? You can't even see a hint of Alina's father in this appearance. Even the hair is Iliana's.

That man that seats across me is the Emperor, Orpheus Raven de Ciera. The one who got the same color as his eyes is Amara Euniq de Ciera. The First Princess, but still got the eye design of the Odilia's, and Iliana's hair color. 

Wait, he said 'it's your dad', didn't he? Didn't he?!

Ahhh! Don't emphasize that!

"Nice. Meeting you, Daddy!" Ahh, I messed up! I didn't mean to put a period to that nice! Now they're looking at me with those wide eyes! Spare me, spare this kid. 

"Pfft--" Diellzain covered his mouth as he look away from my direction. I giggled in order to CALM MYSELF! And did he just laugh? He laughed, didn't he? Is he mocking me?

"I will now take my leave, Your Majesty, Your Highnesses. I hope that you enjoy your breakfast together," I turn to Themis and wave my hands at her, she bowed to us and then waved back to me as she chuckle.

"Hehe..." I replied. 

Please, don't leave me alone here! No way I'm gonna enjoy this meal, all I want to do is cry.

"Please take a seat," Huh? But that chair is too high for me?

"Ahh..." that's the only thing I could say when I suddenly started floating in the air and my body went to the chair beside Diellzain, across Aelius. 

I blinked for a couple of times as I look at Orpheus putting down his hand after he used magic to let me take a seat towards the chair. I gasped as I clasp my hands together and face our father. 

"Woah! That's amazing, Daddy!" I said, with a huge smile on my face. That's right, act Clara, act. You can do it, myself, stay strong! This was never my plan, but I have to do this. 

"Haha, do you want to learn magic?" He asked. I nodded my head repeatedly as I reply. 

"Yes, yes! It's amusing!" I feel like tears are going to come out from my eyes. I hope they stay inside my eye socket, otherwise I'll die. 

"You'll learn about it once you turn seven," Diellzain faced me and then placed his hand on top of my head. 

"Hehehe..." He won't grab my head and detach it from my neck, won't he? Haha...what the heck, I am scared!

He ruffled my hair and then smiled at me. Huh? Did he just smiled at me? Wait, did he really smile? That looks real, am I dreaming? He looks beautiful when he smiled! 

Wait, no. Don't be caught by his beauty, self! 

And why did he suddenly smiled at me like that when he was looking at me blankly earlier?!

"Are you happy to see your family, Ali?" Aelius asked. Of course, not! Why are they acting like this? It's confusing me! What's happening? Did the author suddenly turned them into kind people? No way!

"Yes, brother. I've been wanting to meet you all ever since!" I replied as I sway my body left and right while happily giggling. Dang it, my jaws are getting numb from all these fake smiles. 

"Say, Ali. Do you know our names?" Helios asked, he's really trying his hard to smile properly. It's not working, brothah, your smile looks scary. But, how am I suppose to know your names if you're not yet introducing yourselves to me? Still, I already know their names, through Themis. Based on my memory, she already introduced them to Alina. 

I stayed smiling at him without answering his question. I can't just say 'yes, I know everything about you', right? But like I said, Themis had already introduced them to me waaaay before I, Clara came here. Since Alina's been asking about her family, Themis couldn't do anything but to tell her about her family here in Ciera Empire. Although she didn't show Alina their faces, she mentioned the names of the First Prince to the Third, and the name of the Emperor and the Empress. 

"Did your personal maid didn't tell you anything about us at all?" Diellzain looked at me with his serious and annoyed face. Dang it, this guy is impatient! I just stayed quiet for a moment and he's already blaming Themis!

"She did! It's just I am not sure if I got the names right...hehe," I scratched the back of my head before turning to the Emperor.

"My Dad, the Emperor. Daddy Orpheus Raven de Ciera!" I started and smiled at the Emperor. 

"My first brother and the First Prince, Helios Rishi de Ciera!" I giggled at Helios, causing his fake smile to turn into a...bearable one now. It doesn't look scary now, I think that's his real smile? Psh, that ain't real smile, duh ~

"My second brother, as well as the Second Prince. Brother Aelius Luke de Ciera! You really have a long and beautiful hair, Brother! Hihi," He thanked me as I turn my head to Diellzain. Hah...I'm tired. I didn't know meeting Alina's family is this exhausting. 

"Aaand! The Third Prince, my third brother, Diellzain Ray de Ciera! I hope we get along well, Brother Dae! Uhmph---" I covered my mouth when I freaking got his second name wrong! What the heck, was I so nervous that my tongue got twisted?! Dang it, my life is flashing before my eyes. 

"Dae? Is that a nickname for me? That sounds cool," wow, he's smiling again. Is he for real? Also, the atmosphere is not so heavy. 

Strange. 

Absolutely strange.

***