Aurnia and Edelweiss Garden

"Eww! What am I wearing? I couldn't believe you made me wear a trouser?" Thalassa's cry reverberated in the small garden in the castle's backyard.

Aurnia and Miciela came forward, stylishly clad in black, fitting trousers with matching high-knee boots, the same as Thalassa. Her sister and Miciela wore striped plaid long sleeves, while hers was a beige color. And their hair was tied in a long braid.

"Then wear a dress while farming if you're so against wearing trousers." She nonchalantly told her sister, crossing her arms.

Her sister sneered at her, and her eyes darted back to her outfit, dusting the invisible dirt on her thigh.

"Who was the insane person who thought farming was such a good idea? I mean, I'm a daughter of the king! Why would I let my hands get dirty? Yelping from disgust, her sister's eyes widened every second. She spread her hands in front of them as if to show that her precious hands shouldn't touch the earth.

Miciela walked towards her with a serious expression, "I did. And honestly, we're better off gardening without you. I always hate people who like to spoil the fun." Miciela's lips curled upwards while she gawked at her sister with a prying eye.

Aurnia sighed. "Stop being dramatic, Thalassa. Lady Miciela was right, no one was forcing you to join us if you didn't want to."

Right at that moment, the two boys—Aramis and Bryson—arrived wearing baggy denim jumper pants and an off-white long sleeve underneath. Just like the girls, they both wear farming boots, and each hand holds a different gardening tool.

"Oh, thank God, you're here, Aramis." Thalassa's expression suddenly shifted to being sad. She rushed towards him, exaggeratingly pouting her lips. "Aurnia and Miciela were ganging up on me, saying mean things to me."

"What? We literally just said that if you don't like the activity we thought of, you're free to leave." Aurnia argued.

"You both were being insensitive and have invalidated my feelings. I said I don't want to do gardening because the welcome party for me will be tomorrow. What if I get sunburn from staying long under the sun?" Thalassa lied and pretended like she was about to cry.

"She's such a liar." Miciela inaudibly whispered beside Aurnia.

Both of the girls' faces turned sour as they stared at Thalassa with distaste.

"Well, Princess Aurnia and Lady Miciela have a point. If you're uncomfortable plowing under the harsh sun, it's better not to join us, your Highness. I mean, your comfort should be your priority." Aramis finally spoke as he felt the need to butt in before the garden could become the three girls' battleground.

Thalassa smiled and rushed towards him. "Well, you're here, Aramis, so I think I would be comfortable. You're going to help me, right?" Then, the girl immediately linked her arm to his, despite being told not to just recently by Aramis.

A huge part of Aurnia objected at the sight of her sister being too close with Aramis for the past few days.

She stomped her feet and strode towards them only in five steps; her fists were clenched in a ball.

'This won't do! That crazy bitch was obviously trying to steal him away from me. I am claiming what's mine.'

When she reached them, without a warning, Aurnia forcefully removed her arm from his and linked hers instead. "Dear sister, you're forgetting that Aramis is my royal confidant. It is I that he will be helping and assisting today. Fend for yourself, girl."

"Apply cold compress for that burn, baby." Miciela yelled with a huge, teasing smile on her face.

"Did you forget that the Queen told you to assist Lord Bryson? That's why she asked me to accompany Aramis." Thalassa protested, her eyes were glaring at her.

"Uhm, Princess Thalassa was probably right, Princess Aurnia. Let her make Aramis some company instead. Maybe, the Queen wanted us to get to know each other better." Lord Bryson interjected with a confident look on his face.

Miciela acted like she was about to vomit. "You're being gross and a creep, brother. You don't need Princess Aurnia accompanying you even while you are raking the soil. Don't be such a baby, even here. Anyway, we should really start before someone starts yelling again about sunburns!" The young girl shut down her brother just like that and ridiculed Thalassa at the same time.

Aurnia and Aramis were left speechless as they watched the three get into action after receiving a word from Lady Miciela.

'Damn, Lord Bryson's sister is scary.' She thought.

***

Aramis was plowing the flowerbed diligently, wiping the sweat that formed on his forehead in an uncaring manner. The growing muscles on his biceps became visible each time he would lift the shovel.

Meanwhile, Bryson would rake the flowerbed's surface after Aramis plowed it. The distinct differences between the two boys were apparent. Bryson clearly never tried gardening or using a rake, given how he could barely lift it.

"Dear heavens, I'm so thirsty already." Aurnia mumbled as she wiped her sweat from her face. She put down the paint brush she was holding and took the face towel nearby to wipe her neck.

"Here's water, your Highness."

"Here's water, Princess Aurnia."

Aurnia was startled when Aramis and Bryson suddenly appeared in front of her, each of them holding a glass of water. Her eyes darted between the two glasses, and she was utterly confused about which one she should take. Honestly, she would accept Aramis', but she doesn't want to offend the young lord either.

"Oh, is this for me? Wow, I never knew my brother could be so thoughtful. Thank you, Bryson." Miciela rushed to their side and took Bryson's glass of water while her face was covered in paint. The girls were assigned to paint the pots and beautify the rest of the garden.

A discreet smile curled out on Aurnia's face. 'Ugh, she was even a lifesaver without her realizing it.'

Aurnia took the glass from Aramis' hand with the widest smile, feeling giddy deep inside. Meanwhile, Bryson was currently scolding Miciela for taking the glass that was supposedly intended for her, and the young lady was getting angry at her brother for being such a prick.

"Why did no one bring me a glass of water? I was very thirsty as well!"

Thalassa complained while looking goofy with that very huge hat perched atop her head.

Aurnia and Aramis giggled softly when they saw how Thalassa was doing such a terrible job at painting the pots.

"I think you have a bigger problem than being thirsty, sister. Are you a first-grader? Your drawing of a tree was beyond terrible, and the worst thing was that you painted the branch of the tree green and the leaves brown." The princess bluntly told her sister while stiffling her giggles.

Thalassa's eyes went back to her work, and she grumpily continued painting the pot whatever color she wanted.

Aurnia turned to Aramis, a smile still plastered on her face. "What flower should we plant here?"

"Edelweiss flowers, Aurnia. Edelweiss."