Before the Palace Garden

Among the most prestigious locales for those of noble houses to go to, one of the most famed was the Antithetic Royal Garden. Any visitor to the Lionel Palace finds this place the most solace and pleasing. Flowers of all kinds are grown here. Black Irises that grow only along the northern icy shores, past barbarian homelands. Desert wildflowers that only sprout in air pockets beneath the sandy dunes. Winding Tometosas, which some say are rumored to cause gales and avalanches among the spired mountains. There is even legend that at the center of the unsolvable hedge maze, there was a Winter Sprite, a glassy blue bud that whispers in the language of the faeries. The last of its kind.

The Antithetic Royal Garden was named such because of its unbelievable diversity. The fantastic scenery displayed was only possible through the culmination of generations of gardeners and florists. Its keepers were paid exorbitant fees to keep it running. Magical fields and traps were installed to keep the area safe and lively. Around the clock, knights were positioned to catch any interlopers attempting to desecrate or steal from the national treasure.

Which made the center of the maze the perfect place to hide.

"I thought it was supposed to laugh."

Rain, Lecil's personal guard, leaned down to tap twice on the glassy treasure.

"It did. Then I threatened to crush it. It stopped."

The flower vibrated menacingly. Rain backpedaled, his mouth forming a small o.

"Ooh."

"Don't forget that you also threatened to drop it into the bottom of that well."

Irene pointed.

Lecil reclined on a bench that likely cost more than her entire wardrobe.

"I didn't forget, Irene. I just didn't mention it because it didn't work. The stupid flower hit me with a snowball."

The projectile managed to catch her off guard, and she actually did drop it. The flower sunk to the bottom of the well. Job done, Lecil thought. Unfortunately, the accursed flower didn't dissolve as she hoped. The assumption originating from the wrongful notion that the flower was made of ice.

It wasn't.

The water somehow amplified laughter instead of muting it. It also gained a warbled texture. Lecil fished the flower out and was stomped on it furiously until it stopped. Despite her rampage, it was still in perfect condition.

The ethereal flower actually apologized and asked to be planted back in place. Lecil responded with a firm "Hell no!" To which the sneaky sprite promised to get rid of her migraine. Deciding that she could always smash it later, she humored it. And to her utter shock, her head cleared!

Lecil wiggled her eyebrows.

It still feels a little fuzzy. Numb.

"Hey, you. Yeah, you, you stupid flower. Did you mess with my head? Something feels like it's bouncing around, but I can't feel it."

Giggling.

"Band-aid! How the hell do you know what a band-aid is?"

"Princess! Please stop using that word, especially when you are threatening something so... mysterious."

Lecil turned and was about to snap, but Irene didn't deserve that. It wasn't her fault.

All was going well for Lecil. The fact that she managed to weasel both Dukes into going on a double-date-fake-date tickled her every minute. She was ecstatic with the way things were going! Her brothers were off her back, and she was making steady progress with their affection scores. Anne wasn't the total bitch she thought. Irene was becoming a good friend. And Rain was fun to tease.

Everything was on the up and up.

Except for her headache. It's been a constant for days. Every time she tried to think, her brain would throw an Anne-sized tantrum. It was getting to the point where she had trouble sleeping. Taking medicine helped mildly, but no amount of medicine could sustain her sanity when encountering Duke Raiden for a third time. The rose fiasco sent her down a spiral. Maybe that was why she wouldn't tolerate being laughed at by a flower.

My period wasn't as bad as this...

Gods. The headache was unending. That was why Lecil hid here. To get away from potential disasters. It was also the reason Lecil jumped at the opportunity the talking flower offered. Crazy or not, there was barely any pain left.

"Hey, Rain."

"Yes, Princess."

A salute and excellent posture. Trained.

"Why is your name, Rain?"

"My name, Princess?"

"Yeah. What's up with it? Is it normal around here, or am I the crazy one?"

Lecil glanced to Irene for support. Irene tilted her head left.

"I've never really thought about it, Princess. It is a bit odd, but not crazily so."

An aggressive finger.

"See! I knew I wasn't the only one. So, what about it, Rain? Why don't you tell us the story of how you got your name while we all relax and try not to think about anything, hmm?"

The guard relaxed his stance to a casual one, using his spear for support. It was the kind of posture and negligence that would earn him twenty laps or a boot to the ass if he were in any other company.

Irene decided if they were going to be a while, that she might as well sit. Smoothing out her uniform and plopping down on the soft grass, she elicited a raised eyebrow from the Princess sitting on the wide bench.

Shrugging, Lecil got comfortable and listened.

"The story my parents told me was that they both went out to dinner on the same night, in separate company. Coincidentally, both their dates abandoned them, and they were left to eat alone. They sat at separate tables, where they would have never seen each other in other circumstances. Facing each other, both eating their meals alone, both being stood up, they pushed their table together and struck up a conversation. They've been together ever since."

"That is sweet, Rain."

Irene awwed. Lecil liked the story for how short it was. The act of stumbling into love sounded so pure and romantic. The only thing left was his name.

"Don't tell me that the reason they named you Rain was because..."

"Yup. Both their dates called a raincheck."

"Hahahaha!"

Lecil chortled. Pointing.

"Princess, pointing is rude."

"But that is pricelessly funny. Sweet, but hilarious. I can't not laugh at that. Please tell me you have a brother named Checkers."

"No. I have a sister."

"Named checkers?"

"No. Named Abigal."

"Abigal!"

More chortling. The name was too unexpected to Lecil. Rain and Abigal? Come on!

"It isn't that funny, Princess."

Irene tried to whisper.

"Yeah, no. Maybe. I am just in a funny mood right now. Say! Do we have any chocolates?"

Seeing Irene's serious face.

"Alright, that is a solid no on chocolates. Well. I suppose we can count the clouds until the festival starts."

"Shouldn't you be planning what to wear? I am sure Princess Anne is frantically searching for you. She seems keen on your advice now more than ever."

Lecil restrained a groan.

"Why do you think I am hiding? I already told her what to wear, but she keeps second-guessing. Speaking to her now would only bring back my headache. Plus, the Dukes are wandering the Palace. Together. I wouldn't want to be Anne right about now."

=

"Hee. Hoo. Oh no. Ah! Kinsey, hide me."

"Princess Anne? I-"

"Quick. Before its too-"

"Princess Anne! Have you seen your sister around?"

"Greetings, Princess Anne. We'd like to have a word with her if she is available."

Cursing inside, Anne stepped out from behind one of her maids. running a hand through her hair nervously. What conditioner did she use today? Why did she have to pick such a mediocre dress...

The two Dukes stared down at her. One did. The other was at her eye-level. But it made the situation no less nerve-wracking and intimidating. Normally she could handle this flawlessly, but the upcoming double date impaired her judgment.

"I.. Dukes! How wonderful to see you. In each other's company no less. Are you similarly excited for tomorrow?"

The glares she received. The glares directed at each other. Barbed comments back and forth. Arm raising. Shouting. A call to arms. Dismissing the yellow alert. A taunt, an insult, and a disgrace. A pulled weapon. A dogpile on Duke Raiden while Anne held back Duke Astor, apologizing the whole while.

Numbers ticked.