Chapter 13

"Auntie, why don't we invite Avyanna for tea?" Amourora swung her legs on the swing in frustration.

She had been with her aunt for almost an hour, and she didn't gather any useful information. Even if her aunt was the best source of information, she was extremely careful about what to say even to a child, pulling information out of her was too difficult.

Amourora planned to act like a clueless child to lower her guard, but her aunt wouldn't budge, so she turned to plan B; Avyanna.

If Avyanna wanted to know more about her mother and father, then Angelina would have no choice but to tell her. Unlike the empress, Avyanna's mother, lady Liling was in good terms with the royal princess, despite their different personalities and preferences back then.

"alright, but you have to promise to sit very still." Angelina sent her maid to call Avyanna.

"yes..." Amourora reluctantly straightened her back. She should've went to her father instead, coming to her aunt was a big mistake. Not only did she make zero progress in changing her fate, but her aunt made her sit on the middle of the 'flower swing' to paint a picture of her.

The 'flower swing' is a woven oval-shaped swing. Along with the flower garden, it was a present from the late emperor to his empress. It looked absolutely gorgeous surrounded by various beautiful flowers growing around it.

After the passing of the late emperor, the empress dowager spent most of her spare time in this garden. The 'spring blossoms' flower garden. Sipping tea, smelling the flowers' aroma, reading a book while sitting on the flower swing, or simply enjoying the scenery.

After the empress dowager passed away, the garden was passed down to her daughter, and was well maintained until this very day. Although the royal princess didn't share her mother's passion on flowers, she still spent the majority of her time in the Spring Blossoms garden.

Today, she caught the unsuspecting Amourora and made her sit on the flower swing with a bouquet to paint her. It was rare for Amourora to visit her and be that obedient, so she skillfully seized the chance to paint a beautiful portrait of her.

Although she forced Amourora to sit still, even she herself was shocked Amourora didn't loose her patience and storm off already. She expected her to throw the bouquet on her hands to the ground, stomp on it and leave after ten, no seven minutes of sitting still.

Angelina didn't know what had gotten into Amourora today to make her so distracted and space out often, but if she had to choose between obedient Amourora, or obnoxious Amourora, her answer is as obvious as the sun in midday.

"princess Avyanna has arrived." Angelina's lady in waiting, Jessica, announced.

"greetings to Royal Princess Angelina, greetings to... Princess Amourora." Avyanna curtsied stiffly.

She observed how the lady's greeted others yesterday and practiced how to do it for 237 times before going to bed, but it still wasn't as good as she had seen Amourora do it.

"... Oh, ignore formalities, we are family. "Angelina tried not to laugh at Avyanna and her maids as they greeted her. Their way of greeting was hilarious, just like Amourora's.

Avyanna stood in place until Lauren ushered her to the garden chair.

" um, thank you. " Avyanna blushed." uh, um,... Imperial Aunt called for me?"

"yes, Amourora wanted to invite you for tea." Angelina answered without looking up from her canvas.

"... Thank you." she smiled shyly.

"hm? You're welcome." Amourora snapped out of her daze. Quick, say something!" Auntie is throwing a tea party a week from now. We have to come here every day to learn simple etiquette and choose what to wear."

Angelina's eyelid twitched. That little lass just threw a ton of workload on her shoulder, and she can't even deny it. And she dares to smile so innocently!

Angelina and Jessica both sighed internally. Aside from planning a tea party, they also have to order dresses and teach manners!

"thank you." Avyanna was both nervous and excited about the tea party, her heart started beating faster in happiness. It's her first time getting invited to a gathering, she didn't know what to say except those two words. "thank you, your royal highness"

"it's nothing." Amourora answered nonchalantly.

In her last life she didn't want Avyanna to come and threw a fit. Angelina didn't bother with her childish behavior and insisted on inviting Avyanna. Avyanna was reluctant to come and feigned illness, but Angelina didn't buy it and still dragged her to the party.

As soon as Angelina left with the older ladies, Amourora ignored Avyanna and treated her like air, and when no one was watching, she pushed her into the pond. Due to that, Avyanna almost drowned, but thankfully rescued in time, she still caught a cold and had to return to her residence earlier.

When asked what happened, Avyanna claimed she fell into the pond out of her own carelessness, and even thanked Amourora for saving her. Amourora didn't know how to feel about it as a child, but she felt guilty each time she remembered that painful memory after she grew up.

Her cousin was really excited about joining the party, but she crushed her heart and almost killed her. Ever since that incident, Avyanna shyed away from any social gatherings, but if she was obligated to come, she would stick to Amourora.

No matter how many times Amourora shoved her away, Avyanna would always come back to her side. Amourora never understood that. She hated her as a child, but she missed her after going to the Cloud kingdom.

She received several letters from her but she burned them all without reading them. The letters stopped coming after a year or so, and that was the last she heard of Avyanna.

She seriously wondered what had happened to that meek little girl.