Eau de Grand-Mere

"I had matters handled," Sophia said with her arms crossed.

Nicholas frowned.

"There was no need for you to step in and rescue me like I'm some damsel waiting to be saved," Sophia said angrily.

"Some gratitude would look good on you," he retorted, hearing Sophia scoff in response.

'At least this goes perfectly for the ruse,' she mumbled adherently before looking at him.

She vaguely remembered her asking Nicholas ever so politely to act jealous.

"I'm going to ask you something, and I'll use small words so you can understand it properly. You're going to have to act jealous," she told Nicholas once in the past.

Nicholas merely blinked in response, to which, Sophia replied, "Did I stutter?"

Nicholas laughed softly.

"You're not that much of a treat to get jealous from."

He was then nudged painfully in the rib.

This was all for the ruse's sake, of course. All proof that Sophia was heavily dedicated to making Julia happy, especially on her birthday.

"I was wondering what I'd do without my partner," Sophia muttered to Nicholas.

"You called me your partner," Nicholas noticed, visibly happy by the nickname.

"Don't make a big deal about it," Sophia said, mouthing, 'Partner.'

She looped hands with Nicholas, making herself seem unwilling to do so, not that things were as they seemed at first sight.

Nicholas watched her cautiously as he saw her pick up a gift box from a nearby table.

"What's in the box?" He asked her, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I suppose that's for me," he said hopefully.

Sophia laughed.

"I call you partner once and you've already started assuming I'm getting gifts for you," Sophia said, shaking her head.

She then explained, "It's for Julia."

"A present, for her birthday, of course," she elucidated.

"Something meaningful?" Nicholas asked, actually impressed.

Sophia shook her head, shattering his whole being impressed by her in seconds.

"No," she answered, "It's a gag gift."

"Not that I'd expect you to understand what it is since you lack any sense of humour," she added.

Nicholas kept silent. He'd forgotten to get Julia a present.

He was yanked forward when Sophia pulled him.

"Come on, Julia's awaiting us," Sophia said.

Nicholas mumbled, 'Goodness, this girl is so strong.'

"How are you so strong?" He asked Sophia curiously whilst he was being hauled by her.

Sophia shrugged.

"I learnt karate ever since I was an impressionable teenager to defend myself from pesky suitors," she flat out lied.

Nicholas glanced at her.

"You're kidding."

"Technically, yes, I am," Sophia agreed.

"The latter was true, the former, no," she admitted truthfully.

"Now, come on, I've got to give Julia our present," she said.

"Our?" Nicholas asked.

Sophia stared blankly at him.

"I don't suppose you have a gift somewhere in that suit of yours?" She asked him.

He shook his head, as she'd expected.

"I don't," he answered, his handsome features scrunched up.

"Thought so," she said as she continued on, walking past tables where royals were wine and dining.

"I don't need to share your present," he said frankly.

Sophia didn't spare him a glance.

"Happy birthday grandmere," she said fondly, pulling her grandmother into a tight embrace.

Julia replied with a warm smile, "Thank you, dear. It means so much to me that you remembered."

She was delighted Sophia remembered, and even more ecstatic to see Nicholas nearby.

She and Nicholas exchanged glances. She nodded.

"Happy Birthday, Julia," he told Julia, managing a small smile.

Julia beamed before she laid her eyes on the small box Sophia had in hand.

"And what is that?" She asked curiously.

Sophia pursed her lips before smiling.

"It's a gift for you," she said sheepishly.

It was a last-minute decision, Louis deciding to get grandmere a gift of his own since he thought a gag gift wouldn't do for her.

That decision of his also played a part as to why Sophia told Julia both she and Nicholas was giving her the same exact present.

She handed Julia the perfectly wrapped gift box.

Julia carefully unwrapped the box, to find her present lying inside.

She seemed confused before she looked at the gift's label. She burst out laughing, realizing what this was.

_

"A scented candle out of all things?" Nicholas asked Sophia, the both of them on their way to a table far away from Julia's. She was occupied, showing her gift off to a couple other royals who were… inclined to listen.

"It holds special meaning," Sophia explained.

She was speaking the truth.

"Long story short, grandmere had this long, long phase where she wore expensive perfume that smelled ridiculously potent."

"Neither I nor Louis was the biggest fans of that wretched scent, and we made sure grandmere knew of it."

"So… a decade or so later, on her birthday, you gift her a scented candle which acts as a gag gift that she may or may not use," Nicholas pieced together.

Sophia nodded.

"Close enough," she commented before she decided to ask.

"So."

"Why don't you tell me why you're really back here?"

He looked at her innocently.

She scoffed.

"Doesn't take a genius to realize it's not just to congratulate Julia on her birthday," she said.

"So, do tell," she egged.

To put it frankly, Nicholas found Sophia slightly irritating. She'd manage to render him speechless every time they spoke with how she was incredibly blunt, bold and sassy.

He wondered how Louis successfully survived nearly a quarter-century of Sophia as his sister.

"Are you always this irritating?" He asked her.

"Do you always ask questions?" Sophia fired back.

"Do you?" Nicholas asked in return.

"Touche," Sophia said, admitting defeat. She'd just wanted to know why he'd come back. Despite the fact, it wasn't why it was who.

"I'll go grab us some aperitifs, and be right back," he declared.

"Make haste," Sophia said in response before she watched him leave.

Her heart fluttered. Even whilst she didn't get any of her questions answered, she was secretly relieved he was back.