Lira’s Birthday Party Part 3

"Ah, what a shame, it missed! Would you like another arrow, Your Highness?" The 'peacock' spoke up, a somewhat smug look on his face.

"No need, it didn't miss." Ava replied lightly. "Rodney, fetch." Rodney, who had been so filled with anticipation that he had almost rose out of his seated position once the arrow let loose, immediately took off, flying across the distance and leaping into the shrubbery behind the target. He then returned with prancing steps, carrying a peasant with an arrow embedded deep within its flesh. Ava smiled a small smile, rewarding her pet with a few pats and a scratch behind the ear before she took the pheasant, clucking her tongue as she withdrew the arrow, careful not to get the blood on her dress. "Ah… I'm sorry, it was hidden by the shrub so I aimed for the body but it's a bit of a mess now, it won't be any good for cooking…" Ava apologised with a soft voice, turning to hold out the dead bird only to be met with a line of stunned faces, particularly that of the 'peacock' noble who kept opening and closing his mouth but couldn't find a word to say. Covin stepped forward to claim the bird and pass it to the servants of the Disscoff estate while Ava carefully flicked the blood from the arrow before notching it again, turning back to the target. This time, the arrow embedded into the target, although it was a bit off from the centre. Jin firmly believed she purposefully adjusted her shot.

As she stepped back onto the platform, the various nobles had overcome their shock to shower her with praise. She put on a humble expression, waving her hand dismissively as if the praise embarrassed her. It was lucky no one's attention was on her two favoured servants as they were both rolling their eyes at the act.

"How did you learn such great archery skills, Your Highness?" One of the nobles questioned. Jin looked at her with interest, also curious at how such a thing came about.

"Oh, well… It's considered a part of a well-rounded education in my home village and it's a very popular pastime." Those were both technically true. It was considered a part of her education as it was a good activity to improve one's observation skills, patience, coordination and accuracy, which was then the foundation of her combat abilities. It also provided her with other skills to defend and attack with since her magic was situational and not as strong. It was indeed a popular pastime, what she hadn't mentioned to Jin in her earlier talk is that she, Mila and Covin had participated in the village competition. She and Mila had fallen into the river while playing around and ended up going for a swim instead of paying the competition any mind. Covin had unsuccessfully kept trying to hunt something but his archery skills were quite poor and he had returned empty handed. She and Mila practiced archery together frequently since the foundations of her magic specialty required accuracy, a good eye and quick reactions.

"I had never known the capital of Yandil was like that."

Ava shook her head, a light smile on her face that distracted from the dark look in her eyes. "I wasn't raised in the capital. For my own safety, I was raised in a small, nameless village after my mother passed." Ava didn't particularly like the looks of pity nor the idle polite comments the nobles were making so she lowered her head to stroke Rodney's fur, waiting for them to finish so she could change the topic.

But before she got the chance, one of the ladies spoke up. "Can Your Highness do embroidery?" Although the question seemed polite and curious, Ava could tell she wanted to find out if the other parts of Ava's education had been lacking. It was also likely these nobles, particularly the ladies, were sounding her out, trying to find where she was lacking, whether for gossip or to seek advantages. Unfortunately for them, they weren't the first to try this and she was well prepared. She met their eager gazes with a small smile.

"I am." She was also practiced in dancing, knew enough to get by in music, was versed in common literature despite it not suiting her tastes and she knew enough to be competent in most games and mental challenges. Although she was still lacking plenty, she had enough skill in each area to dazzle others enough to fool them into thinking she was truly an all-rounded brilliance. She had her dear birth father and the vicious palace to thank for that, they had tried any time they had the chance to find her flaws and pick on them, find reasons to call her lacking, incompetent, not good enough. She also had her beloved adoptive father to thank. The first time it had happened, Ava had been embarrassed in front of a roomful of people for her inability to dance. She had been young at the time, too young for any reasonable person to have expected her to do anything but a basic waltz. She had cried for days when she returned home. After that, Yospeh swore they would never get the chance to again and dedicated himself to teaching Ava every skill she could ever be faulted for, leaving nothing for them to pick on her for.

"Could you show us?" Lira had asked but the young lady had an innocence to her and Ava felt she asked out of excited curiosity rather than malice.

Ava smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I don't have any on me…"

Lady Merin spoke up at this point from beside the lady who had originally brought up embroidery. "Lady Lira, do you have any fabric and thread? Perhaps Princess Avaline could show us her fine skills that way?" She asked lightly to which Lira happily bobbed her head, turning to give the request to the maid by her side.

Ava could only suppress her sigh, glancing over to her dear friends for support. Mila looked at her with pity, a sad smile on her face while Covin frowned in slight distress but neither could do anything but give their silent support given their positions. It was uncertain if Jin was aware of how the nobles were prodding and testing his wife, he sat by her side, nibbling lightly on a cracker, conversing with one of the nobles by his side.

The maid returned and Ava could only pull on her fake smile, thanking the girl politely as she looped the golden thread through the needle. She didn't really enjoy being the centre of attention like this, with everyone watching her closely, even if it wasn't her first time. Nor did she really enjoy embroidery for that matter as this kind of delicate, fiddly work with her hands set her on edge. Still, she remained relaxed, threading the needle in and out of the fabric that was held in place with an embroidery loop. She tried to keep her head down, focus only on the task at hand and ignore those stares, the trick her father taught her from freezing up under the pressure when she was younger. She used it now to try and set herself at ease as she didn't often falter under pressure anymore. She worked quickly, although at some point she subtly pulled a napkin from the table, tucking it out of sight. She soon finished a basic rose, the thread winding from the center outward in delicate swoops to form the petals. She set this on the table with the needle placed on top.

She smiled insincerely at the rounds of praise but she had decided she had reached the limit of what she was going to put up with today and didn't want to entertain any further attempts to 'witness her excellent skills' so she shifted closer to Jin's side, wrapping her arms around his. He startled slightly, immediately tearing his gaze from the person who he had been chatting with to look down at her. She was secretly tugging at the fabric of his sleeve and for a moment he had to wonder what it was she was after. Finally, he asked "Is everything okay Princess?"

She nodded her head slightly, smiling softly to him although there was a weariness to it. "Oh, yes. Everything is okay, it's just… I'm a bit tired…" She admitted quietly.

"Of course." He said gently before looking up to the nobles, offering a charming smile. "My apologies but we should be going now." They expressed their regrets and gratitudes but it wasn't like anyone could tell a prince not to leave. So the couple got up from their seats, the sleepy hound that had been napping on the ground after having snacked to his heart's delite groggily got up and followed after.

As they were walking to the edge of the grounds, Ava withdrew one of her arms from her hold around Prince Jin, opening her hand to reveal the napkin she had hidden within and holding it out to Mila. Mila took it from her, quickly shooting Ava an accusing glare as she noticed the spots of blood on it. Ava huffed. "Not everyone has your careful hand Mila. Don't give me that look, it isn't like I had meant to prick myself…"

Prince Jin's brows furrowed at the sight of the bloody napkin. Ava could tell he was going to question it and she really didn't have the patience for it so she offered him a bright smile, lightly pulling on his arm. "The gardens here are truly fantastic. Why don't we go for a walk before we go home?"

Jin's brows rose slightly, giving her a questioning look. "I thought you were tired."

"Not really. I was tired of their company. You don't ever find entertaining them tiring?" Ava spoke with a look of dissatisfaction as she led them to the path that wove through the beautiful scenery.

"Oh?" Jin was easily pulled along to the gardens, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he observed the more natural Ava, no longer putting on that shy, reserved act, her posture one of confidence as she expressed her discontent without restraint. He could have sworn the difference was night and day. "I suppose I do as well," he admitted after a moment.

"I'd say the flowers are much prettier to look at than that display of overly arrogant tail feathers," Ava chirped and Jin had to try his best to keep a straight face. Although he wouldn't say it out loud… he felt he agreed with her.