A Royal Pain

S I X

[A.N: I'm only gonna use the Chinese translations for when the characters are actually speaking from now on]

"Right then, I'm sure you're very confused as to why you're here Marinette." Changying interrupted the instense glares exchanged between Marinette and Fan before things could get ugly, gently grabbing the bluenette's hand and guiding her back down to her seat.

Fan let out another snooty hmph and turned away from looking at Marinette which only caused her more irritation at the woman.

"Marinette, what questions would you like to have answered?" Her grandmother inquired. Marinette mulled over it for a minute before deciding.

"I think it would be best if you started from the beginning." The old woman sighed tiredly and closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts.

"Well first off I had three children, your shūshu Jianjun, your gūmā Meihui and of course your mûqīn. Fan, here, married into the family through Jianjun-" said woman gave a disconcerting scoff to which Marinette ignored. "-and they had Liang here. However Jianjun died, before Liang was born, in a car crash." Shocked by the news, Marinette's gaze subconsciously strayed in her aunt's direction. She may not like the woman but that didn't mean Marinette was oblivious to causes of grief.

To her surprise, her aunt and cousin acknowledged the mention of her uncle's death with accepting nods. A stray thought entered Marinette's mind that they must've been very strong in their recovery from grief. She quickly sighed in relief and refocused her attention on her grandmother.

"Jianjun was the youngest child so obviously Meihui got the position of queen first. Sabine was still in preparations of becoming the next queen but she started interacting with a son of bakers who were visiting China for pastry inspirations. Soon after, they started dating but your zûfù heavily frowned upon it and when your father asked her hand in marriage, he gave Sabine an ultimatum to break up with your father or cease to have access to the throne." Being Marinette could express her outrage against her grandfather, her grandmother raised her hand and cut her off.

"You must understand that your zûfù was very bias and set in old traditions of royalty marrying royalty. Anyway, Sabine chose to stay with your father and your zûfù declared taboo against Sabine and Tom's relationship, which is why you are not allowed to use your father's surname within these walls. My zhàngfū died of a frail heart and so Meihui was crowned Queen. Until recently of course, I'm assuming your mûqīn told you of your gūmā's death?" Marinette nodded obediently, her eyes downcast from hearing the deaths of her relatives.

"And those events bring us to this moment." Her grandmother softly concluded. Marinette didn't know what to say. What were you suppose to say to a person that had lost so many people. Marinette drew a sharp breath and tentatively grabbed her grandmother's hands, making her face Marinette with surprise written across her face but she didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry for your losses." Marinette clearly said in an earnest and sincere tone, not only met for her grandmother but also for her aunt who, for the first time during this whole meeting, seemed to smile understandingly at Marinette's tone.

Marinette had hoped she sounded sincere enough and didn't sound as if she was faking her sympathies to her relatives at all but her fears were soon vanished and her grandmother tenderly cupped Marinette's face in her surprisingly calloused hands, giving the bluenette a radiant smile.

"Thank you dear. Do you have anymore questions." Marinette shook her head in reply. There really wasn't much to ask after hearing all of that.

"Ahem. Yuèmǔ you are forgetting one detail." Fan stated and Changying sighed, rubbing her temples with impatience towards the infuriating woman.