The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

6 - Unspoken Intentions

In the book, the heroine was previously a commoner. Had she been in my current situation, she would have taken one of these gaudy dresses and turned it into a masterpiece with the swing of a needle. However, I have no such skill.

I was a samurai. Spring was for training troops, summers for wars, fall for bandit extermination and winter was for forging new connections. I cannot sew, and my maid kept going 'But your dresses are fine, Ojou-sama'.

I've taken back my former statement that she is fine as my maid. I want a new one. One that does not quietly relish the upcoming humiliation with such glee that she cannot contain her smile. What would have been an insincere comment to Lily was now amusement at my suffering.

I walk down the flight of stairs from the first floor while trying to get a grip on the dress through the many layers of frills. It's like the thing has a life of its own. At the foot of the stairs is my father, the head knight, my brother and our two other guests. Yes, two. Because by the Crown Prince's side is my number 1 enemy. Lionel Tepet, the sadist.

I hold back a glare and focus on getting down, leaving a nice and awkward mood as they wait for me to get to the end...

Unlike me, Eric is well dressed. I may not be overly fond of these tight western clothes, but I'll admit they suit my brother. Unlike father's, my brother's clothes are a proper black, but his tie is navy blue with golden stripes. It suits him and matches his hair. It's a pity that he seems to be hiding his presence by standing so quietly next to the prince that he blends in with our blue carpets...

If it comes down to it, brother wouldn't loose to the crown prince in looks... well, neither would Lionel. No matter how you look at it, these three stepped out of a fairy-tale. For there to be three of these impossibly pretty young boys next to each other, is in itself a miracle, and thinking of how they'll look as adults I understand that the heroine would get star struck quite easily. However, they're still kids.

Crown Prince Alstair really looks like the younger version of the 'prince on a white horse' you find in this country's fairy-tales. His blonde hair is all light and fluffy and the stands look like they're made out of genuine gold. Paired with eyes that are clear and bright blue, it makes him incomparable. Along with a refreshing smile, he surely tries to remind you of one of the best parts of summer. To prove this, his clothes today are mostly white. It's bright. Whatever servant chose his outfit has good taste I suppose. 

Lionel... Lionel has... Lionel's hair reminds me of that 'chocolate' the foreigners brought along once. Though I know it won't taste like chocolate I am momentarily distracted. As though we aren't done with the weird colors, his eyes shine a calming warm green, like the leaves under the summer sun, but despite that, their sharpness makes them look... cold. I can feel the hate emanating from them all the way up here halfway down the stairs. As I said, Lionel is a waste of character. I want to sigh, but that would hardly be appropriate. I'll bury the thought about wanting to try to mess with his hair even though it looks edible from up here. Kids may have privileges in messing up etiquette once in a while, but I don't intend on breaking it, nor getting close to someone that obviously hates me if I can avoid it.

Father turns his gaze upon me, but as usual, he expresses no emotion. I know what he means though. You see, mother is nowhere in sight. These visits are always taken care of by mother, so Father is observing my manners for the first time, and the gaze just now was to tell me 'Do not screw up'.

I reach the end of the stairs and gently curtsy. "I bid you welcome to our humble abode, Crown Prince Alstair, Head Knight Tepet, and Lionel Tepet. I hope your travels were pleasant. I am honored for your concern, and as you can see I am well." I give them a polite smile along the polite words and glance to my father for approval. He looks satisfied enough to let it pass. I let go of the dress and hold in a sigh at the thought of getting back up those stairs later.