373: Are You My Aunt?

Are You My Aunt?

The following morning, the royal troops stood ready to depart. Multiple carriages and horses were arranged, as two separate groups were leaving simultaneously. One group belonged to the Prince, while the other was under the command of the Commander of the knights.

The Prince's carriage exuded regal elegance, adorned with the Thistle Palace crest.  The carriage prepared for Oriana and her grandfather was not ordinary either, bearing the emblem of the Oak Palace, symbolizing the King's authority.

Had it not been for the Prince's stubbornness, his betrothed would have proudly displayed the Thistle Palace crest on her carriage.

The Duke and Duchess of Wimark arrived at the guest mansion where Oriana was lodged. The Prince's troop had already reached the location, allowing them to proceed with Commander Loyset's unit.

Stepping out of his carriage, Arlan approached the Duke and Duchess of Wimark.

"Be good on the way," Alvera offered a warning look to her brother. She knew what he could do. 

"I can not guarantee that," he replied, displaying unwavering determination.

She sighed at his stubbornness. "When will I get to see you next?

"I will try to visit you soon."

"How about I come to the palace later?" she suggested. "Don't refuse. I won't stay long, but I'll come once all matters are settled, and you won't be burdened like this."

Unable to resist her plea, Arlan finally relented. "All right."

As they conversed, another carriage pulled up to the scene, drawing the attention of all three of them. Alvera couldn't help but mutter, "This girl, when did she wake up?"

A small figure emerged from the carriage with the help of her nanny. Wrapped in a thick overcoat to shield against the morning chill, she resembled a cute little furball. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her face still bore the marks of sleep.

"Uncle, you were about to leave without seeing me?" she complained, her eyes accusing the man.

Arlan knelt down to match her petite stature and replied, "I didn't want to wake you from your slumber, my little sweet."

"Don't call me that and pretend to be sweet now. You've been upsetting me lately. Don't you love me anymore? Since you found my aunt, will you only love her? That's what men do, right? They find their women, and then they only love each other. Are you going to do the same, Uncle?"

Arlan was momentarily rendered speechless and glanced at his sister. "What exactly have you been teaching her?"

"She learns more from her two uncles than her own parents. It's the result of both of my brothers having shameless mouths," Alvera responded.

Arlan turned his attention back to Rayjin and reassured her, "Uncle loves you the most and always will."

"Then my aunt will be sad if you don't love her," the little girl contemplated as if deep in thought. "Okay, Uncle can love my aunt a little more than me. I won't be upset."

Arlan struggled to find the right words and instead, he embraced her petite furball-like figure and tenderly arranged her disheveled hair. "My Rayjin is as sweet as ever."

The little girl beamed and planted a kiss on Arlan's cheek. "My uncle is the sweetest."

Just then, the guards shifted as someone emerged from the guest mansion. They carefully placed the elderly man on a stretcher, preparing to transfer him into the carriage.

"Who's that?" Rayjin inquired, concern evident in her voice. "Is Grandpa not feeling well?"

Reluctantly, Arlan nodded.

She turned her gaze to her uncle. "Will he be okay?"

Once again, he could only nod. As young as she was, she needed to see and know only the positive side of things.

"Please be careful," a woman's voice called out as she approached, directing the guards responsible for carrying her grandfather.

She was dressed in a simple yet elegant peach-colored travel attire designed for women. Her long hair was neatly braided, and she wore minimal, delicate accessories. The lower half of her face was veiled with a fine fabric.

Arlan glanced at her, not needing confirmation of her identity. Her mere presence in the vicinity was enough to confirm her existence.

Rayjin ran towards her, without letting anyone a chance to say anything. She stopped in front of Oriana and held her hand, almost startling a worried woman. 

Oriana gazed down at the familiar face of the little girl who was looking up at her. "So, you're my aunt. I finally got to meet you."

Oriana recognized that the young girl was Arlan's niece. During her previous visit, she had encountered this delightful child who had been nothing but kind to her. She had even offered her favorite candy to Oriana. However, when Rayjin questioned whether she was her aunt, Oriana was taken aback.

Though this girl was sweet, Oriana didn't wish to be addressed with any of such relationship. There could be only one word that could define Arlan and her at this moment and that was 'enemies'. 

Although this girl was sweet, Oriana had no desire to be associated with any familial ties. There was only one relationship that could define them, and that was adversaries.

"I am not..."

"You're right, Rayjin," Alvera interjected as she approached them. "She is your aunt."

"Yes, I have another beautiful aunt now!" Rayjin exclaimed, leaping forward to hug Oriana, though she barely reached her waist. She looked up at Oriana with an exuberant smile.

Oriana glanced at Alvera but couldn't utter a word in front of the little girl. She longed to convey that she hadn't accepted the betrothal in the past and had nothing to do with her brother, but she felt compelled to remain silent.

Arlan maintained his silence, refraining from saying anything in front of Rayjin, and observed the interaction quietly. However, when his gaze met his sister's, he expressed his displeasure, and Alvera responded with a teasing smirk.

Oriana, on the other hand, simply looked down at the girl and gently patted her head.

"I'm Rayjin. May I know my aunt's name?" the little girl inquired.

"Oriana," she replied hesitantly, finding it awkward to be called an aunt when she hadn't accepted this new relationship at all.

"Aunt Oriana. What a lovely name, just like mine."

Oriana could only nod, as she had little to say to this young girl.

"Aunt, yesterday I asked Uncle if you would like my favorite sweets, and he said you would. But I didn't bring them with me now. Um... I'll bring them when I come to Wimark, is that okay?"

Oriana nodded once more, only to be confronted with another question, "But Aunt, why are you wearing a veil? Are you like Seren, who keeps her beautiful face only for her husband to see?"

Oriana was caught off guard and left momentarily speechless.

"Rayjin, that's enough. Don't trouble your aunt with more questions," Alvera intervened, recognizing Oriana's hesitation. It was already a significant step that Oriana had gone along with her daughter's interaction, despite her unresolved issues with Arlan.

Rayjin nodded and obediently went to her mother, releasing Oriana. She stood by Alvera's side and turned her attention to Arlan. "Uncle, when is your wedding? I can't wait to attend my uncle and aunt's wedding."

Arlan shot a meaningful look at his sister, silently asking her to handle this.

"It will be soon, Rayjin. When it happens, we'll all go to Karlin," Alvera replied, although her response earned her a glare from Arlan and a displeased expression from Oriana.

The bride and groom wanted to kill each other and these mother and daughter were dreaming about their wedding.

"Really, Mother? Then prepare the most beautiful dress for me. I want to look the prettiest."

"Of course, I'll wear the most beautiful dress too," Alvera cheerfully declared, completely disregarding the disapproving glares she received from the supposed bride and groom.

"We're departing now," Arlan announced, prompting everyone to prepare for departure.

As Oriana climbed into her carriage, Rayjin waved her hand and said, "Goodbye, beautiful aunt."

Oriana could only awkwardly raise her hand and wave back at her.

The royal troop set off, with Arlan's contingent leading, guarded by his knights, and Oriana's carriage following behind, under the protection of the King's knights.

Once they were on their way, Alvera cast her daughter a bright smile and playfully tousled her hair. "You, my little daughter, are so sweet and so clever."

Rayjin blinked a few times, taken aback by her mother's sudden praise. Her nanny took her away, while Rhys engaged his wife in conversation after settling into the carriage. "Are you that delighted with our daughter's innocent antics?"1

Alvera nodded. "Only Rayjin can do it, and Arlan can't say anything."

"Are you really using our daughter to tease your brother?" he inquired, with a chuckle.

"Not to tease him, but..." Alvera pondered for a moment before explaining, "Didn't you see the way Arlan looked at his betrothed? It's not the way he would look at any other woman. Although his gaze may seem cold on the surface, there's a warmth in it. It's as if..."

"Have I mentioned before that his betrothed used to be his personal aide for the past few months?"

"What?" Alvera exclaimed.

Rhys nodded and shared some information he was aware of.

"No one can deceive my brother, even if they put on a flawless disguise. His senses are sharper than anyone else's. He must have been aware...wait...he allowed her to be his aide, even knowing she's a woman. That's not like my brother. No female servant is permitted to enter the second floor of his mansion. Why did he..."

"You're a clever woman, my wife, so you can think a bit further."

"Do you mean he....no wonder he was looking at her like that." Alvera mused. "To think that the servant he kept by his side all these months was the one he'd been searching for all these years. It must have been incredibly surprising."

"It certainly was a shock," Rhys agreed and explained. "That's why the Commander arranged for women's clothing and a veil for her. This way, no one can recognize her in the palace for the time being, especially since most people have seen her as the Prince's personal aide."

"It wouldn't be good if others found out," Alvera commented. "First, it's not beneficial for Oriana's image as the Crown Princess, and second, it would raise questions about why we couldn't locate her when she was living in the palace all along."

"Hmm, that's why we need to continue this disguise until people forget the existence of that servant."

"That would be for the best," Alvera agreed and said, "If he really liked her, I wish he would keep aside the past grudge and accept her, though it won't be easy."

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