The First Princess of Granzreich

Episode 12: Prodigy of Music

The rain was pouring down hardly as Lilia sighed in boredom.

"The competition is two weeks away.. I don't even know what I'm gonna play.." She whispered.

She's bored, and is in dire need of advice.

"Hase." She called the rabbit, said rabbit approaching and flopping on the princess' lap.

Stroking the rabbit's fur, she lifted him up and nuzzled her nose in the fur.

"Sir Hase!" She called dramatically. "Does thou think that I should practice?"

The rabbit simply stared at her, like he was deadpanning her.

"Uwah, Hase you sassy rabbit.." Lilia mumbled in mock-hurt.

Standing up and leaving said rabbit on the chair, she headed to her violin case and took out her violin.

After tuning it, she turned her attention to the inside of her mind, where a certain persona is quietly watching.

"You'll have to practice next after me, Ellie. You might be rusty." She said to her other self.

"Yeah, yeah.." Ellie mumbled nonchalantly.

Sighing in defeat, the first princess lifted her violin to her shoulder, laying the bow on the strings and gliding it to the tune of Fur Elise.

Soon enough, she was swaying back and forth, lost in relaxation.

-

Lilia sipped from her cup of morning tea and peered above the rim at her siblings.

Leonhard and Licht were bickering over a slice of cake while Kai and Bruno were completely immersed with Heine- the former was eating while patting Heine's hair and Bruno was busy talking to Heine about his latest thesis that he recently presented, food abandoned.

Placing the cup down to its holster, she laced her fingers on her lap and cleared her throat.

That seemed to get the attention of her family.

"Lilia, my child," Viktor spoke. "Is something the matter?"

"My next competition is coming up, and I have no idea what I am going to play; and my pianist abandoned me when I got third place last competition." Lilia sighed irritably.

"Hmph!" Leonhard huffed. "You pianist quitted on you? My talented sister? Preposterous! That means he doesn't acknowledge your skills! Just find another one to accompany you!"

"Yeah!" Licht agreed. "Anything you play would sound great anyway! Maybe that Bee guy or whatever- Hey! Leonie!" Licht waved dismissively, but he turned his head from the cake, so Leonhard easily got it and was now munching happily.

"Thanks for the support, Leonie, Linie, but it won't be that easy.. I can't hire any pianist, an average pianist won't be able to synchronize with me and it might damage my music!" Lilia groaned.

"And, Licht?" Bruno adjusted his glasses. "It's Beethoven."

"Same thing!" Licht raised his hands in exasperation.

"Most likely a few contestants will choose Beethoven since his works are very common. You should try a harder piece so you can redeem that third place." Bruno suggested.

"Yeah.. good idea.. Professor, you have any ideas?" Lilia nodded before asking Heine.

Heine hummed in thought before he turned to face the royals.

"Why not the composer who sold his soul to the devil?" He asked. "Niccolo Paganini."

As soon as Bruno and Lilia registered his words, the former dropped his thesis papers in shock, said papers falling to the ground in a mess, while the latter choked on her tea, coughing violently afterwards.