[Discontinued] The Triplets' New Life

→CHAPTER FIVE←

'Are we there yet...?' Arien asked, her feet already starting to feel sore.

'Pretty sure we still have a long way to go.' Arjen answered, his feet equally sore.

'My feet are starting to hurt, but look at the pretty statues, big sister. Especially that one with wings...!' Arceo told, fascinated. Successfully distracting both her siblings from their sore feet. 

"Are you tired?" Ishina asked sharply. Arceo grumbled, annoyed as they just got their siblings distracted, just to be reminded again by the head maid.

"No!... Not at all." Both Arien and Arjen lied.

"Ishina," Arceo called out to her as their siblings busied themselves by talking and looking around among themselves.

"Yes, your highness?" Ishina said, curious of why she was called, by the youngest no less.

"Say, what should we call his majesty, the emperor?" They asked, side glancing at the head maid. Their words were informal, but it had slipped Ishina's mind.

I'm sure she would say this later when we arrive, but like, who fucking likes to be ordered around by strangers? Arceo rhetorically thought to themselves.

"You must say, 'we greet our esteemed father.' Your highnesses." Ishina informed Arceo as Arien and Arjen subtly flinched.

"I see..." Arceo directed their gaze back to the hallway, filled with displays of fascinating objects and sculptures.

Their reply seemed to intrigue Ishina's interest as her eyebrows raised in amusement.

'What..? Esteemed fa-father?? Not Your Majesty?!' Arien shrieked telepathically.

Arceo instinctively put up a hand to their mouth as they quietly yawned and unintentionally calmed their siblings down. 'haha, yeah.'

'I- how are you so calm about this, Arcy?' Arjen asked as he put up a hand to pat his youngest sibling as it is a tendency to do every time they yawn. 

Let's say that some maids quietly gushed at their adorable sibling display and got shushed by Ishina.

'Uhh, just too tired to bother with trivial stuff, y'know?' Arceo waved them off.

'No.' Both siblings responded at the same time, deadpanning.

'I- alright. Oh hey, you two calmed down.' They gave their older siblings a close-eyed smile.

I'm sorta glad I'm the youngest. Like, one of the perks is that I can act clueless or carefree without other people being judgemental to get information and then utilizing them to assert dominance. 

Well that, or you could use that information to drop their guard. Arceo smiled with a flowery aura surrounding them despite their thoughts as they walked along the path. 

[This is not related to the story at all. It's just Arcy having one of their many random thoughts to entertain and distract themselves along their walk<3]

As they walked to the giant doors, the butler leading the way had stopped and turned to the triplets, halting them in their place.

"Your Imperial Highnesses. We have arrived." He gestured at the door.

As the door opened, the only thing Arceo thought was, The emperor really has that vibe of that one stoic and strict, but also rich uncle we have while walking in with their siblings to greet him.

As they were a few feet away from the emperor, they did a curtsy as they greeted the emperor with their siblings. "We greet our esteemed father..."

"... You may have a seat." The emperor said. His elbows propped on the big dining table, his hand supporting his head as his eyes lowered to meet his children.

The three's assigned seats were separated. Arien and Arjen's seats were on both sides of the emperor with Arceo's being right across from him.

The older siblings were hesitant about being apart from each other, while the youngest was looking forward to the food more, blocking out other thoughts. But still went along with them nonetheless.

Arjen grabbed both his siblings' hands as he looked down with a complicated expression, indirectly telling the emperor that he doesn't want to be separated.

"... Move the chairs so they can sit next to each other." The emperor ordered as the butlers then replied. "Yes, your majesty."

Arceo watched with a bored expression as servants moved the chairs around.

After they were all seated, dishes were then served out one by one by the servants.

Arceo was seated the closest to the emperor with Arien in the middle of them and Arjen.

The emperor took his cup of tea and gracefully drank it. Arceo soon followed suit as they were parched; using what they know from the etiquette book to not mess up.

The silence is strangely nostalgic. Arceo thought as they trailed their eyes to the dishes being served. 

Their eyes accidentally met the emperor's as they then froze but quickly brush it off and decided to play innocent as they gave the emperor a close-eyed smile. 

The emperor, delighted gave a ghostly smile and nodded.

Huh, guess that also works here... eh,'sbettertomakealliesthanenemies.

The emperor then stared at Arien as their eyes also met, probably expecting the same reply but was met with Arien stiffly looking back at her plate with a blank and uncomfortable look. Regretting her decision of glancing at him.

"You can just tell the attendants the food you wish to eat." He suddenly said, startling Arien as he then continued to stare at her.

Pfft. When you're an introvert but want to talk to someone. Arceo thought laughing at the awkward situation between their sister and father. They picked up the knife and fork and began eating.

'how's the taste?...' Arien miserably asked, not having the energy to eat.

'Dunno. Just chew, swallow, and repeat.' Arjen answered, his actions resembling that of a robot.

'Pfft, you look like a robot Arjen! But the food tastes surprisingly good.' Arceo said, giving their own answer to their sister while quietly laughing at their brother.

"What happened there...?" The emperor asked, looking at a particular scar. Interrupting the triplet's conversation. Arceo, having already finished their meal and is now gulping down their tea.

?? There...? Arceo followed his gaze. Arjen's scars! Both Arceo and Arien thought.

Arceo swiftly put their cup down while Arien hurriedly blocked Arjen's scars, making clatters of his plate as food fell onto the table.

nO THE FOOD! but also Arjen!!

_____

Sorry about the crappy chapter and inconsistent personality of Arceo[though it's probably going to be like this for the upcoming chapters :looking away:].

I wrote this on a day after previous ones, which led to this half-assed chapter. Andalsoprocastenatedonpublishingthechapter(°ー° ;)

Anywayeses~ Happy New Year! SorryandBye-bye now (￣▽￣)ノ

~Coffé