Y/n's pov.
" My hands do feel better now " I said as I look at my hands which had been massaged and the swell has come down.
" Your welcome miss " Jemma said.
I see my nails are shiny and well clipped by her as well.
" By the way, did I get any letters? " I turn my head to Jemma as we walk down this path of the garden.
" So far no letters received from the houses you've asked me to check on, may I ask why your waiting on a letter? " She asked.
" Just some friends from school, they said they would hang out with me around the city " I said.
" I'm sure they'll deliver some, how about I go ahead and check on the one in charge of the mail? " She asked, I nodded.
" Please do " I said.
" If you'll excuse me " she curtsy then walk leave my side as I make my way down the path.
I walk around the place and started hearing water running around here, I look over to my left to where I see a small waterfall. I walk around the place to realized it's a pond of fishes, koi fishes to be exact and I approach as I see they're a lot smaller than the ones I saw in the palace. I then felt a light touch on my arm and I look down to see a tiny frog that hopped onto me.
" Hello " I smile to see he has hop higher onto my upper arm.
I pick him up and hold him to see it's just common frog, I've seen plenty of them back at the village and his color is just olive green. They're grass frogs so pretty harmless to hold.
" Malia, why don't you come and pick up some herbal supplements at my place?, We wouldn't want you to spoil those pretty eyesight am I right? " I hear a familiar voice.
I stand up from the pond and walk over to where I heard a voice and stand behind a gazebo where I got view of Paige and Malia.
" Grandmother might not take your kindness to heart " Paige smiles.
I see Malia sit there in another gazebo working on some embroidery, she keeps her head low as she has the hoop resting on her lap.
" If you had discussed it with me before you made any decision, I could have given you advice " Paige said.
" Then you wouldn't have had prepared the similar gift to mine "
Malia put her items on the table as she stood up with her face already about to cry.
" Was it really just a coincidence? " Malia asked
" Or did you already find out about the birthday gift I prepared, so you purposely weaved a tapestry portrait as well to make me look bad? " She asked.
" Even if I did do that on purpose. . . " Paige steps forward to Malia, taking advantage of the height difference.
" What can you do about it? " Paige's smile turns into a smirk and she lets out a laugh.
" You might be able to fool them now but can you do it forever? " Malia asked and Paige's face expression drops.
" You might have some skills but I already can see who's going to beat you at your own game, sooner or later you'll be the one under us " she said.
" Your talking about Y/n? " She laughs.
" Y/n is just no one but a useless whoreson, an illegitimate child, and are you trying to intimidate me?, Malia please, it doesn't suit you " Paige said, Malia finally step forward to her.
" Fuck you " Malia said.
Whoa, dropping the f-bomb, nice.
SMACK
Well Paige isn't so nice.
Malia holds her face from the slap she received and Paige tilts her head to the side to look at her, I scoff then stood straight and approach them.
" Don't get ahead of yourself, you might as well bring her down with you " she said.
" You know you got a lot of nerve " I said and they turn to me.
Paige snickers.
" Eavesdropping is not preferred by anyone- "
SMACK
Malia gasped after my hand swung across Paige's face and she looks back at me in shock holding her cheek.
" Neither was slapping people in the face, it hurts right? " I asked, she scoffs.
" You have no idea what you just did " she said as she put down her hand.
" I slapped you in the face and put a frog on your shoulder because I know most girls are disgusted by the moist of their body, that's what I did " I said.
" What? " She breathed hitched and her head slowly turn to her shoulder.
As soon she looked down she shrieked and push it off her shoulder as she steps back.
" What is wrong with you?! " She shouts then walk away in disgust and wipe her shoulder.
" That wasn't very nice " I said and kneel down to the frog.
" Come here buddy " I pick him up from the ground to see he's unharmed then put him on the plant next to me.
" Bye-bye " I said as he hop away.
" That was brave of you " I turn around to Malia who stands there with her red cheek of where Paige hit her.
" Do you always let her bully you? " I asked.
" I'm afraid of her " she said.
" Why should you?, I see nothing but her being insecure, though, you did tried to defend yourself just now " I said.
" Key word, tried " she said.
" She has always been for the last seventeen years of our lives, we go to school together too " she said.
" Let me guess, the popular girl? " I asked, she nods.
" I'm not surprised " I said.
I look down at the table where her embroidery is.
" Hey, why don't you bring this to my room? " I asked.
" Why? " She asked.
" Hang out obviously, and since I'm not busy, why not get to know each other?, It's hot outside anyways " I said, she smiles.
" I'll gather my things "
~ Time Skip ~
" Oclirian paints " Malia said as she pick up a jar fill with the color lipstick red paint.
" So you study in rocks too? " I asked, she chuckles then put back the jar and shake her head as she turns around to me.
" It's the same paints Paige uses " she said.
" Oh, wouldn't surprise me " I said and sit on the end of my bed with my feet dipped in the wooden basin full of cold water.
Jemma prepared it for me in the name of mom, apparently after my manicure this morning, mom wants me to have a pedicure too. No idea what the benefits are but my feet feel great already. I watch as Malia walk over to the chair and table as she continues on embroidering the fabric she has around a hoop.
" Don't you get tired embroidering all the time? " I asked.
" It's not when it's something you'd like to do most " she said.
" Obsessed? " I asked, she hums in response.
" It makes me happy to create something that holds a story behind it, like you and your paintings " she said.
" Oooh~, so sentimental " I said, she chuckles.
Jemma then sit down on a short stool then lift my foot out of the basin, she dries them and brought my socks and boots.
" I can do it " I stop her and she smiles as she avoid my hands.
" It's alright " she said and put on the socks for me.
I look down as she put on the boots on next and tie the laces.
" I know how to put on my own boots " I said and get off my bed.
" Yes, but a noble needs to know they don't have to do everything by themselves " Jemma said.
" And a slave doesn't have to do everything a noble says " I said then walk over to Malia.
" So! " I sit down on my couch with a little bounce.
" How does this embroidery work? " I asked, she smiles then pick up another hoop that already has a plain pink colored handkerchief.
" This is how I do it, I use a pencil to draw the outline of my design then embroidered it with the color of your choice, once your done, we wash the pencil off and there you have your won handkerchief " she said.
" But you also gotta be careful because we're stitching from both sides at once " she pick up her hoop where her unfinished stitches are.
She flips and I see back and front are like mirrors reflecting each other.
" Is that Lulu? " I asked, she nods.
" I happen to saw her at the garden just now catching a mouse so, I've come up with a new design " she said.
" I am so not trying it " I smile and put down the hoop.
" Why not? " She asked.
" I'm gonna poke my finger and bleed to death so I'm gonna stick on painting " I said, she shakes her head and chuckle.
" Whatever you say " she said and continue on stitching.
" You know, if you do embroidery everyday, you might as well sell those handkerchief instead of giving them out freely " I said.
" Why? " She asked.
" Make profit obviously " I punch her shoulder and she drops her hoop as she hold her shoulder.
She looks at me in shock.
" What was that for? " She asked.
" Sorry, it's just a playful gesture " I said.
" Oh okay " she smiles and I pick up her hoop for her.
" Here " I pass it to her.
" Thank you " she said.
" Anyways, it's a benefit, you could run your own industry " I said.
" In this world, I doubt people are interested in handkerchief more than magics and spells " she said.
" Oh yeah, I forgot about those " I said.
" About what? " She asked.
" Every noble family are able to do magic right? " I asked, she nods.
" Show me what you can do " I said, she let out a nervous laugh as she put down her hoop in her basket.
" I don't think so " she said and I notice her hand goes to the dark purple amulet she has around her neck.
" Is that your relic? " I asked, she looks down and then up at me with a shaking head.
" No, this is just something my father bought me for my birthday " she said.
" Beautiful isn't it? " She asked, I nodded.
" Okay, do not change the subject, show me your magic " I said, she smiles.
" If you insist " she said and take a deep breath and face the basket of her embroidery items.
She ready her hands in front of her and in a second her green emerald eyes glows vibrantly and strings of green light swirl around her hand like vines. Then the basket of her items slowly float in the air with her finger moving around as the needle stitches swiftly on the handkerchief.
" Whoa " I said.
It was seconds until all of them just drop and we were both startled when it hit the teapot on the table and shattered it.
" Woops " I look at Malia and we both laugh together.
SHATTER
We both scream again when we hear a shatter and an arrow lands on the arm of the chair. I look at my window where it shattered and I already hear the commotion outside.
" Where did that came from? " Malia asked.
I stand up and grab the arrow as I walk over to my shattered window, I open it and see the boys at the backyard practicing archery. It's Anthony, Declan, Yeshua and Elliot who's hiding behind Yeshua.
" Hey! " I shout.
" Sorry! " Elliot shouts and he hit his head on Yeshua's arm repeatedly while holding a bow.
" Watch where you aiming?! " I throw the arrow down and it hit the ground.
" Won't happen again! " Declan shouts.
I turn around to Malia who's picking up her items with her personal maid and Jemma.
" Where we we? "
It's a wonderful chappie.
Bye!
ฅ'ω'ฅ
~ Mariko