Days, after days, the cold weather began to rapidly increase its way to the Kaiserreich empire. As days gone by and turned into weeks, it was almost the end of the year. However, it also meant that a day filled with prosperity and joy is ready to be welcome in open arms.
Christmas is nearing, but for the Tarjun estate, they have another matter they have to greet in their arms.
Karina, who was preparing herself to go on an outing to search for christmas presents, let out an exhausted breath. This action caused Mandy to halt herself from styling her young miss' long silky hair into her usual braided up-do hairstyle.
"He is set to come back any time this week, right Mandy?"
Mandy knew what Karina meant and stuck a strain smile on her face. "It appears so, my lady."
Karina grunted and harshly rubbed her forehead. "Ahh, my lady, please don't do that. You'll ruin your soft skin!"
"Ugh, every year, I can't help but feel so tired when Christmas morning comes. Austin is so picky with his gifts."
Mandy chuckled. "I am sure my lady will be able to find a perfect gift for young master. Young Miss did successfully so last year."
"Yes, but it took me days to find his so-called perfect gift."
Mandy crouched down and whispered to Karina. "Well, since the palace banquet is coming near, why don't you buy something related to the event. Young master's atittude is a bit..."
Mandy sweat-drop once she made eye contact with Karina's expression through the reflection of her miss' vanity mirror. "He loves to boast about the gifts I got him to his friends. Boasty Brat." Her eyes changed into small rounds, and her eyebrows form into straight lines, indicating how done she was with her brother's infamous personality.
"Why does he love to boast about me to his friends, anyways Mandy?" Karina innocently looks up to Mandy. Mandy paused and had to inhale for a moment as she made eye contact with Karina.
'It's because the young master's friends admire you, my lady!' Her grip on the hair brush she was holding tightened at Karina's oblivious. Karina tilt her head, and a small bead of sweat appeared on her right cheek at Mandy's reaction.
Karina was only 15 years old, yet she had already exuded a steady path to grow up into quite a beauty, yet for now, Mandy could only find her young miss features adorable.
Mandy held a promise with herself that she would work hard to shape Karina to be a woman with striking beauty, hoping society would grant Karina with a title as the gorgeous or something along those lines once she becomes an adult.
And Mandy has 4 years left to do so.
"Hey Gil, wanna spar today?" A knight wearing a silver and black coloured theme uniform called out to a young man who was making his way out from the Tarjun training grounds.
"Can't." The knight with orange coloured hair and light sapphire coloured eyes named Gil declined.
"Wait, why?? Ah, now I remember. The marquess appointed you to be the young miss' personal guard."
Gil only stared blankly as his peer continued on talking. "Why did the marquess choose you anyway? there's a lot of other knights which can look out for the young miss. I just can't understand why someone as skilled as you have to babysit."
"I mean, the young miss will leave this house once she marries anyways, right? I just hope this won't hinder you from training and deteriorating your swordsmanship --- Hey, you're leaving? are you mad?"
The knight scratched his head. "Bastard, he barely speaks a word to anyone, let alone spending time with us, but thanks to his talent, none of the other knights dare to reprimand him."
Gil thought deeply and let his feet take him to where he was supposed to attend this morning.
'Mad? of course, not. But.... I am pretty annoyed.'
A few days ago, Gil felt quite enthusiastic when he was called to the marquess' office despite being known as a stoic person in the Tarjun estate. He has gone a little ahead of himself and made an assumption that the marquess will finally grant him a high-ranking knight position. He has been serving as a knight in the Tarjun estate for the last past years and has already gained a lot of positive merit in his knight duties, so it made sense for him to think that way.
But to think that the marquess only reason for his request was to give him a position to be Karina's personal knight.
He felt underestimated. He doesn't have anything against the lady of the house, yet he felt that he was more deserving of a much higher status.
Karina, who was busy adjusting the hood of her cloak --- turned her head when she heard the sounds of footsteps.
"I apologise for being late, my lady." Gil bends down his body.
Mandy scowled at the late appearance of the knight. "You're late! How could you make the young miss wait." She scolded.
Gil said nothing and still held on to his bend down position.
"Stand up." Karina commanded to which Gil followed.
Karina took a good look at the young knight in front of her.
He was much taller than Karina and had a well-built body. His orange hair is parted in the centre, and his back hair is tied into a low ponytail. His eyes were light blue, and his skin is beige-coloured.
'Gilbert. An aspiring knight belonging to the Tarjun estate who has a high ambition to be part of the knights fighting alongside Arthur when Arthur becomes the marquess. He is known to be quiet most of the time, but his talent in swords said otherwise. When he first came to the estate, he was only 10 years old and worked as one of the horse care takers before consuming knighthood at 12 years old. If I'm not mistaken, he's 19 right now, the same age as Mandy. '
Karina sighed. "Stand up, I have just arrived, so you don't need to worry."
Gil obeyed Karina's command and quickly stood by the carriage and held his hand out for Karina to hold --- aiding her to go inside the carriage.
As Karina placed her hand on Gil's palm, she took a quick glance at the orange haired man's expression before going inside.
Mandy, who got in after Karina, exchanged an annoyed look with Gil, who, of course, remained expressionless.
During the ride to the shopping district, Mandy couldn't take it anymore and immediately complained about her young miss' personal knight.
"Geez, it's so obvious he's still not satisfied with serving my lady."
Karina inhaled and watched the passing scenery through the carriage window. "The weather looks nice today."
"Miss, are you really going to let him get away with his behaviour. I'm worried, my lady. What if..." Mandy halted her words and looked down.
Karina pursed her lips before curving a smile. "Even though he's hostile right now. Gilbert is known to take his responsibility seriously, I'm sure he won't slack off."
Mandy dead panned. "Well, we can't say the same about his punctuality." She sarcastically stated.
Karina chuckled awkwardly and silently agreed with Mandy. Though part of her understood why Gil acted the way he did. She had heard the gist of his history and how hard he has worked in the past years to gain the marquess' trust to assist Arthur.
Gil's expression when she was about to enter the carriage was still fresh in her mind. His blue eyes showed nothing but hues of darkness, trails of resentment.
'To be given a mere job in guarding an insignificant member of the Tarjun family is pretty disappointing.' Karina looked down to her hand and fiddled with her finger.
Unbeknowingly, Mandy stared sadly at her young miss' action.
"As I expected, Austin's gift is the only one left we need to find."
"Hm, this looks pretty! it matches the young master's hair!" Mandy pointed at a pendant adorned with a jade gemstone. Karina hummed. "It is gorgeous, but I don't think I want to give Austin a pendant yet."
Mandy tilted her head. "Pardon my curiosity, but why so, my lady?"
Karina grinned. "Maybe I'll get him that when we're adults."
"Ah, I see!"
With time passing quickly, and the sun now ascending high in the sky, the morning is soon replaced by afternoon. Karina and Mandy had settled themselves in a bookstore. "I never knew the young master had a reading hobby. I thought pranking and being playful was his hobby instead."
Karina corrected Mandy. "Pranking and annoying people is more like his job than his hobby."
"Ahh, I see."
Karina puffed her cheeks and held herself back from letting out a laugh. This reaction made Mandy think back to what she commented earlier. She didn't really find anything peculiar with her choice of words.
Yet for Karina, her memory brought her back to a year ago. She had just gone to Austin's room to recover her expensive feather quill that Austin had 'borrowed' without notifying her. That was when she discovered an unexpected treasure. A precious treasure she was going to use against Austin.
'Austin is a major romance book enthusiast...' Karina looks up to the ceiling, and flowers started surrounding her to which caused Mandy to become even more confused.
The sound of pages of books being turned appeared, and the brunette looked to her right. There, she saw a taller woman ecstatically reading the book she picked up. She looks so overjoyed that Karina couldn't help but feel her mood lifting up at the woman's cheerfulness.
She looked back at Mandy after investigating the books for a while, "I can't find anything interesting here either, Mandy..."
"Let's try another shop, my lady. We don't have much time left." Mandy whispered.
Karina nodded, and as she stepped backwards, her back had hit a rather firm object, and her hood, which was loose and was halfway droopy, got immediately uncovered by the hard impact. "Oh, Gil? I thought I told you to keep watch outside."
Gil stared down at Karina. "I was worried."
Karina sweat-dropped at Gil's monotone voice and Mandy' eyes widened in amazement. "Such warm words being said by a cold person."
"....ine!" Karina raised an eyebrow and directed her sight on a frame of a person who was then taken aback by their own action. "Oh, pardon me... it looks like I got the wrong person."
Karina said nothing and smiled, showing her acknowledgement at that person before making her way to the exit of the store.
"My lady! you should scold Gilbert."
Karina giggled. "You should do it, Mandy."
Mandy sighs. "I would, but Gilbert has way more seniority than me."
"You scold me this morning, though."
Mandy gasps. "Oh yeah, I did! Welp."
"Haha, what's with your face? Mandy!!"
Without them knowing, a pair of golden coloured eyes were watching them from afar.
A few days later
"May I take a look at that?" Ohara requested to the jewels salesman.
"Of course, my lady."
Upon raising the necklace up, Ohara carefully examined the piece of jewellery. The necklace was a choker surrounded by pearls. A bigger emerald gemstone is placed in the centre.
'Pretty but this one would look better on an older person.' Ohara placed the jewelery back down on its case.
It is the day before Christmas, and Ohara was searching for a certain jewellery piece to match with her outfit for the royal event, which is to be held tomorrow.
'I don't want something too extravagant... maybe..'
Ohara perked up once she rested her eye on a collar necklace adorned with simple crystal lining with a small amethyst gem arranged in an according manner. When she was about to voice out her interest in the necklace --- a male voice abruptly appeared, startling the blonde head.
"Mister, can I take a look at that."
Ohara sneaks a peek to her right to see a taller young boy holding a mischievous appearance. His light green hair was messy, and when he lowered his yellow eyes down to Ohara, Ohara unconsciously flinched.
Thus, the two had an impression in mind.
'He looks like a... golden retriever?'
'She looks like a fluffy cat.'
"Here you go, sir." The salesman put their eye contact in a halt. "Thanks." Austin thoroughly examined the priceless jewelerry in his hand. It didn't take long before Austin felt an ominous aura beside him.
He slowly turns his head back to the young blonde girl he was briefly making eye contact with earlier and sweat-drop.
Ohara had put on a burning gaze at the jewellery Austin is currently holding. Her magenta eyes were staring so hard that Austin could've sworn he saw fires lighting up inside her eyes.
Austin was astonished when Ohara finally shut her eyes and exhaled a disappointed sigh before moving her sight away from Austin.
"Um.."
Ohara immediately looked back at Austin with hope glimmering in her eyes.
"Yes?" She quirked.
"I don't think a little kid like you would suit this piece." Austin straightforwardly said.
Ohara felt a pang and an imaginary brick slam her head as Austin's words pierced through her heart.
"Who says I'm going to wear it right now? I'm going to keep it until I'm a bit older. And I am not that little." Ohara scoffed.
"Oh, I thought you were 10."
Ohara irked. 'I know I look like a little girl, but 10!? That's too much...'
'That look, however, it seems like he's purposely trying to taunt me.'
Austin raised an eyebrow and smirked at Ohara's silent treatment to his indirect taunt. He was sure that the girl in front of her was much younger than him, but he couldn't help but respect her quick realisation to his trick.
He wanted to tease her but it looks like that won't happen now.
"I'm impressed... you saw right through me." Austin scratched his head.
'I was right. He was trying to trick me.' Ohara thought.
"If that is all...I'm leaving."
The bell to the door shop rang inside the shop to indicate that Ohara had indeed left.
"Let's go." She told her maid and her knight.
'What a bummer, I couldn't even find anything, and I even encountered an annoying person. I should have just stayed at home.'
"Wait!" Before Ohara could enter her carriage, a familiar voice stopped her. She looked back to see the green haired boy she met earlier running. The boy panted and placed his hand on his knee to catch his breath.
"It's you..." Ohara said.
Austin grinned before showing a small leather box to Ohara. He motioned for her to take it. "What's this?" Ohara suspiciously said.
Austin rubbed the back of his head and giggled. "I made you mad right. Here! consider it a christmas gift as my apology."
Ohara tilted her curiously, and Austin couldn't help but look down and trembeled, covering his mouth.
'She really does look like a cat.' He thought and imagined a white cat snooping around an object that they are curious with.
On the other hand, Ohara deeply thought about Austin's sudden gesture.
'The ball is tomorrow.... and there's no time left to search for another jewellery.'
She stared at Austin.
"Alright, I'll take it." Ohara took the box from Austin's hand.
"Woah, you'll accept it? Good on you, blondie."
Ohara flinched again at Austin's weird choice of words. She wonders just what family does this young boy belongs to for him to act so brazenly.
"It's Ohara. Don't call me blondie."
Ohara's eyes turned white.
Austin kept quiet before finally opening his mouth. "Ah, I see!"
"I'm Austin. It looks like we'll meet again soon." He suddenly announced to Ohara.
Ohara had to think for a minute before finally understanding what he meant. 'Tomorrow's event...'
"Then I'll take my leave."
Austin nodded at Ohara and extended his hand out, surprising the blonde girl.
"While your words are informal, at least you know your etiquette." She said while taking his arm and entering the carriage.
Austin winked. "I'm full of surprises, Lady Ohara."
Ohara rolled his eyes, and Austin innocently waved at her through the carriage window once the door closed.
When Ohara was sure that she was far from Austin's sight, she excitedly opened the gift she had just received. Her magenta eyes shone so brightly at the reveal of the content inside the box. Austin had chosen a pair of minimalist earrings with the same colour of her eyes. 'Not too extravagant but gorgeous!'
Ohara then finally remembered something. Something very important...
"I don't have any ear piercings."
The day had gotten even more gloomy for Ohara. In the end, the outcome was still the same.
She still had no jewellery to wear for tomorrow's event.
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