Chapter 22) Sisters Can't Be Choosers

On the other end of the room, I watched as hot water ran from the faucet into the large pool I considered a bath. The two maids who had turned it on, walked slowly around the edges towards me, dropping in the cleaning oils and herbs as they went. I had another maid assisting me in removing my current attire, as it stuck to me with the grime of this morning's breakthrough. As steam began to rise from the depths of the pool, a gentle, sweet fragrance began to encompass the whole room.

As my clothes were removed, my tanned skin was exposed for the world to see. Tiny little scars became visible as the cloth fell away from my arms, all of them only having come from exploring the forests for years. As I gazed at all of them, reminiscing about all the stupid barbs that caught me unawares, the maid reached up and unfurled my hair, letting the dark, golden waterfall cascade to the small of my back.

"Your Highness, it is always such a pleasure to assist you with these things. Although, could you please tell me how it is you have grown to be so tall?"

I turned around with a frown plastered on my face.

"Anna, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Lucy when we are alone like this? To answer your question though, I don't know what you're blabbing about. I'm only a few inches taller than you."

Anna pouted after being scolded again. She never seemed to adjust no matter how many times I remind her.

"My apologies Lucy. I still find it hard to address you so unprofessionally, even though you are always so kind to us servants. This is especially so with His Grace."

I let a light smile rest on my face.

"Father makes it quite clear that all of you are just as much family as I am, even if our blood is not that of kin. He has especially made it clear that no great ruler exists that treats his help like trash on the side of a road. The treatment of his help directly reflects upon his own image. As I grew up, he engrained that idea into my mind, and I've come to respect and love all the people that work in here. Whether they be a maid, baker, guard, or random laborer, they all get treated as a family."

All the maids looked at me with respect and affection. The two maids going around the pool have been with me since my birth, Emily and Joanne. They have long come to terms with my request to be called by name. Both of them have been like extra mothers, as whenever Mother couldn't be around for whatever reason, these two had to deal with me. Needless to say when I was a child, I had a very stress inducing tendency to disappear whenever anyone other than Mother or Father was watching me. After I came back one time and found Emily crying into Joanne's arms after failing to find me for a whole afternoon, I finally stopped disappearing on them and apologized. From then on I at least told them where I was going, or asked if they could accompany some places.

Anna is my newest maid, as Emily and Joanne are starting to get up in their years, and will need to train people to hold their positions for when they retire. Alas while an amazing maid, she refused to call me by name. I suppose it is because her age is only a few years older than myself, and while I am a princess, I wish her to treat me like a friend or at the least, a younger sister. In all honesty, she doesn't want to do it because she is embarrassed.

'Well the pool is finally full. It is about time.'

"Well everyone, will you all be joining me, or must my body be gawked at until I am ready to leave. While I am at it, where is Jess?"

They looked around with wry smiles, all pointing behind me. I turned around only to get tackled into the water by the laughing little demoness.

~

"My apologies, Your Grace, for having not sent word before my arrival. In my haste to return with my news, I failed on being responsible or sensible."

"Hush Lucian. I understand your haste, and you know I dislike this whole noble speech nonsense, so relax child. No one is going to tell your father. Speak plainly."

Lucian's whole countenance changed upon being allowed to relax. It seemed as though a heavy pressure seemed to roll off of his shoulders as he stood back up with a relaxed atmosphere around him.

"I thank you, Uncle."

I gave him a warm smile, remembering when my elder brother first showed me this child. 'He has grown up into a fine young man, albeit with a bit more of an iron-gripped father to control him. (sigh). Brother, why must you be hard on the ones you love most?' I only just now realized he had been talking to me.

"Lucian, could you please repeat yourself? Apologies, as my mind was wandering for a moment."

He let out a deep breath before restarting.

"Uncle, as I had been saying, father has agreed to letting me lead on this project. I have already devised a few possible pathways to cut through the wooding and I'm currently awaiting a person that claims he can make contact with the rumored People of Trees.

I nodded approvingly.

"While that is all well and good, I do have to make a suggestion, and a correction."

He looked at me with a tilted head full of confusion.

"May I ask what hose are, uncle?"

I sat up in my seat while I looked him in the eyes and started to tap my forefinger on my armrest.

"For a start, the People of Trees aren't rumors, at least on my side of the forest they aren't. Second, tell that person you're waiting for that he is un-needed as I've already made contact with these people and they have granted us both safe passage and overall approval for the road to be made. All they ask is for us to need step into a few key areas I have marked on this map with me, and that we do not make the roads any larger than necessary."

With that, I unfurled a large map that overlaid the entirety of the forest with specific spots marked and trails outlined everywhere. I watched Lucian drop his jaw in utter astonishment at the perfectly detailed map laid before him. Slowly after his face drooped in depression.

"Even when I think I've finally gotten one step ahead of you, you somehow snap your fingers and magically appear 20 steps ahead instead. You win uncle."

I started laughing heartily when I watched get like this.

"Boy, you're 20 years too early in believing you can be ahead of me or even your father. He probably has the same map, while I'm most definitely the one that made first contact with the People of Trees. Don't take this so heavily, as you have to remember that while your father is a very smart man, everyone that shares my generation with me unanimously decided I can only be titled monster. You're as smart as your father, but he himself can't compare to me when I'm serious, even though I act stupid most of the time."

Poor Lucian felt the weight of a mountain rest on his shoulders. The shoulders of a prince destined to be in the shadow of his uncle and father for different reasons. 'The Saphire family is terrifying, and I can't believe I'm technically a part of this family tree.'

I watched him crawl out of his dazed state before regaining an inkling of bearing.

"You done being a drama queen Lucian, or do you want me to drag on the facts, as I can't even call this bragging."

He shook his head slowly.

"No uncle, you don't have to do that. Father rants more than enough about you for me to know my place. I simply had forgotten where I stand. Forgive my arrogance."

He bowed deeply before pulling a map of the forest he had with all his sample pathways displayed. We decided on the best overall route that would work, before talking about the finer details such as amount of laborers both sides will provide as well as cartographers and engineers. Once all of this was done I told him where he and his men could rest and that dinner will be in a few hours.

~

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

I screamed after rising from the bath with a giggling brat wrapped around my waist. Like me, Jess had nice tanned skinned from being outside engaging in mischief everywhere she found a sentient being. While I took my time getting out of the bath to properly wash myself this time, I took note of any new blemishes or scars Jessica may have gained since last we shared a bath. Seeing a fresh new bruise on her lower left back I asked curiously:

"Hey Jess, how did you get that bruise? It seems new."

She popped her head up from under the water and tried to look at where the spot was, but only ended up looking like a puppy chasing its tail before reluctantly shrugging.

"I dunno. Probably when I got hit with a stone earlier when walking by the stables."

A silence encompassed the room for a solid while before my maids blew up.

"Someone threw a rock at you?! I will report this to Her Majesty at once. The person will be castrated in front of his family for-"

"WAAIITT!!"

Joanne stopped her tirade to listen to what Jessica could possibly say.

"I was walking by the stables when they were cleaning the horses. The stable boy was getting a particularly large stone out of a horse hoof that was pretty stuck in there. I didn't tell him I was behind him so when the rock came flying at me all I could do was turn around before getting struck in the back."

The maids all visibly calmed down after hearing that it wasn't some form of insubordination. They would still tell the queen but at least more so for explanation purposes rather than punishment.

"Now then, Jess, get out of the bath water and help me wash my back. I'll help you after."

"Fiiiinnneeeee."

I told her of my official rise to the master rank as a mage and could tell she was extremely jealous. So much so in fact, that she decided to poke fun at me.

"Who are you trying to impress with these flubby hips and mediocre face sis? you have a crush or something gross like that?"

I vein began to throb violently in my head. A frown was slowly turning into a glare.

"It seems little miss bitch decided today will be the last time she breathes properly. Allow me to demonstrate my newfound magic power brat."

I flicked my hand and formed a bubble made of my newfound aurora element around Jessica's petite frame. I casually picked her up in the bubble while my maids tried to talk me out of doing anything reckless. I simply told them she won't die, and they all formed exasperated expressions.

"Dearest Elder Sister of mine, I didn't mean it I swear! You definitely don't look a little pudgy around the edges or have a flat butt or have a booger in your nose! I was just joking! Please let me go!"

A cold smile graced my face when she said that.

"So. You have chosen death then dear baby sister of mine? A shame, really. I was hoping I wouldn't have to break mother's heart by ending up more beautiful than her, but now it seems I shall be making her cry for your death. Don't worry, my mercy as your sister will be that death will come swiftly. Goodbye, brat."

With that, I flicked my finger as though I truly had something stuck to it, and watched Jessica fly to the opposite end of the bath, get spun around as many times as I felt was necessary to drive the lesson home, then whipped her up into the air, only to hear a loud, satisfying smack into the water. Her eyes were spinning like crazy while she floated on the surface, all while my maids tended to her to make sure she doesn't drown. I just pouted and harrumphed while I made a maid come finish cleaning me.

After all the semantics were over and done with , I drifted around in the bath for a bit before ultimately getting bored and heading to my room. Jess was fine only after a few minutes, and was already trying to fight me again. 'Woe is me, the fairest and most talented princess of them all. (sigh). When will I find someone to put my dear baby sister in her place so that I don't have to?'

At the moment, somewhere far, far away, a boy with striking grey eyes and mostly stoic attitude sneezed.