PRIDE
WHEN A KNOCK AT THE DOOR interrupted us, I called out to the visitor before Jack could take care of it. “Yes?”
“It’s me, Elder Sister. We should head to the antechamber soon. Tiara’s with me too.”
I doubted Stale had needed as long to change as Tiara and I did, but his work with Uncle Vest would have delayed him. Tiara had apparently joined him so we could gather before we had to leave. It was something of a ritual, the royal family coming together before setting out for the banquet.
The door opened to reveal my siblings, who looked dazzling. Tiara wore a darling peach-colored dress, while Stale wore a brooch studded with purple and pink gems.
“How lovely!” I cried, beaming at the sight of them.
Tiara and Stale shared my sentiment.
“Big Sister, that dress looks so good on you! I can hardly believe my eyes!”
“Tiara is right. It’s beautiful, like a gemstone. That dress wouldn’t look as nice on anyone but you.”
Though Stale calmly and clearly offered his compliments, it had taken him a moment to follow up on Tiara’s joyful cry, as though he was startled or stunned. A flush rose to his face as he stood stiff and ramrod straight, oddly tense before me.
Stale and Tiara knew how nervous the Precognition Festival made me every year. But Stale’s praise and Tiara’s hands in mine fortified my courage. I thanked them and silently promised myself I’d return their kindness. Tiara always wore such vibrant, feminine dresses, while Stale had made sure to wear a brooch with the colors of our dresses, showing how truly thoughtful and kind he was.
“You really look adorable today, Tiara,” I said. “I’d give you a big hug if it wouldn’t wrinkle your dress. And Stale, you’re once again so handsome, I can barely take my eyes off you. But most of all, that brooch looks lovely on you. Thank you both.”
Pleased by my praise, Tiara beamed and twirled to show off her dress. Stale bit his lip and maintained his usual blank expression, though I knew him well enough to tell something had stirred him up. Maybe he just liked that I’d noticed his brooch, though I had to wonder if that was enough.
“Are you all right, Big Sister? Are you feeling nervous again this year?” Tiara asked as we walked out of the room, hand in hand.
I took Stale’s hand as well, and we descended the staircase. It was a bit awkward to be on the receiving end of their sympathies. When we were children, I was the one who comforted them.
“Yes,” I said simply.
Talking with them down the hall to the royal palace did help ease my mind. We entered an antechamber set aside for the three of us and waited until it was time to leave.
When the imperial knights arrived for their shift change, sweat broke out on my palms. It was almost time. This wasn’t a formal ceremony like usual, but that didn’t mean I could put on an act in front of the innocent Freesian people. I had visited the castle town on observation trips many times, yet this event carried a whole different kind of weight.
The maids fluttered about, helping with the finishing touches on our outfits, and then the guards arrived to summon us.
“Time to head out?” Tiara said, and Stale offered me a serene smile.
With their encouragement, I headed out to the carriage—only to see Mother and Father boarding their own. We climbed into ours in the usual order, with me and Tiara sitting side by side across from Stale. Then we returned to our leisurely conversation.
“If Prince Leon attends again, I hope to speak to him a whole lot today!” Tiara said.
“Me too,” I agreed. “Cedric told me he was curious about the holiday as well, so I’d like for the two of us to chat.”
“Yes, I hear neither Anemone nor Hanazuo have any festivals like this,” Stale said.
As someone who adored his people, Leon seemed jealous of our custom of eating a meal alongside the Freesian citizens. Neither nobles nor foreign royalty could attend on this occasion, which only deepened Leon’s interest in the holiday.
“That’s right, although I believe Hanazuo has a festival where they open parts of their castles to the public. I’ve heard they carry out large worship services in Chinensis’s giant cathedral.”
Stale and Tiara seemed surprised by this revelation, but I was simply repeating what I’d learned from Cedric. Despite our alliance, the United Hanazuo Kingdom and Freesia still had much to learn about each other. Tiara had flinched at hearing Cedric’s name, but the smile returned to her face a moment later.
The carriage slowed to a stop, and cheers immediately leaked in through the windows. I squeezed my lips together, but Stale and Tiara reached out, placing their hands over mine. Even through their gloves, their warmth reached me. When I looked up, Tiara’s grin and Stale’s intense gaze filled my vision.
“Big Sister, let’s enjoy the festival again this year!” Tiara said. “Everyone loves you and Big Brother so much!”
“Keep your head held high,” Stale said. “You always conduct yourself perfectly around the Freesian people, so Tiara and I can assure you that you’ll be all right.”
For a moment, my eyes went wide. Did they remember after all this time or was that just a coincidence? I was certain they’d just echoed the things I’d said to them ten years ago—on that same day I was just reminiscing about. I broke into a smile. My siblings cocked their heads in confusion when I started to giggle, but soon they couldn’t help but laugh along with me.
My imperial knights opened the doors for us. Guards stood in a row outside our carriage. As the cacophony of the crowd reached us directly, Stale and Tiara spoke at the same time.
“Let’s go, shall we?”
I squeezed their hands, rising from my seat. Stale and Tiara exited before me. When I emerged as well, thunderous applause and raucous cheers greeted us.
Standing between my siblings, I spoke quietly enough that only they would hear. “Today is an opportunity for you to see the faces of the people you’re going to protect someday. Let’s burn them into our memories, okay?”
My words—those of a big sister above all else—emerged with a smile. Here with Stale and Tiara, I truly felt like I could stand in front of our people with my head held high. My eyes sparkled, as I was filled with happiness to have people like Stale and Tiara here with me, holding my hands.
Mother, Father, and Uncle had already exited their own carriage. They watched us with warm smiles as we entered the banquet hall. While the crowd cheered, we bowed alongside the queen, waved at the guests, and offered smiles of our own. Then we followed the adults to our designated table.