The Scholar and The Crown

23

Sylas

I cleared my throat as soon as I recovered from what Lady Maude had just said. "Are you alright, Lady Sia?" I immediately asked the lady beside me, noticing that she seemed to have burned herself with the coffee she suddenly drank.

"I'm alright, Prince Sylas," Lady Sia assured me, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

"I'm a little suspicious about how, out of all the ladies in the selection, you chose to go out with Lady Sia to see the festival," Amara teased, taking a sip of her coffee, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

I sighed in disbelief, then threw a daggered look at Lady Maude. 

This woman had clearly forgotten her manners, and now she was smirking, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

"I think it's lovely that Prince Sylas and Lady Sia are spending time together," Lady Maude chimed in, ever the peacekeeper. "The festival is a wonderful experience."

Amara, on the other hand, was less subtle. "Yeah, Sylas, what's the deal? Playing favorites?"

I felt my face heat up and quickly tried to deflect. "It's nothing like that. Lady Sia happened to be free, and I thought she would enjoy the festival."

Lady Sia nodded, her composure regained. "It was a spontaneous decision, that's all."

Amara, still amused, leaned back in her chair. "Well, I suppose it's good to know you're capable of spontaneity, brother."

Maude's smirk widened. "Yes, it's quite refreshing to see you do something so...unexpected."

I gave Maude a warning look, which she returned with an innocent shrug. "We all need a bit of spontaneity in our lives," she added.

I sighed, realizing I was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. "Fine, fine. Let's change the subject. How are you enjoying the festival, Lady Maude?"

Lady Maude lazily looked at me. "Me? I came here as soon as we got into town," she replied.

"I guess we should head out to explore the town square until the opening ceremony," Amara suggested, getting up from her seat.

We all stood up and left the café, stepping into the lively, bustling square. The air was filled with the sounds of laughter, music, and vendors calling out their wares.

"Where should we go first?" Amara held her chin, glancing around the busy and noisy town square.

Lady Mavis pointed to a nearby stall. "Remember those fresh fruits covered in sugar we enjoyed last year?" she suggested. 

Both Amara and Lady Mavis looked at the rest of us expectantly.

"You should try them too," Amara said with a smile.

Curious, we followed them to the stall. The vendor was a jovial man, his face lined with age but his eyes bright with mirth. He was selling various fruits skewered on sticks and covered in a glistening layer of hardened sugar.

"Ah, welcome! Fresh candied fruits!" he greeted us warmly.

Lady Mavis and Amara each took a stick, biting into the sweet, crunchy fruit with obvious delight.

I hesitated to grab one, but then Lady Maude handed me an orange one. "Try it; it's good," she suggested as if she'd eaten them before. Then she proceeded to give one to Lady Sia before getting hers.

I took a bite, the sugar cracking under my teeth to reveal the juicy fruit beneath. The blend of sweet and tart flavors danced on my tongue.

"It is tasty, right, Maven and Maude?" Lady Mavis turned to her siblings. "It tastes the same as the ones we had back in the countryside," Lady Maude commented while Mavien just nodded in agreement.

That made Lady Mavis sigh in disbelief. "Let's explore more."

As we walked around, enjoying our treats, the atmosphere felt lighter. The townspeople were cheerful, and the stalls were vibrant with an array of goods—from handcrafted jewelry to colorful fabrics and intricate pottery.

"There's so much to see," Mavien said, his eyes wide with excitement.

Amara laughed. "Well, let's make sure we see it all. We have until the opening ceremony, after all."

We continued to explore, stopping occasionally to admire a performer's trick or to purchase a small trinket. 

It felt good to be out and about, away from the palace and its endless formalities.

At one point, we passed a stall selling beautiful hand-carved wooden figurines. Mavis picked up a small, intricately detailed bird. "Look at this, Maude. Isn't it lovely?"

Maude nodded. "It is. Maybe you should get it." Then she leaned towards a pin with a pumpkin design. 

She really does have an obsession with pumpkins.

"Look, Prince Sylas, this pin is the same color as your eyes," Lady Sia said, presenting the same pin Lady Maude had been looking at earlier. Then a sudden memory flashed in my mind.

"Fair enough, you're the first person who made me hate the color of the pumpkin for the first time too."

And I heard Lady Maude snicker.

I really hate her.

I forced a smile at Lady Sia while hiding my irritation towards a girl who loved pumpkins. 

As we wandered further, we came across a group of musicians playing lively tunes. The crowd around them was clapping and dancing, their joy infectious. Lady Mavis, always the lively one, grabbed Maude's hand and pulled her into the makeshift dance floor.

"Come on, guys, join us!" Mavis called out, laughing.

Mavien joined them, and they happily danced together, their movements full of energy and laughter.

"You finally meet the fun and free Robinsons," Amara said, looking at me with a smile.

I nodded, then returned my gaze to the dance floor. My eyes darted to Lady Maude, who was happily dancing along with her siblings. 

For a moment, I stood there, captivated by the scene.

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