Arien and Arjen's POV-
Arien chuckled, patting her brother's head softly as she did. Despite his manifestation, Arien still towered above Arden. In fact, it seemed as if the manifestation increased their difference in height, making the boy seem much younger than she is despite being triplets.
'It's always been this way, hasn't it?'
Though their births were only minutes apart, Arden's poor health had made it difficult for him to exercise and consume much food. As such, it was evident that his growth would be stunted. Arien and Arjen, on the other hand, were able to sneak out and climb on the tree at night and, though they sometimes skipped meals, their meals were certainly much better than the mush the servants called soup, which they learned was fed to Arden on a daily basis.
A gentle touch on her shoulder distracted Arien from her reverie. It was Arjen, his long hair now trimmed to its usual shortness. After the manifestation, his already beautiful hair had become even more healthy and glowy, his skin smooth and unscathed. Yet, their trauma could not be forgotten from a single manifestation alone.
"Arien...your hair..."
Arien jolted, her hand leaving the head of Arden's and reaching behind her. As expected, only half of her hair had been cut, the other half dragging on the floor. Behind was Ishina, who, despite looking bothered by the unkempt look of the girl, could not do anything for fear that the emperor would punish her for behaving disrespectfully toward a royal.
"Ahem. You can continue, Ishina."
"Yes, your imperial highness."
Ishina bowed, then guided Arien back to the seat where her hair was previously being trimmed. Then, she resumed trimming, her hands moving swiftly, her movements practiced and no less than expected of a head maid. After a short moment, Arien's hair reached only to the middle of her back, and Ishina looked less restless than before.
"Thank you."
Ishina simply nodded, but, upon closer inspection, Arien could tell that she was very pleased with her work.
[330 words]
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The Invisible Prince
FanfictionArien and Arjen were reborn as the princess and prince of the Yuriana Empire. Born as royalty, they expected to live luxurious lives. However, they were abandoned by the emperor and forced to live with their abusive mother and negligent maids in a r...
