Chapter 4
1045 Words
Laughter suddenly burst from the mouth of a chubby boy. He looked about the same age as William Minna, round-headed and round-faced, like a little potato.
"She's so silly." He grabbed a cookie from Princess Katherine's plate and then made a face at William Minna.
"Karns, where are your manners?" his mother scolded.
"Okay, Mom." The boy walked over and handed the cookie to his little cousin. His hands were dirty, with mud under his nails.
William Minna brushed his hand away and also made a face at him.
The boy was taken aback, not angry, just finding it amusing. "Who are you? Where are you from?"
"She's Uncle Adams's daughter, our sister, William Minna," Annabelle said.
"Interesting." Karns leaned in front of William Minna. "So, do you play Captain Bach's game?"
William Minna shook her head, then proudly said, "But I have the Rose Legion."
"Cool! Where?"
"In Monslanka."
"Pfft, boring." Karns pouted and sprayed spit at William Minna.
Princess Katherine hurriedly pulled her son away, while the Crown Princess smirked.
"Don't mind him." Annabelle smiled gently, taking out a handkerchief to wipe William Minna's face. "Come, let me introduce you to some other siblings."
The Crown Prince and Princess had worked hard for years and had three daughters, no sons. The eldest, Annabelle, was fourteen this year, deeply loved by everyone; the second daughter, Amelia, and Joanna were twins, twelve years old, elegant and quiet. The three sisters were graceful and noble, treating William Minna with courtesy and respect.
Princess Katherine and her husband had only one son, Karns, who was ten years old this year. Princess Mariana also had only one son, Louis, eleven years old, a tall, silent boy.
The Emperor was very pleased to see the children greet each other and bond. William Minna behaved very well. This child had a kind of slow courage that made her unafraid of danger and able to quickly adapt to new environments.
Rushing to the capital had already tired William Minna. Before afternoon tea was over, her eyelids began to fight.
The Emperor noticed the child's fatigue and had an attendant take her downstairs to rest.
"Have a good sleep and don't miss dinner tonight."
Annabelle put down the napkin she was wiping her mouth with and stood up. "Let me take William Minna to her chambers, Grandfather. I will take good care of her."
"Good child." The Emperor nodded with pleasure. "I'm so happy to see you all so loving."
Annabelle took William Minna's hand and led her onto a small open-top land car. Hansborg and the Deputy Steward of the Court followed in another car, with the guards close behind.
The car drove through the rose garden of the palace, the scent of flowers particularly strong, giving people a bit of a headache.
"Do you like roses?" Annabelle suddenly asked.
"Okay," William Minna said, "How about you?"
The girl gave a meaningful smile and didn't answer her cousin's question.
"I hope you can get used to court life," Annabelle said. "Bruck will arrange etiquette teachers for you. When your studies catch up, you can go to school with us."
"But I've always been good at my studies."
"Oh, my dear sister, that's not what I mean." Annabelle smiled tenderly. "I know you're an excellent child, Willie. But you have to understand, we're not ordinary people. We have to know more than others, just a little bit more. Do you understand?"
William Minna nodded vaguely.
Annabelle touched her hair with satisfaction. "Such beautiful golden hair, Grandfather must love it. His grandmother, our great-grandmother, Empress William Minna, had beautiful golden hair. They all say I look like her. Grandfather respects his grandmother very much, you know."
William Minna blinked.
The car drove through the woods and began to climb. Annabelle took a deep breath, her snowy white arms resting on the car door, flipping her hair in the wind. She was already fourteen years old, well-developed, and as beautiful as a rose bud waiting to bloom.
William Minna turned her head and saw Hansborg smiling and chatting with Bruck in the car behind.
"He's a lucky man," Annabelle suddenly said. "You know, no one, absolutely no one, has ever gotten the position of Deputy Steward of the Court as easily as he did. Grandfather really favors you. Or should I say, wants to make it up to you."
"I don't understand," William Minna said.
Annabelle chuckled briefly. "Each member of the royal family has a deputy steward. My father and mother each have one, I have one too, and Catherine aunt and Mariana aunt had one before they got married. We all thought Grandfather would let your father's deputy steward continue to work for you. But poor Sir Wolf, he was replaced by an unknown little guy."
The casual cruelty displayed by her cousin instinctively repelled William Minna. Annabelle was still young and couldn't hide it well. Or maybe, she simply didn't care about her unsophisticated little cousin.
"But," Annabelle changed the subject, "I'm very interested in him. How about giving him to me?"
William Minna stared at her cousin in surprise and immediately refused, "No."
"Why?" Annabelle wasn't very happy. "He'll just waste his talent with you. What can you make him do? Put on your shoes, pour you milk, or tell you bedtime stories?"
"He's my deputy steward!" William Minna stubbornly said this unfamiliar word. "Grandfather gave him to me, he's mine."
"Yours. Haha! Yours?" Annabelle laughed. "Oh, my lovely Willie, how old are you? What do you know about having something of your own?"
William Minna's wild temper was ignited, she wanted to retort and let this cousin who looked down on her know how powerful she was. But as the words reached her lips, she suddenly remembered her grandfather's advice: "Don't let them know what you're thinking."
She closed her mouth tightly and stopped looking at Annabelle.
Annabelle snorted disdainfully, "Well, little beauty. I'll get him in my own way."
When Hansborg and the others got off the car, they saw William Minna standing next to Annabelle, her face pale.
"Are you feeling unwell, miss?" Hansborg asked with concern.
"Don't worry, sir," Annabelle flashed him a coquettish smile, "My little cousin just isn't used to the electric land car."
- Writer
