Chapter 6: The Lady Who Isolates
Austin, Xander, and Fai continued to bond while engaging in various activities together, such as playing games and embarking on explorations to secluded alleys to avoid the eyes of the public. They also maintained a consistent schedule of visiting the baron's chateau to monitor Oriana's progress as she received treatment.
However, their frequent visits did not escape the notice of the butler, who became increasingly irritated by what he saw as the children taking advantage of the Baron's generosity.
One day, in the absence of the Baron, the butler could no longer contain his frustration and openly expressed his disdain for the trio. "You children are nothing but a nuisance, constantly taking advantage of the Baron's kindness," the butler grumbled, his voice tinged with irritation. "You should learn to appreciate what you have instead of always asking for more."
Before the trio could respond, a voice interrupted from behind them. "What seems to be the problem here?"
They turned to see the young Lord, the Baron's son, standing in the doorway, his expression stern yet curious.
The butler straightened up, realizing he had been overheard. "My apologies, my Lord," he said quickly, attempting to backpedal. "I was merely expressing concern for the baron's welfare."
The young Lord regarded him with a thoughtful look before turning his attention to Austin, Xander, and Fai. "Is everything all right?" he asked a tone softer and more understanding.
Austin stepped forward, feeling a surge of confidence. "Yes, my Lord. We were just checking on our friend, Oriana," he explained.
The young Lord nodded. "Ah, I understand. Well, you are always welcome here, so feel free to feel at home," he said warmly, his gaze lingering on the trio with a sense of respect, and he turned to the butler with narrowed eyes.
With a nod of gratitude, Austin and Xander exchanged glances, feeling reassured by the young Lord's words. "Thank you, young Lord," Austin and Xander said in unison as they bowed down. Fai is as nonchalant as ever.
They watched the young Lord go when he suddenly stopped in his tracks midway. The trio saw him pause for a moment, lost in thought, before turning back to the trio with a determined expression. "To be honest, I have a favor to ask of you," he began with a tone of earnestness. "My little sister, named Udeit, spends most of her time alone in the garden. We used to play a lot together, but something happened, and now she refuses to speak to me."
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly with regret. "I've tried to reach out to her, but she won't listen to me. I was hoping that perhaps if she had some company, she wouldn't feel so alone."
"Umm, can you please elaborate on what you want us to do?" Xander asked as he tried to back away his head from the young Lord's face, which was now close to his.
He looked at Austin, Xander, and Fai with a pleading gaze. "Would you be willing to befriend her? Keep her company, and maybe even convince her to open up to me again?"
Austin exchanged a glance with Xander, sensing the importance of the young Lord's request. "Of course," he replied without hesitation. "We'll do our best to befriend Udeit and help mend your friendship."
The young Lord's face brightened with gratitude. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I'll be forever grateful for your assistance."
As the young Lord expressed his gratitude for their willingness to help, he suddenly brightened up with a new idea. "You know," he said with a smile, "my birthday is coming up in three days. I would be honored if you could join me for the celebration."
Austin and Xander exchanged surprised glances, touched by the young Lord's invitation. "That would be awesome!" Austin exclaimed, but his tone contained doubt.
"But will we be alright to attend such a grand celebration?" Xander expressed worry.
"Yes, young Lord, on behalf of these children's worries, I don't think that they will be able to pull it off."
"I did not ask for your opinion, Jenkins." He cut him off.
"Yes, we will attend your birthday banquet, young Lord; don't worry," Fai replied confidently, followed by Austin and Xander.
The young Lord's face lit up with pleasure. "Fantastic! It will be a small gathering, but I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time together," he said warmly.
The young Lord called out one of his maids to get three invitation cards when the butler's disapproval was palpable. He cleared his throat, attempting to interject, but the young Lord silenced him with a firm look.
"Thank you for your concern, Jenkins," the young Lord said coolly, his tone full of irritation. "But I will not tolerate your attitude towards our guests."
The butler bristled but wisely held his tongue with an expression tight with frustration.
With the tension diffused, the young Lord turned back to Austin, Xander, and Fai with a warm smile. "I apologize for the interruption. Please consider my invitation," he said as he handed over the cards fetched by the maid.
Austin and Xander nodded with approval, grateful for the young Lord's kindness.
With the promise of a joyful celebration ahead, Austin, Xander, and the quiet Fai followed the young Lord to the garden, their hearts filled with anticipation for both the birthday festivities and the opportunity to befriend Udeit.
As they strolled toward Udeit in the lush garden, she appeared deeply engrossed in her thoughts alone on a stylish patio, her expression distant and guarded. When the young Lord took a step forward to greet her, she responded with an immediate and expected reaction.
"Go away," she said sharply, her voice filled with bitterness. "Especially you," she added, her gaze fixed on the young Lord.
The young Lord's face fell, hurt evident in his eyes, but he nodded silently and turned to leave, respecting Udeit's wishes.
Udeit, Austin, and Xander exchanged uncertain glances when left alone. Despite her initial resistance, they were resolute in reaching out to her and offering their friendship.
"Hey, Udeit," Austin began gently, taking a tentative step forward. "We're not here to intrude or bother you..."
"You are."
"..."
"We want to be your friends and keep you company," Fai concluded after the silence.
Xander and Austin nodded in agreement, their expressions filled with empathy and understanding.
Udeit glanced at them warily, her guard still up, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "Why?" she asked, her voice filled with arrogance and suspicion. "Did the young Lord ask you to do this?" She said with an annoyed expression. "If you're doing this for that reason, then please stop bothering me," she added as she looked away into the distance, signalling her maid to get some refreshments.
"Because everyone deserves to have someone to talk to and share their feelings with," Xander replied earnestly. His tone filled with sincerity made Udeit look at him intensely. "We may not understand what you're going through, but we're here to listen if you want to talk. I need someone to talk to as well. My little sister is sick, while my father is missing. I didn't know where else to turn to. If not for the Baron, Austin, Fai, and Alex, the guard your father stationed at my house, I would have given up already by now."
Austin offered a reassuring smile. "And sometimes, having friends by your side can make the tough times a little bit easier to bear," he added gently.
Udeit remained silent for a moment in her seat, contemplating their words. Austin noticed her eyes glimmering unnaturally and scanned the surrounding light.
"Did you see that?" He asked Xander beside him.
"Hah? See what?"
"I think I saw her eyes..."
"Why don't we start by introducing ourselves? Hello Udeit, my name is Fai. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Fai," she replied with a warm and genuine smile. Austin felt a mixture of surprise and relief as he noticed the sudden change in Udeit's demeanor. Her smile seemed to signal a shift in their favor, and although he was initially confused, he welcomed the positive turn of events.
"I am Austin. Nice to meet you."
"And I am Xander."
Udeit asked them to sit comfortably as the four children started to exchange conversations. Against the trio, slowly but surely, her defenses began to crumble.
As Udeit tentatively opened up about her feelings of being dangerous, a nervous tension hung in the air. Sensing this, Austin and Xander exchanged cautious glances, unsure of how to respond. Fai just listened in silence.
"Hey, come on now, Udeit," Austin said with a reassuring smile, trying to lighten the mood. "You don't look dangerous at all. If anything, you seem pretty harmless to me."
Xander chimed in, his tone playful. "Yeah, a cute lady like you couldn't possibly be that dangerous. You're more like a pretty doll than a lion."
Fai nodded in agreement. "Exactly. And besides, even if you had a hidden dagger, we'd still want to be your friends. We're not afraid."
Udeit couldn't help but chuckle at their attempts to cheer her up, a hint of amusement softening her guarded expression. "You guys are ridiculous," she said with a small smile.
Encouraged by her response, Austin and Xander continued to banter and joke with Udeit, gradually coaxing her out of her shell and building a sense of trust between them.
"By the way, why would you think you are dangerous?" Fai queried after a long moment of silence.
"Oh right! Where's my manners? I sincerely apologize." Udeit stood up from her seat and bowed to the three in a poised manner, burying Fai's question altogether. The once-little girl in front of them has transformed to show a lady's etiquette flawlessness. "Will you honor this humble doll by having a tea party together today?"
As Udeit extended the invitation for a tea party, Austin and Xander exchanged hesitant glances, uncertainty evident in their expressions. They were excited about the idea of spending time with Udeit, but they couldn't help feeling apprehensive about the formalities of a tea party.
"Um, Udeit, we're not familiar with tea parties and all that," Austin admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Xander nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we're not exactly experts at tea party etiquette," he added, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Udeit chuckled softly, sensing their hesitation. "Don't worry, guys. It's just a small gathering," she reassured them, her tone gentle. "We'll simply talk over tea and snacks. There's no need to worry about formalities. And besides, I can extend my knowledge and teach you the know-how." Udeit winked playfully.
Fai nodded, and he switched glances to Xander and Udeit. "Okay, that sounds manageable," he said with a calm smile.
With Fai's approval, Austin felt more at ease about the upcoming tea party. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Austin exclaimed with enthusiasm. "We'd love to join you for a tea party," knowing that it would be a relaxed and enjoyable gathering.
Udeit nodded slowly, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Great! I'll have my maids prepare everything right away," she said, her voice tinged with excitement as she rang a bell on the table.
It was when Oriana finally joined the tea party when laughter and conversation filled the garden. Xander is trying his best to keep the gathering lively, while Austin was just playing along. Fai on the other hand kept his nonchalant attitude, but the most noticeable thing about him is how he could drink tea with elegance.
"Why are you staring?" He asked uncomfortably when everyone stayed silence.
"..."
"I was only following Udeit's instructions." Xander calmly said, closing his eyes to avoid any eye contacts while sipping his tea
Watching from a distance, the young lord felt jealous. He thought and decided to visit Udeit in her room tonight for a talk.
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