Trying to control her rage, Princess Marina bit her tongue until she tasted blood. Calmly taking small pieces of food to her plate, Princess Marina was about to leave the buffet table before she bumped into someone that sent her food flying.
Momentarily panicking because she didn't want to cause a scene, Princess Marina panic momentarily subsided when her meal was suspended in mid air.
"Sorry," said a boy with stunning orange hair and bright blue eyes.
"I didn't watch where I was going." The boy said with his eyes fixed on the plate he was levitating downwards.
"I am sure." Princess Marina thought because the boy hadn't looked at her once since he bumped into her.
After two minutes of carefully levitating the plate downwards, the boy successfully grabbed the plate when it was close. Happy that the meal wasn't messed up, the boy was about to pass the plate to its owner when he realized that the owner was Princess Marina.
Momentarily freezing, the boy stared at Princess Marina like a deer caught in headlights for two seconds before almost breaking his back by bowing suddenly.
"Greetings to the third star of the empire." The boy said quickly.
"Blessed by the spirit of the wind, I am Aldric Morando and I don't deserve to live!" Aldric said and Princess Marina chuckled softly.
"What a melodramatic boy." Princess Marina thought with a smile before a devilish thought crossed her mind.
"Are you saying I am villainous enough to murder someone for bumping into me?" Princess Marina asked with a glower and Aldric shrunk.
"I would never." Aldric said as he trembled slightly.
"Then why would you assume?" Princess Marina asked Aldric and Aldric trembled again.
Laughing internally at his distress, Princess Marina was about to tell Aldric that she was joking before an identical copy of him, came from behind him.
"Greetings to the third star of the empire." the boy said with a bow.
"Blessed by the spirit of water, I am Aleron Morando and I beg you to pardon my twin brother." the boy said as he bowed once more in apology.
Flustered because she had only been joking with Aldric, Princess Marina quickly said "I was joking earlier."
"It was no problem." Princess Marina said with a sweet smile and Aldric let out a sigh of relief.
Relieved that she was only joking, Aldric straightened up and Aleron followed suit and as they did, Princess Marina marveled at how much Aleron's eyes looked like hers. From the cold look, to the indifferent ambience, Aleron's demeanor was almost identical to hers.
Smiling a sunny smile that was a huge contrast to his brother's, Aldric was just about to hand the princess her plate when footsteps came up from behind him.
"Greetings to the third star of the empire." said a boy with black hair and purple eyes.
"I am sorry if my brothers disturbed you." The boy said and Princess Marina tried hard not to whip her head to look at the twins.
"Blessed by the spirit of the earth, I am Maldareth Morando." Maldareth said and Princess Marina's mind clicked.
The surname "Morando" is newer than the Duke's and the Marchioness's but still held significant power over Alvonia. They have held their title as Earl for four generations and the recent Earl is known as a philandering fool. For three generations their most significant features were their black hair and purple sapphire eyes.
Looking over his shoulder, Maldareth glared at the twin brothers and said "How dare you approach the princess?"
"It was a mistake-" Aldric tried to say but Aleron stepped forward to block him.
"It won't happen again." Aldric said with a bow towards Maldareth before grabbing his brother and exiting the scene quickly.
"And I will ensure that they keep their promise." Maldareth said with a smile that Princess Marina wanted to smack clean off.
"I can't have such dirty blood getting close to the third star of the empire." Maldareth said with the same unnerving smile before excusing himself.
"All this drama over a plate of food I didn't even get to eat." Princess Marina thought as she walked away from the buffet table.
After the coming of age ball, the Sun and Moon and the three stars of the empire gathered for dinner.
The King and Queen gushed about Princess Marina's dress, her display with her staff and the pair dance then questioned their two older daughters on their journey in the academy.
The conversation was free, lively and jovial so Princess Marina didn't understand why Princess Zarya yelled at her the minute the King and Queen retreated to their chambers.