Chapter 98: TRAINING ASSASSINS IN THE MANSION

Chapter 98: TRAINING ASSASSINS IN THE MANSIONAs soon as she entered the mansion, Catherine, Wilson and Alaric came forward as if they had been waiting for her.

"Tia, you’re back!" Alaric said with excitement.

Aristia smiled tiredly at him. Seeing how tired her daughter looked, Catherine ordered Adeline.

"Adeline, take the princess to her room and help her take her bath. She needs to rest."

"Yes, your highness." Adeline bowed.


Catherine nodded, then she turned to ask Aristia.

"Would you like to have something to eat before you take your bath, Tia?"

"No! Ahem, I mean no, Mama. No more food." She cleared her throat after her short outburst.

She excused herself and held back a yawn as she went in the direction of her room.

Catherine had a worried look on her face, watching her daughter leave. She knew her daughter had a special liking for food, especially after the fiasco on the day of the Kingdom’s anniversary when they had to fast.

"Do not worry too much, my love." Wilson held her hand and walked towards their room. He could tell what his wife was thinking. "Tia is just tired after judging the food. She has probably eaten her fill of food." He chuckled.



Alaric was left behind and forgotten.

’Poor Prince.’ Cassandra shook her head with a smile.

"Let me take you to your room, Prince." She beckoned.

Alaric looked up at her and shook his head. "I want to go to Tia’s room."

Back in Aristia’s room.

Adeline helped her to take a bath.

"Rest well, princess. You worked really hard today." Adeline said as she tucked her in bed.

"You too, Linny." Aristia said.

"I’m not at all tired, princess." Adeline said.

Aristia expected it. Adeline was seventeen years old and would not be so tired compared to Aristia who was just a five year old.

But thinking of Adeline’s running prowess months ago when they found Owen, Aristia began to think it wasn’t just about age.

"Goodnight, Princess." Adeline wished.

"Mm." Aristia nodded. "Goodnight, Linny."

She watched Adeline walk towards the door.

Adeline opened the door.

"Uh!" She grunted.

Aristia sat up straight in bed, startled. "What happened?"

"Tia!" Alaric ran towards her bed.

He had just arrived outside Aristia’s room when the door opened. He then ran into the room and bumped into Adeline who had opened the door to leave.

"Prince Alaric, are you alright?" Adeline turned back and approached Alaric to check if he was hurt, even though she was the one who had been bumped into.

"I’m not." Alaric said, trying to climb into the bed. "I want to sleep in your room, Tia."

"Al, what you did was wrong. Linny could have been hurt. Apologize to her." Aristia said to Alaric, folding her arms and staring pointedly at him.

"It’s nothing, princess. I’m fine. The prince doesn’t need to—" Adeline started to say but one glare from Aristia made her shut up.

"Hm?" Alalric was a bit unwilling, but because his lovely older sister asked him to, he relented. "I’m sorry, Adeline."

"It’s alright, young prince." Adeline smiled and waved her hands. "I will return to my quarters now. Princess, Prince." She bowed and left.

Aristia shook her head at her. Then she turned to Alaric who had succeeded in climbing the bed.

"Al, do you know why I asked you to apologise to Linny?" She asked softly.

After a few short seconds, Alaric shook his head. "No." He said in his childish voice, trying to get her to drop the topic.

[Ugh! Too smart for his own good.] Aristia almost fell for his babyish act. [You almost got me fooled, trying to put on a babyish act to make me go soft on you when your intelligence is higher than your age by a few years.]

"I’m serious, Alaric." She said sternly, calling his full name.

Seeing that she knew what he was doing, the childish, clueless expression on his cute, adorable face faded and he looked up at her with a sheepish look.

[Fuck!] Aristia shuddered. [How many times have you done that?] She thought.

This wouldn’t have been Alaric’s first time of acting like a clueless baby.

Her mind went back to her first day here; in the dining room where Alaric had spat the food she fed him on her face. Now that she thought about it considering his higher intelligence... Had that been intentional?

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Nevertheless, she still continued with what she was saying.

"It is because you ran into Adeline. She could have gotten hurt. You should always apologize when you do something wrong. Don’t be too prideful. Do you understand, Al?" She asked softly.

"Mm." Alaric nodded, taking her words to heart. She was his lovely sister, of course he would listen to her.

Aristia didn’t want Alaric to grow up to be a cocky, egotistical and unapologetic man who didn’t admit his mistakes and didn’t apologize when he wronged others, just like most noblemen in this time period.

She had to educate the kid while he was still little.

"Good boy," she hugged him. This time a yawn escaped her lips unhinged, making Alaric laugh. "Goodnight, Al."



"Goodnight, Tia."

***

"Tia, wake up."

Aristia groaned when someone shook her albeit gently.

"What?" She grumbled, slowly opening her eyes. It was a new day.

Alaric got down from the bed. "Adeline and Cassandra will be here soon to help us get ready for the training class with the captain." Alaric said.

Aristia sat up with a groan. She was still tired. "So many words so early in the morning."

Her words made Alaric giggle.

Just as he said, their personal maid and nannies entered the room, ready to get them ready.

"Let’s go, Al." Aristia said, after they had gotten dressed.

Alaric nodded and gripped her hand as they headed to the training grounds.

"Good morning, Captain Hugh." Aristia and Alaric greeted.

"Good morning, princess and pince. Ready to begin the day’s training?" Captain Hugh asked. His face was serious, but it wasn’t disapproving and skeptical as it had been the first time she had begun training.

Over the months, his impression of Aristia had begun to change and she had become more likable.

"Yes, sir." Aristia responded.

She wasn’t going out today. Because of her classes that had been cancelled the previous day, her classes for today were added an extra hour, including the training with the Captain.

Aristia swung her sword hard against the wooden dummy. The dummy shook a little but remained stable.

She swung again and again repeatedly, making sure her sword was held in a tight grip. She stopped slashing at the dummy with her wooden sword and lowered her head, panting slightly from the exertion.

"Is that all you can do, kid? There’s not even a scratch on that." Hugh Lancelot sneered, pointing at the dummy.

Aristia held back from snapping at him. She was in the body of a five year old for goodness sake! What did he expect her to do? Nevertheless, she turned back to face the dummy and continued her strikes.

She rolled her eyes. Was she supposed to break down the dummy? It was being used to practice her strikes.

"That’s enough, Your Highness." Hugh said. "You have made some progress since the last time you trained. It is time for the archery training."

[’Some’ progress. What a way to word it.]

Aristia turned to collect her bow and arrow but Alaric came walking towards her with his hand stretched out to her. "Here are the bows and arrows, Tia."

"Aww. Thank you, Al." Aristia rubbed his head and collected it from him.

There were too small bows. One was slightly bigger than the other. Her father had gotten it made for her for the archery lesson.

For Alaric, it was mostly for the inclusion since his physical body could not really use it yet.

Aristia followed the Captain’s instructions and aimed at the target.

This small bow was made with consideration to her size. It was obviously much better to handle.

With style and precision, Aristia shot an arrow.

It shot through the air and landed straight on the bullseye. "Bullseye." She muttered.

"Nice shot, kid." The Captain’s eyes showed surprise. "Must have been lucky."

"Lucky?" Aristia scoffed. "Sorry, but I don’t believe in luck," she said and shot out another arrow. "See?" She said and turned towards the Captain.

Captain Hugh crossed his arms and raised his brows.

"Ahem." Adeline coughed lightly, confusing Aristia.

She turned to look at the target.

"Ahem." She let out a small cough.

The arrow had not even grazed the target not to talk about touching it. It instead fell on the ground beside the target.

[Stupid arrow.]

"I was just warming up." She said to the Captain in her defense.

"You were," Hugh nodded with an unconvinced expression on his face.

Aristia just took another arrow from Adeline who was holding the quiver of arrows for her, and shot at the target.



This time, she concentrated. Thankfully, the arrow hit the target and Adeline and Alaric clapped happily in support.

Aristia turned towards them and gave an exaggerated bow like that of a performer. "Thank you, thank you."

She turned to Hugh with a smug look on her face, "See? I told you I was just warming up. This princess knows what she’s doing."

Captain Hugh only rolled his eyes, but the amusement in his eyes was hard to hide, even unbeknownst to him.

***

"Oh, what a training session." Aristia plopped down on her bed facedown. Her class with the Captain had ended for today.

[Ugh, my arms are sore and aching, my neck is sore, my legs are sore. I’m very tired.] She groaned inwardly.

"Your Highness, it is time for your history class. The Viscountess has arrived." A maid told her after bowing.

Aristia shot up, having not heard the maid enter.

[When did she enter? We’re training assassins in this mansion. Assasins, I tell you!] She grumbled exasperatedly inwardly.

Her expression remained normal even though she was yelling in her mind.

"Inform the Viscountess that I will be there soon."