Adeline figured her secret was not much of a secret. The emperor knew. Edward knew, Annora knew, her friends and family knew. So where was the secrecy?
So she decided to beco bolder with her use. She had enough allies to protect her, and most importantly, she had enough power to protect herself.
The glowing butterfly hovered right above Aaron’s nose, wings fluttering with more attitude than grace.
"I’m coming with you," Adeline declared through it, her voice firm despite the playful sparkle of the light.
Aaron imdiately frowned. "No, you’re not."
"Yes, I am."
"No, you’re not."
"Yes, I—" Adeline growled, then stopped herself before she got dragged into a childish back-and-forth. Instead, she crossed her arms on her end of the link, her real lips pressing into a thin line. "Aaron, listen to . I can handle myself. You’d better start treating like a peer instead of your little sister. Why the sudden protective act?"
"Act? You call this an act? You have no idea how many dangers there are in this world, and I know you can’t handle it." Aaron responded firmly. He had seen too much, lost too much on the battlefield, how can he let that happen to anyone? Especially his baby sister.
"You don’t know what I can or cannor handle. You don’t get to decide." Adeline was not going to take no for an answer, she knew that Aaron had gone through experiences she couldn’t have imagined, but that gave her all the more reason to involve herself.
Aaron tried, he tried to make her understand. "Adeline, you don’t have combat experience like I do. I can protect and cover one person, but two? That’s not possible. You’d only get in the way."
"That is what I’ve been saying!" Adeline snapped back, her butterfly’s wings flapping so hard it was almost buzzing in his face. "You don’t need to protect ! I’m coming there right now, and if you won’t listen—" her eyes glinted as the butterfly leaned forward dramatically, "—I’ll challenge you to a duel. Like old tis."
Aaron froze, then rubbed his temple. "You’re not serious."
"Oh, I’m very serious," Adeline smirked, sitting back in her chair at ho. "When I win, you’ll have to admit I’m more than capable of joining you."
There was a pause before Layla laughed softly, her jewelled earrings jingling as she tilted her head. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen a good spar. Honestly, Aaron, it might be refreshing to see you sweat for once."
Aaron groaned again, muttering sothing under his breath.
But Layla wasn’t done. She smoothed her extravagant dress and shifted in her chair, clearly making herself comfortable. "The sun will set in an hour or two. I should really be heading back before then, but... Oh well." She smiled. "This is far more interesting. And you guys need soone to witness and judge. So I shall gracefully accept."
---
Adeline was just about to slip out, butterflies buzzing at her fingertips in anticipation of her duel with Aaron, when a shadow fell over her.
"...Where do you think you’re going?" Alaric’s voice ca from behind her, sharp but calm. He had that suspicious look in his eyes, the kind she’d known since childhood—the look that said I don’t know what you’re plotting, but I don’t like it.
Adeline froze, then slowly turned around with her most innocent expression. "Uh. Out?"
Alaric folded his arms. "I know you’re up to sothing. But since you’re going through a tough ti... Dealing with the wedding incident, I’ll let it slide. Just stay safe."
Her smile faltered for half a second before she recovered. The wedding incident? She knew perfectly well what he ant, but the way he said it made it sound like she’d been traumatised. Which, frankly, was a little insulting.
"I... Yes," Adeline said, lowering her gaze dramatically. "I am having such a hard ti."
Alaric’s expression softened slightly.
She pressed a hand to her chest, sighing as though her soul were weighed down with grief. "It’s just so... Tough. The mornings... The nights..." She shook her head slowly, adding, "The mornings again..."
"Adeline—" Alaric was very concerned, where was she going? She was clearly devastated, he was going to stop her but, he did not know if space was what she needed.
"I just need to step out for a little breather," she continued solemnly, inching toward the door like a guilty cat. "Fresh air will do good. Yes. Deep breaths. Healing nature. You understand."
Alaric gave her a long, suspicious look, then finally let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine. But don’t push yourself. And—" Don’t do anything to yourself, he wanted to add, but refrained. She wouldn’t do sothing like that. She was a strong girl, yes, she was... She was, right?
Adeline said quickly, nodding along. "Wouldn’t dream of it." She turned on her heel, hiding her smirk before he noticed the butterflies swirling excitedly behind her back.
As soon as she was out of sight, her façade lted into a grin. Step out for a breather, indeed. More like stepping out to wipe that smug look off Aaron’s face.
Alaric, anwhile, was left staring at the empty doorway with a sense of foreboding. Sothing told him his sister wasn’t going to breathe so much as cause trouble.
Adeline stifled a laugh behind her hand. Her poor brother looked so genuinely worried back there, it almost tugged at her heartstrings. Almost.
He thinks he was being sneaky by not telling her the truth, unlike his kind, honest wife, who spilt everything. He hated Cassian, he always did... Well, to be fair, he did not like any of her male friends except Dimitri. Dimitri was just a sweetheart.
And now he was under Annora’s control. Adeline frowned, why was she hurting herself by reminding herself of it, she knew she was eventually going to deal with it, she needed to look forward. She wallowed in sadness enough.
"Honestly," she muttered under her breath, "if he’s going to assu I’m too fragile to function, I might as well get sothing out of it."
Boy, you go through depression for so ti, and people think you can’t do anything.
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