Chapter 84 - Neverland Garden

A cold winter day where a group of elite noble kids were all gathered in the palace and one of them is facing the most difficult situation, 

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"Lady winter was my question so tough? Or are you afraid of answering because of a certain someone?" Rose said as she looked at Irene and then at Violet who stood there silently.

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"Irene don't think of anything and just say it....do you also think that I am being a nuisance here?" Violet asked as she turned around to face Irene.

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"This..I..." Irene didn't have words to say and she could only look at others for help.

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" Sister why are you troubling lady winter for something like this and lady Carot I am glad seeing you stand for me but Rose is my sister and she has the right to scold me when I am wrong. So please don't mind it and sister please let this matter go." Harris said as he held into Rose hand, which make her flinch a bit and Harris looked at her with a worried face.

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Kelly who noticed this felt uneasy and somewhere in her inside she felt pain. And she had no idea how to lessen it.

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"Harris you are my brother but you do know how to stand for others," Rose said as she called at Harris.

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"Sister I am not standing for anyone, I am doing what's right and you know that," Harris said as he smiled at her.

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"Lady Willson please don't scold him it was indeed my mistake to conclude things without any second thought," Violet said as she bowed towards Rose and returned back to her place.

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While returning Irene tried to talk with the but violet ignored her and somehow the atmosphere got all grumpy and dark.

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" What's with the mood here?" Crown prince said as she came down the stairs. Along with the second prince and Ethan.

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"Greeting to the Royal Princes." All of them said as they bowed towards them in sync.

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" And why are you standing on there instead of going towards the garden?" Alfred asked as he came down with an energetic smile.

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Hearing that everyone got goosebumps as they looked at each other and then outside with the cold wind that can freeze you in a minute was blowing. 

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"Y...Your highness are you telling us to go to the garden??" Harris asked again as he looked at Prince's.

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"Yes we are going to have a picnic right so where is a better place than that of a garden?" Alfred asked as he looked at Alan and Ethan.

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"Haha...right then can we at least have some warm clothes or mana stones?" Molly asked as she looked at the princes with an *about to cry*

face.

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"I don't think you all will need that since it's warm in the garden just like the spring," Alan said as he smiled, whereas all of the others were shaken by his words.

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"Spring??..." All of them said as they should at him with a *Are you kidding me* look on their faces.

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"Pardon me, but your highness is your definition of spring the same as that of winter, with a cold wind blowing without a single leaf in the tress," Molly asked as she raised her index finger.

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"Of course not! Who would describe spring as that?" Alan asked as he looked at Molly with a weird face.

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"You!" All of them said as they looked at Alan.

"Huh?" Alan said with a confused look on his face.

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"What do you all mean?" Alan asked as he tilted his head.

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"We mean that-------" Ash said as he pointed towards the garden outside and then looked at the princes who had a *What?* look on their faces.

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"Looks like there is kind of confusion here...we don't mean THAT garden, we mean THAT garden," Alfred said as he pointed towards the door on their left-hand side.

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"Huh, That!" Irene and Ash who have been there said, as they looked at the door.

"What do your highness have a garden indoor? Or maybe a greenhouse?" Molly said as her face lit up.

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"Well you can call it as a garden," Alan said as he took the lead and went towards the door and opened it with his touch.

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"Welcome to the neverland garden," Alan said as he smiled, 

"Wow, so this is the legendary neverland garden..." Molly said while looking at the clear sky and lush green leaves with flowers blooming around.

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"The garden that never dies," Rose said as she forwarded her hands to feel the warm sunshine.

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"Sister this place looks brighter than before, Doesn't it?" Ash whispered into Irene's ear.

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" Yes, it sure does," Irene said as she glanced at violet who also looked amazed by the garden. Which gave her a little relief.

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"You were his highness playmate before weren't you? Did you know about this place?" Kelly asked Harris who stood there with a blank expression.

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"I didn't------*sigh* I feel betrayed for some reason," Harris said with a grumpy look on his face.

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"I see~," Kelly said as she smiled at Harris grumpy face that she found somewhat cute.

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"Well looks like everyone has already arrived." A gentle and mystical voice said gaining everyone's attention.

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"We greet the only saintness of the empire, The empress." All the noble children said while bowing towards her.

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"So polite~," The empress said as she smiled while looking at every one of them.

All of them didn't feel weird since they were used to the empress kind gestures.

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Except for Irene who was looking at the empress with worried eyes.

"She used too much make-up...didn't she?" Irene said to the crown prince standing beside her.

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Alan looked at her Sapphire eyes which looked sad and just wanted to hear the truth even if it meant to break her heart.

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"Yes....she surely did," Alan said with a melancholy smile on his face. "Ah...she must have been wanted to do this..." Irene said while trying to keep a straight face.

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But her hands were trembling, "Yes she indeed is and I want her to enjoy today...so lady winter please help me....okay." He said while holding her trembling hands as he looked at his mother all jolly with the other kids.

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Irene looked at the prince and then at the empress, "I...I understand." She said while smiling brightly towards him.

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"Thank you..." He said while looking at her with his warm red eyes which were more than grateful towards her.

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" what are you two talking about?" The empress said as she looked at them.

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"Your Majesty, we were just talking about how pretty you look," Irene said as she smiled at her.

"Really? Hmm, but my son never called me pretty before." The empress said as she pouted.

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"That's probably because his highness is shy..." Irene said in a low voice making the empress giggle.

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"Is that so?" Her empress said while looking at Alan who looked towards her with an awed look on his face.

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"Yes...I was shy but mother you look pretty. No, you always looked pretty just like the moon." He said while looking at his mother with a smile.

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The empress looked a bit surprised by his words since it was truly her first time listening to these words form of her eldest son. Suddenly dying didn't feel bad to her instead she felt grateful...so grateful that she became teary-eyed.

Even though it was still an irony that everyone was understanding her value only when she is about to leave but there was no way she could complain about it....since it was a density she chose for herself.

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"I am flattered. Then let's start our picnic!" The empress said as she turned around to face the other kids.

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After a while, we all sat down in a picnic mat bug enough for all of us to sit together and then food items were served by the maids. And that's how their picnic started.

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The empress talked with every one of them and told some tales of her hometown which were fascinating although there were quite hard to believe. 

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"Now I told you enough of the stories! How about you play a game?" The empress said as she clapped her hands.

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"A game sounds good! But what should we play?" Molly said excitedly.

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"Probably something which all of us could play," Alfred said as he looked at the empress.

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"Hmm, how about we see who can run first! The empress can be the referee." Kelly said as she smiled.

"Not a bad idea....but.." Molly said as she scratched the back of her neck.

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"Running with that dress would be tough," Harris said as he pointed at the tip of her toes.

"Ahh, I didn't think of it," Kelly said as she laughed awkwardly.

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Everyone started joining the conversation leaving one person who was frozen in her spot.

"Excuse...me..? Can...anyone help me...?" Irene said as she shivered.