Chapter 395 - A Note?

When the next morning arrived, the Kingdom was in a state of celebration as it was not only the main day of the Festival marking the changes in their seasons but also the birthday of their beloved King.

When Yvonne woke up, she rubbed the drowsiness away from her eyes and smiled due to the ample rest that she had achieved this last week.

Today would be the last day of rest before everything would go back to its normal routine from tomorrow.

Mrs. Jacinth and Roselie stepped into the room and helped her get dressed as today was an important day.

Sitting before the mirror, she gazed at her visage and smiled while tilting her head which pushed her cheeks upward, making them look fuller.

'Am I gaining weight even after working out?' She wondered and glanced down only to find that her tummy was still bulging just like when she had not started her training with the Captain.

This last week was a cheat week where she was lazy and did nothing except for an hour's sparring with her brother which had brought this result.

'Back to training from tomorrow!' She declared while rubbing her belly which needed to lose some fat.

The maids smiled when they saw her contemplative face which only made her look cuter to them.

Yvonne then turned around once Roselie styled her hair in half buns and her gaze fell on two items on her bed.

One was the doll that Taylor had gifted and the other was the handkerchief that he had offered to her.

"Mrs. Jacinth, make sure that is washed and kept ready before the day ends." She instructed her nanny who nodded immediately.

She could not keep that valuable item with her for longer but the doll… That she did not have to part with.

The maids felt her gaze on the doll and smiled when they recalled how she had been hugging the same doll in her sleep for the entire night.

Yvonne had woken up with the doll in her hands so she knew that they weren't imagining things.

However, she would never accept that she had done something so childish.

Therefore, she turned her head away and began walking towards the door to meet her family who must be waiting for her.

The maids rushed after her and escorted her to the dining hall, opening the door for her after which they remained outside until she would return.

"Good morning, Mama, Papa, and Big Brother." Yvonne chirped the moment she noticed their gaze landing on her.

"You called that idiot your brother!?"

"Vonna, that is not fair!"

Two agitated voices were heard the moment she was done greeting them.

'You blabbed?' Yvonne turned her head towards the only person who had information about the events of yesterday.

Raylene chuckled, feeling guilty, and mouthed the word 'Sorry' when she felt her daughter's intense gaze.

This made the little girl sigh as she had to face the music someday.

'But I would have liked if it was on some other day…' She grumbled but what was done could not be undone.

So, she walked towards them, took her seat, and only then did she open her mouth.

"Big brother, how could I be ungrateful for the gift that big brother Taylor had given?" She muttered in an aggrieved voice which made the men cool their anger.

Realizing that they had just pounced on her with their questions when she had just entered, they coughed to relieve the awkwardness they felt.

"But, Vonny…" Howard was still unwilling to let this matter go.

She was his little sister and could only call him her brother. 

'How dare that idiot has such big dreams?' He scoffed at his friend who had thoroughly angered him this time.

While Howard was plotting his revenge when Academy restarted, Rutherford was watching his child intently.

"If Vonna likes dolls then I will buy you as many as you want. Just do not call anyone else your brother." He coaxed her as one would do for a child, which she was in his eyes.

Yvonne blinked blankly at how offended they were that she had called Taylor her brother and pouted.

"I will not call anyone else my brother… But for big brother Taylor… I…" She paused as she had already changed the way she addressed him and it would be strange to go back to the way it was earlier.

Howard and Rutherford pursed their lips when they heard her logical words.

"Alright. You now only have two brothers. Me and Taylor. No one else." The elder brother announced with a stern voice while narrowing his eyes at her.

As she was pulled out of this predicament, Yvonne nodded in fervent agreement to his words.

"No one else." She promised while placing her hand on her chest to prove her words held weight.

The father and brother sighed in relief while the mother rolled her eyes at how these two were overreacting to such a small thing.

'Who would need guards when we have these two.' She shook her head and wondered how her daughter's life in the future might turn out.

Thus, the promise Yvonne made today would prevent her from ever addressing anyone else with the title of 'brother' ever again.

If Taylor had heard this then he would leap with joy for taking advantage of the situation and becoming her honorary brother, a title that only he would hold in this entire world.

___

With Yvonne's promise, the men went back to their preparations while the women sat in the parlor.

"Madam, a parcel has arrived for you." Butler Limo announced after entering the room with his hands full.

Three large boxes wrapped up exquisitely with one tiny box placed above them all.

Raylene nodded and after he placed them on the table, they watched him leave before glancing at what had arrived.

"I bought these from Ocular." The mother disclosed as she picked up a letter that had arrived with the boxes.

Yvonne was more interested in what was inside and began opening them like a curious child on Christmas morning.

Raylene chuckled and watched her do as she pleased without chiding her.

Being a greedy one, Yvonne went straight to the biggest box before moving to the next one.

The biggest one held a deep violet dress that was in Raylene's size.

'Not bad, her dressing sense has improved.' The daughter praised it after examining it.

The next was a beautiful jewelry set made of rubies that had caught the Countess' attention.

The mother blushed after hearing praises from her child who was now onto the last big box.

This one was flatter than the rest and Yvonne's eyes widened when she saw what was inside.

'Amethyst, sapphires, and a pink diamond.' She recognized them at a single glance.

They were designed into brooches but for different genders.

The pink diamond and one sapphire were crafted for men while the amethyst and the other sapphire were for women.

"Couples wear jewelry with the color of their spouse's eyes for formal events." Raylene explained as she pointed her finger at her eyes and then the men's brooch of the same color.

This was enough to indicate that the pink diamond one was for Rutherford and the sapphire women's brooch was Raylene's.

"Then what about these?" The little girl pointed at the other two remaining in the box.

Raylene then explained that these were for her and Howard.

"You can wear jewelry matching your eye color until you find your soulmate, Vonny." She patted her head with a gentle smile.

Thinking of what she had just heard, Yvonne pursed her lip as she was not sure who that might be.

'I might have to wear amethyst my entire life…' She sighed but cheered herself up as that was not such a bad color.

She would be fine with this as long as she did not have to get tied up with that man who was fated to her, courtesy of the bird god who had dropped her into this world.

Finally, it was the last box's turn and Yvonne held it in her hands before pulling the lid off of it.

"A note?" She muttered when the first thing she saw was a piece of paper.

The moment she picked the note up, a bright light filled the room for a second when the sun's rays fell on it, causing the women to shut their eyes.

The note was forgotten and their eyes were now fixed on what was placed inside this tiny box.

A rectangular stone with shades of deep blue and violet shining through the clear gem was what they laid eyes on.

Raylene frowned as she had not purchased this item and wondered whether someone had sent this on accident.

"Tanzanite." Yvonne muttered the familiar name of the gem she had seen just yesterday.

The stone in this tiny box was the same that she had identified yesterday but she could not understand why this was here.

Remembering that there was a note, she picked it up and read its contents to find some clues about this.

{Since Miss St. Claire could identify it, this little stone now belongs to you. 

-SO    <3      }

Reading this single sentence, Yvonne already had an idea of who the sender might be.

However, her eye twitched when she saw the little heart that had been drawn at the end of the short note.

'Who is this SO and what does this note mean?' She frowned as this was an expensive gift to give to someone they had met for the first time.