Amos stood outside Ambrosia’s room carrying two things.
The imperial invitation and a plate of desserts he absolutely did not steal from the kitchen fifteen minutes ago.
“Let me teach you the art of diplomacy, my dear maid,” he muttered to Elena.
Elena stood beside him silently.
“Young Master is just bribing her.”
“I prefer the term gift.”
“You stole the cake.”
“In my defense, the cake looked really good.”
“No honor thief.”
“Thank you.”
“That was criticism.”
Amos ignored her and knocked lightly on the door.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then a quiet voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Amos carefully opened the door.
Ambrosia sat near the window with sunlight spilling softly across her pale-blonde hair. A blanket rested over her legs despite the warm weather. In her hands was the book Amos had given her days earlier.
He paused slightly. A strange little warmth appeared in his chest.
Ambrosia noticed him and stiffened immediately before her gaze dropped toward the floor instinctively.
Then, her eyes slowly shifted toward the dessert plate.
Ambrosia immediately looked away again as if pretending it never happened.
Too late.
Amos almost smiled.
“Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon, Lord Brother”
He walked inside carefully this time.
“I brought desserts.”
“I can see that.”
“I also bring terrible news.”
Ambrosia visibly tensed.
Amos immediately raised a hand.
“Not that kind of terrible news.”
She relaxed slightly.
“Only exhausting terrible news.”
“What?”
Amos placed the desserts down first.
Then he held up the black invitation.
“The imperial princess is having a birthday banquet.”
Silence.
Ambrosia blinked once.
Then twice.
Then her face slowly lost color.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Her fingers tightened around the book unconsciously.
“I have to attend?”
Amos sighed dramatically and collapsed into the nearby chair.
“Apparently we both do.”
Ambrosia looked genuinely distressed now.
“I cannot go there.”
“That was my argument too.”
“There will be a lot of peoples, noble's children especially.”
“Yes.”
“I do not know proper etiquette.”
“Neither do I.”
“You are the heir.”
“And I eat cakes too, so what’s your point?”
Ambrosia looked down quietly.
“The people there will hate me.”
The room softened slightly after that sentence.
A quiet honesty.
Amos leaned back in his chair.
“They already hate us.”
Ambrosia blinked and looked up slightly.
“So, congratulations.”
A pause.
“You are now equally as doomed as me.”
For a second, Ambrosia stared at him.
Then unexpectedly a tiny laugh escaped her lips. Small and soft. Real cute.
Amos immediately pointed at her dramatically.
“There.”
Ambrosia froze.
“That.”
“What?”
“You laughed.”
Her face reddened instantly.
“I did not.”
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Confirmation?”
“Young Lady indeed did laugh.”
Amos grinned slightly before relaxing again. Then his gaze drifted toward the book in her hands.
“You finished it?”
Ambrosia looked down at the novel instinctively.
“...Almost.”
“How was it?”
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then carefully,
“I liked it.”
Amos looked genuinely pleased.
“It gets ridiculous near the ending.”
“I can see why.”
“The author clearly lost the plot at the end.”
Ambrosia’s fingers lightly brushed the book cover.
“I have never read stories like this before.”
Amos blinked.
“Really?”
She nodded slowly.
“In the church there were only scriptures and educational texts.”
Ah.
Right.
He had casually handed her a dramatic adventure novel filled with sword fights, reckless heroes, and emotionally unstable characters.
No wonder she kept reading it.
“You stayed up late finishing it, didn’t you?”
Ambrosia immediately avoided eye contact.
“Maybe.”
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“She absolutely did.”
“Yes.”
Ambrosia lowered her head further in embarrassment.
Amos laughed softly.
Then his expression eased into something gentler.
“You can keep it then.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Really?”
“I have more.”
That part was true.
An even younger Amos has collected adventures books obsessively because what's more badass than adventuring, exploring dungeons, opening treasure chests, fighting monsters. That's every normal young boy wet dreams.
Ambrosia held the book a little closer unconsciously.
“Thank you very much.”
The words were quiet. As though she still wasn’t used to receiving things without conditions attached.
The room fell silent again briefly before Amos stretched lazily.
“Anyway, regarding the banquet.”
Ambrosia visibly tensed again.
“I’ll stay beside you. So, try not to leave my side.”
She blinked.
“And if anyone does bothers you, I’ll take care of it that they reconsider their life choices.”
“Please remember the Lord warning, Young Master,” Elena said.
“Details. He said to not cause trouble to the Imperial Family, keyword 'Imperial Family'”
Ambrosia hesitated.
“Won’t that cause trouble?”
I don't think so. Kyros is a strong family, you know. We can't just let anyone try something against a family member.
“That is reassuring.”
“Remember.”
Amos leaned forward slightly.
“You won’t be alone.”
Silence.
Ambrosia stared at him quietly.
Then lowered her gaze again.
“Okay.”
Amos smiled faintly.
“No one there is important enough to look down on you openly.”
And for the ones stupid enough to try.
Well. That will be something to see.
Ambrosia still looked uncertain.
“What if I do something wrong?”
Amos answered immediately.
“Then I’ll do something worse so attention shifts to me.”
She blinked.
“That sounds irresponsible.”
“It’s actually really not.”
A pause.
“Why are you helping me so much?”
Amos opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Because honestly the answer was embarrassingly simple.
“You’re my little sister now.”
Ambrosia froze completely.
The room became silent.
Then Amos realized what he just said out loud.
Ah.
Oops.
Her hands tightened slightly around the book.
“Little sister”
Ambrosia froze completely.
The room became silent.
Then Amos realized what he just said out loud.
Ah.
Oops.
Her hands tightened slightly around the book.
“...Little sister.”
Like she was testing how the words sounded.
Amos immediately panicked internally.
SHE IS JUST TOO CUTE. OH NO. THIS IS TOO WHOLESOME. RETREAT. RETREAT IMMEDIATELY.
Amos stood up so abruptly the chair nearly tipped backward.
“ANYWAY.”
Ambrosia blinked.
“I suddenly remembered something extremely important.”
“What?”
“I forgot to do something.”
“You have nothing in your schedule,” Elena noted.
“Silence, accomplice.”
“I assisted nothing.”
“You are one by proxy.”
“That is not a real sentence.”
Amos immediately walked toward the door with all the dignity of a man fleeing emotional responsibility.
Unfortunately, Ambrosia spoke again before he escaped.
“Lord Brother.”
Amos paused.
Slowly, he turned back.
Ambrosia looked down at the book in her hands before speaking quietly.
“I’m glad you came here.”
Amos’s brain stopped functioning temporarily.
Amos pointed weakly toward Ambrosia.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“She is a living angel.”
“The young lady does have such qualities.”
Ambrosia looked confused now.
“Did I say something strange?”
“No.”
Amos immediately covered his face dramatically.
He sighed.
Fine.
Amos walked back toward her slowly before reaching out and gently patting her head once. Very soft.
Ambrosia froze instantly. Completely motionless.
Meanwhile Amos immediately realized something horrifying.
Oh no.
Her hair is soft.
THIS IS MAKING IT WORSE.
“You should smile more,” he said quietly.
Ambrosia stared at him silently.
A tiny smile appeared.
Small enough most people would miss it.
And somehow that tiny smile dealt very large damage.
“I’m leaving now.”
“Okay.”
Amos turned immediately.
Then grabbed Elena by the arm.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
He dragged Elena out of the room before anything even more emotionally devastating could happen.
The door closed behind them softly.
Silence filled the hallway.
Amos leaned against the wall dramatically.
“I get fathers now.”
Elena calmly adjusted her sleeve after being dragged halfway down the corridor.
“That’s a troubling thing to say.”
“If anyone makes her cry at that banquet... I don’t know what I’d do.”
Amos crossed his arms.
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
For a brief moment, his usual joking expression faded slightly.
“She looked terrified when she heard about the palace.”
Elena remained quiet.
Amos looked toward the closed door again.
“No child should look that nervous over attending a birthday party.”.