Chapter 15: Mischief, Mayhem, and a Little Magic
The next morning, the Everhart estate was unusually quiet. Well, except for the distant sound of something crashing. Tiara blinked, sipping her tea, and raised an eyebrow. Felix was the first to react, already moving toward the door before Tiara could even ask.
"I'll check on it, my lady," Felix said, his voice as stoic as ever.
Tiara looked at Lily, who shrugged, still organizing the flower arrangements for the day. "I'd say we should get ready for more chaos."
Lily was right. The chaos was inevitable when Mia was around, and sure enough, Felix returned moments later, a slightly flustered look on his face.
"My lady, it seems there is a... situation in the garden," he said.
Tiara's eyes sparkled. "Another 'situation'? Do tell."
"It appears your brother, Cedric, is engaged in a rather... aggressive game of tag with Mia," Felix reported.
Tiara's eyebrows shot up. "Aggressive game of tag? Aggressive?"
"Well, I'd call it more of a battle at this point," Felix added, his voice tinged with dry humor.
"I should probably go supervise," Tiara said, her tone light. "Wouldn't want Mia getting in trouble again."
---
When they reached the garden, Tiara found the scene unfolding exactly as Felix had described. Mia, with her silver hair flying behind her, was chasing Cedric through the rose bushes, much to his dismay.
"Cedric, slow down! I'm going to catch you!" Mia shouted, her voice full of determination.
"Over my dead body!" Cedric called back, darting behind a rosebush with impressive speed.
Tiara couldn't help but snicker. "Well, this looks like fun."
Mia turned toward Tiara, grinning widely. "Oh, Tiara! You have to join us!"
Tiara raised an eyebrow. "Join you in a chase where I'll probably get hit by one of those thorns? I think I'll pass."
Mia pouted dramatically. "You're no fun. It's a perfect opportunity for some friendly competition!"
Just then, Cedric emerged from behind a bush, looking slightly disheveled but triumphant. "Ha! Beat you again!"
Mia looked at him in shock, then launched herself at him. "You'll pay for this, Cedric!"
Cedric dodged expertly, but Mia wasn't one to give up so easily. She grabbed a nearby watering can and tried to sneak up behind him. "Gotcha!"
Tiara watched in amusement as the two began playfully bickering. "You know, I'm starting to think this is the real family business, not estate management."
Felix, standing off to the side, let out a rare chuckle. "Perhaps we should inform the Duke. His children might make excellent knights with all this running around."
Lily joined them, shaking her head. "This is what happens when you leave them unsupervised."
"You're telling me," Tiara said, still grinning. "But I can't say I'm bored."
---
Meanwhile, in the background, a figure was watching the scene unfold. Lilith stood just outside the garden, her hands tightly clutching a letter she had been writing to the Duke.
"They're all so... carefree," she muttered under her breath. "It's disgusting."
Her eyes narrowed as she observed Tiara laughing with her friends, her lightheartedness grating on Lilith's nerves. "I won't let this last. Not for long."
But just as she was about to storm off, a shadow fell across her path.
"Well, well, if it isn't Lilith, the Queen of Hearts herself."
Lilith turned sharply, eyes flashing. "What do you want, Alistair?"
Alistair, leaning casually against the garden wall, smiled darkly. "Nothing, really. Just wanted to remind you of your duties."
Lilith bristled at his tone. "I'm already handling things my way."
"Oh? Is that so?" Alistair's smile widened. "And what, exactly, are you planning to do with Tiara?"
Lilith's lips curled into a smile that could only be described as sinister. "She's a problem, Alistair. One that I intend to removeâquietly."
Alistair's expression turned serious. "Remember, Lilith. I'm the one who calls the shots here. Don't make this personal."
Lilith's eyes sparkled with something darker than amusement. "Oh, it's already personal."
---
Back in the garden, the games between Mia and Cedric had come to an end, with Mia proudly holding a watering can above her head like a trophy. "Victory is mine!" she declared, her voice high-pitched with excitement.
Tiara shook her head, still smiling. "You're a menace, Mia. A menace."
"Better to be a menace than a bore," Mia shot back, sticking her tongue out.
"Do I count as a bore, then?" Cedric asked, wiping his brow.
"Oh, absolutely," Tiara replied dryly.
Mia, ever the enthusiastic ball of energy, grabbed Tiara's arm. "Come on! We're going to prank the Duke next."
Tiara blinked. "Prank my father? Are you out of your mind?"
Mia's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Absolutely. Think of it as bonding time."
Tiara sighed, knowing full well that there was no stopping Mia once she set her mind to something. "Fine. But if I end up in trouble, I'm blaming you."
Mia grinned widely. "Deal!"
---
As Tiara, Cedric, and Mia walked off to plan their next prank, none of them noticed the dark figure lurking in the shadows of the garden, watching them with calculating eyes.
Lilith was just getting started.
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