Chương 17: Chapter Sixteen: Milk and Tofu

Warm hands pick me up and hug me to their beating heart. Smoked wood with a metallic tinge to it. Erichean. He pats my back softly and sways with me in his arms. I nestle into his embrace and feel the cogs turn. What do I do now?

"What if she can't attend the party?" The children worry over me and touch my small feet sympathetically. Do they know? Do the other wives know? Who else besides Niathe and maybe Helen knows? Do they even know why?

"Oh, it's okay. It's okay." Erichean shushes me and wipes away tears I didn't realize I had shed. I don't know why I'm crying. I don't understand why I feel so betrayed. Deep down, I've known for a long time that love isn't real. Love is often just an excuse for obsession, inaction, and violence. I never expected anything from them anyway. So why do I feel this way? Why does this hurt so much?

"What's upsetting our little princess? Hmm? Are you hungry? Is that it?" Soft kisses that I'm hesitant to accept press to the crown of my head and leave a promise in its wake. Those little kisses might be little lies but I can't push them away right now. My stomach growls and I groan. Really?

"Hunger it is. You must be starving. What would you like? Can I guess? Bloody sausages, red rice, and mapo tofu?" I sniffle and nod because fuck that sounds good. Even if he's lying. Even if this is all fake. He's good at being a big brother. I've never had a good one before. If the me before…If I had such a good brother back then. Could I have been saved?

"Alright. Helen, did you hear that?!"

"Yes. The kitchen has just been informed eldest young master." Harley eagerly asks, "Can I have a turn?"

"Let me ask her." He lifts me up to eye level like I'm a small creature, "Are you up to it? Can Harley hold you? She's been worried about you. All of us have been."

"Okay." Erichean squats down to the soft furry floor and holds me against his chest. My back to his front. My eyes are swollen and my face heats up in embarrassment. I don't think I've ever cried like that before.

"Aw! It's ok. Here." Harleen pulls something out of the void and holds up a pouch decorated with beads from behind her back. Where did that come from?

"I was going to give it to you tomorrow but you look so sad. Will you smile if I give it to you?" I studied the brown leather pouch with wooden beads decorating it. My skin prickled as I felt their gazes on me. Act normal."What is it?"

"It's a spacial magic pouch! You can put almost anything in it and take it with you anywhere. They're super rare and only made in the Adronic Empire. Give me your hand." I hold my hand out warily and she bites my fingertips. Literally. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Ow!?" Her teeth are so sharp. Are those little fangs?

"I need your blood to mark it." She explains like that's normal. The Duke asks seemingly nonchalantly, but the way his breath hitches tells me it's not, "Where did you get that pouch, Harley?" Holy crap. My hair raises on the back of my neck and I glance through my eyelashes at him. Why is he staring like that? He better not hurt her. Harley takes the opportunity to rant, "I was at school and these girls were making such a fuss about the newest Temple Wars... I saw an opportunity and I made a bet with them. So…

If the Followers of the Temple of Nemesis won the battle I would be able to ask anything of them and they'd have no choice but to give it to me. Long story short I won and this was one of my trophies." She slathered my blood along a raised pattern of thread and it glowed white. The leather bag glowed for a minute more and then dimmed on its own.

"Ok. Now say hide."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" I sighed and said the word.

"Hide?" The bag dissipated into motes of white light and rushed towards my arm. My arm burned briefly and I waved it around anxiously. Eventually, the burning sensation went away and the only evidence of its existence was a small raised pattern made of skin on my arm. The brand didn't hurt anymore. It kind of looked like a bunch of shapes layered over one another.

"Now say appear!"

"Appear?" The bag popped out of the new birthmark on my arm and landed in my lap. Woah! That's actually pretty cool.

"Isn't it awesome?!" I sniffled."Yeah. It's amazing. Thank you, Harley."

"Would you say it's the best gift you've ever—""Hey!"

"Harley, that's cheating."

"That's not fair!" The triplets piped up and started to talk over one another. Harley argued back to them that it was almost time anyway.

"What's not fair?" Is this about the birthday present bet?

"…"

"…"

"Um…"

"Young master. The food is ready to be served." Erichean sighed in relief and called out."Perfect! Just bring it in. You don't mind eating in here right Ria?" Of course, I don't.

"Food!" Harley snorted." Yeah, she's ok with it." She reached out for me and plopped me down on her chiffon-covered lap. I really like her dress. She's always dressed nicely. It's a lovely off-white with a fitted bodice that's embroidered with golden thread. On her shoulders and at her waist are small lace roses. The skirt I'm lying on has ruffles and frills everywhere. It's so soft. Meng Yu Sheng whispered to his brother." Can we share?" Meng Yuchen whisper-yelled." Are you nuts? We can't take food from her."

Meng Yucheng whispered chidingly." She's been sick and starving." They don't have to argue." We can share." The triplets raised their heads and turned towards me.

"Really? Aren't you hungry?"

"Aren't you?" Meng Yucheng's stomach grumbles and I smile. The more the merrier I guess and the kitchen always makes extra anyway. I'm known for my appetite. Right on time. Helen announces the food is ready. The door opens and a kitchen maid rolls the metal trolley inside. On the top row are six full glasses of milk, down on the second row there are four covered metal dishes, and finally sitting on the last row has a bunch of napkins and cutlery.

"Six?" Lady Helen answered.

"I took the liberty of ordering milk for all of the young masters and misses. Please forgive me." Erichean responded good-naturedly."Of course Lady Helen. How considerate of you." The kitchen maid addressed my mother."Madam, where shall they be eating?"

"The children said they are comfortable to eat on the floor." The kitchen maid gawked and hesitantly looked at us. Hungry and impatient. The triplets stood up and carried the plates onto the floor. Frazzled the kitchen maid helped them blankly. I think we've broken her. It's not that big of a deal. Puzzled at how tall the cart was, they asked her sheepishly."Can you help us with the milk?"

"Yes! Yes! Please forgive me." She helps them out with the hot milk and settles it on the floor in front of each of us carefully. After she was done the triplets grabbed the contents of the last row on the trolley and shooed her away. She nodded, bowed, and said her farewells to all of us. The door closed and all of that carefully practiced etiquette everyone had been faking fell out a window. Meng Yuchen threw away his manners almost immediately and his brothers followed suit.

He opened up one of the metal dishes, sucked in a breath, and went to town on it with his bare hands. Bon appetit! The rest of us except Erichean behaved similarly. He still prefers cutlery over savagery. Boring. Harley almost dropped a piece of tofu on my hair and he snatched me back in a millisecond. He brought my plate over so I could eat and I shrugged and continued grabbing my rice with my bare hands. I love red rice. It tastes like it was cooked in ketchup.

Food flew everywhere and my eyes glimmered with rare happiness. This is the life. My cheeks bulged as I gobbled another chunk of meat. So good. I belched shamelessly and patted my stomach.

"…"

"…"

"Sign Ria up for etiquette lessons." Who me?! I coughed and Erichean patted my back. My hair raised as the Duke demanded this of Niathe resolutely. Then my heart broke when Niathe the Bitter answered.

"I have a better idea. How about a nanny from the palace?"