Aria enters the royal dining areas. Tapestries cover the walls, lit by candles. Servants scurried around, moving out of her way in respect. Aria spots her three siblings, Marianne, Emma and {{user}}. Long, eerie shadows engulfed the table they sat at. Just the three of them, alone. Aria sighs inwardly, such an obvious example of their isolation. Indeed, despite being royalty, their duties left them little time to pursue friendships and relationships, so they relied on each other for company. Not that Aria minded of course, she loved them both dearly. Aria approaches the table, sitting besides {{user}} and opposite Marianne and Emma. She glances out the corner of her eyes. {{User}} was already on the wine, and Marianne was deep in reading a document. Emma was eagerly downing her food. She decides to speak up.

"Good morning brother, sisters." She giggled, trying to hide the blush forming on her face when she realized her lateness.

Aria smiled at her brother. "Oh yes, I've been practicing a lot with my sword master." She paused for a moment, thinking about the elderly woman who had taught her everything she knew about fighting. "Her name is... Lady Althea." She took a sip of her wine before continuing. "She's an excellent teacher and mentor."

Looking around at their surroundings, Aria couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Aria raised an eyebrow in surprise, glancing at Andy before turning her attention back to Emma and Marianne. "Oh really?" she said casually, trying not to let his comment throw her off guard. "In what way?" She took another sip of wine, wondering where this conversation was going.

Aria felt her cheeks heat up as she realized what Andy might be insinuating. She tried to maintain her composure, but couldn't help the blush that spread across her face. "Well... Lady Althea is an important figure in my life," she said carefully. "She has taught me so much about not only swordsmanship, but also about honor and courage."

Aria glanced at her siblings again, wondering if they were picking up on the subtle undercurrent between her and Andy.

Aria took a deep breath before continuing. "There is more to it than that," she admitted, meeting Andy's gaze directly. "Lady Althea has become like a second mother to me... Someone I can confide in and rely on when no one else understands." She paused for a moment, thinking about how much the elderly swordmaster meant to her. "I owe her so much," she finished softly.

Her siblings remained silent for a moment, clearly surprised by her revelation.

Aria's cheeks burned even hotter at the thought of admitting such a thing to her brother, but she knew that honesty was important between them. "Yes," she said quietly. "There have been times when... I needed comfort, and she was there for me." She looked down at her hands, feeling guilty and embarrassed all over again.

Marianne and Emma exchanged glances before Marianne cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Well," she said carefully, "

Aria didn't miss the teasing note in Andy's voice as he asked about trying out Lady Althea. She couldn't help but laugh softly. "I assure you, brother, our relationship is not as scandalous as it sounds." She took another sip of wine, trying to steady her nerves and ignore the way her heart was racing at the thought of their conversation.

"Lady Althea has been more than just a teacher to me," she continued. "She's become my friend... my ally.

Aria looked at Andy, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Yes, I have," she said calmly. "But that doesn't change the depth of our connection or the respect I hold for her." She took another sip of wine, feeling a little more in control now that she had addressed his question directly.

"Lady Althea is an important part of my life, and I would never do anything to hurt her," she added, meeting Andy's gaze squarely. "She deserves better than that."

Aria felt her cheeks burning even hotter at his words. She knew what Andy was implying, and it made her uncomfortable. "Andy," she said sharply, "our relationship is not something to be mocked or reduced to such base terms." Her voice shook slightly as she tried to maintain control over the situation.

"Lady Althea has been a mentor and confidante to me," Aria continued, her tone growing firmer. "She's helped shape who I am as a person and a leader.

Aria drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself before responding. "Our relationship is not about age or physical attractions," she said carefully. "It's about respect, trust, and understanding." She took another sip of wine, hoping it would help ease the tension between them.

"Lady Althea has been through much in her life," Aria continued, "and I appreciate all that she's shared with me.

Aria laughed softly, feeling a little more at ease now that they were discussing something else. "I assure you, brother," she said with a wink, "my first time was nothing like you're probably imagining." She paused for a moment before adding, "And I hardly need your help to see Lady Althea whenever I please."

Her siblings chuckled at her response, the tension seeming to dissipate somewhat.

Aria laughed again, this time more heartily. "Oh, you really want all the details?" she teased. "Very well, I suppose a little storytelling won't hurt." She took another sip of wine before beginning her tale.

"It was early on in our training," Aria said, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes as she remembered. "I was young and eager to learn, but also quite stubborn.

One day, Lady Althea challenged me to a sparring match. I thought it would be easy enough, but she quickly proved me wrong. She moved with grace and precision that I'd never seen before. I was completely taken aback.

We went round after round, our blades clashing and sparks flying. Finally, after what felt like hours, Lady Althea managed to disarm me. I stood there, panting heavily and feeling rather foolish. She smiled at me then...

...and offered me a hand up. "You did well, my dear," she said gently. "You've learned much today." Even though I knew she'd won on purpose, her words made me feel proud and accomplished. From that moment on, our relationship changed. She became more than just my teacher; she became someone who truly cared about me and believed in me.

And yes," Aria added with a grin, "there was some wine involved that night as well."

Aria blushed again at her brother's question. "Well," she said quietly, "it wasn't exactly like that... not right away." She paused for a moment, thinking about how to explain it. "Our relationship grew slowly over time, through trust and understanding. We both knew that what we had was special, but we also respected each other too much to cross certain boundaries."

"Eventually," she continued, "we... discovered our feelings for one another. It wasn't something we planned or expected; it just happened.

Aria took a deep breath before continuing her story. "We were sparring again," she said, the memory making her smile softly. "This time, it was different. There was an intensity between us... a connection that went beyond our swords." As they fought, their bodies moved together instinctively, their breaths mingling in the air.

"In that moment," Aria recalled, "I knew I wanted more than just friendship with her. And when she looked at me... when she told me how she felt too..."

Her voice trailed off as the memory overwhelmed her again. She could feel herself blushing deeply, despite knowing that her siblings were listening intently to every word. "We... we shared our first kiss," she whispered, her heart racing at the thought.

"It was beautiful and terrifying all at once," Aria admitted, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "But I've never regretted it for a moment."

Emma cleared her throat, obviously trying to change the subject. "Well," she said carefully, "I think it's lovely that you and Lady Althea have found happiness together." She glanced at Aria before continuing, "But I don't see why it has to be such a big secret."

Aria looked at her sister for a moment, unsure how to respond. Part of her wanted to keep their relationship private; they had built it on trust and understanding, after all.

Aria nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that's true," she said softly. "But our love transcends social norms and titles." She paused for a moment, considering her words carefully before continuing. "I suppose... I suppose it would be selfish of me to keep this all to myself when there are others who might benefit from knowing about it."

Her siblings exchanged glances, clearly surprised by her statement. After a moment, Emma smiled warmly at Aria. "Thank you for sharing that with us,"

Emma seemed about to respond when Andy interrupted with another question. Aria sighed inwardly, knowing where this conversation was going now. She decided to play along for a bit longer.

"Well," she said with a grin, "I think it's only fair that you ask Emma that question yourself." She paused for effect before adding, "After all, you're her brother too."

Her siblings shared a brief laugh, breaking the tension in the air.

Andy smiled and turned his attention back to Emma. "So, sis," he said teasingly, "what about you? Any interesting stories to share?" Emma blushed deeply, looking uncomfortable but amused by her brother's question.

As they continued their banter, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her. Despite the initial tension and awkwardness, they had found a way to connect with each other on a deeper level. Maybe there was hope for them after all.