After I got ready, I headed towards the tea room. The tea room is where the Princesses always have morning tea. The kitchen prepares the best desserts and pastries which get served with various teas of all kinds. Morning tea is usually misunderstood as 'breakfast' for commoners, but here in the palace of Hydrangea, it's the morsel after breakfast. We eat breakfast in our bedrooms, which our maids deliver, then get ready to go to the tea room to greet our sisters for morning tea.

As Beth and I approach the entrance of the tea room, she walks a few paces ahead of me so she can open the door. I smile at her, and she lowers her head as I walk in. As accustomed, the tea room is lit with only the natural light of the morning. Each wall had a huge glass window that held curtains that extended from the ceiling to the marble floor. Only 5 of my sisters had arrived, each of them wearing a simple morning gown that graced the floor.

"Good morning, First Princess Azulia." They all rose from their seats and bowed towards me. It's a custom that if your superior entered the room, you must greet them with their title and name. It is not mandatory to attend to someone younger or lesser, but Mother has taught us that it is polite to welcome all your sisters since we are family.

"Good morning Second Princess Garnet. Third Princess Rosali. Seventh Princess Anabel. Twelfth Princess Camelia. Eighteenth Princess Fiorella." I returned their greeting, but I didn't lower my head towards them to show I was more eminent. Garnet's eyes twinkled when I said her name, and she beamed at me. Rosali was indifferent. Anabel instantly sat down and proceeded to drink her tea. Camelia smiled and sat, muttering something over to Anabel. Fiorella, barely five, plopped down against her seat and gobbled down an entire plate of pudding with her hands. I can't believe her tiny body can manage all that pudding.

I felt someone grasp my hand, and I turned to see Garnet pulling me to a seat next to her at the table.

"Zuzu, what happened to you? You suddenly fainted, and then I couldn't see you for a whole week!!" She said with a pouting expression. I sat down next to her, and she poured a cup of tea for me. "It's lavender-rose-ginger tea. Mom specially made this for you, considering you fainted." She added as she poured the tea.

"Don't even ask. I don't know. I assume I was poisoned, but I'm not entirely certain." I shrugged and took a sip. The ginger burned deep in my throat, and I winced.

"Poisoned??!" Garnet shrieked as she nearly dropped the teapot.

"I don't know, but it's better if we forget about it. All that matters is that I'm better now. No need to fret." I held her palms in mine and smiled. She stared at me dead in the eyes and frowned.

"You're such a liar. I hate you." She rolled her eyes and turned away. She gracefully took a sip from her tea with her nostrils held high like a prissy lady. I snickered.

"Garnet, hate is a powerful word." I covered my mouth with my hand while I giggled as I was taught in etiquette class. She glanced at me and smirked.

"So what? You're my sister, and you're keeping secrets from me. Mother said sisters should be open and close to each other. Then here you are, the grand First Princess Azulia, keeping secrets from her dearest sister Garnet." She sighed and shook her head sarcastically.

"Mother also said you shouldn't use the word hate when you're joking. It'll be regarded the wrong way." I glanced up to see Rosali glaring at Garnet.

"Garnet," She said, emphasizing the -net.

"Oh, here I come, the little miss goody two shoes. The little Rosie, Rosie. Oh! Mother, would you like me to kiss your bottom today? I've prepared three different kisses!" Garnet mocked Rosali, and I started laughing hysterically. 

"Number one, snitching on Garnet because she said a naughty word ~."

"Number two, giving an excessive quantity of flattering compliments."

"Number three, humming you a pretty lullaby." Garnet pouted her lips and stared at Rosali with puppy dog eyes. I couldn't keep my laughter. I laughed so hard, my stomach hurt, and I couldn't breathe. I clutched my stomach and tried to take deep breaths, only to burst into laughter again.

"Oh, wait! I recall I overlooked one! Number four. Mother, would you fancy me to wipe your bottom too?? I have made specially designed toilet paper for you that'll caress your precious buttocks!"

Rosali gawked at her in disbelief. I could sense the wrath in her as she gripped tightly to her pastel pink dress. Garnet stuck her tongue out at her and grinned.

"You!!! You!! You're such a brat! Urgh!" Rosali crossed her forearms and turned to walk away.

"Chill Rosie, it's merely a joke. You know I look up to you a lot. You're such an admirable princess. As the second princess, I think you're much more ingenious. Strange, I was born before you. " Garnet sighed. I glanced at her with my brow raised. Okay, what. That was the worst lie I ever heard.

Rosali turned and looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Re-re- real- really?" Rosali's eyes glimmered.

"No," Garnet replied with an angry face.

"You know Rosali, you're really an ass itch. Like, when your bottom is itchy but your dress is too big, and you can't scratch it? Yeah. That's you." Garnet sipped her tea.

Rosali gasped. "How dare you?! You're so getting it this time! I'm telling Mother!!!" She glares at Rosali and me. I watch as she proceeds to run into the kitchen. Garnet shrugs her shoulders and picks up a white strawberry puff from the table. She shoves its entirety in her mouth.

I giggle."Feisty this morning, aren't we Garnet?"

The corner of her eyes spark when they look at me, and she smirks. "You know it."

"Azu-ee-a, Gar-nee!" Running towards Garnet, I see a three-year-old Alstro stammering in a long fluffy white dress. The Nineteenth Princess stumbles into Garnet's lap. "ah- sorry, Gar-nee. Hehe."

"Alstro!" Fiorella shouts, running after Alstro.

"That's not how you approach your older sisters! They're the first and second princesses too! How can you be so disrespectful?" Fiorella puffs her chest up and puts her fists on her hips.

This amused me. I remember when Fiorella was just a stumbling toddler herself, and now she's telling her baby sister what to do. She's so adorable, like a tiny thunderstorm. Let alone the amount that she eats, We'll be waiting for her small body to explode anytime now.

"Fiorella, Alstro hasn't started her etiquette classes yet. Please don't bully her. " I said, patting her on the head.

She pouted and turned her head away. "I'm only showing her how to be a good princess! Don't you want Alstro to be a good Princess, Azulia?"

I sigh. "Of course I do but-"

"GARNET!"

Every head in the room turns to look at the entrance. Our Mother's booming voice shakes us to the bone. Her lovely face was wrinkled with anger and disappointment. At her side stood Princess Rosali, and behind them were the rest of my sisters. I guess Mother had gathered them all.

"Good morning, our dearest Mother, Empress Victoria." Everyone says in a union, our heads yielding low. Everyone is still and silent. We must not move or raise our heads until Mother gives permission. I hear the sound of her heels clicking as she makes her to over to Garnet and me. Each step was light and graceful, but as she got closer, the feeling of heaviness couldn't help but weigh on my shoulders.

"Princess Azulia, raise your head." She says softly. I do as commanded. I look her in the eye. The aura around her was different from when she was in my room. Her carefree childless was gone, and her face was filled with anger. I glanced over at Garnet, and I saw her tremble.

My sisters weren't afraid because of the consequences of angering Mother. No, Mother never hurt us or abused us in any way. She was kind and considerate and always warm and welcoming. But when Mother demands respect, she never fails to control the room. There's something about her that wraps you in warmth but chills you in fear. She has the essence of a true leader.

I reached out my hand for Garnet to hold, and she glanced up at me with terrified eyes.

"Garnet. Did you just disobey the command of your Empress?"

I pulled my hand back. This is bad, Mother noticed Garnet lookup.

"N-no Mother," She replied in a squeaky voice. It was silent, and there was a tension building in the room.

After what felt like an eternity, Mother sighed. "All of you raise your head."

Around the room, everyone's head lifted, and Alstro burst into tears.

"Azulia, take care of Alstro for me."

"Yes, Mother, " I replied, picking up Alstro in my arms.

"Garnet, come with me."Mother instructed Garnet. Garnet stood up but couldn't meet Mother in the eyes.  They walked out of the entrance, and I couldn't help but worry. This had never happened before, no matter how many times Garnet seemed to rebel. Something was off this time.

Alstro cried in my arms. "Shhh... It's okay." I caressed her cheek.

"We love you, Alstro!" said Fiorella grabbing onto my dress.

I smiled. "Yep, we love you, Alstro,"  I whispered into her ear, and her tears stopped.