Chapter 12 - Afternoon Tea Party Ⅲ (1/2)

After dinner, Rowan unhappily makes her way to the east wing to apologize to Aunt Georgine. Rowan stops before an intricately decorated bedroom door. Rowan takes a deep breath and knocks on the bedroom door. ”Yes?” Georgine loudly asked.

”It's me, Aunt Georgine, may I come in?” Rowan replied.

Georgine snorts and says, ”Well, you're already here, I can't very well say no, can I? You might as well come in.”

Rowan turns the golden handle as her eyes widen at the exquisitely decorated room of Aunt Georgine. Unlike the rest of the house filled with lavish items, Aunt Georgine's room had the reminiscent oriental vibe as various enchanted fans and other weapons hung against the wall as tasteful decorations. Rowan politely closes the door behind her as she turns to see Aunt Georgine in a scarlet robe relaxing against a pile of bed pillows reading a book.

Georgine carefully puts a scarlet dragon-shaped bookmark between the pages and closes her book with a snap as the enchanted dragon bookmark twines around the book to mark its place. Georgine raises a lofty eyebrow and impatiently says, ”Well, I'm waiting?”

Rowan grimaces and takes a deep breath before saying, ”I came to apologize for my rash behavior of this afternoon. Not only did I overreact, but I acted in a most inappropriate fashion. I was in the wrong.”

Georgine purses her lips as she waves her fingers in a gesture for Rowan to stop. ”Well, I suppose you're honest enough,” Georgine muttered. After a moment, Georgine beckons Rowan with her fingers and says, ”Come here, child.”

Rowan cautiously makes her way towards Aunt Georgine and halts at her bedside. Georgine long, pale fingers reach over and firmly grab Rowan's wrist. Before Rowan can wrench her hand out of Georgine's grasp, Georgine pushes Rowan's sweater sleeve up to reveal the still healing bruises.

”Mm, I thought so,” Georgine murmured to herself as she gently tugged the sleeve back down and released Rowan's wrist.

Rowan carefully smooths down her sweater sleeve as Georgine says, ”I'm frankly surprised, Reginald, won't be killing your brute of a father.”

Rowan blinks in surprise and asked, ”Is grandfather going too?”

”Oh, he desperately wants to, but Sirsa made him promise not to,” Georgine snickered out loud.

”Would grandfather have if not for grandmother?” Rowan asked again.

Georgine narrows her eyes and tilts her head to the side. ”We are the Prince family, we are quite vicious to our enemies, it's in our blood,” Georgine chillingly stated.

”Good,” Rowan steadfastly answered causing Georgine to raise a surprised eyebrow at the reply.

”It would appear that you've most certainly inherited the cold-hearted heart of the Prince's,” Georgine mused out loud in approval. ”But it seems you are a tad bit reluctant to see your brute of a father dead.”

”No, it's not for me, but for Severus,” Rowan truthfully said causing Georgine to raise an eyebrow in solemn question. ”Severus for all his doom and gloom is quite sensitive at heart. I don't want him to be hurt any more than is needed.”

Georgine's eyes flicker at the truth of the statement and leaned back into her pillows. ”Well, I suppose you don't have anything to worry about in that case. At most, that brute will be transfigured into some sort of pack animal and be sent to the fields to work for the rest of his days. While at best, he'll find himself guilty of some sort of muggle crime and sentenced to a muggle prison for several years,” Georgine plainly stated.

”That would be for the best,” Rowan said in agreement, before changing the subject. ”Aunt Georgine, have you visited China and Japan in the past?”

”Mm, I did a bit of touring of the Asian continent in my youth,” Georgine fondly replied. ”They are the most brilliant people and I did enjoy my time there.”

”Any fond romantic tales to regale of your misguided youth?” Rowan mischievously asked with a cheerful gleam in her eyes.