Card Apprentice Daily LogCard Apprentice Daily Log
"Everyone, thank you for attending my second daughter's naming ceremony at such short notice. Now, let me introduce the girl of the hour, Ann Heatsend," the Southern Princess introduced the teenage girl standing beside her dressed in a luxuriously designed dress as her second daughter, Ann Heatsend. Then, turning to the youngest with a gentle smile she asked, "Do you like the name I chose for you?"
"Yes, I love it," Ann replied jubilantly, nodding her head vigorously like a bobblehead doll. Having gotten permission from her mother to be herself not minding the royal etiquettes, she no longer suppressed her teenage girl
side.
"I don't like it," Anna protested aloud not caring for her twin's feelings, and interrupted her from introducing herself to the guests, greeting them, saying a few words, and thanking them for coming.
Earlier Anna had decided to behave for the sake of her twin's happiness but seeing her mother give the Heatsend Family's priced heirloom ball gown dress card 'Royal Moon Swan' to Ann instead of her when she promised to give it to her during her debut banquet she had a sudden change of heart. Not to mention, the name Ann seemed to have been derived from her name, Anna. She did not like that one bit. After a long struggle, she had made peace with the youngest borrowing her appearance and family. However, her borrowing her name too had turned her struggles naughty. She was no longer fine with having to share everything with Ann.
"Nobody asked you, honey. Now shut up while you are ahead or grandma will get angry," Colleen whispered to Anna who was standing beside her. The latter shivered, hearing the eerie whisper, because she knew as easygoing as her grandparents were, they were equally scary when angry. The teenage Anna who was still a low-level card apprentice did not dare to get on her card emperor grandma's bad side. So, she stiffly nodded her head responding to her grandma's warning.
Ignoring Anna's protest, Ann addressed the crowd and followed her mother around the banquet to personally greet all the guests. Even though the mother and daughter pair had decided to forget the etiquettes and
formalities, they still had to show their guest basic respect. After all, everyone present was on very close terms with the Royal Heatsend family. As all of them were either from branch Heatsend family or related to them by marriage.
Not to mention, the people attending this banquet were powerful leaders who decided the fate of the Southern Region. If Ann were to deal with the politics in Anna's stead when they take the throne then she had to get to know each one of them and leave a very good impression.
This was the main reason why the Southern Princess went as far as to fight her father about Ann following the proper royal etiquettes today even if they were among family and friends. Even though this wasn't Ann's official debut it had a similar effect. She wanted Ann to do better in her mock debut than she did in her official debut.
However, having talked to her father she realized that maybe she was being too hard on her daughters in her pursuit of excellence. Maybe one cannot plan every moment and success of their life as nothing is certain.
Yet, a part of her could not help but think that it would not hurt one to be prepared for every possibility that this uncertain life could throw at them regardless of how tiresome it was. As she preferred living a tiring life over living a life of regret.
"I don't like this one bit," Anna said to her grandma as Ann went around introducing herself as her twin to their family and friends.
"Why? Didn't you always ask for a sibling?" Colleen said as she enjoyed the piece of the naming ceremony cake.
"When did I ever ask for a sibling?" Anna exclaimed, unable to recall such a memory.
"It wasn't you. It must have been your uncle. Anyways, now that you have a younger sibling you have to learn to share everything with her along with your mother and family's love. Also, you have to take good care of her. Because that is what a good older sister does," Colleen explained to Anna what it meant to have a sibling and to be a good older sibling.
"Grandma, you know I don't like to share my stuff with others," Anna complained while her eyes continued to follow Ann and her mother.
Besides, you have no say in this. You better start learning to share your things because that's just how things are when you have younger siblings," Colleen made it clear to Anna that she did not have a choice in his matter. "Hey, grandma. How do you know so much about how siblings should behave? Weren't you an orphan?" Anna's words were borderline rude but the new Anna did not give a shit as she knew her grandma would forgive her for everything she said or did unless she killed her mother a.k.a her daughter.
"That's not true, I had siblings. Not related by a similar blood but related by a similar fate. Though we did not share the same parents we shared the same hunger, sadness, and helplessness. If I am alive today it is because of them.
Back then all able adults were on Way beyond, on the battlefield, or in a dungeon. So nobody had time to care for a bunch of orphans. Many believed we would die by dawn but we did not. We stuck together. So what if there was no one left for us, we were there for each other.
Yes, many of us bullied and stole from each other out of our helplessness but when things got really desperate for one of us all of us would come together and come through for that one. I don't know why and how, but I guess it is true light is born in darkness. I don't know about others but it is true in my case. I guess I was lucky.
However, it is sad that only a few of us got to make it to adulthood as most of us were swallowed by hunger, monsters, or human greed."