"Ah, yes, this place is so beautiful!" Enid laughed as Amelia fanned her face.
"If only we could swim. Too bad we didn't pack for that." She laughed as Enid gave her an apologetic look.
"Well, here," She spoke a few words and snapped her fingers. A light frost placed itself on Amelia's face, neck, and hands. "Is that better?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you-."
"Just call me Enid already. You're practically my other sister." She grinned as Amelia smiled.
"Ok, Enid." She laughed as they wandered closer to the lake.
"I remember the first time you brought us out here," Mateo laughed as Enid covered her face with her hands.
"Oh don't remind me." She muttered as Amelia tilted her head in confusion.
"Wait, what happened?" She asked as Enid ran to a tree. "Enid! Don't climb the tree!"
"I'm not coming down if they tell that story!" She hollered from the branches.
"It's ok, we'll get her down. She's just embarrassed," Mateo smirked looking up at the pouting Enid.
"If you really want to know... Enid fell into the water off of Maximus." Nolan snickered, remembering how soaked poor Enid had gotten.
"I didn't fall! Maximus bucked me off and you know it!" She called from the trees.
"Sorry Princess, I suppose you're right! Now please come down!"
"Nope! Not coming down!" She called, her face as red as a tomato.
"Fine, then I'm coming up," Nolan smirked before beginning the climb. Mateo and Amelia heard bickering and a bit of noise from the tree top when suddenly, Nolan landed on his feet with a flustered Enid in his arms.
"Let me go, Nolan!" She yelled smacking his chest.
"If I let you go, you're just going to try and climb that tree again. And I'll have to grab you like a cat that climbed too high again." He chided as she frowned at him grumpily.
"I won't, I promise." She muttered looking away from him as he rolled his eyes. With ease, she was set on her feet... only to race to the tree again. Mateo and Nolan both grabbed her and dragged her from the tree while Amelia laughed at the predicament Enid was in.
"Now behave," Nolan flicked her forehead before beginning to take his shoes off.
"One, ow. Two, what are you doing?" She asked as he shrugged.
"I'm going to stand in the lake. What else?" He asked as Mateo followed suit.
"Not you too Mateo!" She called as he grinned.
"What? We used to do this all the time as kids!" He laughed before following Nolan to the water.
With a defeated sigh, Enid sat in the dirt watching as the two began to splash water at each other. Amelia took a seat next to her, with Enid resting her head on her shoulder. "Anything bothering you, Enid?" She asked as Enid played with the end of her pony tail.
"What he said... when we were kids... why does that have to end so quickly?" Her voice was quiet, quivering, still questioning. "It was just yesterday I met them... at least that's what it feels like. They've changed so much." She murmured.
Amelia paused for a moment, looking out at the lake as the men had begun grappling in the water, smiling all the while. A small smile crossed her lips as she rested her head on top of Enid's. "Well, we grow up. As much as we don't want to, as much as we may fight it, we all have to change and grow eventually. It doesn't mean we have to give up the fun times, but it does mean we have to grow into our roles given to us. You know, had you not grown from when you met them, we wouldn't be friends now."
"You really do sound like Mira," a distant laugh escaped her lips as she looked down at the ground. "I... wonder if she was this scared when she was my age. Being an adult... is rough."
"Yeah, but isn't wonderful we get to grow up at all?" She asked as Enid smiled.
"I suppose so." She laughed. "Thank you, Amelia." She murmured when suddenly a wave of water hit them. Both looked up to see the boys staring at them only to look at each other and smirk.
They raced to the water, tackling the men backwards into the lake, not caring if they were soaked to the bone. When all resurfaced, it was nothing but laughter and splashing as they acted like childhood could never end.
Though, as much as they would like, the sun was beginning to set, and it was time to head back. It was almost certain amongst the group that their chatter could be heard back at the castle.
"Alright Mateo, I'll let you off the hook with bathing the horses. It's pretty late." With a huff, she took the saddle off of Maximus and stored it safely. "Just come and visit when you can."
Mateo smiled and nodded. "Of course." He laughed as Amelia and Nolan chatted about each other's horses. In that moment, he spoke to Enid frankly. "Um... Enid."
"Yeah, what is it?" She asked as he rubbed the back of his neck, a blush peeking through his cheeks, something she had just noticed changed as well. They were no longer chubby, having long lost the baby fat of youth. Another change that settled solid in her stomach.
"Well... I was wondering... if you'd like to go on an outing tomorrow? Just me and you?" He asked not meeting her gaze. With a tilt of her head, confusion came over her. "I-I mean as friends, of course!' He stammered as she smiled.
"Of course! Luckily, I have a disguise so no one will recognize me." She grinned patting him on the shoulder. "Just let the head butler know when you stop by and I'll be ready." With that, she ran off to Amelia and bid Nolan farewell before heading towards the palace.
Nolan sauntered up and clasped his shoulder. "Good luck. You couldn't even call it a date." He chuckled patting his back.
"I-I just don't want her to feel pressured after what happened today!" Mateo reasoned as they walked out of the stable and towards the entrance.
"I know, I know, I'm only teasing you. You're still so easy to fluster all these years later." Nolan laughed walking towards his carriage. "But just so you know," he paused turning to Mateo, "When it's my time, I plan on asking her out on a formal date. Hope you can match up." He smiled before climbing into the carriage. Leaving Mateo to stew outside of his own for a moment before climbing in and heading home.
Back in the palace, Enid was soaking in a tub alongside Amelia. Amelia scrubbed her hair to clean it from the lake water, rinsing it with clean hot water nearby.
"I think this was the most fun I've had in a while, Enid." She chuckled, rinsing Enid's hair for the last time before focusing on her own. "The boys were surprised when we shoved them into the lake."
"Well it's what they deserve for splashing us," Enid retorted as she wiped herself down with a cloth. "How's the water by the way?" She asked looking over as Amelia rinsed her hair.
"Fantastic. Thank you for letting me use your personal bath."
"Easier to knock out two baths with one." Enid laughed before stepping out and drying herself off with a nearby towel. Amelia followed suit, draining the tub behind her as she helped Enid into her night gown and then into her own. "Hey, you debuted this year, right?" She asked as Amelia smiled sadly. "You've already..."
"Joseph proposed. You know we've been seeing each other romantically for two years." She laughed awkwardly.
"Then you'll get married soon?" She asked as Amelia shook her head.
"No, we agreed to wait until he receives the title of Count from his father. It'll be a step down, but I don't mind as much... I love him." The smile on her face told Enid all she needed to know. With a sorrowful smile, she clasped Amelia's hand.
"When it does happen, please invite me to your wedding. I hope a love like yours blesses me one day." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes to Amelia, but she knew it was a painful topic.
"Of course, you're practically family. Who knows, maybe when we get old, our kids will fancy each other and then we'll really be family." She laughed as Enid couldn't help but laugh with her.
"Hopefully that's the case." She joyfully cooed before heading into her room. "Get some rest, you'll have the day off tomorrow. I'll be in town with Mateo most likely for the majority of the day." She yawned.
"Oh? Did he finally ask you on a date?" Amelia asked as Enid's face went red.
"A-a date?! Mateo?!" She sputtered turning more and more red with each passing second. "No! We're just hanging out as friends!" She laughed nervously. Amelia just smiled.
"Whatever you say, Enid." And with that last word, she left Enid in her room to ponder the thought placed in her head by Amelia.
"A date... Mateo...I..." It was a night that kept Enid up, dangling sleep over her head, just out of reach.