"I'm sorry, your highness, we should not have allowed your aunt in knowing you were planning to visit her highness princess Athanasia." Emma kept a bow as she was walking alongside Jeanette. 

"Don't apologise, Emma, I know how my aunt can be. I'm sure she was causing a scene, and I was in training so you couldn't come ask me." Jeanette shook her head, walking hastily as she was already late. 

"Still, it isn't a princess' job to reduce the work of the maids." Emma sounded a little upset still, leading Jeanette to spin on her heel to be face to face with the maid. 

"In the case where there's a problem customer, a manager deals with it, right? Because the customer will only listen to someone in a position of power. As the aunt of the favoured princess she had power and she knew it, so you needed someone with authority to shut her down. I know none of you were acting to make my life difficult. Oh, and feel free to enjoy the snacks with the others." Jeanette grabbed Emma's shoulders, smiling warmly at her. 

Emma nodded, a tear in her eye, smiling back. Jeanette gave her shoulder a final squeeze before she let go, continuing on her way. 

"Sister Athanasia!" Jeanette greeted, eyes alight with excitement. "It's been too long, how have you been?" 

"Sister Jeanette," Athanasia was rather more subdued, though her eyes still displayed her joy at seeing the sister who showed her the love she had only received from Lily before. "I hope your training went well today." 

"I think so, Felix still won't let me touch a real sword, though." Jeanette sighed, taking her seat opposite Athanasia, realising with a pang that the table was already set, though some of the sweets were already eaten. 

"I think of you got hurt father would execute all of the knights, I understand Felix." Athanasia's smile was a little forced. 

Jeanette looked at her reflection in the amber tea. She assumed Athanasia was right, after all in the story it was only a poisoning that had harmed Jeanette, and that had resulted in the death of a royal. What wouldn't Claude do for her? 

But equally what would he do for Athanasia? He barely let her save face at the best of times, it was unlikely he would care independently if she was harmed. It would only be with Jeanette's input that he would issue any form of punishment. 

It was for this reason Jeanette refused to call him "father" or anything of the sort. 

"How has the scurvy project been doing?" Jeanette changed the subject, leaning forwards in interest. She had been the one to ignite it, after all. 

"It's been doing well. We've already made rose hip drinks that maintain their effect through long boat journeys, but they're a little strong for some of the younger crew mates, or children on cruises. We're researching the use of dried rose petals as they're much lighter and children or people who can't handle the rose hip drinks can eat them.  We're also sure to distribute them to the poorer areas of cities." Athanasia immediately delved into the intricacies of the project that was expanding surprisingly quickly. 

Hey jeweled eyes shined even more brightly than usual, making Jeanette smile., She couldn't claim to know everything the other princess was talking about, but clearly it excited Athanasia and would only bolster her position. Scurvy was an awful disease, and despite it's negative connotations, nobles were also affected as the goods they wanted or needed to import would result in many dying. Not to mention the numerous who caught it on luxury cruises and wouldn't admit it. 

Athanasia would eventually be hailed as the saintly princess who eradicated such an evil epidemic from the country. 

"-Oh, and after we've done enough research, we distribute the excess to the people living in the slums. It does us no good as an empire to have so many people dying from something we're learning to treat. We're sure to let them know if it treats scurvy or not, though." Athanasia seemed to have forgotten about the cup of tea in front of her, gesturing wildly, using one of the pastries she had grabbed to demonstrate what they were doing with the rose experiments. 

"I'm so glad that you could do such important work for the empire, sister." Jeanette's eyes were affectionate as she spoke, taking a sip of the lukewarm tea neither princess seemed to care about. 

"I wouldn't have been able to if it wasn't for your help." Athanasia blushed, turning away from Jeanette, though she couldn't stop the corners of her mouth pointing up. 

"I can't take any credit, I was just a naive child. You're the one who has been doing all of this research and funding. You deserve all of the honour and praise." Jeanette looked at Athanasia as an older sister would, though they had never grown up as such, and the nobles would prefer they be enemies. 

"Your highnesses the imperial princesses," A very well dressed butler disturbed their tea time. "The emperor has summoned you both." 

"Both of us?" Athanasia looked hopeful, though reserved. 

"Why?" Jeanette, whose back had been to the door, furrowed her eyebrows, worried. 

"I am not allowed to know the cause, only to inform you both he must see you urgently." The elderly butler kept his eyes trained on the floor, his face a perfect picture of neutrality. 

Jeanette couldn't stop her smile falling as she saw Athanasia rushing to prepare herself to see their father. It reminded her of herself in her previous life, always desperate to please people who would never see her as the best no matter what she did. She could break all the world records, but for some people that would never be enough. 

She hated being the person whose mere existence showed Athanasia she was Claude's consolation prize. 

"Are you ready?" Athanasia's breathing was heavy, her cheeks flushed, as she looked to Jeanette. 

Athanasia had fixed her hair and dress, reapplying the makeup by her mouth, all to make herself more perfect for the father who never recognised her. Jeanette did nothing of the sort, but they both knew that if Claude were to complement one it would be Jeanette.