Born As The Emperor’s Daughter - Chapter 194 Bloom 3

And so, Alexandra, along with her brothers are taking a stroll around the garden. It was empty and the only people that were there were her and her brothers. They were surrounded by flowers, obviously since it’s a garden. Most of the flowers were roses, maybe this empire really does love roses. It’s not like I hate it but I’m getting tired of seeing roses every single day ever since I opened my eyes and saw this world, she thought to herself as she roamed her eyes around the garden. Brother Calixander, Chandler, Gilbert, and Christian, my god why are their names so long? Even mentioning their names inside their head was exhausting and confusing.

She stopped from her tracks and her brothers continued on walking except for Christian who noticed her stop. Silence surrounded them and Alexandra broke it like it was something fragile. “Brother,” She only spoke one word but all of her brother’s head turned towards her direction except for Gilbert who was still reading his book as if he was reading an interesting part and can’t be disturbed at the moment. Since she was behind them, standing beside Christian who was staring at her. All of them gave her a confused gaze except for their personal knights who were standing behind not far away from them.

“Which one of us are you referring to, Alexandra?” Calixander said as he gave each one of her brothers a glance. Right, she forgot that. The woes of having four brothers, she thought to herself and let out a sigh before she spoke. “Actually, all of you,” Was what she said. Calling all of them one by one is tiring.

“What is it? You look bothered, is there something you want to tell us?” Christian’s worried tone of a voice rang inside Alexandra’s ears. No, it wasn’t bothering her, rather she was hesitating. All eyes were on her, staring at her as if she was the most interesting painting in the world or something. Alexandra let out a sigh once again before she spoke, this time in a soft voice as she slightly lowered her head.

“Can I give you all a nickname?”

That was what she was thinking since earlier as she remained silent while they were walking. Nicknames are names given to a person or thing instead of or as well as the real name. But calling the princes with nicknames would look rather informal and casual however, what’s wrong with that? They are siblings, giving each other nicknames which they would like could improve their relationship and make them closer than before. They were always speaking to each other formally as if they were different people with different status.

She piqued their interest just by that question. The knights behind them were wondering what they were talking about as they spoke in a low tone of voice only they could hear. It feels like they were talking about something private, to be honest. Calixander turned his body to face her but remained in his position, the expression etched on his face was a confused one which was rather new since she always had a cold or serious look on.

“Nicknames?”

He asked her. The tone of his voice was the same as the emotion expressed on his face, confused. As if that was the first time somebody asked him that or that was the first time that he heard that word. Alexandra nodded as she hummed before she opened her mouth to speak once again, the atmosphere was tense and awkward.

“Like it’s another name that you give to another person and call them by it instead of their real name or their full name. Since I always call you with your first names and it’s rather long,” Alexandra raised her head as she spoke, looking at her brother with her eyes wide yet her gaze was gentle and she blinked multiple times. The expression on her face was uncertain and she thought that maybe they don’t like the idea of having nicknames to call each other.

“It’s fine with me.”

Gilbert who was silent for a long time and was just reading finally spoke as he closed the book that he was holding since earlier. He spoke in a nonchalant tone of voice and Alexandra’s expression brightened when she heard what he said, her lips that were pursed into a thin line curved into a smile beaming with joy. Her eyes sparkled and gleamed in joy. Seeing the happy expression on her face when he agreed, her other brothers just surrendered and agreed to her request. After all, this was the first time that she asked them or requested something. If she’s happy then I’ll just agree, Christian thought to himself although he never thought of denying in the first place. He agrees that their names were too long and mentioning them, even just by two of her brothers were tiring. Feels like a tongue twister if you mention their first names continuously.

“I’m also fine with it.”

“As long as it’s something appropriate, I’m fine with it.”

“Suit yourself. Just give me a cool one.”

Of course, the last one was Chandler maintaining his pride as if he doesn’t like it when someone calls him with a nickname but it was making him excited and giddy because that is the first time that someone will call him with a nickname. Aside from that, it was his younger sister and siblings that would call him with that. It would be cute and refreshing to the ears. He just couldn’t tell the same with Christian because they don’t get along well but they are close.

This time, the expression on her face shone brighter than the afternoon sun. The smile on her face reached her ears and it looked pleasant and at the same time, giving her the face of a happy idiot. Calixander has always known her as an idiot who is always happy and gentle. So he thinks that the expression on her face completely suited her.

It feels like Alexandra accomplished something greater than her goal because of what she is feeling now. It was only a nickname but this was the first time that she is going to give someone and call them by that. Isn’t it cute? Giving your older brothers nicknames to which they would do nothing but just agree to their little sister’s request.

“But how do you make one?”

“Is this the first time that you have known the existence of nicknames, Brother Calixander?”

That was Gilbert and Calixander. To Gilbert’s eyes, Calixander was like a man who thinks that he knows everything in this world and would always try to look tough and cold towards others. He sometimes uses ‘The responsibilities of the Eldest Sibling’ as an excuse as to why he is always taking care of them and would always get worried about them. But the truth is, he just loves them. However, admitting it to them, he just can’t easily blurt it out of his mouth and would rather just use that excuse and show it through his actions. To Gilbert, he is one sweet and caring brother behind that cold and serious faade of his.

My older brother is an idiot, is what he would say first if somebody decided to ask him what he thinks of his older brother.

Alexandra let out a soft giggle before she started walking and past by them, they followed her. Gilbert and Chandler were behind her while Christian and Calixander were walking on each of her sides. “It’s just easy and simple. For Brother Calixander, I can call you Brother Calix. It’s way shorter and better than that. Aside from that, nicknames would show or display how close we are to each other.”

“Then do ‘idiot’ and ‘nerd’ counts?” Chandler asked her in a nonchalant yet curious tone of voice. Alexandra couldn’t tell if he was actually being serious or just playing around with her. She knew that he was referring to what he sometimes calls Christian when they talk to each other. A hum slipped past her lips before she responded to him, “Yes but if that would offend the person or hurt them, you better stop,” Alexandra said to which he just gave her a silent nod as a response.

“Calix is fine by me, but what about the others?”

“For Brother Christian, Is ‘Chris’ fine?”

“Yeah, that’s fine by me.”

“Then for Brother Gilbert,” Alexandra hummed and paused but she continued on walking, ignoring her surroundings which were just flowers that she loves and always see almost every single day. She could hear the light footsteps of the knights coming from behind them as they follow them. “Is ‘Gil’ fine? I just either took the first syllable or first two syllables from your first name.”

“Yeah,” She could tell that her brother, the one who just responded, continued reading as his response was short. “Then for Brother Chandler, what about ‘Chan’? It honestly sounds like a cute nickname.”

“Yeah, it’s cute. It suits a tough guy who is actually soft in the inside like him,” Christian was the one who replied to her, it was like he was teasing or mocking him as he tried to stifle a laugh while his shoulder was shaking as he tried to surpass it. Chandler let out a huff before he responded, “Give me another one. It’s cute but I don’t like it. I told you to give me a cool one.”

“I really can’t think of anything other than that. Do you have any suggestions?”

“What about”

“Don’t ask for suggestions from this guy, I know that he will respond with something cool yet longer than his first name,” Christian interrupted what he was about to say. His voice was deadpan and he let out a sigh as if he already experienced this with him.

“Then what about ‘Chad’? It sounds simple and good to me.”

“Ah, whatever. Just not ‘Chan’.”

“Okay, then it’s settled.”

Alexandra couldn’t help but smile as she clapped her hands two times as if she was giving them a signal or something like that. They continued walking, Alexandra was about to open her mouth to speak when a cold voice was heard, interrupting what she was about to say and shutting her off.

“What about you, Alexandra? It would be nice if you have a nickname too.”

The owner of the voice was Calixander and it sounded like he was anxious about it as if he was hesitating to tell her that. Alexandra paused from her tracks which made them stop too, she blinked multiple times and she let a hum slip past her lips. She pursed her lips into a thin line as she was deep in thought.

“I think it’s quite unfair that we have a nickname but you don’t have one.”

“You said that nicknames would sometimes display how close you are to that person so I think that giving you a nickname like us would be fair.”

Ah, they’re right. The corner of her lips quirked up into a small smile and she turned around to face them, her lips widened and her eyes closed in the process. A sudden breeze blew against their skin gently. “Then think and give me one that would suit me,” It sounds like she was ordering them but it was like she was simply letting them decided about it. She fiddled with her hands as she smiled at them.

“What about ‘Alex’?” Christian suggested as he was in deep thought. Honestly, he wants to give her a simple yet cute one that she would like and would suit her.

“Sounds like a guy,” Gilbert commented as he continued reading his book. Chandler gave up and didn’t think, he would just wait for them until they can come up with something and give comments like a judge.

“What about ‘Alexa’?” This time, it was Calixander. He spoke in his usual tone of voice. Alexandra hummed before she responded, “‘Alexa’ is fine by me,” Was what she said as she smiled at them. Christian and Chandler nodded as if they agree to it while Gilbert just hummed. Alexandra’s smile widened and she turned her heel around before she started walking on her own.

“It’s cute.”

“What’s cute?”

“Giving each other nicknames, I find it cute.”

And to that day, they started to call each other with the nicknames that they thought about though it was awkward and it felt new at first, they became used to it as hours passed by and they would call each other by it.

But they have to return inside as her brothers are called and needed while Alexandra returns to her room with a wide smile on her face as if she was satisfied by everything that has happened earlier.