A/N: I actually wrote this a little while ago, and I'd planned to include it somewhere between chapter 21 and 22 of Paths. As it is, I couldn't fit it in properly, so it'll be a little one shot like all the other chapters of this story. It takes place after A Nightly Conversation, and before chapter 22.

The chapter title refers to Merlynn and Vivian's ages respectively. I'm going to change the previous 3 chapter so that they'll all have their ages in the title.

Chapter 4: 18-20

"Vivian!" An angry shout echoed through the halls, before the door to the oldest princess' chambers burst open. The younger princess barged in, not bothering to close the door, or even pause in the doorway as decorum demanded. She was on a mission.

"What?" the blonde asked in a bored voice. She sat in a chaise by the fire, daintily working on her needlepoint.

Merlynn only got more angry when her sister refused to look at her. "Where's my dress?" she demanded.

Vivian sighed and put her work aside. "What dress?"

"Which one do you think? The purple one I had commissioned!" Merlynn shouted, balling her hands and glowering at her sister.

Vivian made a face. "Like I would ever wear your dress, little sister," she said dismissively, leaning back in her chair. It was uncharacteristically unladylike of the elder sibling, but Merlynn was hardly in a state of mind to care.

"What's wrong with my dresses?" she asked, feeling her irritation fuel her anger. Without noticing, electricity was dancing over Merlynn's hand, pulled to the surface by her emotions.

"They're so… plebeian," Vivian replied with a shrug.

"You're so conceited sometimes!" the younger princess screamed. "There's nothing wrong with my dresses, just because you're the most vain, self-centred, judgemental–"

"What?" Vivian shrieked. "I am not judgemental!"

"But you agree you're vain and self-centred?" Merlynn shot back with a sneer. She was being purposefully nasty, but since Vivian was being mean, she felt justified.

"Take that back, you little brat!" Vivian screamed, got up and glared at her sister.

"Why should I take it back, it's the tr–"

"Girls!" The two princesses looked up in surprise at the open door. Vivian's maid stood there with wide eyes, next to a rather miffed-looking queen. Hunith had her hands in her hips and was frowning severely at her daughters. "You are princesses of Galdara, and this is how you choose to behave?"

Merlynn opened her mouth to protest, but her mother cut her off. "Don't. I don't want to hear it. You both know full well that we have guests, and I can assure you that they heard your entire argument. The whole kingdom probably heard it! Merlynn, you need to stop immediately blaming Vivian when something of yours goes missing. I had your dress taken back to the seamstress. And Vivian, after the scare we had with Merlynn just a few days ago, I'd think you would have learned to treat her a little better."

Both young women looked down sheepishly. Of course their mother was right. They'd behaved like children, and it was not befitting a princess of Galdara. But Vivian didn't like being shouted at, not even by her mother. So she huffed, and walked into her bathing chamber, while Merlynn scowled after her. Merlynn, usually being the more level-headed of the two, knew the value of apologising right away, though there were only two people in the world she'd make an exception for: a certain prat and her vain sister.

Merlynn sighed and turned to her mother. "I'm sorry mother. We shouldn't have behaved like that, and as soon as Vivian," she said, raising her voice, "decides to be an adult and come out," she shouted at the closed door, "I'll apologise to her as well."

Hunith smiled and stepped forward, pulling her daughter into her arms. "Thank you, little bird," she whispered, and Merlynn smiled at the old nickname.

"She just… she's the only one who can get under my skin like that," she sighed, burying her head in her mother's neck.

"The only one? I've heard there's someone else who manages to do that just fine," her mother said, combing her fingers through her daughter's dark hair.

Merlynn blushed, and was grateful her mother couldn't see it. "He's just a prat," she muttered.

Her mother chuckled. "Of course, my love."

Pulling back, Merlynn made a face. "Mother, I'm serious, he's just a friend. But you're right, he can be just as conceited and vain as Vivian."

Her mother just smiled and pulled her back into the hug. There was something odd about the way she looked at her, but Merlynn couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was almost like resignation, but what could her mother be feeling resigned about?

Mentally, Merlynn shrugged it off, it didn't bear too much thought, and she still had to find a way to apologise to her sister.

"Why don't you try lemon cakes?" her mother suggested. "You know your sister loves those."

Merlynn grinned, thanked her mother and raced off to procure some from the kitchens. Vivian could never stay mad at her, and even less so when lemon cakes were offered as a peace offering.

A/N: I have to be honest, the lemon cakes is a thing I got from a Game of Thrones fic, apparently, Sansa likes her lemon cakes :)

Also, I might start including little snippets about Vivian and Rowan in this, but I'm not sure... Let me know what you think?

And leave a review!