It was a rainy day at the royal capital, nothing big happened and usually with this kind of weather, the twins Velours Silva and Hortense Silva would quickly get bored.
Usually… But today, they discovered something they never saw before and now, the two six-year-old twins decided that the thing they just found out about was a perfect reason for a spy mission.
"There's no party or ball, so why should they do that?" Hortense asked looking from under some stairs towards the windows.
"We don't know yet, that's why we're observing them, remember?" Velours replied, peeking behind his sister.
"Yeah, but all they do is turn around and smiling at each other and… yikes… kissing. They don't say anything, how can we find out why they're doing that?"
"Maybe they're whispering things to each other, that's why we can't hear them."
"But when would they talk to each other, silly Velours?"
"Silly yourself, Hortense. You see how Dad looks like he's kissing Mums ear? I bet he's whispering something to her right now."
"Oh, you're right. But you're still silly."
"What are you two doing here?"
Velours and Hortense flinched, before turning around. To their relief, it was just their older sister Aimée. In her arms was their baby sister Nymphe, who was just one year old and who couldn't even talk or walk yet.
"Shh," Velours replied, putting a finger on his lips. "We're on a very important and top secret mission. So, just look that Nymphe won't blow our cover if she starts to cry."
Aimée just smiled, that knowing and taking-no-shit smile of hers. The twins always kinda hated it when she did that, but at the same time, Aimée was older than they were and she was their big sister. So, it was probably true that she knew more things than Velours and Hortense, even though it was sometimes really frustrating.
Aimée put down Nymphes baby basket on the floor, softly lied their baby sister down in it before she turned towards her other siblings.
"So, what is the mission all about? All I see is Mum and Dad dancing in the hallway."
"Yes, but we need to find out why they're doing it," Hortense replied, not leaving her parents out of her sight.
Nozel and Vanessa just continued to sway in the hallway, while the rain kept falling against the windows, the drops making strange and unique ornaments against the glass. They looked happy. And in love. As if they just fell in love, not married for years with four children.
"They always doing this when it's raining," Aimée said, a soft smile on her lips. Velours and Hortense turned towards their eleven-year-old sister, completely stunned.
"Really? How do you know that?"
"Because I stumbled on them, once. I was three or four back then, you two weren't even born yet."
"Really? Gosh, that must be since centuries ago," Velours said in awe. He was still in the phase when half a year equals a decade in his mind. Aimée giggled at his statement.
"Not really, but yes, it was a long time ago. They were doing this probably since I was a baby, because for as far as I remember, whenever it started to rain, they went for a dance."
"Interesting," Hortense mumbled, while observing her parents dancing. Aimées knowledge might be a good help. "They never discovered you when you were spying on them, I assume."
"Wrong assumption, little sister. They actually discovered me one time. But don't worry, they didn't scold me. In fact, I danced with them afterwards. Oh, and there was one time, it started raining when a bunch of old and gossiping noble ladies wanted to talk to our mother about something, then Dad burst into the parlor, asking Mum to follow him. I think he couldn't wait to dance with her any longer. Mum immediately followed him and the visit of the old nobles had been cancelled."
"But why are they doing this?"
Aimée didn't answered her brother's question immediately. The truth is, she had quite the idea why their parents had their habit of dancing during rain. She remembered the talk she had with Nozel and Vanessa not so long ago, when they told her about all the drama that occurred during the time of her birth. She understood a lot of things back then…
"It's probably a couple thing," Aimée finally answered. "You know, like their evening or morning walks in the Silva flower garden. A time they want to do something they love together, having alone time, something like that."
"A couple thing. You mean, it's like when auntie Noelle and uncle Asta work out together or when they eat sweets on the balcony?" Hortense asked
"Or when auntie Nebra and uncle Zora are doing little pranks on annoying nobles? Or when they go on a broom flight, just the two of them?" Velours added.
"Or when uncle Solid brings auntie Rosette their breakfast to bed? Or when they play those strategic games auntie Rosette always wins?"
"Yes, something like that," Aimée answered before the twins could continue their list of couple things for everyone they knew.
While she looked over at Nymphe, still lying quietly in her basket but not asleep, Hortense and Velours continued to observe their parents, swaying around the hallway, looking so touchingly happy.
"I still don't get it," Hortense mumbled, frowning.
"What exactly? That our parents love dancing?" Aimée asked, while letting Nymphe play with her fingers.
"No, not that. The dancing is clearly not the weirdest thing. But why when it rains? They could always dance whenever they want, so why during rain?"
"Um… maybe it's silly, but what if they have good memories that include rain?" Velours asked, slowly tipping a finger against his lips. "Although, I don't know what kind of good memories you can have while it rains."
"You both only six, I'm sure you'll understand later," Aimée giggled. The twins turned towards her, a bit offended. They wanted to protest, but there was nothing wrong with what their older sister just said. And they knew better than to argue. When Aimée was right, then she was right, end of story.
They heard their mother suddenly squeak in happiness. Looking again to their parents, the children saw Nozel holding Vanessa up, turning her around before putting her back on her feet. Vanessa laughed, her rosewood coloured curls falling down her back like a waterfall.
"They really look happy, don't they?" Aimée smiled, before turning back to Nymphe, who began to whine a little.
"I guess. Maybe when I'm older, I'll understand what they have," Velours commented, watching Nozel twirl Vanessa around, before holding her close to him again.
"I don't think I wanna understand, even when I get older," Hortense mumbled. Aimée giggled at her younger sisters statement, while she was holding Nymphe and giving her milk to drink with the baby bottle, which had been safe in the basket.
The rain continued to fall against the huge window. Nozel and Vanessa continued to dance, while their four children just observed them from their spying point. A nice and happy atmosphere settled in the hallway.
"Aimée, do you think Mum and Dad know that we're watching them?" Hortense asked after a while, turning away as she that her parents were about to kiss each other again.
"I don't know. Maybe, they're both clever people. But don't worry, I'm certain that we won't spoil their happy moment. In a way, it would make them even happier."
"Well, in that case, we can say that we have amazing parents, right sisters?" Velours simply said, a happy smile on his face. Aimée and Hortense nodded, while Nymphe just let out a happy babbling.
Those four children loved their parents. So, of course that Nozel and Vanessa were amazing in their eyes.