I SERIOUSLY DON'T LIKE THIS

Kethra cleared her throat loudly, and Aramith noticed her eyes on him along with the dark expression that said more than enough for him to understand. He quickly composed himself, getting rid of the laughter that could almost burst out anytime. He sat upright, and from the corner of his eye saw Mozrael with her head lowered even more, and her hair draping down to cover her face which Aramith guessed must be turning a shade of red. Lia sunk into her chair, beat.

"My stomach hurts," Lia complained again, placing her head on the table

"Then we should get you out of here as fast as possible so you can get medicine to eat," Aramith suggested in a tone that told that he knew not why Lia was complaining. [LIAR!]

"I don't need medicine, I need to eat." "I know, you need to eat medicine." "I only need medicine, and I would be alright," she beamed at him

"Oh, that would be great! Go on out to get your medicine," Aramith said as he thought of how relieving it would be to get rid of her

"Oh really? You'll watch over me till I get better?" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him expectantly. [Too bad she doesn't know how much of a bug she is.]

"Like I would! You're not even sick" "I'm not?" "Of course, you aren't"

"I know that, I only need to eat and I'll be fine. I wish I could have been done eating already." "More like you wish you were done eating so you could go around disturbing others" He muttered "Meanie!" Lia said in a low tone, and sighed loudly, "Where's dad?"

Suddenly, the doors were thrown open, and in came Henndar in his red robe with its gold hems. He moved gracefully, gliding into his seat, and took note of everyone. He instantly felt something strange about the mood then. Before everyone started eating he saw how annoyed Lia looked with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Did I miss something?" He asked no one in particular. His question hung in the air with no one answering it. He looked around and saw Kethra's eyes waver over the children for a second. That couldn't be a coincidence.

"Aramith?" Aramith quickly swallowed what was in his mouth, and looked up at his father questioningly.

"Your sisters seem to be in bad humor. Is there something I need to know of?" Well, ask them. They're right there! Aramith thought to himself and looked at the two girls. He saw Mozrael's calm and composed face as she ate carefully and replied. "I think they are fi-" He was interrupted by Kethra clearing her throat again, and turned to see her taking a sip from her cup.

"Umm…I …" he was about to reply when he saw Lia's expression. So that's why he asked me? He quickly changed the words that were about to escape his mouth "I think they have been fine since I woke up, but I couldn't ask if anything bothered them. Maybe Lia could-"

"What?" Lia interrupted him darkly. He could only smile at her and continue "Father just wanted to know if anything is bothering you"

"Why don't you talk about how wonderfully you've treated me since morning?" She pouted and Henndar and Kethra's eyes met for a split second before their eyes came back to fall onto the children but they said nothing, waiting to see what would unfold. "This again? Lia, what is your problem?"

"You never even said sorry," she said wronged like one who had suffered a lot. "For what exactly?"

Lia lowered her head" I…I wanted the three of us to go out shopping today, but you have been mean to me since I came to wake you up, and I don't think you would even want to go anymore. I don't think we can do it." "Is that true?" Henndar asked Aramith.

"He even made Mozrael feel bad" Lia interrupted again before he could reply Knowing that he had been painted the bad guy and that Lia had probably prepared an army of statements that would make him look worse if he were to defend himself, he chose to play along.

"Oh I remember now, Lia told me about it yesterday, but I guess I forgot." He said with a sheepish smile. "I don't see what's wrong with the idea. Besides, with the preparations being done for the event due in two days, it would only be suitable for you to go out for a while. All you need to do is get prepared, I'll arrange everything else for you" Kethra said, wiping her mouth with a napkin gently. Henndar smiled, knowing and understanding her perfectly well.

"Since it was your idea, Lia, you have already arranged everything I guess?" He asked. Lia's mood was enlightened when she heard that. "Mm! I even requested for the clothes to be prepared."

"Of course, she did she even selected the clothes herself. I don't think it would be good for you to deny everything your sister has prepared for you?" "Yes, father' Aramith responded curtly.

As they continued to eat, a servant came in to whisper something to Henndar. Henndar nodded and said something small to the servant, waving him away. "I need to meet with Gebreth," Henndar announced and got up, moving over to Kethra's side. He said something to her which was inaudible to others, then gave her a small kiss on her cheek but she didn't react and just continued eating. Mozrael still ate quietly like she was unaware of everything going on around her in the large room. Aramith ignored that and Lia only giggled [hmm…what's going on here? :/ ]

Only a very observant person would notice the light pink in her cheeks as Henndar left. "Oh, and come present thyselves to me before thou leave" Henndar chuckled as he said, and Aramith was more certain than anyone else why he was in such a good mood saying that. This displeased him.

An eerie silence enveloped the place after he left.

"Well then, shall we?" Kethra said to them all. "But mom, the-" Kethra raised a hand to stop her

"I know, I'll have them brought along" right after saying that, she clapped lightly, and a maid quickly attended to her. She pointed to a tray of cookies and the maid responded by taking it up. She then rose to her feet, making her way out. The three followed. Lia was slightly reluctant but her reluctance disappeared the moment she saw the maid coming along with the tray of cookies she wanted to finish off.

"Mom…" Aramith started "Mm?" "I don't know for sure but I think Gebreth would be greatly displeased if we don't go for our lessons like we usually do…"

Lia seemed surprised to hear that. "Oh I wonder what he'll do when the King and Queen of the kingdom have given us permission to do this." "Oh shut up," Aramith waved her off, annoyed. He knew that, but he wouldn't give away any chance to avoid what was going to happen.

"Don't worry about that, your father said he would tell him so take it as things have already been taken care of" Aramith was the one behind this time with a suspecting expression as he watched the three females. He strongly felt awkward and couldn't exactly figure it out yet.

"I don't like this feeling." He muttered under his breath. He clearly understood that there was something they all knew that he didn't. Women are dangerous, and him being the only male in their midst, he couldn't help but feel chills.

"Mom," he called again, moving closer beside Kethra. "Did dad say anything about me to you?" he asked, strongly feeling that what Henndar had said to her before leaving was about him. Her face changed to one that proved his suspicions, and he was more certain. She smiled beautifully, then laughed softly, her beautiful laugh was enough to make any man be hypnotized into calming down, but not Aramith though.

"Oh, it's nothing much to worry about. Just a surprise your father doesn't want to miss, that's all. I'm sure you might even like it yourself" "I would like it? Can I know what it is then? It would be a relief to know." He pressed on, hoping maybe she would give in this time. Lia giggled, and Mozrael only sighed quietly in her reserved manner. She turned to him, seeing his confused face, and gave a wry smile while shrugging.

Something was going on. Aramith's eyes darted from one character to another, and he was now more than certain this had something to do with him having to do something he wasn't going to like in the least. The only 'normal' person in their midst was the almost unnoticeable maid. [Oh now I remember, there are four females.] But she wasn't enough reason for him to calm down.

I seriously don't like this, he thought.