Chapter 2 Get together

Ariel went to her bedroom and settled in. Her room was simple but was lavishly natural. In a shade of green and pink, her room was decorated with rose flower, a few rainbow drawings filled her room making it lively and homey. Placing her grey overcoat on its hanger, she went to the bathroom.

"Ariel," a voice called out to her after the knock.

"Yes nanny!!" her spring voice rang out. She dashed out and found her nanny putting clothes in her wardrobe. She was a middle-aged lady with heavy chocolate brown hair, a chubby face with a slightly round frame. Two dimples appeared when ever she smiled and her eyes glowed with life and enthusiasm. "Are you going to shower?" she asked when she noticed Ariel with a towel in her hand.

"Mhhm.." Ariel smiled back her eyes forming Cresent shape, she dashed forward and hugged her.

Tapping her hair affectionately, "Ok, then let me prepare some warm water for you," and with that,her nanny dashed out and returned almost immediately.

"Nanny, am big enough, I can manage!" Ariel didn't want to be pampered because she had alot to face in the future and she couldn't afford being spoilt, it wouldn't be good. Though she was small, she loved her privacy more than anything.

Tapping on her nose lightly, her nanny smiled playfully, "your still so small. Let this old lady look after you well, ok?"

"But nanny, that's why I can't let you handle my chores, I'm grown up now and you are old, your the one who needs to let me handle things for you!" she reasoned out with a serious look on her face.

This made the nanny laugh out loud and tussle her purple black hair. "This child is so considerate and kind." She praised Ariel.

Nevertheless, her nanny helped her with the shower and left after making sure that Ariel was fully dressed and looked presentable. Not that she didn't but today was a big day.

For a girl her age, the way she carried herself when being alone was really outstanding. Dressed in a light blue and white long sleeved dress that reached her feet, accompanied by blue glittering slippers, she sat down on her bed and faced the woods, her gaze became blank as she stared outside her window, her purple eyes held longing in them and determination as well. Just a little longer, she only needed a body to nurture her essence.

"Honey, you can come down now. Dinner is ready!" her mother shouted from the kitchen area. Hearing her cheerful voice, she knew that she had calmed down and was in a better mood. She jumped off the bed and her little legs dashed out of the room down the stairs in the dinning hall which was just across the sitting room.

Her smile beamed when she found her father gently ushering her mom to the seat with love filled eyes, it was such a sweet scenery. Seeing that she had come, her dad did the same for her before he joined at the head seat of the table, his eyes twinkled with love and care. Ariel found herself drawn in her father's emotion filled eyes that she spaced out. "Ariel!" her mother called and she snapped back to her senses, replying immediately.

"Yes mom."

"Did you wash your hands?" her stern voice ruined the dreamy atmosphere. With a pout, Ariel jumped down from her seat and went to wash her hands. When she returned, she first showed them to her mother before she went to seat but her face murred with a pout was heavenly cute!!

"Honey," her father chimed in as usual, "don't be hard on her!!" he tried coaxing his wife sweetly but as always, he ended up being reprimanded for spoiling her too much and with that he shut up and dived to his meal without further ado.

During the meal, the family of three kept having small talk and laughing heartily, the atmosphere was warm and homely.

"Ariel kept giving Edmond a hard time during her sessions...." her mother reported.

Stopping on her meal, Ariel looked at her father with a sad and aggrieved expression. "Dad that's not true, I had already levelled up so there was no more need for me to keep training, Edmond never gave me time to rest, actually mom told him not to,so that I'll just sleep immediately because of fatigue and not bother her.." Ariel told on her mother without batting an eye.

The two ladies went into the glaring contest. Where one was his queen and the other his princess, it was such a sight!!, he was rather helpless and he knew better not to intervene or he would be smashed into mould in their clash. Heoved his wife and daughter equally hence failed to find a stand. His wife was too big to bully their daughter while his daughter was too smart for her age that it came out as impolite to challenge an elder bit she had values and morals that had been embedded in her by themselves so had no one to blame when challenged by her. 'They would mellow down later', he thought.

Seeing that she was about to loose in the contest against her mother, Ariel sought an ally. "Dad your not helping me out?!" asked Ariel her eyes still on her mother. The pressure from the other party had started overwhelming her, she had only told the truth so what was strong in that, that her mother had to glare at her unrelentingly.

"Honey, don't get yourself involved if you don't want to sleep at the balcony tonight." Mommy Ariel threatened. This small girl needed some discipling.

"Dad, you can come to my room..., besides my bed is big enough!!" Ariel counter attacked.

"Eric, I dare you!" his wife growled. When his wife called him by his name, Eric knew better when to stop and with that, he finished his meal in big bites, Eric dashed out from the room, not forgetting to remind them that the food was going cold. Being in the court before the king was much easier and relaxing.

When he was rushing out to head to the backyard, he saw a flustered and panicked Edmond rush his way. He found himself stopping in his tracks.

"Sir!!, he called out trying to catch his breath and handed Eric a royal scroll embedded in a golden cloth with silver design patterns.

Looking buffled, he looked back at Edmond inquiringly. "The eastern border has erupted into riots again, the king is worried this might have been instigated by the Eastern Vayas army and may result into another war hencen he summons you back immediately. He hopes, you'll manage to make peace with the Eastern kingdoms because we can't afford another war." Saying that, Eric himself was going through the royal decree with a frown and solemn gaze. He had just returned from the northern war and got to be with his family after a year and a half!!!

"Prepare my horse, I'll head out now!" 'Someone was deliberately trying to keep him out of the capital, he was going to see the end of all this!'

Lots of love from litto-ways ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️