Daughter of Water

Chapter 7

"My lady, this way please." Mary instructed as she led me to a great dining hall. The windows were covered with great black drapes. I don't know if it was to keep light out or people from seeing in. But I did take a moment to appreciate them.

The hall was somewhat empty, lone for a group around the large table in the middle. All eyes were on me as I was lead to the head, near Clarence and a man with long black hair. The lone chair at the end of the table was large enough for probably both Arlo and I to lounge in it together. Clarence stood and pulled out the massive chair for me as Mary sat me down. The chair moved it a tad, and I was surprised that Clarence had such strength in his elderly looking limbs.

He moved back to his seat to my right, next to Arlo, and opened his arms above his head to the others at the table. Men and women alike sat along the length of the table but only half of it was filled. They all looked either slightly elderly or child like. Some were children.

"Friends, our dear princess Arina has returned to us from beyond this world and is finally here with us." He turned to me and bowed. Everyone, including the children and Mary by my chair stood and put a heart over their chest and bowed.

I blushed and put my hands out in a kind yet nervous gesture.

"It is nothing really. Please." I watched as most of the guest looked up and smiled at me. I gave a polite smile back.

"The princess really is kind," commented a young child. My face went neutral for a moment as I took in that I guess I'm these people's leader. A weight sat on my chest at this thought before I masked my sudden conclusion as the food was brought out.

Good, I'm starving.

Silver trays with lids were brought out as waiters and maids came in with mountains of food. Was it like this every day? However, no one touched theirs, just watched me. Then I remembered that if I was their princess that they were probably waiting on me.

I nod my heads to them to go ahead and they dig in. I giggle a bit and watch the men sitting nearest me in curiosity. Clarence may seem up-tight but as I noticed his soft glow towards his grandson, I felt my trust towards him grow.

On the other side of me, however, I was seriously about to sink down into my chair. The long black haired guy was eating like a gentleman while keeping an eye on me and the guy next to him. Now that I noticed it, these two here were younger than the rest of the older people here. They looked maybe twenty-two.

The other guy just creeped me out. With a scar going down his face through one of his eyes. I literally felt like I might run now. I had seen some scary things on the surface but this guy was so intimidating that he couldn't even compare to a state exam.

However, when I met his uninjured eye, I noticed warmth and the delicate way he kept himself, like he was afraid to break something.

Everyone was dressed in fancy old clothing but him and Arlo. What was with this clothing anyways? It was the twenty-first century up there but down here, it seemed as if it was the middle ages. I looked at the curtains again, wondering if anyone knew that it would be brighter in here if they would just open them.

"Princess?" I turned to Clarence and gently smiled at him. I had yet to take a bite of the food on my own tray. It looked good. Like some pastry that they served back in the time of knights and swords.

"Yes Sir Clarence?" Some of the people around me snickered at me or started chuckling to themselves. Why were they laughing.

"Just call me Clarence, your majesty. I was just going to mention that you have had quite a day and may want to eat before you rest.

I nodded and started eating, going for what smelled best first. It was creamy, almost like butter but it tasted so must more different. I didn't know what it was but I loved it.

"So your highness, what is the other world like? Are there cute girls like you?" I paused and looked at raven-hair, a blush seeping into my cheeks.

"There wasn't anyone like me," I said, looking down at the food that was good a moment ago but I already didn't care for. I was trying to forget that this was real and not a dream. I was trying to forget how different I was compared to those normal people up there.

"I'm sorry if I touched a nerve," he said, and the scar-faced guy punched his arm playfully.

"Don't bother her. Let her eat Francis," he said with an undertone of irritation. So raven-hair's name is Francis. Now what about scar-face?

"Oh calm, Curtis. I was just curious," he said and smirked at his own joke. So scar-face is Curtis. Like brothers almost yet I knew they couldn't be. Francis had midnight black hair and Curtis was a pure chocolate haired person.

I giggled and set down my fork. My hands covered my mouth as I tried to act normal, I just couldn't. They argue like siblings from the surface.

"Princess? What is it?" Asked Clarence. I looked at him through my tears and uncovered my mouth, trying to calm my breathing. Since when did I ever laugh. I know I rarely did on the surface.

"Sorry Clarence. I was just thinking that Francis and Curtis over here were acting like brothers." The two whom I had referred to looked at me for a moment before looking between one another, trying to figure out how I saw that kind of relationship between them.

Even Clarence and Arlo laughed. Had no one thought this before?

"Please refrain from pairing me with him as his brother, your highness?" Curtis's cheeks were flushed pink and he looked put on the spot.

"Sorry. I just wanted to try to compare this place to my other world I was raised in. It is so different, but somethings are just human nature." Everyone listened as I spoke of this world they had never been to before.

I set my hands in my lap as I watched everyone around the table as they brightened from the mood they had been in to a cheerful one. I wonder what changed their attitude?

Maybe Francis and Curtis's fighting.

Or was it me?