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Post by Taya on Mar 8, 2013 22:24:36 GMT
Link smiled at Emily's determination. She couldn't ask for a better friend. As if she was to be honest, she couldn't imagine her life without her. It was why no matter what crazy plan she thought up, Link would try it if it meant staying with Emily.
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"Is it time for tea?" the youngest prince asked his mother while rocking back and forth on his heals. Ariana smiled from the nursery's rocking chair.
"As soon as your sister and Link are ready." she said gently as she gazed down at her baby girl. She was so grateful for Arina. Watching Emily grow into a teenager, meant she would leave Ariana soon, and that blow would hurt more than she cared to admit. But Arina would give her the strength a mother needed to let her first baby leave the nest.
"Why can't it be time for tea, now?" he whined.
"Hector, Is that anyway for a prince to act? You must practice patience." she chided him. Ariana understood that tea time was his favorite, simply because tea with the Faery Queen, wasn't just any tea. Once the servants were dismissed, the real fun would begin. Some times it would be required to perform a shift, before one could have a cake. Or tea would be held while floating in the air. More often than not, tea would consist of enjoying the spread the cook put together in Ariana's studio. It was a space she had turned into a place where she and the children could create whatever they wanted using a variety of mediums. Everything from oil paints to clay to textiles were available to their creative minds.
Tea time was Ariana's favorite time of day. For an hour, her children were all hers and no one else would make any demands on any of them. It was clear to everyone, that the queen's tea was to never be interrupted or messed with. Even James didn't dare suggest the children needed to study or train during that time.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 8, 2013 23:31:03 GMT
Emily washed her face and hands in the bathroom attached to her room, and then, glancing at her dress, tugged it nonchalantly over her head and tossed it in the direction of the washbasket, missing but not seeming at all phased.
"Should I wear green or blue for tea?" she asked Link, not glancing back as she opened the wardrobe and started to pour through it.
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Post by Taya on Mar 8, 2013 23:39:18 GMT
"You know, Aunt Ari won't care. Are you working on anything messy?" Link asked as she lay across Emily's bed. Not really caring about tea. Her mind still on her fate.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 8, 2013 23:52:35 GMT
"Not really," Emily said, yawning as she pulled a blue dress off a hanger and threw it over her head, tying the front of the skirt up so it brushed her knees as she had with the previous one, then promptly flopping on the bed next to Link.
"Don't look so miserable, Link," she said, with an upside-down smile as she tipped her head backwards. "Everyone has to come through me to get to you."
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Post by Taya on Mar 8, 2013 23:59:26 GMT
"Maybe tea will cheer me up" Link said with sarcastic cheerfulness as she pushed Emily off her own bed. "Let's get going before the triple terrors find us and drag us there."
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 9, 2013 0:13:51 GMT
Emily groaned and made a dramatic show of climbing up from the floor with mock difficulty.
"You are so cruel to me," she whined, unable to not smile as she headed for the door.
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Post by Taya on Mar 9, 2013 0:19:58 GMT
"You wouldn't have me any other way." Link said in an airy voice. Then she burst out laughing. "So riding with the fathers tomorrow. Dare you to wear pants." They walked down the hall and stopped in front of nursery knowing that Ariana spent most of her time there.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 9, 2013 0:31:40 GMT
"Fine, then I dare YOU to wear a dress," Emily retorted, sticking her tongue out as she knocked once on the nursery door and then opened it, only to be lunged at by all three of her brothers, tackling her to the ground easily as she cried out.
"Saaaave me!"
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Post by Taya on Mar 9, 2013 0:45:50 GMT
"Who wants a piggy back ride? First one off of Emily wins." Link enticed. There was a massive tangle of limbs and bodies as all three boys tried to get up at once. Hector, to Link's relief, emerged victorious and was quick to climb on to her back. Carrying the young prince she stepped into the nursery.
"sorry, we're late, Aunt Ari. We had to talk to Uncle James about something." she explained. Ariana stood and placed the newborn princess in the bassinet. She called over one of the servants.
"Watch over the Princess. The king should be by soon to check on her." Ariana told her. The woman nodded and Ariana thanked her. It was very important to Ari that the others not feel shadowed by a new sibling. So tea was reserved for those that could stand and walk without assistance. "Come along then. We mustn't upset cook any longer than is necessary."
Ariana led the way to her parlor, where tea was always served.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 9, 2013 1:21:39 GMT
Emily followed at the back, a brother hanging off either arm babbling nonsense about the catch the flag game she'd stormed into.
"Auron if you don't shut up I will lock you in the nursery with the baby."
In response, Auron licked Emily's arm and then stuck his tongue out at her. Emily pulled a disgusted face.
"MOOMMMM AURON LICKED ME!"
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Post by Taya on Mar 9, 2013 20:28:17 GMT
"Lick him back." Ariana said slightly amused. Link laughed right out. She had promised Emily she wouldn't think about leaving, but this happy moment with her family put an even harsher light on what her life might be. The queen was the only mother Link knew. What would she possibly do without her? Pushing past that thought, Link focused on the lovely food laid out in Ariana's parlor.
The parlor was light and airy in tones of yellows and filled with fresh flowers. It reminded Link exactly like her aunt. A pair of French doors with gossamer curtains led out to a terrace filled with wind chimes, a small pond and flowers that Ariana tended to personally. Honeysuckle grew with ivy on the walls that enclosed the terrace.
Link set Hector in one of the chairs around the tea table and took a seat herself. This part was all show to appease those who thought manners were the be all and end all of civil society. She fidgeted in her seat, trying to tuck and cross her ankles while holding her enact straight. Hector was better at holding still than she was and she had to resist the urge to stick her tongue out at him.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 9, 2013 21:02:58 GMT
Emily took the seat next to Link slouching with a pitiful expression before attempting to straighten her spine to mimic the others, as her brothers took the remaining seats.
"When I'M Queen, I'm going to make it illegal to sit up straight," she declared.
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Post by Taya on Mar 9, 2013 23:53:35 GMT
"Then everyone will have bad backs and will be unable to do their work." Ariana said smiling as tea was poured.
"Do you still get to be queen?" Auron asked. His tutor had recently been covering the accession history. It was something the tutor had mentioned , that for some reason Emily wouldn't queen and the new baby would. Ariana's eyes narrowed knowing her son would never question Emily being his sister without having heard some sort of palace talk.
"You are dismissed." she said to the servants even though Link, Hector and Emily's cups were empty. Her voice was icy enough to deter any protests or questions and the room quickly empty. "Link, finish pouring the tea, please."
Link seeing no choice picked up the pot and poured as Ariana went on. Auron looked like he had swallowed a bug when his mother's attention turned to him.
"Auron, sweetie. Of course, your sister will still be queen. It is her birthright and destiny if she so chooses." Ariana said firmly. "Whoever you are hearing this rumors from is sorely mistaken. Do you understand?" The crowned prince nodded quickly.
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Post by Mr Spock on Mar 10, 2013 0:14:50 GMT
Emily looked between Auron and Ariana, her brow deepening.
"Wait, what?! Who said I wouldn't get to be queen? Why!?" she demanded from her little brother, turning in her seat to face him, glowering.
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Post by Taya on Mar 10, 2013 0:20:45 GMT
"I don't know. It's something Jemessa said." Auron said with a shrug.
"Princes do not shrug at the table." Ariana said out of habit.
"something about faery crown passes to the girls. I told her you were a girl."
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