Twirling and whirling, she lept up into the air, enjoying the feeling off freedom as the wind whipped her hair. She felt like she wanted to freeze that moment in time and stay there for the rest of her life. She loved to dance.
"Alyssa, my dear! Come here!"
She shrugged him off and twirled like a top again.
"Crown Princess Arisa Beatrice Cassandra Delliah Emmaline Francis Grace Helen Isa Kathleen Margaret! Come here right now or I will finish your name!"
She giggled and jumped over to him. "You skipped Jessica again," she teased, throwing her arms around her father, King Kyo, ruler of the Seven Seas, the islands in them, the surrounding areas, plus some. She pecked his cheek and ran inside to her bed room, singing a song.
She made a face at her plate, piled with the second course of her dinner.
Kyo seemed to sense her dislike of her vegetables, and clapped his hands to summon the chef to bring her something a little less, well, tasteless.
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Honey, you know your 18th birthday is coming up quickly," he said nervously.
Arisa stared at her plate of dessert, her cheeks blushing furiously. Kyo's face was just as red. He cleared his throat again. "And I need to find you a husband."
Arisa looked at him. Then she stood up, knocking her chair back. "Father, I have a man in mind to marry, but," she swallowed. "But he is in a state of which he cannot marry me." She gulped, waiting for his reaction.
"why can he not marry you? In what state is he in?"
Arisa frowned, then turned away. "You'd never believe me," she whispered.
"Come, come. I'll believe anything you say,"
"Not this,"
Kyo became just very slightly irritated. "If you do not tell me now, I will not allow him to marry you when he gets out of his state!" he thundered.
"He cannot marry me because," Arisa averted his glaring eyes. "Because," she stared at him fully.
"Because he's a sparrow!"
She was right, in a way.
He didn't believe her. He also thought she belonged in a crazy home.
Oh, well. It was to be expected.