Snow. It was the one thing Lisa dreaded the most. Whenever there was snow, Aria couldn't always come to the castle and her mother, Calista, would be with her father Zael. The fact that her older brother Horace was gone at Ariela's tavern didn't make things better. Now that Horace was seven, he began wandering around Lazulis City more often. But today was the worst possible day they could all choose to be busy—today was Lisa's birthday. She was officially five years old, and no one seemed to remember.
Pouting, she hissed at the maid in her room, who flinched. All of the maids knew Lisa was notorious for throwing huge fits when she was unhappy. Either way, the maid would not end up very happy. Lisa sighed. Snow. She could see the little snowflakes clearly through her window. Snow. Her worst nightmare on her birthday. She should have been used to it, but she hated it so much. It would always make her sad somehow.
Tentatively, she toddled out of her room and roamed the castle until she found what she was looking for—the living quarters for those not in her family. She walked near each of the doors. No one had lived in them since Jirall's death and Calista's marriage to Zael, who was also living in one of the rooms until recently.
Lisa paused. Strangely, she could hear someone talking inside Zael's old room, although no one was supposed to be there. She tried the door knob, but it was locked. The person inside was apparently now aware of her presence, so she quickly ran to the room where her parents were working, guarded by a single knight. Truthfully, Lisa knew that both her parents didn't need protection as they could both fight the entire army of Lazulis Knights—minus Therius, of course—and win easily against them. She rushed in, ignoring the protest of a nearby maid and the knight guarding the door.
"Mama! I heard someone talking in Papa's old room!" she cried. Calista and Zael looked up from their mountain of paperwork. They shared a look and Calista walked over to Lisa.
"Lisa, there isn't anyone in there and you know it. How could you hear someone talking?" Calista asked gently. Lisa pouted.
"But I did hear!" she protested. Calista smiled.
"Well, you haven't been sleeping very well lately. Maybe you're just tired?" she suggested. Now that her mother mentioned it, Lisa did feel a little tired. She nodded semi-sleepily and wandered away towards her room, closing the door behind her. Unbeknownst to Lisa, her parents were slightly panicked inside.
"Zael, she heard Yurick and Aria talking inside! What are we going to do? She can get anyone to open the door, and the secret will be out!" Zael patted Calista's arm.
"Calm down, Calista. Your daughter is not that spoiled, unless she's angry about something. Today's her birthday, and you know if it snows, she gets into a mood. Just let her let off some steam. She'll be okay." The couple smiled at each other, until they were somewhat rudely interrupted by Mirania opening the doors.
"Oh, was I interrupting something?" she asked slyly. Zael shook his head.
"Not really Mirania. What is it?" he sounded slightly annoyed, much to the amusement of the women. Mirania cleared her throat.
"Well, it's about Lowell and Syrenne. We took Syrenne to a check up at the doctor's office and… Oh, she's pregnant, Zael." Stunned silence. After all, Calista and Zael couldn't possibly imagine the rough and tough Syrenne they knew becoming a gentle mother. Mirania laughed in a way that was unique to her.
"That was what I thought at first too. Oh well, Lowell will have to deal with it. Anyway, I need to get back to my room soon and make sure little Horace is behaving himself. After all, I don't trust James to watch over him properly." She bowed quickly and left. A few years ago, Mirania had met and gotten acquainted with a traveling mercenary named James. The two got along wonderfully, and a while after Calista and Zael's marriage, Mirania and James came next, followed by Syrenne and Lowell. Yurick had met Aria soon after them. Aria had been lying on the floor in front of Lazulis Castle, weary from some circumstance that none of them were aware of, except Yurick, if she chose to tell him. Ever since then, she had stayed with Syrenne and Lowell, and she became rather attached to Yurick. He didn't seem to mind, and Aria certainly had no intention of leaving so soon. The group didn't feel that they should let go of Aria either. Her magic was completely unique, nothing they had ever seen before. Just by singing, she could hurt a monster more than normal magic could. Combine that with her double sword skills, she was a valuable partner in case of an emergency.
Calista sighed. It was Lisa's birthday, and if she wasn't careful, the surprise that they had planned would be ruined. She really needed to lock up that room and inform the maids and knights before Lisa accidentally finds out.
Meanwhile, Lisa took a quick nap. Well, for her it seemed quick. To the maids, it seemed like two hours of pure bliss. Lisa wasn't throwing any tantrums, and the maids could relax a bit. When she woke up, it was still snowing, and the snow covered the ground in a thick blanket. Lisa pouted. She pulled on a coat over her dress and headed towards the court yard. She went into the military wing, ignoring the comments from the knights and mages. She took the elevator up to the top, where Zael had first controlled Lazulis island through the Outsider's power. Therius stood there, surveying the land. He knew Lisa was behind him, but he ignored that fact and let her wander a bit before she tackled him from behind.
"Theri!" she yelled. Therius twitched. Lisa had a problem saying almost any name. She said Therius as "Theri" , Aria as "Ari", Yurick as "Yuri" (he seemed rather irritated at that name, perhaps because of the feminine tone to it), Mirania as "Mira", Syrenne as "Siri", and Lowell as "Lowe". James and Horace seemed to be the only names she didn't have a problem saying.
"Yes, Lisa, what is it?" She giggled.
"Teach me how to use a sword! Teach me!" Therius sighed. Many times he had been asked, and he refused just as many times. Why Lisa also ended up inheriting both Zael and Calista's stubbornness was a mystery he didn't want to solve.
"I was told by your parents not to teach you yet. Your brother can begin, but you are still only five years old. You have to be two years older before you can begin." Lisa pouted.
"But I want to start now!" she whined. If this continues, Therius thought sourly, he won't be let off with just a headache. Far from it. A migraine would be closer to the truth. Lisa really knew just how to irritate the hell out of Therius when he was already at breaking point. Of course, he had a guess where the talent came from, but it would definitely be impolite to actually say anything about it.
Sighing, Therius patted Lisa's head gently. She looked up at him with her grey eyes, an unspoken question clear in her gaze. It was almost enough to make Therius bend the rules. Almost, but not quite. He was a knight after all, and he would follow the rules to the letter. Ever since Zael and Calista had returned to Lazulis Island after their tour around several exotic lands, Therius had been somewhat overworked from all of the preparations for various ceremonies, some of which were completely absurd according to Zael, but Calista and a few other stubborn women insisted. Luckily, Lisa didn't seem to have inherited the tendency towards wanting anything absurd.
Therius struggled internally for a moment, then pushed Lisa gently towards the exit.
"I can't teach you. That's the rules and you should know them. If you're bored, you should go help out at the library." One of the nearby knights stifled a laugh. Typical Therius, he thought. It was so like him to treat Zael and Calista's daughter with the respect of an adult. Lisa apparently picked up on the attitude towards her and merrily agreed, speeding out of the door as Therius watched her leave with a slightly sour look on his face.