Disclaimer: Consider ones from previous chapters henceforth applicable.
A/N: We have not had enough Mrs. Beale. Here's some Mrs. Beale. Happiness. And I promise, at least one of Daemon's and Jaenelle's kids is in the next chapter!
*~~~~~~~~~Of Cookies and Angry Warlord Princes~~~~~~~*
"Mrs. Beale?" Aravian poked her head into the kitchen, looking around hopefully. Mrs. Beale looked up in surprise, then smiled.
"Ara, dear, come in!" She looked at the young girl's thin body disapprovingly. "Have something to eat, dear. You're far too thin… almost think Eyrians didn't eat!" The stout woman huffed about, setting cookies in front of her while she made a thick sandwich.
Aravian (Ara) smiled and bit into one of the soft cookies. "Mrs. Beale, you're too good to me. You make the best food."
Mrs. Beale smiled, pleased, and set the sandwich in front of the girl. She then leaned down on the counter across from her, eyeing the girl suspiciously.
Ara took a big bite out of the sandwich and Mrs. Beale said, "Ara, you know I love it when you visit me, but aren't you supposed to be somewhere?"
She looked up, blue eyes wide. Then she looked down, lashes cast demurely. "I think that… oh, I think I remember something about Craft lessons. But I would much rather be here," she finished the last in a rush, looking into Mrs. Beale's face.
Mrs. Beale rolled her eyes. "Oh all right. But if someone comes looking for you I have no idea you were supposed to be somewhere else!" She turned back to the stew she had been preparing.
"Of course, Mrs. Beale."
Aravian sat and ate her sandwich and cookies, thinking. Saetan isn't going to be happy that I didn't come to lessons. Oh dear…I hope he doesn't tell Papa or Uncle Lucivar. I'd be in BIG trouble then. Oh well.
A moment later the door from outside to the kitchen opened.
Oh damn.
"Hi Uncle Lucivar. Uncle Daemon. Hehe." Neither of the men looked happy. They actually looked rather unhappy.
"Aravian."
"Aren't you supposed to be in Craft lessons with Saetan?" Daemon sounded too nice. Aravian had the sudden urge to crawl under the counter and stay there.
"I'm really not sure. I think I might remember something about that, but you know, I didn't want to bother him in case I was wrong so instead-"
"You came here and bothered Mrs. Beale," Lucivar substituted for her.
"Now you'll not be saying that the sweet child was botherin' me when she wasn't! She's too skinny, she's needs to eat more!" The intimidating woman was shaking a rolling pin at them, her thickly muscled arms covered in flour from the bread she was baking. They had to fight a sudden urge of their own, to hide under the counter with Aravian.
Daemon mustered himself first. "Come on, Aravian. Lucivar and I are going to escort you back to Saetan's study. And you are going to stay there!" He sounded only slightly less knife-edge-nice. Aravian decided it would be best just to do as he said, and got off her stool and went to stand with the two men--who seemed much bigger at the moment--with her head bowed.
She looked up with large, too-innocent eyes and made a last ditch effort at softening hardened hearts. "Would either of you like a cookie?" She held up the last two soft cookies that Mrs. Beale had given her.
Daemon's mouth twitched, and Lucivar snorted. A moment later they had both chuckled a bit, and looked much more like her beloved Uncles Daemon and Lucivar.
Well at least I haven't lost my touch… she thought as they walked out the door, both men munching away. Unfortunately, as they neared the office, Lucivar muttered, "I wonder what Father will have to say about this little escapade."
Oh damn…
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Hehe. I'm sorry, I just had to get this image of a child with big blue eyes offering cookies to Daemon and Lucivar out of my head. Anyway…dum dum dum dum. On to the study! And the next chapter…soon
Thank You My So-Far Reviewers:
To "???": Thanks, I think so too!
To "beautifulali": Thank you! There will be a plot soon…**cough**
To "Greeneyes": I'm glad you think it's cool! I was hoping someone would tell me what they thought of Aravian, I wasn't sure if she fit or not!
To Demona SaDiablo: Nifty pen-name by the way. Thanks for reviewing mine! But have you abandoned your fic? I'm the one starting to get lonely! **grinning**
To Skie: Yup, the trilogy is great. Thanks for reviewing!
To Lady Lye: Interesting pen-name. Well, here's more to read!
To Jimaine: first review: thank you. I liked that metaphor myself. Second review: Mwuhahaha. Yes, the Scary Pixie. I was going with how the Kindred kept giving the humans descriptive names, like calling Tersa "The Strange One," you know? PS: You're still an ass for that macavity thing. See ya tomorrow!
Okay, thank you's out of the way. I'll get to the next chapter now. Be prepared for another Saetan/Daemon look-alike in it! I can't help myself.