Eric kissed her on the forehead, "Go ahead. I got him. I'll wake you up when it's breakfast time.", and Ariel kissed him on the cheek before shuffling back under the covers, falling asleep, her back facing the balcony.
The newfound father gently, slowly moved to sit against the headboard, smiling as he watched his son and wife sleep. He listened to the distant sounds of the old nursery being set up, gratefully not waking Guido up.
He sighed quietly, "We will tell you the truth when you're old enough, son, but that will be a long time yet. I do hope you won't be mad at Lucia, since I have a feeling that she's gone now...For now, all it matters now is giving you all the love we have for you, and that is worth more than anything.".
Guido didn't stir, but Eric felt better saying it out loud, and so, within the next few hours of the day, the news reached Atlantica of the newest addition to the family, and Arcadia went to investigate it by seeing it with her eyes.
The young woman, since sixteen was considered the age of maturity considering the average life expectancy of people, certainly had to see this new son of her family. The word certainly reached that it was one that they took as their own, rather than Ariel secretly hiding a pregnancy like some other nobles and royals Arcadia knew through the years.
She took a deep breath as she walked ashore and made her way towards the palace. She was quickly let in once recognized and found herself heading right towards her parent's chamber. She opened the door to see the couple with the child in Ariel's arms. "So... it is true... I have a little brother." Arcadia chuckled.
Guido blinked at Arcadia in curiosity as Ariel smiled, "Yes, he is. Arcadia, this is Guido. Guido, meet your big sister, Arcadia.", as Arcadia went to sit on the bench, with Ariel gently placing Guido in Arcadia's arms, instructing her to hold him properly.
Eric chuckled, "I think he likes you.", as Guido cooed at Arcadia, and she smiled, "Hello, little brother...You're pretty cute...Is he okay? He's a little...ah, thin.".
Ariel sighed, "He will have extra care on that as he's malnourished...It's not his fault as he really tried, with Lucia trying to feed him properly and all.", and Arcadia widened her eyes, "Wait, that Lucia, the woman who love-potioned you, Dad?".
Eric nodded with a heavy sigh, "The very same one...But Lucia did one right thing, and that is giving him to us as she apparently wanted him to live healthier, safer, and well, happier than he was with her. He didn't have a name, so we gave him one...".
Arcadia glanced down at Guido with awe, and Guido gave her a gummy smile, and she smiled warmly, "Well, nobody should live through their father or mother's crimes like that, and you are innocent in all of this...After all, with all this love with Mom and Dad, you wouldn't be miserable, I can promise you that.".
Guido cooed happily, gurgling, and Ariel smiled, "Well, one down, three to go.", as Eric nodded, knowing that reaching Melody would take the longest, with Bascus probably the second easiest one to reach as he's in Venice, and Tazio...last Eric knew was that he was traveling somewhere in Romania.
"Might take some time there... with how distant this family has gotten.", Arcadia pointed out as Ariel sighed, "I miss having everyone together... it was a brief time since Melody was much older than all of you... but... all six of us were together...".
Eric replied, reassuring her, "Don't worry, all of us seven will be together.", kissing her on the cheek, referring to Guido with a chuckle, and Guido gave a gummy smile before his belly grumbled hungrily.
Ariel chuckled, "Okay, time to feed you, Guido.", as Arcadia gave him back to her mother, instantly lowering her shirt, and Guido leaning in, to feed from his mommy, suckling, and Arcadia chuckled, "Well, one thing for sure, he wouldn't be malnourished much longer with you feeding him, Mom. He's surely motivated.".
"Indeed.", Ariel smiled warmly as she gently brushed her son's hair affectionately, and Eric chuckled, "How's things in Atlantica, daughter?".
"Aunt Attina's doing fantastic, Dad. The folks down there love her as much as Grandfather was, and Grandfather has been doing alright, a bit slower in swimming, but he's stubborn. All the rest of the family has been doing well, and Flounder became a grandpa yesterday. One of his kids got, get this, seven guppies!", Arcadia laughed heartily.
Ariel giggled, "Oh, dear! Seven guppies all at once...It's one thing when I and my sisters were only one year apart, but oh, my, seven guppies, probably one minute or hour apart.".
"I feel bad for Flounder...", Eric chuckled with a shake of his head teasingly, and Arcadia chuckled, "He actually fainted on the spot when he heard. He eventually got his mind around it.".
Ariel smiled fondly, "That's Flounder, alright.", chuckling warmly as Guido kept feeding, and so, the small family contentedly spent days together, with tactful messages by sea creature and horse mail, with Bascus returning home two weeks later, with a new surprise for Eric especially.
"Easy boy, easy...", Bascus said as the carriage bumped again while he was holding his gift for his parents: a mixed breed puppy of a greyhound and a sheepdog in order to fill the hole that was left with Max dying. He didn't have too many memories of that dog since he died while he was fairly young, but Bascus knew how important that dog had been to the whole family even being a family in the first place.
Heck, if it wasn't for the fact of Max being stuck on the ship, Eric wouldn't have met Ariel in the first place, so, yes, Max truly had a big place in the hearts of the family, especially Eric and Ariel, and now Bascus hopes that it will even fill the little spots of everybody's hearts again, even after when he heard about the news of the adoption and eventual announcement of his little brother, Prince Guido.
Oh, the details were not exactly very detailed, but he has a feeling that Guido came from a place he was unfortunately born at, and now, he's growing up with his new parents who would be far better role models and all.
And during the explorations of Venice while he was having a day off from the royal traveling troupe, resting his voice, he had found the puppy scavenging, and now after a proper bath and some real food, the puppy is growing quite respectable into a handsome fella.
A furry white bundle with red fawn markings on most of his body, with a mottled black nose, and amber brown eyes. Bascus figures that with the puppy's lineage, he would be probably medium-sized.
The 4-month-old puppy whined and whimpered excitedly, sensing his new master's happiness and hope, and he heard the horses whinny, announcing that they're home, and a horn called out, with his new master leaning out to look and smile, "We're home, boy. Come on, let's introduce you to the family.".
The puppy yipped as he was carried in his new master's arms, walking out in the warm sun, and he can smell the salt air, the familiar scent of fish and seagulls, realizing that he's still in his homeland, just far away from Venice, and he took in all the new smells as his new master was greeted by more humans, walking into a huge house, and gosh, so much to explore!
Bascus, after hearing that his family is in the library, soon expecting to have lunch in the dining hall in a half hour, and so, he headed there, peeking around the door, knocking, seeing his family lounging around and reading books, with Ariel sitting, reading out a children's book to Guido, with Eric reading the newspaper, and Arcadia reading a poetry book.
The family looked up, "Bascus, Basi, son!", smiles on their faces, and Bascus smiled happily, "Hey, guys. Dad, can you do me a favor? Can you close your eyes, put down your newspaper? I got a surprise for you.".
"Can you wait a moment before the surprise and just let us enjoy your presence?", Eric chuckled as Bascus nodded and Ariel practically tackled him in a hug. "Hello, Mother, I've missed you too.".
Ariel cradled his cheeks, "Oh, Bascus, you're just as tall as your father!", and Bascus chuckled, "I guess I had a bit of a growth spurt over the past few months of traveling with the royal band.", and Arcadia laughed, "I think you might have beaten Tazio on that, but we will have to see when he gets back and compare, Basi.".
Bascus grinned softly, "Just only to satisfy your curiosity, dear sister.", before looking down at Guido in Ariel's arms who grumbled at the sudden action of his mama hugging this man before blinking up at him...Was this man one of his big brothers?
"So, this is my baby brother...", Bascus hummed warmly, and Ariel chuckled, "He is. His name is Guido, and Guido, this is Bascus, your big brother, and twin sibling of Arcadia.".
Bascus leaned down to give his finger to his little hand, "Hello, Guido...You sure look like a handsome one.", and Guido took it, blinking, seeing the mischievous yet bright light in Bascus's eyes, and he reached out to grab his nose, and Bascus laughed, "You got my nose!", earning Guido to giggle.
Ariel smiled happily to see that Guido instantly took to Bascus wonderfully, "He is captivated with you, son.", and Bascus chuckled, "I love him, Mother. He's a wonderful spot of joy.", gently taking his little hand off his nose, and squeezed his other little hand warmly before letting go.
He then stood up, looking at Eric, "Now, can I give you the surprise?", and Eric chuckled, "Well, since you asked, I suppose you could.", and Bascus nodded, turning around to walk slightly out of the library door, whistling, and leaned down to scoop something out of sight, and his eyes peeked around, "Close your eyes, Dad.".
Eric smiled, closing his eyes, and Bascus then came in with the puppy in his arms, with Ariel and Arcadia's eyes widening in awe and silent surprise, with Guido blinking in curiosity, as Bascus gently put the puppy on Eric's lap, "Okay, open them.".
Eric looked down to see the puppy on his lap. "I thought that maybe you'd want another dog like Max, and I saw this little one and thought he'd be perfect, especially for Guido to grow up with.", Bascus replied.
"He's... he's wonderful.", Eric smiled as he held his hand out and the puppy was licking it and cozying next to his chest. The puppy liked the new smells of this new man, is he another one of his new master's pack? He can smell the connections of family.
Ariel sat down next to Eric, "Oh, he's absolutely adorable!", petting him with a hand, with Guido cooing curiously, and the puppy perked his ears up, sniffling the smells of the lady being mates with the man holding him, and the little human, different faint smell, but already smelling like this family, and the puppy yipped happily at the attention of the family as Arcadia joined from the other side of Eric, petting him, "He's cute!".
Bascus chuckled, "You should have seen the sight of him when I found him...Took some proper care, gave him a darn good bath, and some good food.", and Eric smiled, "Thank you, son...", as the puppy leaned in to lick Guido who giggled, babbling, instantly liking the puppy.
Arcadia laughed, "Looks like it's settled then!", and Ariel smiled, "All he needs is a name. Any ideas?", and Guido squealed at her, gesturing at the children's book. "What, you have an idea, darling?".
Guido gurgled, squealing, reaching for the children's book, and Ariel grabbed it, opening it, with grumbles at every page until one page where he clapped his hands, gurgling, and Ariel blinked, "Lion? I suppose that the puppy is quite furry and similar to a lion...", and Arcadia chuckled, "I think he's trying to say that the puppy should be called Leo.".
"Leo... careful, he might confuse himself for a cat.", Ariel teased as the rest of the family chuckled. "It'll be fine, he's clearly a smart puppy; he knows how to be a good dog.", Eric said.
Leo gave a yip, and Guido squealed happily, and the family smiled as the boys became best friends from that moment on, and so, with Bascus deciding to stay longer for some time, Ariel became more happier to have the family slowly coming back together.
A few months has passed, and finally, Tazio came home, but very nervous as he wasn't alone...He has found the one, the love of his life, but that's where it gets complicated...He has met a vibrant and lively woman by the name of Mira, but she's a Gypsy commoner, and a single mother to boot, though she's able to speak Italian fluently, thanks to her father, and of course, Romanian, from her mother.
Mira's husband was killed in an unfortunate mining accident, leaving her with a 2-year-old son by the name of Gabriel, and pregnant with her second child at three months, and now she's eight months along...
Tazio heard her sing at one of her first performances since she had finished the proper time of mourning, and in turn, he wanted to get to know her, soon falling in love with her and her son, and her unborn child.
Mira was a darker skinned woman; not African but certainly darker than even Eric in some ways; long black hair and almost glowing green eyes. Gabriel shared most of the same as his mother though he had brown eyes. Mira was holding Tazio's hand tight as he sighed.
"Relax... you're so nervous...", Mira had a fairly thick Romanian accent but still spoke Italian fairly naturally. "Just worried how my family is going to take you... or more like the kingdom, considering how I'm next in line...", Tazio replied wearily.
Mira smiled softly, "Especially when we have been only courting for five months...I am happier with you than I have ever been...Gabriel was the only saving grace all those weeks after Alexander died...", referring to her first husband.
"I don't want them to think that I choose you out of pity when I fell in love with you for your remarkable compassion, your incredible ability to adapt, and your beauty inside and outside...", Tazio sighed deeply as he glanced at her, admiring her and her pregnant belly, and then he looked to Gabriel sleeping on the opposite seat, suckling his thumb, earning him to smile at the adorable sight.
"It'll be alright, Tazio, I promise.", Mira assured him as Tazio chuckled, "Some days I wish I had your confidence... then again, well, you know the truth there.".
Indeed, Tazio knew that if he found someone to court and eventually marry, he would have to tell the truth about his heritage, everything, for it's a major icebreaker for the relationship to either break or grow.
He found the courage to tell the truth in the third, almost fourth month when he got the news of the adoption of his new baby brother, and even if Mira ran away, he knew that he would be a bit better knowing after telling the truth, even when it would hurt him...
But thankfully, Mira accepted him completely. Sure, she was surprised about mermaids and especially him being dead for years and restored to life, but he was here now, and she was more than happy about that. Alexander would always be in her heart, but Alexander would've wanted her to move on and Tazio certainly was more than fitting to do that.
Mira kissed his cheek warmly, "Oh, Tazio, you are confident. You just need to grow into it when you become king, and I will be there at your side, learning to be a queen just like your mother did...If anything, I'm sure your family will love me, even if the kingdom wouldn't accept the fact that I am a single mother and widow, your father would see to change their minds if you're right that he is stubborn and protective of his family...I mean, he took in Guido even if he didn't have to...To me, that's a wonderful king. And you will be one as well. But I must admit that I'm a little nervous and scared, yet I am trying not to be for the sake of the baby.", stroking her belly...She may be eight months along, but it's still a risk that she could give birth any time now...even if the baby is already developed and healthy.
"Thank you.", Tazio kissed her cheek. "I certainly hope you can keep this up through the years.", with a grateful, loving smile. "I'll certainly try.", Mira smiled as another bump rocked the carriage. "We almost there?".
"Should be seeing the city within a few more minutes at least.", Tazio nodded as he replied. Mira smiled, "Then, go ahead and wake Gabriel up.", and Tazio chuckled, leaning over, shaking Gabriel's shoulder gently, "Gabe, Gabriel, wake up.".