Nervous Macaroon

Chervil and Dion walked out of the dinning room to fetch the little human whom they rescued. As they walked towards the girl who seems likely a statue at the corner, because she never moved a muscles like she was frozen in place, it made the Prince to looked at Dion and his friend also turned to him in question.

"Ellah,", called out the Prince as they got near her. "What are you doing standing like a statue in the corner?"

Turning her attention at the two man. "Dion said to stay here and wait, so I stayed.", she replied with her tiny and innocent voice.

Chervil crossed his arms and looked at his side to see his third-in-command's reaction that was saying are you serious expression while looking down at the girl. He shook his head and crouched down.

"I did said stay and wait but I never said she couldn't move, tho.", Dion said defending himself. He crouched down as well and glanced at Chervil.

Ellah looked at them and just stayed silence. She wasn't sure what she did, and how could she know when she was just following the instruction to stay and wait. So that's what she did.

"Dion said you wanted to go back on your room?", asked Chervil softly observing the girl who lower her head. He reached her chin and lifted her head to pair with Ellah's eyes and she nodded her head after sometimes of hesitation. "Don't you wants to have dinner, little Ellah?"

The little one wasn't that afraid of Chervil, and rather she isn't used with the place and the environment that she's into yet. It made her felt nervous; with what happened at her on village she was still traumatized seeing new people, that's one thing why everytime she was contemplated to answer, or at this point she was contemplated on what or who she would be acquainted inside the dinning room.

Ellah shook her head softly. But she could sense Chervil still waiting and wants to hear her answer through her voice and not by nodding nor shaking her head everytime he would to asked a questions.

He looked at her patiently, and noticed how she would avert her eyes.

"Umm... I ain't hungry...", she said trying to reason, which was half true and half not. She does ate the porridge Dion gave to her earlier: She wasn't able to finished all of it because when Céllistáh went into the room she felt a little discomfort with her presence, but not long after Céllistáh introduce to her and hearing the woman was asked by the Prince to get them. She, by little was able to have trust Céllistáh's presence and became comfortable with her.

She saw the Prince still had his eyes on her like he doesn't believe what she said, and more like he's still waiting for her honest words like he could see through her lies. She got no choice but to tell the truth and try to reason again when her stomach suddenly mades some noise for the second time of the night. Ellvinah bite her lower lip closing her eyes while blaming her stomach for making such a sound because she certainly couldn't make a reasonable excuse anymore.

The two man glanced at each other when they heard the sound of her stomach. And Dion couldn't hold it back and chuckled lightly.

"Looks like your stomach tells the truth.", said Chervil ignoring his friend chuckled.

'Oh great! Thanks so much almighty stomach!', the girl thought.

Dion stop his laughed and said, "Both of you could become really alike sometimes." The Prince couldn't help but to glance at Dion in question, however, Dion never elaborate further.

Chervil sometimes think Dion knew him personally before they even introduced and met each other: not that he gave it a thought since his a Prince but he just felt that way. Then he let go of it and look at the girl.

"Let's go inside. I asked them to prepared something that you might like,", Chervil said pairing his dark red eyes with the girl's hazel-brown eyes that's reflecting his own. "But you must have dinner first."

"Hey, can I have some...", Dion intermeddle. He stood up and put his hands on his pockets then went back inside the dinning room. "Ellvinah, I would love to have some of those if you don't mind."

Chervil looked at his back with a raised brows. The girl also looking at Dion's back with a confused expression and back at Chervil whose attention was already on her which she doesn't realized, and it gives her a little intake of breath. He opened his hand infront of Ellah for her to take and smiled, "Shall we?"

Ellah looking at his opened palm and then back at his face and saw him smile. The girl was contemplated at first whether she should take it or not as his giving her a choice; nonetheless, she took his hand after sometimes of hesitation. And she saw him stood up, then they both went inside guiding her. Side by side.

As they walked, Chervil looked down at her when little Ellah squeezed his hand unknowingly due to her nervousness. He put his other hand on her squeezing it lightly that made the little girl to looked up at him. "Don't be scared." she heard him say.

Once they got inside, the people on the table went quiet instantly looking at the Prince, then their eyes went down on the tiny thing that following Chervil whist holding his hand like it's a treasure.

Dion was already at the table talking to a young maid named Daisy who nod at him and went back inside the kitchen with two other maids following her.

'Is that a human child?', they all thought at the same time while looking at the girl.

"A human child?", Duke Vower said confused.

They were confused seeing how Chervil holding and guiding a child to the dinning table. Earlier they thought his going to introduce a very important person in their society when Céllistáh said they are having a very important guest which in turn made them excited and curious at the same time. But who would have thought that it turn out to be a lowly little human girl which somehow made them disappointed and confused.

"Is that lowly human child is our guest?", Lady Rosie asked to no one in particular and turn to Dion, but she was just being ignored.

"Who is she?", Céllistáh was asked by lady Lyah and lady Meridetch curiously in which she didn't give any answer and just kept smiling.

"WOW! You brought us foo-Awww!", Maxxille said excitedly when his gaze landed on the young girl. Hence, after saying so he felt pain at his side like pinching him hardly. He turned his head to the woman beside him. "Ouch! Is this the reason why you sat too close to me, now? Ouch!"

"Not exactly. I just thought of having company beside me now aside His Highness and Dion for a change.", whispered Céllistáh nonchalantly and grinned at him.

"This change does not suit well.", he said.

Maxxille did it to woken up everyone in the table as they seems not expecting it to be a human child, and he could sense the girl being nervous. His already aware of who the girl was because Fanies has told him about it the day after he alone came back from their investigation; thus he know about the girl being a sole survivor of the massacred village.

Dion clapped his hand to gain everyone's attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen, she is our guest and she shall be staying here for a while. Her name's Ellah.", he said gesturing at the girl who walked with Chervil whist holding his hand. "And we hope she'll be treated well."

"What?!", exclaimed lady Rosie. "Are we having a joke here?"

Chervil lead and helped Ellah to have a seat next to Dion while ignoring his guest's comments before he walked to his side of the table, at the head. He could feel their confusion and disagreement about having a human child who doesn't have any status in society, who doesn't know about anything- to be with them and have a seat, be of some sort special guest to the table of the Arch-Crown Prince. He agreed to Dion giving him a heads up of his actions towards little Ellvinah earlier when they were outside, telling him that he risks the girl's life for such like a special treatment he would show with others around which he also thought. But Ellah is not a prisoner to keep and hide; to him, the girl must know how to communicate and she, a little girl's life of her age should be. He could only hope the girl would be able to survive with the cruelty of the world she were in.

Ellah's heart was pounding fast as she sat down beside Dion. She could feel all eyes were on her. She was now looking at her plate like it was a very interesting thing to look. She didn't dare to raise her head and have a look around as she's too nervous and afraid to even move herself with the way everyone keeps staring at her.

Chervil was about to sit on his chair when he noticed a heart that's pounding fast, enough for his kind to hear. He turned and looked at little Ellah who was just keeps staring down at her plate, like the plate was her enemy. His a bit amused of her concentration and walked back towards her side again.

'Such a nervous child she is.', he thought while walking towards her, glancing at his guests who were quiet and has their eyes at the girl. His eyes swiped across the room and landed at the head maid who understood instantly what he's conveying to her.

Daisy nodded and went to get his belongings with the two other maids and transferred them beside young Ellah's empty seat whose not aware of her surrounding that shocked everyone except Dion and Céllistáh who's enjoying their guests reaction.

"Children like you should eat more for you to grow up. Eat it up now!", Céllistáh putting some vegetables and meat into the girl's plate. Ellah took a glanced at her which she smiled at the girl who lower down her head instantly.

"Alright everyone!", Dion clapped his hand that brought their guests to their senses again. "Shall we start digging the foods now?", he said not caring about everyone else being a vampire and start putting food in his plate. "And oh, Céllis, could you pass me the one on your side."

Céllistáh gave the plate that has food in it to him without a words while on her mind, 'What kind of appetite does he have now?'

She took a glanced at the others who seems not that happy with the girl, except Maxxille, Lylah and Meridetch whose talking with Dion. She took a quick glanced at Chervil as he picked up his glass and sip the wine from it, her eyes then went at the girl who's eating her food silently. She could feel how nervous and frighten the girl was with their presence.

"Who could these human child be?", asked lady Qallzan in whispered.

"I don't know. I never saw her before.", said Sir Larzo and shrugged, turning his glance at the Lady and the Duke, "How 'bout you both?"

"Bits me.", replied the Duke and lady Rosie in a whispered while having their meal.

"For such lowly being who doesn't know how to pay respect to royalty and nobility by bowing when sees one, I'll have to say the punishment is fifty lashings.", then lady Rosie said out loud that made everyone turned their attention on her.

Ellah looked at the woman with a scared expression, except Chervil and Dion who knew who's she aiming it to.

With Chervil not on his usual spot and away from them, they couldn't discuss what they would like to, and with the young ones whose just talking among themselves. They were becoming irritates with the Prince gestured towards the young lad that they never seen of him before which they don't understand. They had known him as a man of seriousness, aloofness, strictness and hard to approach person, and not like his father and other siblings or relatives who they can easily talk to and get along with. So they were shocked and confused when they, the aristocrats and nobles heard a news before that the Prince allowed a human to be his third-in-command and even befriending when they know he despise human for what happened of the past, and now this...

Lady Qallzan second the woman proudly and was cut short and startled when she heard a shout.

"That's my favorite thing to do with my slave as dan-"

"Hey!", exclaimed Dion before the lady could finish her words. He looked at her while covering Ellah's ears with both his hand who was also startled while eating her food because of his sudden action. "Can any of you consider what you say M'lady. We have a child here."

Duke Vower who couldn't stand it anymore, decided to have his word on the matter, "With all do respect, Your Highness. I think you being on that human child isn't appropriate, after all you are a royalty. They're only trouble. You shouldn't have bothered yourself with such a low life."

"Duke Vower is right on the matter, Your Highness.

Human child is just a trouble in your part, and besides she doesn't have any stat-", said Lady Rosie and was cut off by the Prince.

"Pardon. Status, you say?", Chervil said calmly. His looking at the woman with a cold smile playing on his lips. "Just who are you again without any of your husband's influence and wealth when you yourself were the same before as the one whom you look down now."

'Right...', thought Maxxille in a trailed way while listening at them. With the Duke saying those words without any thoughts on the matter and the other nobles second him; he shook his head, 'Are these people having a death wish? Didn't they noticed his smile?'

Ellah was just continuesly eating her food silently and never raise her head on anyone as she's afraid to look up. And Dion who was still covering her ears, thus she could not hear what they were talking about.

The moon outside the mansion are shining brightly, but not as bright as it was the previous months like the moon this month is agonizing thought Chervil looking outside. He doesn't know why but he thought and felt like he could understand the moon just by its brightness.

Maxxille then felt a light kick coming from below which he knew who it was and look at his front to see Dion secretly gesturing his thumb under his neck like slitting it. And Céllistáh also noticed Dion with his thumb and thought the same thing but she just ignored it, playing innocent was her key to analyze the situation because when things goes wrong she would be the one who would be in trouble. Therefore she stayed like ignorance while her eyes were looking at everyone at the table, and just listening to them.

"Oh right, M'lady...", Sir Larzo said to Lady Meridetch and Lady Lylah, which broke the silence atmosphere. "May I suggest that you two ladies should go and visit the forest behind the palace at night when you have a chance. At Dylarianion... There's a primeval Willow Tree that believes to be an entrance to the world of elfin-faiè and enchantress, and around it- was like a paradise they said, as the forest would illuminates lights at night- especially when the moon was present that came from the tree itself."

"Really?", said Lady Meridetch who never heard of it, and received a light nod from the man. "I'm sure make a visit to that place when I have a chance. Thank you."

"Though I didn't saw it myself.", said Sir Larzo and shrugged. "Only my daughter who saw it, and just told me."

Everyone became quite for a moment that only the sound of their utensils could be heard, not until Sir Larzo spoke to Lady Meridetch and Lady Lylah about where they should visit when they go to Dylarianion asides from the main attraction there.

Dion then added, "It isn't surprising that you don't know about it M'lady, since only the royal house there and some nobles are aware of such phenomenal happening inside the forests. And whist they made it like a sacred ground."

Lady Rosie didn't uttered another words and just continued with her foods. She doesn't like it when she was being reminded about her past that she's trying to erase. And Duke Vower who couldn't take it anymore stood up and walked out of the room followed by Lady Qallzan who couldn't keep herself in there with the others. Then after that Lady Rosie went out as well, leaving the others behind as they couldn't believe what the others were doing.

Dion noticed Ellah's food were almost finished while talking to Maxxille, and he stopped to have his full attention at the girl. "That's great, Ellah! I see that you're excited to have those treats that His Highness promised to you.", he said with a smile and winked at Chervil whose gulping the last of his wine who raised his brow.

"You're the one who's eager to have those treats, and not her.", Chervil put down his glass while looking at Dion who chuckled. His eyes went at the corner where Daisy and the other stood who bowed her head and went inside the kitchen. "You even asked Daisy if the kitchen staff did made plenty of those."

He just ignored and never bothered with his other guests who walked out. He wasn't that found of them, and besides he doesn't need them to dictate himself of what he should and would do. Chervil doesn't need any of them to achieve what he wants, but they were the ones who needs him the most to achieve what they wants, so they should be the ones who would make an adjustment, and not him.

"Oh right, Your Highness... I've heard one of the elders will be hosting this years Lanterns Fest which would be starting two weeks from now. Who would be of the three elders is it?", Sir Larzo said to Chervil and wondered. He remembered his daughter whose excited talking about it as there will be a huge difference this year to those who would attend. "I wonder what will be the different now? It made me intrigued."

"I've heard it is the Hibiscus family who will be hosting, but when I met Elder Rose last week she never said or mentioned anything, so I'm guessing the news was wrong."

"I think it's Elder Avis. As I remembered I over heard Charlette saying two days ago that Lady Ara was busy preparing the regale.", said Maxxille.

"And the third elder who's rumor to be non-existing will be invoke if it's true or not at that regale. Well, since all are in good terms.", Sir Larzo said. "As I've heard the third elder is the only one who never takes side between the two line-age."

Daisy came out of the kitchen with two other maids. They walked towards the dinning table carrying big plates full of different treats, placing them on the table. And to Chervil's prediction, Dion was the first who took some then put it on his mouth before giving Ellah a fruit muffins which she never tasted yet in her life.

Dion said while chewing his food, "You think so, Sir Larzo.", and Larzo nodded his head. "I think that elder just wanted equality.", he added.

Upon hearing about the regale that would start in two weeks. Céllistáh asked Chervil with an intriguing voice, "Is it Lady Ara is Elder Avis only cousin who survived the massacre happened on her own residence two years ago, and whose one decade and a half older than your sister Charlette, right?"

"Indeed. That was her.", answered Chervil. He took some of the macaroon that Daisy brought out from the kitchen, put it on Ellah's plate who's looking at the colorful macaroon who seems she doesn't want the muffins which Dion put on her plate. "It's alright Ellah, I will have the sweet fruit muffins.", he assured the little one who looked up at him as he get the fruit muffins on her plate.

Ellah did try the macaroon before but this was the first time she sees a colorful one like rainbow, and ever since she tried it before because of her big brother who bought some of it for her as a gift on her last birthday, it was now her favourite treats.

However, it was so expensive for them to buy. And so she could only have those whenever her brother had some extra money from his work.

She took and eat the red color macaroon while she almost forgot about her nervousness earlier. Ellvinah seems enjoying the treats as she ate another one which is blue in color, then yellow, and then green; and she noticed how every color has a different taste of fruits, in which she never tasted before, and thus she enjoyed it very much.

"Does it taste good?", asked Chervil while he looked at her, and the girl just nodded her head without looking at anyone else other than the food on her plate. "Ellah, use your voice, dear."

She said hesitates, "It is good..."

Ellah tense when she lift her eyes after she spoke because everyone was now looking at her. She wasn't used to be staring by many pairs of stranger eyes. She lowered her head quickly.

"Is she the sole survivor, Crist?", asked Lady Meridetch curiously glancing at the girl. And Chervil just nod- not wanting to elaborate more. "She looks lovely."

"Oh my... She's so shy.", observed Maxxille looking at the girl with amusement. "Nevertheless, it makes one intrigued to know what kind of persona she would become, when a little buds will to bloom. Uniquely."

* * *

After their done eating their evening meals. Ellah was being escorted to her room to rest early for the night while the others are still on the table talking.

"Children of your age shouldn't stay up late the night-", Dion said and broke off as he remembered. His trying to fix the bed which was already been fixed by the maids. "Then again... When I was about your age I did alot of crazy things, and that includes sleeping at dawn or almost dawn."

"Oh, please Mr. Anus.", said Daisy. She was helping the girl to get change to a night gown behind a changing divider. "Do not encourage that "crazy things" on Ellvinah."

"Oh hardly, my dear Daisy.", replied Dion into a dramatic tone that made Daisy rolled her eyes. "I was just remembering a very fond memories which long pass the time now."

He asked Daisy to accompany them in the room and to help little Ellah with what necessary. And Daisy left after attending the little one into a night gown saying she needs to make sure the maids is doing their chores right.

Ellah was now sitting in the bed silently feeling a little bit relax than she was at the dining table. Taking in the view of the moon outside her window, and with her night dress like reflecting the radiance of the moon light. Then she smiled faintly looking at the moon. The first genuine smile she had since she woke up realising that her life wouldn't be the same again. The first genuine smile Dion saw in her face. Even if it is just a faint one.

"Come Ellah, let's get you into bed.", he said and help the little one with the quilt to cover young Ellah as it is cold. He sat down by the edge of the bed, he then showed her a book and said with glee, "I've got a nice story for you. Want me to read it for you?"

And she nodded.

Dion then open the book which Ellvinah saw the front that has the title engraved, thus she couldn't read it yet as she didn't know how. And when Dion turn the pages, and read it aloud until the girl fall in to sleep.

"Once, there was a girl who lives in the swamp with her aunt, not realizing her true identity which was a secret, and her aunt also has a secret; in which she discovered later that her aunt was and is a fairy..."