Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 99: Blissful sights

"Oh yes! She is alright. She actually came back more than an hour ago. She will null doubt be able to receive you," Ariel spared not a glance at Silas.

Both Floriel and Ariel flew each on one side of Arabella’s face, pulling at her cheeks as she, in turn, followed Silas deeper between the flower rings.

"I have no pressing matter to discuss today. We just came by to see you all," he walked, doing his best to conceal his amusement.

"Oh, how kind of you to come visit us!" it was Floriel that had responded that time, still completely absorbed by the existence of Arabella.

"I’ve never been to Lustris! What is it like to be a noblewoman there?" Ariel patted Arabella’s pink cheek after tugging at it some more.

"Well, it is not so-" she was never allowed to finish her sentence.

"Your skin is flawless! What sort of food do you consume?" Floriel nearly buried her face in Arabella’s.

"Don’t be so rude, Floriel.... It is very impolite to stare at someone in such a manner,"

It was quite rich of Ariel to chastise Floriel for her behavior, considering her own eyes had latched onto Arabella, a foggy air in them emphasizing the dazed expression her features exhibited. Even her voice grew more distant the longer her sentence went on, utterly enthralled by the human in sight.

"Would you please let her know we are here?"

Not even then did they react. Floriel’s lips twitched a tad, earning the impression she’d been about to speak, but nothing ever came of it.

Fortunately for Silas, he did not need to ask a second time as a third fairy made her appearance that instant.

"Now, now, girls! Free her cheeks before you rip them off her face," a small yet kinder and more mature sounding voice escaped her.

"It is always a pleasure to see you Liriel," a controlled smile was very faintly drawn across Silas’ traits.

Liriel carried her weight with a lot more poise than the two others, but then again, the age gap between them and her was plain as the sun on the spring equinox.

"Please, forgive them. They’ve only recently celebrated their fourth year of life," Liriel giggled at the grimaces on Arabella.

"There is nothing to be forgiven," she too chuckled, shutting one eye when a sting shot under her skin.

"Come now! Don’t speak like that about us! We are nearly adults, Liriel!" Floriel finally let go of the young woman and crossed her arms over chest, making sure her huffs and puffs were loud enough for everyone to hear.

"True that! We are no longer children, you know," Ariel seemed to take it much better, sounding a lot more disappointed than annoyed.

Although Arabella had to admit, the information took her by surprise. Despite knowing full well that a fairy’s lifespan lasted an average of thirty years, meeting four year old fairies that looked and spoke very much like teenaged humans was quite the tough piece to swallow.

Ariel and Floriel continued to gawk at Arabella as they were guided towards the center of one of the rings.

There, many fairies had come out to greet their guests. All smiles, the majority of them chirped welcomes in unison before returning to their activities.

"Do you seek inspiration?" Liriel had settled upon Arabella’s shoulder in order to face Silas.

"Not exactly. Although I wouldn’t refuse it should it come my way," he said.

Seated on the tender grass, the young woman’s gemstones darted from one mystifying thing to the other. In the rose petals they lived, so large they served as the perfect home for the fairies.

The view, however, stood no chance at competing with the entrancing rainbow of aromas.

Some came shy and knocked properly before tickling her nostrils while others rushed in, bold as brass tugging at her heart strings, to arouse memories from a long gone era.

Short lapses in time during which happiness had been allowed in, brought in by her mother, of course.

"I would have believed you’ve got enough of that within your reach already," Liriel had turned towards Arabella, towing her back to reality, "you’re quite beautiful, dear. I do hope people around you are kind enough to let it be known," the fairy added.

Already red, the shade around Arabella’ s cheeks expanded further, coloring the rest of her face.

"Thank you," she muttered sheepishly.

"Would you tell me a bit about yourself? The last time I have conversed with a human noblewoman goes back to a few years ago," unlike Floriel and Ariel, Liriel did not put her hands on Arabella and instead kept them clasped on her own lap.

"Oh... Of course," Arabella chirped nervously.

"Please let me know if my pestering is bothersome. The last thing I’d wish to happen is for you to feel uncomfortable around us," the fairy raised a hand and placed it over her heart.

"No! In fact, I feel extremely comfortable, and I am so grateful for the warm welcome you’ve blessed me with," the young woman shook her head slowly, a cozy smile on her.

"In that case, I am relieved," she chuckled, "I’d love to have a long conversation with you, but for the time being, there is something I need to talk to you about," in a somewhat gradual manner, Liriel’s cheerful demeanor shifted to a more serious one as she looked at Silas.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, his traits hardening a tad.

"Well...," she hesitated, glancing between him and Arabella.

"It’s alright, you can speak in front of her she-"

But Silas never got to complete his statement. Both Floriel and Ariel had come back with a group of five other fairies or more on their tails.

"Can she come with us?" one of them tweeted first.

"We want to show her around!" another chimed in.

All starry eyed, hovered over and circled around Arabella’s figure.

"Yes! What a great Idea!" Ariel plopped right on top of the young woman’s head.