[CONTENTID1]♒ Tour of the Kingdom ♒[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

Sleep was good. Sleep was comforting. Sleep allowed blissful ignorance, and light was its enemy.

The heavy drapes were pulled back and the glass doors swung open to allow fresh sea air flow over the marble balcony and into the warm room.

Ulla groaned and peaked her head out from under the covers. Her gaze met a large expanse of burgundy cloth and she flinched in surprise. It was the woman from the night before; the one with a plump waist and soft eyes.

“Good morning dear,” the woman beamed, “My name is Carlotta. I’ve come to prepare you for breakfast.”

Blearily eyed and befuddled mind, Ulla sat up, letting her covers pool at her hips. “Okay?” she replied dumbly.

It took all of an hour for the woman to comb out the girl’s hair, brush her teeth, throw some rouge on her cheeks and get her dressed. By the time she was finished, Ulla found a doll staring at her through the glass Carlotta called a mirror.

Her dark hair was pulled back in smooth plaits laced through with a string of small pearls. Her cheeks stared at her as if she’d been chasing Glut again, and then there was the dress she dawned. It was prettier than the one Olivia had allowed her to borrow with gray lace overlay and a periwinkle sweetheart neckline underneath. It would have been perfect if it weren’t for the fact that it belonged to Ariel therefore it was five inches too short and made it slightly hard for her to breathe.

“Ready?” Carlotta questioned from the doorway, “You must be starved by now.” Ulla nodded, and followed her down the hall. They passed a few doors and even fewer staff as they travelled through one floor, and down the stairs.

This castle seemed much different than the little recollection Ulla had of her father’s palace. She supposed they would though; Mer people always had an inkling for grandeur. She herself found it odd considering her own home was very dreary and dark, which she didn’t particularly like, but she enjoyed the quiet peacefulness it allowed.

She and Carlotta soon entered a large room with floor to ceiling windows on two walls and another filled with large and small portraits of various figures. Along the wall of figures were a line of about five men and woman; three holding empty silver trays and two with their arms behind their backs. One of them was the male from the night before.

Ulla eyed his stoic self for moment. At first glance he seemed stiff and absent minded, but at closer inspection she noticed his squared, proud shoulders, and slight uplift to his lips. What had Ariel said his name was? Joon?

The male seemed to notice her gaze as he glanced over and allowed a full blown smile to brighten his face. Ulla stiffened, furrowing her brow at how harshly her heart began to beat. Had she tired herself out already?

Her dilemma went unsolved though as someone called her name out.

In the center of the room sat a long dining table that only held four chairs. At the head sat King Eric dressed sharply in a blue coat that dangled gold tassels along his shoulders. At his right was the tall thin man Ulla also recognized from the previous night. He was just as stiff and proper as she remembered with his stern features and pristine ponytail. Opposite him and his disposition was the person that called for her was Ariel.

The red head beamed toward her with a waving hand. Her locks were curled in gentle ringlets; her face more flushed than Ulla’s; and her dress was even more spectacular dawning peach flowers, layers and layers of sheer sunset fabric that complimented her dewy skin.

Ulla couldn’t help but grin as she stumbled toward her breathtaking sister. She felt as if she was in a dream. How had she come to find herself in such a grand castle with so many interesting looking people and the sister she had always wished to meet smiling at her?

If this really was a dream and she was just sleeping on her hardened magma bed; Ulla wished she would never wake.

“Sit, sit,” Ariel patted the seat next to her.

A man she hadn’t noticed walked over pulled the chair out for her and she gave him a shy nod as she sat. When he pushed the seat in she yelped in surprise then ducked her head as Ariel and Eric began to chuckle. She didn’t miss the giggle from some of the staff along the wall.

“Did you sleep well?” Ariel questioned as some more staff came over and lifted the lids of dishes that were settled before each of them.

“I did, thank you,” Ulla replied, her eyes widening when she caught sight of her meal. It was nothing like bowl of slub grub her mother usually had ready for her in the mornings. There was no slime or withering juicy sea cucumbers; instead on the gleaming white disk were two fluffy white things with yellow centers and next to them were strips of weird smelling brown things and on the side round green lumps. She didn’t know where to start.

When she glanced up, Ulla found everyone else already working on their food so she too dug in with relish. Every bite was just as delicious as the last.

“So, miss…Ulla was it?” the strict man inquired, “You are one of triton daughters? Another princess of Atlantica?”

Looking down, the girl gripped the miniature trident harder. “Not exactly, no,” she mumbled.

“She’s my sister, that’s all that matters Grimsby,” Ariel admonished. The manservant gave her a stern look in response. “Your majesty,” he started, but Eric didn’t allow him to continue. “Don’t worry so much Grim,” the King laughed, “Just look at them, they could be twins!”

Ulla faced her sister to which she did the same. Her dark eyes that matched that dark obsidian of sea volcanos contrasted with Ariel’s bright gaze of fresh sea foam. Then there was her gritty sand colored hair that didn’t shine nearly as brightly as her sister’s youthful flame of a mane. Even their body type was different with her tall muscular frame compared to the other’s petite body.

To be quiet honest, she thought they had no tell tell traits of being siblings. She was pretty sure even their personalities would prove to differ greatly.

Still, she appreciated Eric’s words and gave him a thankful smile in return.

“So what are you plans for the day sweet heart?” he turned to Ariel. The red head perked up, allowing a special sort of smile for her husband; it was both shy and lively. She pulled the contradictive smile off well.

Taking one last bite of her meal, Ariel replied, “I was planning on doing last minute preparations for my due date, and then finishing touches on Melody’s room, but I think I’ll put that off for tomorrow.”

“Melody?” Ulla wondered only to get a proud grin from Eric. “Melody is the name picked out for the baby. She’s due by the end of the week, but Ariel won’t stay still. She’s crazy don’t you think?”

Ulla shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I suppose. I wouldn’t really know. I’ve never been around anyone pregnant. I’ve never even seen a baby.”

“Really?” Ariel’s eyes widened, “Never?” Ulla shook her head. “No, I’ve never had the opportunity. Usually it’s just me, mom, and Glut.”

“Glut?” Eric questioned. The same sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“He works for my mother,” Ulla replied, to which the King nodded.

“How…is your mother?” he tentatively asked. Looking down, Ulla shrugged, “Angry I suppose. I didn’t exactly tell her I was coming here.”

“I knew it! I knew it!” Grimbsy spoke up, “Ursula already caused tremendous distress once for the Kingdom, and now that her supposed daughter is here without permission…that just screams trouble!”

“Oh come off it, Grim,” Ariel rolled her eyes, “Why are you always so worried about…everything?”

“It’s my job your majesty.”

Ariel and Eric gave him skeptical looks, while Ulla’s face contorted into confusion; Grimsby just blankly stared back.

“So,” Eric turned to his wife, “what did you decide to do today instead of baby stuff?” “Well,” Ariel grinned grabbing a surprised Ulla’s hand, “We’re going to walk the grounds and a little bit of the town. I might as well show off my amazing Kingdom to my newly found sister right?”

Eric deadpanned, glancing at Ulla, “Didn’t I tell you she can’t stay still?” With a big sigh he leaned back, “Since I know nothing I say will you stop her, will you at least make sure she takes lots of breaks and doesn’t overwork herself?”

Unsure, Ulla slowly nodded, glancing at her sister and her round stomach. It seemed to be even bigger than yesterday.

“Great!” Ariel clapped, “And I figure while we at I’ll bring Leejoon along.”

“What?” Eric, Grimsby, and Joon questioned in different tones of disbelief.

“Why?”Grimsby scoffed. This earned him a disapproving look from the red head. “Grim, Eric went through the trouble of getting Joon to give our lovely land another chance so I plan in helping anyway I can, and if I’m going to show Ulla around I might as well take Joon along too. I’ll show off all the good points! I bet my tour will be so amazing you’ll want to make it an attraction for tourists.”

“We have tour guides honey,” Eric laughed. Ariel shrugged, “They aren’t the Queen. I’m practically a landmark too! And so is melody,” she pointed at her stomach.

Grimsby sighed, leaning back in defeat. Eric mimicked his action.

“Fine,” the King conceded, “that does sound like a smart idea anyway.”

“Of course it is,” Ariel beamed.

“Your castle is just grand, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” Ulla complimented. Ariel grinned toward the ground, bashful. “Isn’t it?” she replied, “But I must admit, Atlantica has its own charm. Something a land kingdom could never quite achieve. Have you ever been?”

This time it was Ulla’s turn to stare at the ground. Biting her lip, she scuffed her feet around the sandstone walkway. “I’ve been inside once, briefly, but have seen it from a far many times. You’re right though; it has a charm unlike any other place.”

“What’s Atlantica?” Joon came closer, curious.

Ulla glanced to Ariel, unsure what to say. She had enough sense to know that most land walkers weren’t versed and the geography of the sea let alone all the sea creatures that inhabit it.

Ariel laughed, “Well, it’s where I come from. My home kingdom so to speak.”

Joon nodded at her words and took a seat on a bench. They had been walking around all morning, exploring the castle grounds. The small group had started on the third floor, only entering rooms that Ariel deemed worthy of exploration, and they worked their way down from there.

So far, Ulla had seen her first library, which was huge and a tad overwhelming. She also saw countless sitting rooms, two separate dining areas, a ball room which wasn’t quite as big as the library, but still quite aweing. Then there was Kitchens that Joon happily took the lead on. Ulla couldn’t help but enjoy the way he spoke so animatedly about every little thing. He even had this semi heavy accent that she found so…cute, and it wasn’t a awe look at those baby eels playing together, no it was cute that made Ulla’s entire being warm with unadulterat