Chapter 7 Little friend

Hearing that her father had come, Ariel panicked. She looked around the room for a place to hide and even didn't pay attention to the prince who was looking at her puzzled at what she was doing. Looking at her small frame going around and about in the room, he tried his best not to laugh as she looked so comical. A minute ago she was willing to go to war for her family's sake and now that her father had made his presence she was like a little prey doing its best to escape the predators clutches.

"You can try under the bed." he couldn't help but suggest to her.

Finally finding a safe place to hide, she dashed to hide under his bed as he had suggested. 'He won't give her out, right?!'

Saying that she followed his ridiculous idea, he couldn't hold it in anymore and he burst out laughing that his stomach begin hurting. The sound of his laughter rung out and it left his men worried and concerned. they sprung out their heads from whatever they were doing like ostriches on look out.

"Why is his Highness laughing?" A soldier inquired from his colleague

"What sinister plans do you think he's plotting?" Another one chimed in, in the discussion.

"He must be happy, to have his nemesis come to him!" Another said so as soon as he laid his eyes on Eric. He was highly respected by the second Prince's army.

"Let's laugh along!" A younger one suggested only to relieved glares from his colleagues.

"Are you crazy??" One that spoke earlier yelled at him.

"But we said to always follow his Highness!!" the one who suggested to laugh along insisted.

"That doesn't mean we should do what he does!" another explained clearly annoyed. This small guy was nuts, they don't even understand why the prince insisted to let him tag along.

Well they knew, his stupidity left them speechless. They were great partners in crime with the prince.

"I thought that's what was meant. And besides I look up to him!!" he spoke only to have his comrades growl at him. Had they had fangs and claws, he'd have been ripped to shreds. Quin shook his head helplessly at their banter.

When Eric reached the camping area of the second prince, what welcomed him was a genuine boysih laughter that happened to come from his tent. A laugh of a boy his age that was filled with amusement.

Roland looked at his comrades questioningly but they said nothing to him, hence he chose to leave that for later and he made his way to the biggest of the tents in the camp site which was guarded by two men.

"Announce our return."

Quin came in and directed them inside. Eric was made to leave his sword at the entrance of the tent and he made his way to meet his arch enemy.

"Pleasure to have you here Eric." The prince greeted him with a grin on his face and a handshake.

Eric didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at a boy who would have been his son had he married earlier. "Am not going to say the same to you Your highness."

"Hahaha, I know. Please make yourself comfortable." the prince politely offered him a seat.

Eric sat himself down and was served refreshments. "Let's get down to business!"

"Oh, I almost forgot. Anyway, i was here to catch up with you from our long lost times."

"Your Highness, I do respect you initiative but I do have pressing matters. So if you don't mind, I came here seeking answers which I hope am going to get."

"Please." The prince gave him his undivided attention.

"Did you come here to take over our kingdom?" Eric came straight forward just like himself.

His smile slightly fading, the second Prince's voice grew cold. "We wouldn't be sharing a cup of tea if that were the case. Where did you get such ridiculous rumors?" It means what the little one has said was true.

"My man reported to me about it."

"Ohhh, so what she said was true," he murmured to himself

"Excuse me?" Eric asked on puzzled.

Returning from his memory lane, he smiled vaguely. "Oh, it's nothing!"

"So, may I know why your here? Or why your travelling to the other parts of the continent? I am sure your not out seeking peace!"

"I'm on my leave." the prince replied nonchantly.

Finding his response unbelievable, Eric probed further. "And you carry an army with you?"

"They couldn't stand to stay away from me so I let them tag along." the prince remained unfazed.

Hah Eric let out an impressed laugh. These soldiers!!! He had learnt about how the soldiers always followed their prince wherever he went regardless of the number of the times he sent them away. Their life evolved around this young prince and it was an impressive level of achievement.

"I got some information that this is a plot against you involving me." The prince decided to share what he had learnt from his little informer.

"Who reported it?!" Eric was curious who.had managed to get such information and actually.madenit back alive without suffering the court's clutches.

"It's a little friend." Was the Prince's reply as he continued to sip on his tea.

"?????"

"She hid when she heard that you came."

"!!!!!!!!"

"She's under my bed. So interesting!!"The prince said with an amused laugh as he stood up from his seat.

Eric wondered who it was and inorder to see who it was, he had to bend to check under the bed but he wouldn't let his guard down before the enemy as one silly mistake and he was done for.

Noticing his wariness, the second prince smirked and heaved a deep sigh, "I bare no intention to kill you now or in the near future and besides the reason I took the longer route towards your kingdom was to get to see you. Nothing more and nothing less. But am caught in a dilemma as am going to fulfill my part of the deal with my little friend.....the other part of the deal, I'll leave it to both of you to discuss." With that, the prince straightened his royal blue attire and walked out of the tent and left Eric to check out his little friend.

Feeling puzzled and curious at the same time, Eric warily bent down to check on the Prince's little friend only to have his hair stand on end.

ARIEL!!!!!!!!

Under the bed lay a girl coiled like a millipede who he was sure was his daughter without a doubt.

"Ariel!!" he cold out with a meancing aura engulfing him making the little bundle under the bed shudder and break out in cold sweat. Shutting her eyes tightly, Ariel hoped that it will make her father disappear from the place but she was wrong, so wrong. And that prince had to give her out?!!!

"Come out now!!" she heard her father order in a stern voice. Uncoiling, she peeped at him through her thick lashed and crawled from under the bed.

Standing before him, she wished the ground could swallow her whole as her her eyes bore hole in the ground while her father bore holes in her skull.

"Can you tell me what your doing here?" He asked sternly leaving no room for negotiation.

"Papa...I...."

"Don't stammer and speak! What are you doing here?"

"I came to meet the second prince."

"And why's that?!"

"To seek help!"

"Seeking help from an enemy is you becoming a traitor, do you know that?"

"Yes father."

"Are you willing to be labelled as one?!"

Looking into his eyes she replied with determination, "to keep our family safe, yes am willing to be labelled as one."

"Do you know why our saying Ariel?" Eric was stunned to see her determination.

"Crystal clear father." she replied like a soldier.

Seeing her unwavering determination, he exhaled deeply and looked at her. "Tell me what you over heard."

Ariel got down to the tale lane and didn't leave anything out. Listening attentively to his daughter, he felt a dread feeling engulf him. This was not good. One minute was the royal decree informing him to report to the palace as soon as possible, then the besieging of the palace by the second prince and now a plot against him and the second prince? This was something huge which was definitely not planned by a single mind. It was a collective plot.

"We can't stay here, we need to go!!" Eric took a hold of her hand and dragged her by her hand out of the Prince's tent.

Lots of love from litto-ways ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️