The Mate He Needs

The Lesser Daughter

Ariel stood behind her sister brushing out her hair. Natasha sat very properly and had that very snobbish air about her. Ariel just kept her eyes on her sister's golden hair and the brush that she used. She was far different in looks than Natasha. Her hair was dark like her mother's. A rich brown with a healthy shine and spiraled around her head and down to the middle of her back.

Her eyes were a sharp green like her father's, but there was no confidence in her gaze nor her stance. She wished that she could be like her sister. Strong and confident and get whatever she wanted because she was who she was. But that wasn't Ariel's part, she was her sister's servant for lack of a better word. Natasha took advantage of it, and her parents didn't care.

Her parents told her what a disappointment they found her. That they hated how meek she was. They liked to remind her of the accident that she was to them. Which was okay, because Natasha needed a playmate and someone who was there at her sister's beck and call. Which at the moment Ariel believed and bought into. After all it was rather hard to understand completely why her family disliked her so.

"Did it go well?" Ariel asked in her soft voice. It would have been musical if it didn't tremble as she spoke. She was terrified when she chose to speak. That it was the wrong time and she would be struck for it. She had plenty of scars, most in places that couldn't be seen for her transgressions and failures as a daughter.

"Oh very well. He's a bit cold, but that is expected he's a powerful man. Malachi was the same way, but he's very good looking. I'm so happy, I was afraid he'd be a troll." Natasha laughed and Ariel frowned a bit. Natasha sure was concerned with looks.

"I'm sure that he was very happy with you. Any would be more than pleased to marry you." Ariel wished she could be a person that someone would be proud of. That someone would like to marry.

"They would." Natasha said with a satisfied smile. Her eyes drifting off a bit seeing only what she could. "But I have a few years before then, and you... well I'm sure mother and father will find someone if you can't. They wouldn't want you around for the rest of their lives living off of them." Ariel felt a burn to her face.

"For them it would be but a short bit." Ariel commented.

"If all else fails I could always use an attendant. You are so very good at remembering my routine." If anyone heard the two of them, you'd have really thought Ariel a servant girl. Not Natasha's sister or a Standish at all.

"Doesn't that scare you? Marrying someone that you don't know. What if he's mean or hateful? What if he ended up not wanting you? You'd be alone." Natasha laughed and Ariel put down the brush. Natasha rose and moved over to change for bed.

"You stupid little girl." Natasha said and Ariel's face turned a bright red. Natasha clearly copying what her parents said. How they spoke to Ariel. She looked at the floor, she'd already changed for bed. Her sister was only a year older than she was, but it seemed she knew more than Ariel did.

"That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Only if you did something stupid."

"I'm sorry. The thought of being alone forever was very sad. I didn't think about it like that." Natasha smiled touching her sister's arm in a very consoling manner. Looking at her like she was rather simple.

"This is why you should leave decisions to others. It's to much for you." Natasha slipped off her clothes and changed. She put on a tank top and pajama pants. "I love dresses, but this is much more comfortable to sleep in. Now where is your bed?" Natasha asked looking around the decent sized room. Normally when they went somewhere Ariel slept on a cot or something of the like in the room with her sister. Natasha absolutely refused to share a bed with her.