The Changeling

Chapter 7

We will show you around, and then you will be able to rest in your bedrooms before dinner is served," Queen Easley gently states, but her voice holds authority.

"That would be wonderful," mum politely replies with a soft smile at the Queen.

The King and Queen start walking with Kingsley keeping pace with the Queen and mum. She and mum are walking next to each other while they quietly speak to each other. Aria is walking with Arizona and I with Aria is tightly holding my right arm with her left.

"I am glad you are home, Parker," Princess Aria murmurs. "I have always wanted my big brother here with us."

"I am sorry, but what did you say?" I reply with a tiny frown.

"Sorry, I forgot about your hearing issues," she replies loud enough for me to actually hear her, but then she repeats what she had said that I didn't hear.

"Who is Parker?" I ask confused as I look down at her with my eyebrows furrowed.

She looks up at me with the same expression as we continue to walk; "You are, silly."

Humming at her as I don't want to be rude, but I hope they don't expect me to be called this name. I want to be called by the name I have been known by my entire life.

"Don't you like your real name?" she asks when I don't verbally reply.

"It's not that, but my name is Alaska not Parker," I answer nervously.

Aria pulls me to a stop causing me to look down at her again; "What's wrong, Princess?"

"Your true name is Parker not Alaska," she pouts with watery eyes.

"Aria, that is enough," King Sol lowly growls. "He is aware of this, but all of this is a lot for him to take in, and have to process. We need to offer patience and kindness while everyone adjusts to this."

Aria deeply scowls at him, but she doesn't comment, and we continue the tour before we are shown to our sleeping quarters about an hour later. My room is in the middle of mum and Arizona with the King and Queen's across from min, and Aria's is across from Arizona's. I am not sure where the two guards or Bronx sleeping quarters are though.

There is a knock on the door on the wall between mine and Arizona's room, and I open it to find my brother standing there with a huge grin at me.

"Nice, now we can come and go into each other's room without using the hallway doors," he grins as he bounces into my new bedroom.

Chuckling at his enthusiasm, I leave the connecting door open to sit on the middle of the bed as he wanders around the room. He curiously examines everything, and the room is simple with a full sized bed with dark purple bedding, the walls are beige, one 10x18 canvas painting of an ariel view of the Kingdom, and a small beige two person couch.

Arizona flops down onto the couch with an arm thrown over the back as he grins over at me; "Dude, this place is awesome! How are you processing all of this?"

"I agree this place is awesome for sure," I agree with a small smile before sighing as I sit criss-cross, and place my hands in my lap. "Honestly, I am extremely overwhelmed with everything that is happened."

Arizona nods solemnly; "Yeah, I can understand that, Ka."

We spend the next hour talking in my room before someone knocks on the bedroom door from the hallway. Standing, I walk to the door to open it, and come face to face with Eilonwy who is smiling brightly at me.

"The King and Queen requests your company along with Arizona and Mrs. Brewer in the dining hall," he seriously tells me.

"Sure, thank you for letting me know, Eilonwy," I reply with a smile. "Come on, Ari."

Arizona climbs off the couch to stand behind me, and we follow Eilonwy toward the dining hall since Kingsley has fetched mum. My steps falter when I enter the dining hall. The room is huge with cathedral style ceiling, the walls are painted a pale blue color with one long window on a wall facing a huge garden, and a large wooden table big enough to seat twenty people.

"Do you like the garden?" King Sol asks as he stands next to me on my right with a soft smile at me.

"Yeah, back at home, I had my very own flower and veggie gardens," I murmur with a faint fond smile at him.

"He was always in his gardens in the backyard of their home, or was outside drawing," Bronx tells the King from behind me, and I can hear the fondness in his voice as he stands on my free side.

"You draw?" King Sol questions in surprise he smiles brightly back at me.

Shyly nodding at him in response, he comments; "Yeah, I enjoy gardening and drawing. Do you draw, sir?"

"Yes, I draw along with painting, too," King Sol replies fondly. "Please call me either Sol or dad which ever you are comfortable with."

Nodding, I can help feeling slightly uncomfortable at the thought of calling another man 'dad' after how unreliable my adoptive father has been my entire life. I wonder if King Sol will grow tired of me like my adoptive dad did.

"Everyone sit down, please, it's almost time for dinner to be served," Queen Easley requests in her sweet voice from behind us.

The three of us turn around to join everyone at the table. The King and Queen sit down together at the head of the table with the rest of the us sitting on either side. I shouldn't have been surprised that they have servants, but I am surprised still. The servers are dressed in black pants and long sleeved shirts with white gloves.

The first course is a yummy tomato and basil soup with a side salad, the second course is the main dish of steak, veggies, fruit, and mashed potatoes, and the third course is homemade vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate cake. This was one of the best meals I have ever had, and the company and conversation were amazing.