From Liverpool To Athena

chapter 28

Being invisible to people is a strange thing, it's only when a light is shining on you and you notice their reaction does it becomes mildly amusing. Being Charlotte's friend is fun, she is a lovely person and makes me laugh. Being Edmund/Archie's brother and friend is cool too, it's nice having someone I know I can trust and rely on. But being around them I get ignored, I have been stepped on and pushed aside.

"Happens a few times to you, doesn't it" a female voice quietly spoke softly behind me, after my most recent time of being pushed aside by guests itching to get time with Charlotte and Edmund/Archie. I turned around and saw a dark-haired woman there. She has on a shallow ocean-blue coloured dress that travels to the floor. It shows off her lady assets. She has a large nose and small I want to say blue eyes I can't see them properly, red lips stick on her thin lips and her face is round and flat like she ran face first into a frying pan.

"I am used to it," I said.

"I noticed," she said and smiled with a wide smile. "Allow me to introduce myself" she did a curtsey.
"I am a princess Harriet of Florian"

"Princess? Do I bow?" I asked honestly. She laughed and then snorted too, which made her laugh more.

"No you don't have to bow" the angry face of her attendant female attendant says other ways. "But I would like it if you introduce yourself"

"Oh, yes. Okay" I tried to do a little bow, she laughed and then I said. "My name is Ronald Heart, and I am a knight of the realm or is it kingdom? I don't know which I am new to this"

"New to introducing yourself or to being a noble?" She grinned at me softly.

"Would you believe me if I said both?"

"I would as it goes" she snorted again, Barnaby suddenly appeared by my side. He has been getting caught up with the chat that Charlotte and Edmund/Archie have been having he forgets that I get pushed out.

"Sorry sir" he whispered to me and then suddenly tensed up when he saw Harriet.

"Oh yes, Princess Harriet, this is my attendant, Barnaby, Barnaby this is Princess Harriet of Florian"

"You introduce your attendant?" Harriet looked at me with a serious quizzical look.

"I do, I take it that is not the done thing?"

"No, it's not, you're a noble, he is a peasant and below you"

"Guess I am different, I don't see anyone as below me"

"Hmmm, you are different than very different"

"Yes, he is" Charlotte spoke in a cold tone. She walked past Barnaby and gave me a smile, which seemed to straighten up the shoulders that were slumping. "Ronnie here happens to be a very different, so different my father has taken an interest in him"

"Your father has? Even though he sees the lower class as not below him"

"Come now Harriet, you know our countries have different values on that"

"I don't understand why"

"I know you don't "

"What would his opinion be on it" Harriet flicked her small eyes from Charlotte to myself.

"Taken an interest in him have you"

"Yes" she smiled grimly, I'm getting a dark vibe from Harriet.

"Then some things are better left unsaid if you catch my drift". Charlotte's lip curled from the corner of her mouth.

Harriet bowed and then walked towards me, "I'll see you soon" As she got closer I noticed the makeup on her face, she was the only woman I had seen wearing any since I got here. "I'll see you soon".

"What was all that about?" I asked Charlotte.

"Like I said it better left unsaid" Her eyes flicked to Barnaby, I think she just told him to shut the fuck, now and in the future.

It's been 4 days since the king's party. Barnaby refuses to tell me what Charlotte and Harriet were talking about. Archie will not tell me either, so much h for being my brother and trusting me. I have another party to go to today, this time at my brother's house, should be fun. But before that Tim, Sophia and the kids are back, that should be any minute. Unfortunately for Barnaby, Charlotte and my brother. Timothy will tell me what he knows about Princes Harriet and the Florian country.

Bang! Bang! Bang! My front door was getting the pounding of its life! Must be the kids.

I opened it and they jumped on me, well the younger ones did, Jonathan is trying to act mature and grown up. He gave me a stiff.

"Let me get a good look at your three"

I stood them next to each other, "Getting big you three aren't you" Jonathan's stocky frame puffed out a bit more. Her shoulder stiffened up. Clare's hair looks like it has gotten darker, her smile is wider and she has gained weight. Alfie had gained the most weight, I guess when he and Tim have been cooking together and he has been eating more. I am happy for him.

"Now, I have been thinking, no more sleeping in the barns, go pick a room and they can be your rooms from now on".

"Yay!" Alfie and Clare ran off to pick a room, Jonathan walked off slowly and he waited until got past me before he ran too, which made me giggle.

"I should really go and help them" Sophia said coming back in with her suitcase.

"I'll grab your suitcase for you" Tim told her, Tim came up the steps.

"Tim look at you mate!" He has lost weight! A lot of it, he looks slimmer, and his face looks more framed. "You look great".

"Thank you," he said, he looked shy.

"Welcome home Sophia, welcome home Tim"

"Thank you, sir," Sophia said and then we heard footsteps running around upstairs. And she smiled and she quickly ran off.

"Why are they Running?" Barnaby yelled as he came running to the door, and then he ran upstairs.

"Before they come back Tim, I have some questions to ask you, what do you know about Princess Harriet of Florian?"

"Not much about the princess" he said, dragging both his and Sophia's luggage through the door.

"Oh, what about Florian then?"

"Florian?" He closed the door behind him. "Well they are the last country that still allows slavery"

"Slavery?" I gasped.

"Yeah, it's pretty disgusting they are the only country that does it and refuses to stop"