Of Demons and Reapers

Chapter 20:By the beautiful sea

She felt herself wake up from the dreamless sleep. She let herself lay there refusing to open her eyes as she stretched herself out. Letting her hands glide along the soft fabric, she noticed it wasn't the silk of her coffin but that of the bed. She cracked her eyes open slightly and saw she was in fact back in Adrian's room. She turned her head to see if he was in there; to her great relief he wasn't. She sat up and saw Anubis get up from his spot on the floor and come up to her.

She let him nuzzle her face as she sat there petting him. Adrian probably came in last night and found her clothes in the basket. She sighed as she decided to get up and change for the day. She knew she would have to face him eventually and that she had to get out of her depression. She made the bed after getting up and opened the door after changing to walk out into the hall. She went into the kitchen to find a plate of food on the table for her. She sat down and ate as she tried to think of where Adrian would be.

After finishing she went downstairs to try and find him so they could talk. Upon walking down she saw Adrian, Christian, Lord Gage and Caspian in the main room. She took one look and then turned around. "That's it I'm going back to bed, wake me up when they leave." She said as she began climbing the steps again. Adrian came up behind her and grabbed her waist pulling her back to the floor. "No you will be staying right here with me until our business is done and we can talk." She let herself go limp in his arms not feeling like fighting back at the moment.

She could see Lord Gage and Caspian watching her from the corner of her eye. "Good to see you again as well Ariel; always a pleasure to be greeted in such a way." Lord Gage said watching her carefully. "Lord Gage you know you are not the reason I act such a way when you are around. You I actually like your butler however I would prefer to go back to hell." She said in a monotone voice as she blankly looked at him. "Oh dear Adrian do we have trouble in paradise already? And I will gladly go back to my home Miss Ariel, as soon as you are by my side." Caspian said giving a devilish smirk at her.

She looked over at him blankly and then went over to the desk following Adrian. She sat down on his lap letting her head rest on his shoulder as she stared into nothingness. She could tell all eyes were on her as she sat there and they continued whatever it was their business had been. She just sat there lost in her thoughts again as they spoke and watched her. She could feel their eyes on her every so often, but she didn't care. She knew she wasn't acting like her normal self which was why they were doing it; except Caspian of course who just wanted to steal her away from Adrian.

After some time had passed she was brought out of her trance by Adrian gently shaking her. She looked up at him with a quizzical look, "What is it?" "Little one Lord Gage has been trying to speak with you the last few minutes." Adrian said looking down at her with worry. She looked over at the Lord to see him as well as the demon butler looking over at her with worry as well. "I'm sorry my Lord what was it you were saying?" She said sitting up a bit on Adrian's lap. "I was asking you why you don't seem to be yourself today. Normally you are much more entertaining; today you seem to be in some kind of fog."

"You could say that I suppose, I'm not feeling like myself. I received some rather unpleasant news yesterday and just haven't been myself since." She replied hesitantly while looking away from the lord and over at Christian. He had a look of apology on his face as he gave her a sad smile. She could feel Adrian tighten his grip on her waist slightly to comfort her. "I do hope you feel better soon then Ariel; I honestly enjoy your strange behavior. Also how you always seem to be able to put Caspian here in his place." The lord said with a smirk on his face as his butler looked down at his master with a frown. Ariel could feel herself smile a bit at his words, "See now there is that smile we all like to see." Lord Gage said as his face turned gentle and smiled at her.