Princess Of Aito

The Homecoming

We approached the end of my road, where the road forked to Queen's Crossing and a road to Jordansburg. The man let me off and bid me good day. I returned the kind words and was on my way to the mansion. Along the way, I came upon a small home, and an older man, dressed very well I may add, stopped me. "Young Lady, where are you off to?" He was familiar, but I could not recollect his name. "I am off to Aito... My manor is there, sir." He repeated it as if he had been there too. "Aito. Such a sweet place indeed. I know the manor of which you speak. In fact, I used to work there for the family. They were kind folk. You know, miss, you look like the daughter to my Lord and Lady of late. Tell me, what is your name?" As I looked into his eyes, it was apparent. "Se-Sebastian?" He smiled. "My dear little one, that is my name." It was in fact who I had thought...."Sebastian... It's me... Aria..." Sebastian's face lit up. "Welcome back, my lady. We have hoped and prayed you would return to us. Some of us doubted you were even alive," he said, shooting a look back at another man, "but we mostly prayed for your survival and for your return. I am afraid that your mansion must be rebuilt, My Lady, it is quite run down." I hugged him, even though ladies don't hug butlers, I hugged him as if it did not matter. "Miss Aria," he said in surprise, but hugged me back. "I presume you would need a place to stay until the mansion would be rebuilt?" I nodded. "If you please... I cannot pay you as of current, but I shall figure something out for all of you." Sebastian smiled his warm, yet odd smile as his eyes seemed to glow. "Worry not about that miss Aria, we are happy to serve you without pay." The other man came up.

"Ey Miss Aria, I been practicin' some new recipes an' I think yer gonna like 'em!" The rugged, yet loveable cook smiled wide, cigarette in mouth and blonde hair and beard as scraggly as ever. "Michael, you look unkempt and it is not proper to cook as such. Miss Aria, please excuse our doubting Thomas here. He did not believe you had survived."

Michael huffed, yet I hugged him too. "I missed you all so much..." At this point, my face came up to just above his hip. Michael was six foot and in his early twenties. I was eight.