The forgotten Stories

XXV

ARIA'S POV

Drake and I just pulled into the long driveway of Alfhiem. We sit in the car for a few minutes before Drake gets out opening my door.

"I feel like this is more than just a meeting with my family." I tell Drake truthfully.

"Well I'd like to go in as your boyfriend." My eyes widen looking over at him.

"A- are you asking me to be..." Drake nods. I immediately kiss him. "Of course." Drake chuckles taking my hand.

Wait I need to stay by your side too.

Sage's voice flows through my head.

"Come here Sage." I pick her off the ground and rest her on my forearm. We walk up to the front door ringing the bell. The door is opened my Karter's grandma.

"Oh! Aria your back! Where Karter? And whose this? And this little cutie." She says rubbing under Sage's beak.

"Nana this is my boyfriend Drake and familiar, Sage." Suddenly my dads voice comes from the other side of the door.

"Boyfriend? Where?" He appears behind nana trying to see Drake. Nana let's us in.

"Dad this is Drake." I say squeezing Drake's hand. "Dad do you know where mama is?" I ask really needing the blueprints.

"Yes you can go find her out in the yard while I have a chat with your boyfriend. She's out fixing the fairy flowers with Karter's mom." I thank him pecking Drake and running to find mom.

I find her just where dad said. "Hi mom!" She looks up smiling.

"Aria! My beautiful daughter! Come here and give me a hug." I hug my mom.

"Hi. Karter will be here later but I really need blueprints for a new caretaker house for Atlantis. We need to send it to the Magic counsel and fast." I tell her a little urgency in my voice.

"Of course I'll get right on it. Who is this?" She ask gesturing to sage who is preening her feathers.

"Mom this is my familiar Sage, a Phoenix." I say showing my mark.

Am I aloud to talk to her?

Sage asks.

I don't see why not. I answer her.

I hand her off to my mom before going to find Drake. I find him and my dad laughing in Karter's grandpa's lounge.

"What are you two laughing at?" I ask. They both turn to me.

"Your dad was talking about you trying to ride a satyr when you where eight." He says chuckling. I glare at my dad before he glares back.

"Stop telling him about my irresponsible past." I say sitting on the couch next to Drake.

"So you two are dating?" My dad asks eyeing me and Drake. Drake clears his throat.

"Um yes sir. I'm Aria's boyfriend but that's not what we are here to talk about. We are here to talk about Karter's uncle alive and trying to kill her." Drake says much to my surprise. I nervously look up at my dad who had a brow raised. Suddenly he grins wide.

"He's a keeper." My dad says. "Now let's talk about Killian." I stop him.

"Wait we should wait for Karter and Mason to get here." I say.

"Whose Mason?" My dad asks.

"Oh um Mason.. uh.." I stutter. My dad squints his eyes.

"Is he Karter's boyfriend?" My dad asks. Drake chuckles.

"You Can say that." Suddenly Karters grandpa is in the room.

"Karter has a boyfriend?" He asks.

I cover my face with my hands and whisper. "I'm sorry Karter." I feel Drake start to rub my back.

"Ok well we are going to set our stuff down." Drake says letting me stand up. My dad stands up as well.

"I'll show you where you will be staying." My dad says leading us out the door. I go to my room than join my dad and Drake in the guest room. The guest room has two full size beds for when family comes over.

"Dad can I show him the preserve today? Karter won't be here for awhile." I ask hoping he would say yes.

"Yeah we can talk about this mess when she gets here." He answers. I quickly grab his hand pulling him outside.

"Sorry my dad is a little forward." I say trying to cover my face.

"Don't worry about it babe. I like your family so far." He says reassuring me.

"Thanks. My mom will like you." I say. He nods.

"So show me the preserve." He says.

"Alright let's go this way." I pull him towards a path through the thick trees that surround the preserve. "So over there is where the satyrs on the preserve like to hangout. They have a pool and everything..."

I show him around the rest of the preserve. Even the dragon area. We didn't get to close but we still saw them. We head back to the house so I can check on Sage. We make it back and Drake meets my mom.

"Hello you must be Drake?" My mom asks.

"Yes ma'am. I'm your daughters boyfriend." He says holding his hand out but my mom pulls him in for a hug.

"Mom!" I say. She laughs.

"Nice to meet the young man who makes my daughter happy." My mom says.

"I certainly hope I make her happy." Drake says looking at me. My cheeks heat up.

"Yes he does." I say looking down.

"Well that's good. Don't want my precious baby being sad." My mom teases causing me to blush harder. Than I smile wide.

"Does that mean I'm the favorite!" I say excitedly. My mom laughs.

"Sure honey. Whatever helps you sleep at night." My mom says making me laugh.

"Hey where's Sage?" I ask looking around.

"Oh she's over there with Karter's mom." My mom points to were Sage is. She's playing with other birds while Karter's mom watches documenting. Karter's dad is watching his wife lovingly from the porch. I walk over to where Sage is.

"Hi Sage!" I exclaim through our link.

'Hello Aria!' She answers me.

"Ready to see where you will be sleeping?" I ask her.

'Yes!' She says hopping over to me jumping on my forearm. I carry her upstairs to my room showing her a small pillowed corner.

"Ok Sage you are sleeping here." I say speaking normally.

'It looks comfy!' She says hopping onto the pillows.

"Ok you chill here. I'm going to go talk to Drake." I say leaving her where she is and going to the guest room to see Drake. I find him going through his stuff.

"Hi Drake!" I say stepping into the room.

"Hey babe." He says smiling at me. He gestured me to him.

"Yes?" I ask. He takes my hand.

"I never got to really ask you so.." He kneels in front of me. "Will you Aria Austin be my beautiful girlfriend?" He asks sweetly. I smile.

"Of course." I lean down and kiss him. We pull away after a few minutes just staring into each other's eyes.

"Aria you are absolutely beautiful." Drake says making me blush. I blush.

"Thanks." I say shying away.

"Show me those eyes." I look up at him. "I love your eyes. They show who you are." Drake says kissing my lips before pulling me off the bed. "Come on it's already noon."