Zachariah| Major-editing

N I N E T E E N

Cyrus POV

I picked up my orange juice and made my way towards the double doors. I took my time looking around the property. Isabelle is with Ariel and Joe. I haven't met them properly yet. When we reached there, they hurried to hug Isabelle and cried, saying they had missed her.

I decided to step away and give them privacy. Now I'm returning to the room to meet them. I knocked on the door before entering. Three sets of eyes fell on me. My gaze goes to Joe, who takes a step closer to Ariel. Ariel shyly hides her face in the crook of Isabelle.

"Cyrus. . ." I took a few steps and stopped at a safe distance.

"Babies. . . Meet Cyrus. Cyrus― This is Joe and Ariel."

I crunch down to their level. "Hi, I'm Cyrus. . . I have heard so much about you two."

"You do?" Joe asked. "Isabelle never told us about you." Isabelle's eyes widened and I chuckled.

"That is because she didn't get the chance to tell you two." He slowly nods his head but keeps his distance. Isabelle chuckled. "I have told you about the prince who saved me, right?" Joe and Ariel looked at her.

"Yeah. . ."

"Is he your prince belle?" Ariel asked. Isabelle kissed her nose and the girl laughed. "Yes, honey. He is the prince I was talking about."

Ariel looked at me in awe while Joe placed his hand on Isabelle's shoulder as he looked at me. "Thank you for saving and helping our belle," Joe spoke.

I smiled at how he tried to sound like an elder. "It's a pleasure to keep her safe. You don't have to thank me for keeping my princess safe."

His brows frowned in confusion and he looked at Isabelle. "You are his princess? I thought he was just a prince."

Ariel wriggled in Isabelle's arms and stood up to look at Joe. "Joe— He is Belle's prince and Belle is his princess! He is not just a prince. He is the prince who saved our belle." Ariel pointed her tiny finger as she spoke. I tried not to laugh at her cuteness. Joe's cheeks turned pink and he didn't try to look at me.

"Awe, baby, don't get aggressive at Joe." Isabelle pulled Ariel away. "Now, why don't you go and shake hands with Cyrus? He is here to meet you two."

"Okay." Ariel turned around and started running towards me. I was already crunched down to their level. "Hi, I'm Ariel." She awkwardly tried to wrap her arms around my neck. Chuckling, I opened my arms so that she could give me a proper hug.

"Hello, Ariel. I'm Cyrus, it's nice to meet you." I gently patted her back while she giggled.

"Nice to meet you too. You are so beautiful." She was awed, looking at my face. "I like your eyes."

I tapped her nose. "Well, thank you. You are beautiful as well and I like your hair." From the corner of my eye, I could see Joe frowning.

"Really?"

"Yes, it's so black and beautiful." Ariel clapped her hands. "I got a haircut as well from Sister Ancy."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Will you be joining us for lunch?" She asked, now holding onto my arm. "Yes, I will be taking you out for lunch."

"We are going out for lunch?" I gave her a nod. She turns around and runs towards Isabelle. "Belle, he is saying we are going out for lunch."

Isabelle chuckles, nodding her head. "Yes, we are going out for lunch."

"Wow."

*

Joe picked up the fork and tried to pick up the veggies. "Wait, I will help you." He shook his head but I picked up the fork and fed him. Isabelle smiled while Joe glared at me. I have a feeling that the boy doesn't really like me for some weird reason.

Ariel chuckled as Isabelle helped her finish her pasta. "Do you want to have anything else, baby?" Isabelle asked.

"No, thank you for the pasta. My tummy is full."

I turned my head and looked at her. "But you haven't had your dessert yet? Are you not going to eat the chocolate cake?"

"Uh. . . I think I have got a tiny bit of space in my tummy for dessert." Isabelle and I chuckled and Joe finished the veggies that I was feeding him.

"Thank you."

"Belle. . ." Joe called.

"Yes, honey?"

"Mother Ancy told us that we were not going to stay with them."

"Yeah?"

Joe's brows frowned in confusion. "If we are not going to stay there, where are we going to stay?" I could see the horror and tension in his eyes. Isabelle gave a smile and held his hand. "You two are going to stay with us."

"With you?"

"Are we going to live with you?" Ariel asked.

Isabelle shared a look with me. "Hmm for a while. . . There's someone really sweet who wants to meet you two."

"Who?"

"Who?" Joe and Ariel asked.

"You will meet them when they come tomorrow." Joe and Ariel shared a look before nodding their head.

"Okay."