The Mermaid That's Sweetest

36] A Tea Party

36] A Tea Party

I sit with my elbows on the iron table, my fingers fiddling with the spoon and tapping it on the pretty ceramic saucer below the cup. Eros finally appears by slamming the bedroom doors open and snarling, "Sit!" he points Fantasia to an iron chair opposite I.

Her ankles are shackled but her wrists are free. She wears old seaweed, stripped from the precious opal dress she arrived in.

Fantasia shuffles forward and keeps her back straight as she slides into the seat opposite me, meeting my gaze.

I hold it steady, surprising myself. However, the vision I saw... I assumed she'd be of help in the war to come.

After all, she used to be a Queen of the Clans.

"Perhaps we can discuss the release of Aegir's mother, Vonky?" Fantasia starts off, shocking Eros because he hasn't even sat down yet.

He growls as he plonks down into his seat and swats Fantasia's hands away from the tea set.

"I'll do it," Eros's warning is dire. Touch the tea set again – and you'll be dead before you can say 'Black tea for me, please'.

"Vonky, the old lady with red hair?" I state, "Is she enjoying her accommodation so far, mother?"

I watch Fantasia flinch when I call her by her maternal title.

"She stays as my jester," Eros chuckles through his nose as he pours himself some tea, then I next... then Fantasia last of all.

I try not to roll my eyes, of course he poured his tea first.

I tap my spoon faster along the saucer in irritation and Eros's ocean blue gaze zones in on my hand.

"Etiquette, Lily, mind your manners," Eros seems rather serious and I plonk the spoon into the tea swirling it even though there is no milk or sugar to stir. Eros seems to focus on that fact next and finds it quite annoying... especially when he finally notices the whirl pool I'm mimicking in the cup.

"If we're not here to discuss a bargain of some kind, I don't know why I'm here," Fantasia murmurs, picking up her tea and glancing at the cup, "Strange. This style is from Angleton – that land is –"

"Your commentary isn't needed," Eros snarls, "You're under interrogation. Sip your tea and be grateful you're not dead... yet."

"Not yet," I repeat him, giving him a warning look. Fantasia notices the tension and raises a slow brow.

So, she had some sass about her.

I guess I could relate a little bit.

"Tell us your story, Fantasia," I choose my request lightly, "Everything, in your own words," I suck in a nervous breath when Eros stops breathing. He almost complains, but then he leans back into his chair, picks up his cup and simply breaths in the steaming tea while tilting his head at Fantasia, eyes focusing on her, giving her permission to answer me.

"A Queen of the Clans... has many tasks," Fantasia's tongue flicks over one fang, which I notice, is half the size of an Erebos. Mine are even still smaller, but I can definitely see that she could even be mistaken for a Siren, "Keeping the Belle Clans safe was top priority, and in my time, Clan of Ezili were not a nuisance. They were much, much worse. Threatening life all across the Island. And then one day came where my babies were threatened by your mother, Eros. Diana," Fantasia is cruel because she is so fast and to the point, "She ousted my secret of having an affair with a mortal pirate. She secured their fate, to be born and raised as Darvs at the Orphanage. To be sold to mortal hands at the time of their growth. I also lost my throne to Aegir. It all happened quite quickly. Revered queen, powerful warrior, power over the Rough... and then... I simply..." she killed Eros' parents and almost all of the Ezili Clan.