#fenixtj

Ellie is taking second of fruit, but not muffins...

Hmmph. Salma snags a coveted banana nut one, breaks it in half, adds butter and offers half to Ellie. "My eyes are bigger than my stomach today..."

"Ooo.. gracias."

"Hearth Agnes makes the BEST Fudge but I can't have it every day Or I'd be big as a house"

"What is fudge?"

"Fudge is chocolate. Like, not like a candy bar... softer?"

"Oh, like... caramelo?"

"It's not caramel it's.. oh.. I don't know enough Spanish"

"Yes, but, like, super chocolately. And sometimes peanut buttery."

"You can put nuts in it too" She says

"Hmmmmm."

"They said we should not go to the Rivervale. But perhaps it would be polite to visit Ariel's home, as she is your ally. They did not say not to go to the Farm. And, see, Princesca - we are not to leave the hold alone, but the trod entrance, she is inside the hold. And once we are at the Rancho, that is a safe place as well."

"Well, we should ask permission from the Farm..."

A grin! That is not a no! "Ariel, who would you ask? Your Hearthagnes?"

"Oh.... well uhmm "Ariel says "I guess uhm ' A blush

"Ariel?" She leans in, ears perked a bit. "You are a bit red, did you eat too many strawberries and they are in your cheeks?"

"We could go eat fudge. And see the cows."

"I just... I worry the folks on the farm might not be ... they don't like nobles or sidhe?" Ariel say "On account they never bowed to the high king or signed the accords"

"...oh..."

"But.. I mean... you like me?"

"I DO, you're my friend" Ariel says firmly

"They might be mean?" She sets back and folds her arms. "No, even chocolate dulce won't sweeten that."

"So... so we can't visit the farm?"

"Well, I'd.. have to ask but I don't think so?" Ariel is blushing again. Suddenly her adoptive family seems so petty and mean spiriited.

"Well... well, we'll see lots of places on the tour!"

"I do not think we want to, if they're a bunch of sour old folk. Maybe they will hear about your lovely tour, and feel left out. And then next time we can visit, after amiga Ariel tells them all about it."

"I.. I don't feel hungry right now" Ariel says "Pardon me"

and she races off before they can choose to pardon her or not

"Oh, no. Ariel, wait!" She struggles to stand without upsetting the blanket and spilling anything.

Satyr speed being what it is.

"I should not have said that about her familia." A guilty look over at Ellie.

Ellie bites on her lip and frowns.

"We should... should both of us go?"

"Please, princesca. How do we fix this? You are smart." She seems confident that Ellie will have an answer.

"A present maybe?" She looks unsure.

"We should go tell her we like her very much."

"And... yes, flowers, maybe?"

"Si. Can you find flowers? I will clean this up."

She bobs her head. "Sounds like a plan." And she's off, on a flower hunt.

And Salma tidies up quickly and is off... to seek out... Thane Coy DeBuke.

Flowers are gathered, it takes time

Pretty yellow dandelions, and bunches of violets, and pale forget-me-nots...

Then she sees ... a rose. And how odd a rose it is. For it is emerald in the petals, and dark red at the stem and petals.

"Ohhhh..."

A little hand reaches to take it. Surely, Ariel will be pleased!

She pulls at the rose

And there is a rough voice "Who are you to be picking my rose?"

"I am Countess Eleanor de Violette. I would have you be a gift for my friend."

"What gift without effort? What price is paid by this?"

She bites on her lip.