#fenixtj

An impulsive hug. "My words are bad, si, los siento."

"Shoot, I ain't getting paid" Then she looks at the harmonica 'Well, bribed maybe, but not by either of you" She gives the harmonica a blast experimenting

Softly. "I want to be friends."

"Oh, you are getting paid. See, you play with us, and tell us your stories, and sing and dance, and I pay you with my reading, and when we go try new things, and Princesca pays us both with her ideas and flowers and, and... it is a job for all of us, los tres amigas." She tries to explain.

Ariel stares then says "Ellie... Salma's a pooka. They don't talk straight.. you gotta look out they behave, what they do.. and Salma's...well... she done for stuff nobody expected. Kindness we didn't see coming. Gaining nothing for it and if she hadn't, we'd never have thoguht of it"

Salma's cheeks blush a dusty rose. "I only am here for the churros... of friendship?" She attempts.

Ariel moves to both friends and gives them each a hug, infact she might squish them in a three way hug together

A hiccup and she leans into the hug.

"oh, no, Princesca. You cannot cry." She sounds distressed. "I did not mean it?"

"I just.. I just... if you don't want to... I mean, you don't have to? You aren't a whipping girl, Jessica said so. I don't want you to be that."

"Mi amiga, was is what it is, and wishes cannot change was-es. But is is what you control, and if that is what you say, then that is what it is. And I am glad of it, and glad to be your friend. And if it makes you unhappy, then I will try to remember and not say more."

Hiccup. "I want to be friends."

"Los siento, that cannot be." She says gently, then with a smile. "We already are, so it is too late for you to decide."

That earns a little laugh.

"Yup. You're stuck with us" Ariel grins

"And I -like- to work for la Condesa. It makes me feel...hmmph." She gestures, not finding the words. "Not a useless burra - no, that is not it. It is... you are to learn to rule, si? And I learn how to help you. We all have a place. And even the bottom is muy importante, because tippy-top-tower will crumble just as fast if the below bricks do not hold."

Ellie nods. "I have to be a Countess, yes."

"I don't know if you GOTTA be, but you DOn"T gotta be alone"

"Si. You can be the blossom, and Ariel the leaves, and I the stem, but we are all a flower. If you had no leaves or stem, you'd just fall to the ground and get all dusty, tsk, and we cannot have that. Now, are there more presents?" Peering at the wall. "Because we must work through the spell of darkness on the door before we can have breakfast."

"Leaves are important for gathering the light .." A nod

"And I have my roots in the dirt so that we stay grounded and remember what is important." She wiggles her toes.

"Oh, I do want breakfast...."

"But we're trapped by wonderful gift wall!"

"So, we're a team. Tres amigas."

"YUP...The Smart one... the Beautiful One and.. uhm.. well shoot I need to work out if I'm going to be the strong oen"

"More archery! You are already the fastest."

"Well, yeah" A grin "Satyr legs"

"Did we check all the pockets?" She, in fact, re-checks.

Salma helps too!, just in case... there are any more books..."

two more gifts.. one of them a book... and.. a bell? that says in two languages 'Ring the bell for Freedom'

"Oh!" Ding-a-ling.

The sound of a great bellow.. and the cardboard wall tears off... as something drags it down the hallway

A giggle. "Oh, good job!"

"Hurrah!" Salma gives the bell another ring, and again. "Is it a churro bell? Maybe it summons breakfasts." A giggle.

"Maybe we could have cinnamon toast. Have you ever had that? It's like churros, but, like, different..."

"Can we have butter, too? I DO like butter."

"Butter makes things taste better"

"Oh, yes. It has butter AND suga AND cinnamon..."

"It sounds good, needs to go in my belly" Harmonica toot

"So let's go! Breakfast!" She leads the way!

And Salma trucks along with her armload of new books, and ringing a bell all the way!

They make their way towards the breakfast.

"Which book will you read first, Salma?"

"You ask me to choose?" She looks heartbroken, except that little quirk of a grin Ellie now recognizes. "Maybe, we read about Senor Fox. Did you know, Fox is Zorro in Spanish? So the masked swordman, he is The Fox."

"I did not know! But know Zorro, he fights to save people from banditos!" She uses her doll as an imaginary sword, swishing a z in the air.

"Do YOU fight the banditos?" Eyes wide.

"It is harder to draw an E...." She sketches in the air.

"Hola, ninas" Maria says as they come in for breakfast "you hungry?"

"Buenos manana, Senora Maria! Por favor breakfast?"

"I do fight banditos. Fireheart is a good sword."