Chapter 106: The woes of Numia’s matchmaking.
It was the matchmaking tone, the one Numia used when she wanted to secure Corven Junior an elite marriage. After what had happened the last time, Sienna wanted to witness for herself what would happen.
"Stop her," Grandpa Corven shouting, his cane kicking up sand that fell a short distance away.
Sienna held out her hand. "No, grandpa, she should not be stopped. I for one would like to see what happens."
A huge wave of water rose from the sea, forming what looked like a fist. As the mer couple vanished into the water, the fist struck Numia, sending her flying straight into the gate. She crushed her head and rolled back onto the sand.
The guards, Sienna and Grandpa Corven were all stunned. They exchanged looks, smiles, and then loud laughter!
It so happened that a shadow fell over the area. Elias’s flying ship held still in the air, and the fox lord himself stepped out. When his boots touched the sand, Sienna rushed to him, laughing loudly. "You missed it Elias, part two of Princeeeesss! This time, it was your highneeeeeesss. Numia was trying to find an Amberis princess for Corven Junior and they punched her with water." She narrated animatedly. "I am not kidding Elias, a real water fist! I have never seen anything like that in my whole life."
Elias looked at Numia’s unconscious body and swollen face, and he burst into carefree laughter. "I did not see that coming."
"Me neither," Sienna said, heaving from laughing a little too much. "You should have seen her running towards the sea. If all Falcons run like drunk ducks, then they should not run at all. Let me show you how she did it." She spread her hands, each facing the opposite directions. Then, she run towards the sea, half running-half hopping and mocking the lilt in Numia’s voice.
While Elias secretly recorded her, grandpa Corven requested that a guard carry Numia inside.
When Sienna returned to the bottom of the steps leading to the gate, she raced ahead of Elias, eager to tell the story before anyone else beat her to it. Elias remained back, but only because Liman stopped him from following his wife.
"My Lord, it is about your wife’s grandfather." Liman said, hesitant and suspicious. "The way he stared down the Amberis Lord and Lady, it was not ordinary. His file says his mental strength is at the S level. I think it is higher. Corven Rocland is hiding his mental strength. I think it is one of the reasons why the mers backed off quickly."
Elias frowned. "Are you sure?"
Liman nodded. "I was watching him because he insisted on following Sienna to confront the mers. I asked myself what an old man planned to do if they used forceful means to take Lady Sienna away. He released a small mental burst when he was telling the mers that they were not welcome. The old man is not ordinary and that walking cane of his, I examined it up close. It is made from precious Elm wood and real gold. The falcon head was made from falcon and phoenix feathers. Commoners do not have access to phoenix feathers.
We don’t know what he is hiding and we still don’t know what Paris Rocland did to be expelled. Nobody is talking. There may be more to this expulsion story than we know. Maybe the Rocland’s were sent in as spies. What should I do about this? Should I tie up the old man and torture him?"
Elias gritted his jaw. He was already working over the reputation of a wife beater. He did not want to add old man torturer to the list. Direct confrontation was the best way to handle it. "I will relay this information to Sienna and have her do the digging for us."
Liman’s eyes lit up. "Very smart my Lord."
At lunch, most of the family sat together outside, laughing as Sienna played the footage from the beach from the third time.
"Is this what you hoped for when you put in the security cameras?" Grandma Byra chuckled.
Sienna shook her head. "I was simply trying to warn outsiders to stay away. I didn’t think Numia’s matchmaking disaster would become regular entertainment." She looked at Corven Junior. "Sorry kiddo, but your mom is kind of a silly mess."
The poor boy sighed. "It’s okay aunt Sienna, I know exactly what she is. This will not be the last lesson she learns. Mom doesn’t like to admit that she is wrong or listen to kind advice. Sooner or later, she will end up face in the sand and bruised."
"The doctor must be happy to have her around." Aunt Linera muttered.
Ali muttered something through a mouth full of chicken nuggets. Her cheeks had red spots that were all home made tomato sauce. The way she was devouring her food, it was if they had starved her all day.
Eli did not contribute to the conversation, with the exception of making a few frowns whenever he heard Numia’s voice shouting ’highneeeeesss.’ He ate with grace, chewing carefully.
"Okay, with a show of hands, who here thinks that I should invite over more noble families just to see what Numia will do?" Sienna asked.
Corven Junior groaned.
Every hand at the table went up, including his father Christo!
"Pa!!" the boy exclaimed.
Christo shrugged. "The more it happens, the more she learns and the sooner she gives up."
"I have a sixteen year old sister," Mija shouted from the roof. Then she belched, from having eaten a little too much through the day. "My family hates you guys now. Numia is the only one here that is polite to me." She was practically behaving like a servant.
Junior rolled his eyes. "Soren, Kroton and I will be going to school in two weeks. As long as I am not around, mama will stop her matchmaking schemes."
Grandma Byra snorted. "That is what you think. You don’t need to be around physically in order for your mother to set up an engagement for you. Besides, it is not like you will be sleeping at the school. You will be leaving in the morning and returning in the evening."
The conversation turned to the children, the new schools they would be attending and what they needed. Sienna was busy searching for the BeastNet for noble families that were the most difficult to approach.
Elias was pretending not to be keenly staring at Grandpa Corven through the side of his right eye.
Mija was plotting how to make her vacation at Sienna’s hone last longer. There was drama, there was food, great wine and hot men. What more could a woman ask for?