A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1****
"JACKPOT! WOOOH!"
Prince Maxigaufeas raised his hands in the air and threw punches as he watch the tickets come out from the machine. Princess Eowyne clapped her hands for him with a slight expression on her face.
She can't understand how they're having fun in the middle of the situation they are in. It's strange; or maybe that's just how Earthlings handle things are. They are taking the events seriously but too much have happened and maybe playing in the arcade helps them breathe at least a little.
Until their dilemma has come, standing on Watts Xirquit's head with her hands on her sides. Elektra covered Matthew's mouth when she saw him open it to say something. Everyone's looking at her and she's looking down on everyone.
"Princess, don't forget about our deal," Watts anxiously reminded her while looking up. He's keeping his balance so she won't fall down.
Azarese hissed and jumped off his head and landed on the table---but it broke so her bare feet are now on the ground.
"Meh. I won't waste my time on stupid people."
Then she stole the bag of game coins from Emperor Claxiord and flounced to where the claw machines are lined up.
"You can play but don't go near her. Be silent, too," Watts whispered to them with a smile. He's asking for their consideration and they understood the assignment. They wouldn't want to go near her, too. They wouldn't even dream about it.
"Stupid claw machine! Fuck you!"
Azarese angrily punched the glass of the first claw machine and went to the next to try her luck.
"Ah, Princess! Don't hurt yourself!"
Ohms scoffed, "Anger issues."
Ohms placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up so she would see the positions of the stuff toys inside it.
She smirked now that she could see them.
Led lights played a show and playful music when she got one.
"Capybara! Capybara!" Golden Azarese exclaimed happily in her domain.
"I want to play, too! Bad Azarese, I want to play!"
Good Azarese or Moon, pet Golden Azarese's head while smiling.
Azarese heard her and stopped. Guilt hit her.
How dare she have fun without them? It's unfair. It's selfish.
But she wanted to play, too.
"Sure... It's not like these things are fun. It's very stupid. Have fun for me then."
Golden Azarese shone brighter, "Yes! Thank you very much, Bad Azarese! I love you so much!"
Azarese closed her eyes to let Golden Azarese take over. She clapped her hands and waited for her capybara stuff toy to get handed to her then squealed and hugged the capybara stuff toy tight.
Who's gonna know?
Wattroid arrived with a trolley of food and served it in the table. Therefore, their guests settled down to eat the snacks he prepared. They will play again later. For now, it's best to let Azarese play alone. She might throw a fit once she sees them playing, too.
"Do you like capybaras, Princess?" Watts smiled.
Golden Azarese nodded with stars in her eyes, "Hmm! They're very cute! Sea otters too, because they sleep while holding hands!"
Watts carried her properly in his arms and went to the next claw machine, "Me too. I like sea otters. My favorite animal is a rabbit. My Daddy gave me one as a pet when I was six. It got sick and died. I remembered crying days and nights for it. Kuya Ohms gave me a stuff toy that looks like it and I still have it until now."
"Me too, me too!" she turned to him and giggled while covering her mouth, "Daddy Liorei gave me a pet doggy as a present when I turned four! It's very cute and looked like me because it's a golden retriever!"
He was taken aback. He didn't expected her to mention the King's name so casually and happily. Therefore, it would only mean one thing.
The Princess is not being Azarese.
She's somebody else.
"Please put me down, My Lord. I want to ride the carousel!"
And the sudden respects and politeness? They noticed it, too.
So, he put her down and watch her skip to the carousel with only three adult horses.
"Please help me get on, Auntie! Help me!"
She smiled at Chancellor Titania since she's the nearest to her. The Chancellor even pointed herself and looked around her to make sure that the Princess was talking to her.
"Yes, Auntie Avelin, quick!"
Yep. She's really talking about her.
Chancellor Titania put her on the horse and inserted coins to make it work. When it began to turn, she was surprised to see Matthew on the second horse.
"Yipee!"
Elektra looked at her side to find it empty.
"Sneaky brat---!" Bartholomew hold her hand and smiled, telling her to shake it off and to let their son have fun.
"Who are you!?" Golden Azarese asked while looking back.
"My name is Matthew! Who are you!?"
Golden Azarese grinned, "I'm Golden Azarese! Nice to meet you!"
'Golden...Azarese?' They thought to themselves.
The two became best friends right after. They played more games and they could see how much they get along. The ambiance is so light and bright because of their brilliant auras. Two sunshines hanging out together and they are but sunflowers.
"I'm thirsty," Golden Azarese said as she walk to the table, holding Matthew's hand. The boy is panting, smiling from ear to ear.
Elektra stand up with a towel and went to her son.
"Tsk. You played too much. Let's get you changed. Your shirt is wet from sweat," she said while wiping him. Matthew then let Golden Azarese's hand go and she's watching them with a smile.
"You're a great mom," she told Elektra, making her stop.
Matthew nodded and quipped, "She is! I love Mommy!" He squeezed her in a hug and spin her around.
Elektra's heart melted, "Thank you, baby. I love you too."
Watts was about to give Golden Azarese a drink when his mother stopped him by holding his hands that were wrapped around the glass. She gave him a smile and took it from him.
"Here. A drink. Cool down," she smiled to Golden Azarese.
"Oh, thank you, Auntie."
Golden Azarese smell the drink first before drinking it. It's orange juice.
Franchetti Xerene stared at her for a moment.
"I like the cute mug over there. Can I have it? I have tickets." She showed her bag of tickets to the adult in front of her and pointed the cat mug with cat ears lid.
Franchetti Xerene looked at what she's pointing at and nodded, "Of course. Of course, you can have it. Come, let's exchange your tickets."
She stand up and offered her hand to her.
Their hearts skipped a beat, anxiously waiting it the child will take it or not. It softened when she wrapped her little hand around Franchetti Xerene's.
"This is so cute!" She giggled and carefully placed her mug on the table.
She sat down on the floor, adoring her big mug.
"D-Do you want anything, Princess?" Watts asked. Golden Azarese folded her arms on the table and rest her head over it.
"I always take a picture of nice things. Daddy Liorei will print them out. Then, he will help me put it in my scrapbook," she smiled a little.
"Master, I believe you have produced a camera already," Wattroid.
Her face light up, "Really!? It works outside the Tower?"
Wattroid nodded, "Yes, Princess. My Master here made it work so."
Watts smiled humbly, sitting between his eldest brother and father.
"Wow! You're truly a genius!" She clapped. The man's ears turned red. He was too shy to say something.
When she got her hands on the polaroid camera, her eyes twinkled.
"I know that! I will teach you!" Matthew said now that he got his changed clothes with a towel in his shirt on his back. His face is white because of the powder and he smell nice like a baby.
"You do? Okay!"
Matthew sat beside her and taught her how to use the polaroid. Wattroid, even though he was not asked to, brought a complete set of art materials for the Princess.
"Scrapbook? Hmm, I don't have one, but I have photo albums! We have! I will show you my photo albums and you will show me your scrapbook. Is that okay?"
Golden Azarese, giddy, nodded, "That's a great idea! Do you have baby pictures?"
"LOTS!"
Matthew crawled to his mother, asking for his photo albums. At first, Elektra's was hesitating, but she couldn't betray her son. He's very happy and he finally found a playmate. So, she gave him his photo albums and he went back beside Golden Azarese.
"Tada! This is when I was a baby! Look, my Daddy fainted when I was born!"
As they look through the memories, all the adults could hear were their precious chuckles and laughters. Matthew even went to the point of bragging about his moments kept in videos and photographs, and asked his mom if they could watch it. Since they already have the technology to see them even if they're outside the Tower, she hand it out. Her only worry is that the other child might feel envious about his privileged childhood. She never had the same luxury as him. Then and now.
"Look, look! Look what will happen next!" Matthew pointed his Uncle Spike in the big screen in front of them. His Uncle slipped and the cake he was holding fell on his face.
Spike Xirquit covered his face. The others found it funny, too.
"Do you have funny moments like that, Princess? Pfft! Uncle Spike is so clumsy! He have the most epic fails recorded!"
Golden Azarese nodded, "Yes! Daddy Liorei used to record me every second when I was younger, too! Do you want to see?"
It felt like Skadi Eira passed by and froze them in spite when they heard her, but fate lies on what Matthew will say.
"Will it be alright?" His expression softened. For the very first time, he seemed not like himself.
Golden Azarese smiled and nodded, "Yes. It will be alright."
And they trusted her.
Hands opened a portal and pulled a royal red chest out of her vault. The top was made of glass with two drawers below it, that's why they could see the memory cards inside on the top drawer. It has specific range of dates engraved below each, lying stop a cushion and surrounded by flowers that could live forevermore.
"Wow~ You have lots of fancy things!"
Matthew touched the glass of her storage chest with so much care so to not damage it. The he opened the other two drawers to see what's inside and there were more memory cards inside. He noticed that the uniformity of colors of each drawer is different: the first one were all yellow; the second was red; and the last and third was black.
"Can I pick what to watch?" Matthew asked politely. He's so excited to see her happy moments with the King!
Golden Azarese gave him a smile, but there was a pause. In the end, she allowed him. 'He will pick the yellow ones,' she thought, until the adults noticed how her smile slightly faded when he picked the last red one.
"This! It's my birth date, so I choose this!"
Then, he stretched out his hand to Wattroid to play it on the television. Her eyes caught Watts staring at her.
He's worried, so she assured him with a smile.
Wattroid walked back to his place behind his master. He gave him the remote control, and both their hands were cold and trembling.
What will they see? What kind of memory will they see? They're afraid. It already saddens their hearts. The more they know about her, the grave their guilt becomes. The adults failed a child.
But Watts braved the currents of his emotions and pressed the play button.
Now they're seeing the true appearance of the Third Lady of Heart.