Madam Danielle led Noelle safely towards the dimly litted living room. It was dim because the curtains hadn't been lifted up yet. As it was still early in the morning, perhaps Noelle must've even probably been the first person Madam Danielle saw today. Since she was woken up from her sleeping state by the sudden knock on the door.
Glancing at the living room.
Again this present living room also appeared to portray some kindredness akin to James' living room too. Noelle could only wonder why they all had the same arranging and decorating taste. It was as though this was an exact replica of James' house but with a more fancy touch.
Since this house possessed some luxurious demeanor that James' house didn't acquire. That way, this made Madam Danielle's house more better looking than James' house in multiple ways.
The duo walked closely towards the couches situated amidst the living room. And when they got there.
"Have a seat my dear," Madam Danielle prompted with a genuine smile, as she watched Noelle sat down. "Wait here. Let me quickly shift the curtains aside to give the house more lights. Then I'll branch to the kitchen. And I'll be right back soon with some refreshments for you."
"Alright," Noelle responded mellowingly. Also showcasing a courteous smile.
She watched as Madam Danielle hastened herself towards the direction of the large and long red curtains which were sweeping the wooden floor. Madam Danielle pulled them aside as she had said earlier, and when she was done she went somewhere else. Probably to the kitchen area, also as she had said earlier.
Resting her hands upon her knees. Noelle clutched her dress as though restless. She anxiously dispersed her eyes around the living room, staring away at how simple and plain it was.
Multiple huge portraits were hung upon the walls. Almost all the portraits in the living room didn't interest her, she found them old and spooky. At least not until her scanning eyes met with a strange portrait.
'Woah…!'
'A portrait of me when I was young,' Noelle cogitated.
She could only wonder how much Madam Danielle loved her to have even been able to keep a portrait of her in her house. Thinking about this spreaded a warm feeling of joy in Noelle's heart. Leading her lips to curve into a delightful smile.
The portraits was consisting of her five year old self. She guessed that Madam Danielle must've took it from the castle back then. Notwithstanding, when Noelle use to come to visit her back in the past, she had never seen that portrait there before.
Noelle could only reason that Madam Danielle had this portrait earlier but hadn't hung it. Perhaps when she heard about some rumors saying that everyone in the royal family was dead, she decided to hung the portrait in remembrance of Noelle.
Noelle's attention was drifted away from the portrait when Madam Danielle came back with a tray of refreshments for her. The tray consisted of some several cookies and orange juice.
Madam Danielle came forward. She placed the tray of refreshments on the table in front of Noelle.
"There, my darling. Have some quickly," she quickened.
Noelle nodded hastily, as a wild glint appeared in her eyes percepting the cookies and a glass of orange juice. Controlling herself, she acted as though she wasn't hungry that much. Therefore courteously, she drank the orange juice and cookies. Making sure to not finish it in one go or eat like a wild beast.
Madam Danielle had already sat down too. She gazed at Noelle, perhaps still surprise about seeing the young lady. What an unexpected thing that happened this morning?! Utterly unexpected!
"Noelle my dear. It has been so long. I still can't believe you actually managed to escape. Where have you been all this years?" With utmost curiosity Madam Danielle questioned.
"…Uhhh…" Noelle hesitated. As it is she wasn't really good at coming up with lies. It wasn't her specialty. But of course, either ways she had to produce one as she couldn't tell Madam Danielle about her true identity of being a mermaid yet.
Not that she didn't find her trustworthy enough. Despite, she still didn't want to mention it to anyone. Not wanting to endure the risk of someone overhearing it. That would probably endanger her life in the most deadliest way.
It would even be fine with her, if someone else learn about her identity of being the former princess of Sunria rather than them learning that she was a mermaid. That can't happen! Not a chance!
"What can I say Madam Danielle. It has been quite difficult for me. I had to live in some shabby place very far away from the kingdom. I had even never imagined ever stepping my feets back into anywhere near Tyraneus ever again. In spite of that here I am now today, back in Tyraneus."
"Luckily some people were kind enough to have took me in and taken care of me. Although not properly, but at least enough for me to have been able to survive back then," Noelle narrated her well constructed lies. Surprisingly her unplanned lies now appeared plausible. It even surprised her too.
"You poor child. I'm sorry you had to go through a lot on your own at such a young age. It must've been such a huge burden to carry alone for a nine years old girl like you back then," Madam Danielle's eyes plainly clouded with pity for Noelle.
"Noelle why didn't you come to me back then? You should have come to me. I would've been happy to help you. You wouldn't have had to suffer alone. Although I know that the war had affected me too. But still I would've been able to protect you."
Noelle's facials currently now appeared sad. Although she had lied about her true destination, still the part that she had suffered a lot wasn't a lie. She exhaled languidly.
"Everything happened too fast that I couldn't think clearly. I was still young back then, that all that was going on had frightened me to the core. I could barely even think straight, I didn't even know where I was at the time," Noelle explained. "Anyways… Madam Danielle. That's all in the past now. Let's not talk about it anymore. Although my families and relatives had all died, but since you're here with me. It made all my sufferings worthwhile. Now I have nothing to worry about."
Agreeing with Noelle, "That's right my dear. I'll always be there for you I promise. Now you needn't worry about anything. You can stay with me from now on, and start all over again. It's never too late to become happy again."
"Thank you Madam Danielle. I would love to stay with you," Noelle affirmed excitedly. Happy that she didn't even have to ask.
"You're welcome my dear," Madam Danielle replied. Also happy that the girl whom she use to consider as her own child had now decided to remain with her and keep her company in this boring house.
"By the way Noelle. Your eyes…" Madam Danielle fixated a thorough gaze upon Noelle's mesmerizing eyeballs. "What happened to them? The color of your eyes has changed from the former brown colors it normally use to possess since the day of your birth, and into an emerald colored one. How did that happen? Did something happen to it while you were out on your own?"
Noelle hastily averted her gaze away from Madam Danielle. Who might eventually began to develop some suspicions about her real identity.
"Um… no. Not at all. Nothing peculiar happened to my eyes. It simply just changed colors overnight, that's all," she said curtly. Trying to eradicate the tension that was already forming up in head.
"Oh… is that so?" Madam Danielle asked, and almost instantaneously, Noelle nodded trivially in assurance. "By the way don't mind me. I was just curious. I think those eyes of yours really suits you perfectly," Madam Danielle complimented.
Noelle smiled nervously, "Thank you. You flatter me."
Noelle gulped her spits. Apprehensively chomping down some more cookies.
'I should probably do something about this emerald mermaid eyes of mine soon. They might end up drawing some unwanted attention towards me in the future. They're too obvious. I wonder what I could do about them,' Noelle pondered.
Although still listening to what Madam Danielle had to say. As Madam Danielle seemed to be quite enthusiastic about talking to her.
"Noelle you didn't even ask me about your best friend yet. My son had really missed you a lot back then. You were like his little sister, so not seeing you had traumatized him a bit. He would often ask of you from me back then. And I would always managed to switch the topic to something else, as I didn't know what to tell him," Madam Danielle said. "I'm sure he would be really gladden to see you Noelle."
"You mean Westley," Noelle smiled. "I knew he would've missed me the most. I also miss him too. I had other friends back then, however he was my only best friend. I use to playfully bully him a lot when we were little. And because I was a princess, he would often always have no other choice but to obey me even though he was older than me."
"Oh how I missed those days so much," Noelle added.
Noelle was more than happy to reminisce back to those days and talk about it with someone she knew. What better feeling could literally beat this one?
"Where is he at present Madam Danielle?" Noelle asked, "Is he out of town? Or does he not live with you anymore?"
"No, of course not. Nothing of that sort happen. My son still lives here with me. He just went out for some business some few days ago. According to what he told me, he said he would definitely be back by today," Madam Danielle elaborated. "So I think by evening he would be back."
"Alright. I can't wait to meet him," Noelle cheerfully said like an excited bride who couldn't wait to see her groom.
The dynamic duo chatted and enjoyed each other's company, giggling and laughing every now and then like a circus. It continued for a very long time until it was afternoon.