The Crown Girl

8

"Hey Thea, Amias spoke with nervousness clearly visible in his voice, not that Antheia noticed but he was still embarrassed. "You remember that I told you about my brothers? So, you've met Augustus but there's more of them, and they'd like to meet you."

Antheia stared. She thought she had only three brothers, August, Amias and Theo's father. But she's already met Augustus and Amias and now he just said bothers, as in more than one. How many of them are there?

"It's okay if you don't want to meet them. We don't want you to be uncomfortable, it's just that they've been whining for a while now and it's getting a little hard to control them. So," Amias trailed off. "Will you meet them? Please?"

Antheia thought for a while before nodding. She'd rather know who she's going to live with rather than be in the dark.

"Great. I'll go get them." Just as Amias said these words the door opened and three men in came.

They were eves dropping, Antheia thought.

"Hey babe, I'm Arlo," the youngest of the bunch squealed. "You're so pretty and cute. Can I squish your cheeks? Pretty please."

"Shut up," Amedeo spoke in his usual nonchalant voice. "I'm Amedeo. Pleased to meet you, darling."

Antheia nodded before moving her eyes to the man standing behind Amedeo and the overexcited boy. Suddenly she felt her cheeks heat up and she regretted not making herself a little more presentable.

"Aww look she's blushing," the youngest boy squealed again. "You think I'm pretty don't you?"

"Hello love. I'm Anthony and the little boy you met, Theo, he's my son," the beautiful specimen spoke making her even more flustered.

"Oh gosh it's Anthony. She's blushing because of him. What's he got that I don't? I'm better looking," Arlo shrieked.

Amias scoffed. "The world doesn't revolve around you."

"Yes it does!"

"You people are so fucking annoying." Amedeo rolled his eyes.

"Hey don't use such crude words in her presence," Anthony yelled in irritation.

"Alright, you've met her now leave," Amias shooed them and Antheia found herself quite disappointed that the pretty man was leaving too. But none of them moved. Instead they placed themselves on the bed surrounding her.

"So you think Anthony's good looking, huh?" Arlo asked, annoyed. "Well, babe let me tell you something. He's a loser. Okay? He doesn't even get laid. That one time he did get laid he had to ask me how to do it. So my point is-"

"Not another word Arlo," Amias growled.

"You went to him for sex advice," Amedeo asked Anthony pointing at their youngest brother with disgust prominent on his face. "You could've come to me, I'd have helped."

Anthony rolled his eyes. "Why do you even believe him? And Arlo, we've discussed this before. No cure language or gestures or August might kill you."

Antheia's eyes widened in fear. She didn't want Arlo to die.

"Not literally kill him, dear," Anthony asserted.

Antheia relaxed a bit hearing that. This beautiful man wouldn't lie, would he?

"So Thee, what's it been like? Living in Amias' room? We weren't even allowed to enter in this forbidden territory until today," Arlo questioned.

Antheia didn't want to talk so she kept quiet. Seeing her unresponsive to his question, Alro continued the conversation himself while the others put in their thoughts from time to time.

†††

"Auntie Thea, I'm back," Theo yelled in joy placing his bag next to the front door and tried to run upstairs when a maid stopped him.

"Sir, your father has asked me to make sure you've been bathed and fed before you go to meet her," the maid pleaded.

Theodore frowned. "No I'm going to meet her now." With that said he walked upstairs with the maid trailing behind him and asking him to follow his father's orders. Theo threw open the door to Amias'room and before the maid could protest he closed it in her face.

"Ah ha," he exclaimed. "I knew it. You want to keep me away from her," he accused his father and uncles and ran to his precious aunt. "Did they bother you too much," he asked caressing her face and placing kisses all over her face.

Antheia gave a small smile in reply but didn't speak which made Theo frown. "You should leave. I want to talk to her."

Arlo scoffed. "And who the fu- ahem- who do you think you are to order us around."

"Arlo," Anthony warned. "Theo, I thought I told you to shower and eat before coming here."

Theo stuck his tongue out at his father. "I'm going to shower and eat and sleep and do everything with auntie Thea from now on."

Anthony balked hearing his son. "I don't think your aunt's comfortable with that."

"Why do you get to decide that? Ask her," Theo said tilting his head.

"Thea, what do you say?"

Antheia didn't reply but held the child closer to her chest in fear. What if the punished this precious child in the shower? She couldn't have that.

"See, she doesn't have a problem."

Anthony sighed. "Okay I'll prepare the bath for you guys. And Thea, I'll get you something to wear in the bath and something for after the bath I guess."

"Add bubbles and duckies!"

Anthony rolled his eyes. "Of course your highness."