Rockabye •Descendants

rockabye •twenty-two

...

A maid entered the room and walks straight to Ariel, she curtsies. "Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Queen Cinderella and Prince Chad are here." She informs. Ariel nods.

"Have them come in." Ariel says. The maid left the room quickly and leaves out the doors, coming in were the said visitors. Cinderella holds her arms out and goes to greet Ariel. Chad followed behind, but approached Serena.

"I'm assuming you got an invite to this dinner." Chad says as he picks up Athena. He sat beside Serena as Athena tugs on his collar.

"Uncle Chad, if you go to the party, can I go with you?" Athena asks. Cinderella turns to the youngest princess and gives her a sweet smile to the darling child.

"Of course, you can go with us, Athena. So will your mommy, your grandparents, and aunties." Cinderella says. Before Ariel was able to speak up, ready to say that her family won't be attending, Cinderella held her hand up to stop her. "You must show strength, Ariel. Your whole family was cut away from Auradon for 3 years. It's time to step back into the light and show them what you're made of." Cinderella turns her head to look at Serena. "All of you."

"Aunt Cindy, you know that I take your words to heart, but this is too much." Serena says. Cinderella smiles. She places her hand under Serena's chin, making sure they looked at each other.

"It's only a dinner, my dear. How bad can it be?" Cinderella says. Serena stares back in silence.

"I can think of a couple ways..." Mutters Ariel with arms crossed. Cinderella looks away from Serena.

"Don't be so negative about this, Ariel. Something positive might just come out of this."

"Cinderella's right, my love." Eric says, laying a gentle hand on the shoulder of his wife.

"We were once all close friends." Cinderella starts. She sits down and take the cup of tea that the maid had brought in. "Perhaps let this dinner be what buries the hatchet between you."

Ariel looks at her friend, but says nothing. She looks at her husband, then to her eldest, then her youngest, finally her grandchild. Athena looks back at her grandmother and smiles big, showing off her teeth.

"I suppose... we shall then." Ariel mutters. She sits down and takes a cup of tea for herself. Before

"But if that horrible girl is there--"

"Do not let her ruin the night." Cinderella replies, sipping at her tea slowly. She places the cup on the plate and looks at Ariel. "Don't be the one to start something. Not you."

"What are you saying, Cinderella?" Eric asks. Cinderella looks at the children, specifically her son, Serena, and Athena, before looking at Ariel. Ariel nods and looks to her granddaughter.

"Athena, wouldn't you like to take a walk along the beach with Max?" Ariel asks, mentioning the life long dog to the young princess. Athena's eyes widen and quickly jumps out of Chad's arms. She grabs a hold of her mother's hand and tugs it to make her stand.

"Let's go, mama. Come on! Let's go," Athena exclaims. She grabs Chad's hand as well and pulls. "You too, Uncle Chad."

"Alright, alright. Jeez, aren't you demanding, just like your mom." Chad jokes, earning him a smack on the arm and a giggle out of Athena. Serena and Chad stand and bid goodbye to the adults, unaware they were leaving them to their plotting. Once gone, Ariel turns to her friend.

"What do you have in mind, Cindy?" Ariel asks. Cinderella smirks.

"Well..."

At the beach, Athena held tightly to the dog leash as Max pulled on it as he walked rather quickly. Athena had to run as she wasn't able to keep up with her short legs. Serena and Chad held back and walked, keeping a close eye on the princess.

"If you really don't want to go to the dinner, you don't have to. We can make plans, just the three of us." Chad says.

"I don't think I have a choice of this. Your mom sees nothing wrong with the idea of going and my mom trusts her opinion. Can't be helped now." Serena replies.  They watched at Max ran to the ocean with Athena following. They splashed in tides that pulled in. The teenagers stopped walking at sat in the sand, watching the princess and her favorite pet playing. Peaceful silence occurred, and the sound of the waves crashing was all that was heard.

"Maybe it won't be such a bad thing." Serena speaks out. She looks at Chad who was already looking back at her. He started at the beautiful green eyes she possessed. "Maybe I can get closure from this and we can mend this feud between our families."

"Is that what you want?" Chad asks. Serena didn't answer immediately.

Is this what she wanted? Ending the hate between the families would be a good thing. That way, Athena would get to know a whole new side of her family. In the end, it doesn't matter what she wants, but what Athena needs.

"Yes." Serena finally replies. "It's what I want." It didn't sound right to say it, but she had to say something. Chad nods slightly.

"Then, as long as your happy and Athena's happy, I am too." Chad says. Serena smiles before laying her head on Chad's shoulder and watching her daughter play.

She mentally called out to the Goddesses of Peace and Luck.

Eirene and Tyche, send my family the support they need to get through this.

SORRY IT'S SHORT.