"Share! What are they talking about?" Little asked in a harsh, hushed tone.

"I though eavesdropping was wrong" Derek mocked on a matching tone as he moved away from the door he stood against, looking back in hope of not being heard.

"Oh hush, just listen" Lotte shook her head as she approached the door, soon squinting to listen.

"Some soundproofing on this door" Derek commented.

~

"So I'm, we, we're doomed?" Cuthbert enquired.

"Essentially" Louve shrugged "Though, I wouldn't put it so, morbidly,  it's not like death or anything, with me, you can't die, we just, go on living indefinitely" he continued as he guided his guest towards the door.

"She was a trap this whole time" Cuthbert sighed as his shoulders slumped, he looked up towards Louve, who nodded.

"Yet you had a wonderful ten months together, just what you needed after the passing of your wife, and she was wonderful with your young daughter was she not? What more could you ask for?" Louve offered.

"Someone who wasn't too good to be true?" Cuthbert answered sadly, however his mood soon soured "Hold on!" he remembered something "What happened to my daughter? What's she done to her?!" 

"Nothing?" Louve answered with confusion.

"Her speech! She can barely speak" Cuthbert added.

"Oh that" Louve understood "She's fine, slow and sparse speach but perfect swimming ability  that's a good trade"

"This is no trade, but a curse, remove it, this child is innocent" Cuthbert yelled.

"All she needs to do is gift the fleece onto someone else, then she will be but another honeyfevered misery like you, is that what you want for her, or do you want her to have options?" Louve relayed.

"Well" Cuthbert started as he approached Louve "how would I get this information to her if I'm bound here?"

"Worry not Cuthbert, she knows" Louve assured him as he stroked his shoulder, before giving his shoulder a pat and gesturing towards the door.

Pulling the door open, Lotte and Derek abruptly scuttled backwards and towards the room they had been left in.

"What do we tell them?" Cuthbert asked.

~

"We're very sorry to have taken so long" Louve apologised as he entered the room, arm around an uncomfortable Cuthbert who looked to the ground "turns out, we're family"

"WHAT?" Lottery and... questioned in unison.

Looking between the two stood before him   

"Distant relatives?"

"In-laws" Louve answered as he gave Cuthbert's shoulder a squeeze.

Cuthbert slowly nodded, though failed to avert his gaze from his colleagues feet.

"Cuthbert married my beautiful daughter Isla" Louve added.

Lottie and Derek exchanged glances momentarily.

"You're married?" Lottie enquired with a look of skepticism.

"Kept that quite mate" Derek said through a laugh.

"She died" Cuthbert abruptly offered.

Louve took his arm from Cuthbert and headed out the room with his head dipped.

Though Lottie believed she saw something, odd, a slight smirk?

"I have food, so much food, and fine wine and, tonic water" he claimed with enthusiasm, great composure "Just wait right here"

~

Louve looked around the doorway, looking over the many dull dishes before him, cluttering up the surface tops and floor of a small kitchen area. 

They contained raw ingredients, a single fish, seaweed, a clam and a baton of bread. 

As his stare glazed over, a sparkle glinted within his eyes, soon after, a cloud of sparkling lights spread throughout the small room, illuminating the basic food and nondescript plates within a light so bright they were barely visible.

Louve regained focus abruptly as he moved his head from the door and looked to his side, his sparkling eyes dimming just in time for Lottie's approach.

"I was wondering, if you require assistance?" Lottie asked as she stood close.

"Assistance? Um, no, no" Louve frantically answered as he waved his hands and shook his head "what kind of host would that make me? A fine lady like yourself should be enjoying your guest experience, please, return to the seating room"

Lottie moved around Louve to look to the room he stood before.

"Goodness" Lottie said as she looked on in surprise at the bounty, a spread of fine haute cuisine, caviar, oysters, bisque, green salad, baguettes that filled the room with their fresh scent and large tuna steaks, all served on pale blue fine china ontop of golden trays "Surely you're expecting a clientele" Lottie enquired as she looked towards Louve, then back to the small room, surveying the area "on, this small vessel" she added with intrigue.

"No, I just put something together, for you three" Louce answered.

"When?" Lottie asked.

Louve looked on a little nervous at the food, thinking up an explanation as he bit his lip.

"You know, people, approach this territory frequently, unbeknownst to outsiders, we have a very advanced civilisation, on the island, yet, unlike today, within the mainland countries, we still hold kindness and hospitality close to our hearts"

he slowly relayed, side glancing Lottie, waiting anxiously for her response.

Lottie looked away from Louve and towards the food, her expression softened

"Cook fresh today?" she asked.

~

 Sat on a picnic blanket on the floor, the four conversed.

"You don't look old enough to have a adult daughter" Lottie quizzed.

"Why thank you" Louve responded "I have a few"

"If you don't mind me asking?" Derek started as he looked between Louve and Cuthbert, addressing the two "what happened to her?"

"She literally melted in front of me" Cuthbert answered, gaining confused glances from the two other guests "turned into a puddle of oil" he added.

Hesitantly, Lottie looked over to Louve, upon viewing her doing this, Derek soon followed suit.

Louve only nodded 

"That tends to happen"

~