Arranged Marriage To The Princess Of The Red Scorpions

As they got ready to pull into the car parking lot, Lena noticed a familiar car parked further up in the lot. 

"Well it seems like we weren't the ones who decided to come and pay him a visit." The princess commented as Samuel looked out her window to see what she was referring to. 

"Who does that car belong?" he asked. He wasn't yet familiar with any of the other cars except for the ones Lena used. 

"Uncle Julian." She replied as she undid her seatbelt. 

"You can come in if you wish to Romeo since you're well acquainted with Clive as well." While perhaps not best friends, Clive and Romeo did get along rather well seeing as they were two of the oldest staff members in the house and frequently used their off time to drink together when they didn't need to be on call. 

"Thank you Princess, I would appreciate the opportunity to visit and see the new little one." He replied honestly as he got out of the car to follow after them. With him tagging along, he made sure to follow behind them, but move up front in order to open the door to the hospital for the two of them. 

Lena took the lead once they were inside and Samuel just followed closely behind her since he wasn't certain what direction he should head in. 

"Excuse me, can you tell me what floor Clive and Candice Benson's room is located?" Lena asked as she approached the reception desk. Although she didn't think that it would be too hard to find, she didn't feel like spending the time searching for it when she could get directions. 

"Certainly. One second. Can you tell me what your relation to them is first?" The nurse asked as she began to type on her computer. 

"Extended family." The princess replied. It was not probably the answer the nurse was expecting because she glanced up after hearing this as though she was caught off guard with how different they looked for extended family. 

"I see. Thank you. Well if you take that elevator over there and go to the fourth floor it'll be the fourth room on the left. I believe they already have other visitors so please make sure to knock and not over crowd the room. The wife is still recovering and too much excitement or noise isn't good for her." The nurse warned. Lena gave two small nods of her head as a way to say she understood but didn't bother thanking the woman for her directions. 

Samuel did thank her however and apologized on Lena's behalf briefly before quickly following after the other two so he didn't end up getting left behind. Romeo had held the elevator door for him since he saw that the other was only a few seconds behind them. 

Once they reached the fourth floor, Lena didn't have to guess which room belonged to Clive and his wife as she noticed that Julian was standing outside one of the room down the hall appearing to have stepped out because he needed to take a call. 

Based upon his expression it must've been a rather important call as his face was set in a very serious expression and he was talking in a low but fast tone of voice. He wasn't so distracted however that he didn't see his niece approach with Samuel and Romeo in tow. He nodded his head at her and indicated with his free hand that she was safe to go inside the room. 

Julian wasn't the one that had come to visit Clive and Candice, inside the room Lisa and Zoe were sitting chairs near the bed talking with Candice. They stopped and looked up though when Lena tapped on the door to announce their presence. 

"Lena!" Candice greeted warmly while Clive stood up to show his respect to the princess, she was quick to tell him not be so formal considering the circumstances. 

"You know that you didn't have to come and visit." 

"I know, but I wanted to. It's first child after all and you're dealing with a number of unexpected factors. So of course I am going to come and pay a visit to make sure that everything is okay." Lena replied as she came to stand closer to the bed. Lisa and Zoe were still remaining quiet as they looked at their cousin. 

Lisa fourteen and Zoe was thirteen. At first glance one would believe that they were twins as they shared the same platinum blond hair and doe brown eyes. The only difference was that Zoe's hair was much shorter than her sisters and she was less effusive. She dressed more like a tomboy and preferred to stick to herself and spend time outside while her sister was more social and enjoyed reading to learn more about the world around her along with any skills she could gain in cooking, sewing, embroidery and so forth. Things that her sister had no interest in. 

Samuel hadn't yet spent much time with Lena's other family members and wasn't yet sure what to make of the two even though it seemed like everyone in Lena's family got along fairly well. 

"Well the little one is still in the NICU for now. It'll probably be another two or three weeks before we can take them home." Candice replied. Because of how prematurely the baby had been born and the impact that it had had on her health and energy, Candice hadn't even been able to go and visit her newborn daughter. 

"Have you decided on a name for her yet?" Lena then asked as she shifted further into the corner near the bed so as to not be in the way of where her cousins were sitting. 

"We decided on Eve Anna Benson." Clive replied for his wife with somewhat of a proud look. The middle name came from his mother who had passed in the recent years. He and his wife had both decided that they would use that as part of their daughter's name once they found out his wife was pregnant. 

"It's a beautiful name." She commented as Candice reached out to take her hand. 

"What about you dear, are you getting excited the closer you get to your own engagement?" She asked causing the other to glance over at Samuel who was still standing near the entrance of the door, evidentially feeling out of place since he wasn't quite family the same way everyone else in the room was or near enough to be. 

"You could say that. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done, but we are getting closer to having everything in order for it. Plenty of time for you to have recovered by then to join us as well." The princess replied as she squeezed the older woman's hand gently. Turning her head she looked over at Clive and Romeo 

"Why don't you two step out so that you can talk? I thought that you came here for the chance to see the little one not just stand there looking awkward." Lena used the question as a way to give them permission to step out of the room even though they technically didn't need it, she felt that if she didn't say anything they would just keep standing there even though she was certain that they wanted to talk. Both of them thanked her before they stepped outside of the room. They both could be heard talking in low voices as they walked down the hall. 

"You know you can sit down as well if you want. You're not out of place by being here and I'm sure it'll be more comfortable than standing near the doorway." The little queen told Samuel as she pointed to the empty chair that was on the opposite side of the bed from where Lena and her cousins were. 

"I don't really mind standing. Plus you might decide that you want to sit down as well and I wouldn't want to take the chair away from you." Samuel replied as he didn't shift from his position near the entrance of the door. 

"If I want to sit down, I can just ask them to bring in another hospital chair. Also if I so desire, that's also what your lap can be used for. So sit down." The princess replied as she waved her hand for him to sit in the seat. Her comment made him slightly less compelled to sit down rather than encouraging him especially when Candice laughed at Lena's comment. It was something that was totally normal for couples to do, but somehow with the princess it just felt awkward to be in those type of situations. 

When Lena kept her gaze fixed on him however, he reluctantly took the seat on the opposite side of bed and put his hands on his lap not really certain what to do after he was sitting down. 

"Lena, is that how all fiancés should respond when you tell them what to do?" Zoe, her younger cousin asked looking up at her quizzically as she waited for an answer. Lena's lips twitched at this question. 

"Yes it is. Unless of course it isn't how you want them to be. In almost all cases though you should find yourself a fiancé who'll listen to almost everything you say without protest unless they have a good argument." she explained to her niece glancing over as she spoke to see that Samuel looked even more awkward than before. Perhaps he still had a ways to go before he would exceed her expectations.