Violet Eyes

Drafin knocks on my bedroom door early the next door. I groan when he walks in and turns the light on. I hear him set a mug on the bedside stand and sit up.
"I brought you something to help wake you up." He says and sits in the edge of my bed. I grab the mug and take a long sip of my favorite breakfast tea.
"It is a very important day for us as a family."
"I'm a bit nervous.” I admit between sips. I have always been closer to my father than my mother, so him not being there made it this much worse for me.
Aerdon peaks open my bedroom door. “Is she up?"
“Unfortunately.” I groan and finish my tea.
"Come on." My mother says. "We need to be leaving now. Get dressed and come downstairs.” Her and Drafin leave my room and I resist the urge to get back under the covers.
I throw on a pair of jeans and a black long sleeve shirt. I was sure what I wore now wouldn't matter too much as they would do me up as they please when we arrived. I slip on my converse and tie my hair into a loose bun atop my head.
Aerdon and Drafin were waiting, ready by the door.
"Here, put on your jacket. Pelkelu is quite chilly in the morning." Drafin hands me my pea coat and I quickly slip it on. We begin our trek through the woods behind our house. It's a twenty minute walk before we're back at the large cave. My father bids us goodbye before we disappear into the cave.
We are greeted by Thalia who was standing in front of a large horse drawn carriage.
"Welcome, please come in." She says, her breathe was visible in the cold and I realize it is much colder than it is back home. She steps into the carriage with us close in tow.
The carriage ride consists only of my mother and aunt speaking about their lives over the past thirty years. That sounds like a long time to me, but when you live to be as old as 500 that must not feel like long at all.
The carriage comes to a halt. A small man opens the carriage door and offers his hand to Thalia as she steps out. I follow after, refusing to use the strange man’s hand, instead hopping to the ground.
My aunt takes my hand. "You will be taken to your room, where a lady-in-waiting will assist you in getting ready for this evenings event." She says with a charming smile. "A servant will show you to your room." She says to Aerdon.
I take this chance to look at the house. Unlike the shops and marketplace, this place was extravagant. It was not a house, but a castle. I wasn't sure how I had not noticed its grandness before, but now that I am truly looking, I can't stop. Its stone walls were covered in ivy that reached the roof.
"Come now Zaryth, there is much to be done." Thalia calls from the doorway. I hadn't realized they were no longer talking and the carriage had left.
I walk through the tall doorway and the castle is as marvelous inside as it is out. The entry is filled with live plants, statues and paintings. I want to study the walls but I quickly being rushed upstairs to get ready.
A servant opens the French doors to what must be my room. It does not disappoint. The room is very Victorian style. The bed has a canopy with beautiful drapes. The armoire is a dark wood and beautiful Victorian-era paintings hang from the walls. The room could hold much more than the bed, armoire, and vanity it contains.
A small girl enters the room, avoiding eye contact. She approaches me and bows, it makes me uncomfortable.
"My name is Dahli. I will be helping you get ready for Lim Noth this evening." She says.
"Oh, okay." I reply. I study the girl, she looks very young, but I have learned looks can be very deceiving here. Her red hair is braided in an up do. Her clothes are patched and she is barefoot.
"I will fetch your gown." She says and scurries off. I take this time to sit down at the vanity. I pick up what looks like a silver handled brush and begin brushing the tangles out of my hair.
"Please, let me!" Dahli says. She lays the gown on the bed and rushes to my side.
"Okay, I guess." I say uneasy and hand her the brush. I face the mirror and she begins brushing my hair.
"Madame Thalia has given me instructions on how to style you. She asks that you please comply?" Dahli almost asks me.
"Of course." I reply.

"Oh you look beautiful, Zaryth." Thalia says from the doorway. "Here, take a look." She says and pulls me in front of the mirror.
It is the first time I've gotten to see myself all day a I almost didn't recognize my own reflection. The gown Marqueda had made was beyond what I expected. It was a white, column style dress with long sleeves. The neckline was very low cut, and I questioned it at first, but now that it was on, it actually gave me nice cleavage. Dahli styled my hair in a large loose braid and left my face natural. I was happy when I was given a choice of shoe to wear. I chose a simple sandal, avoiding heels at all cost.
"Come dear, your mother, grandmother, and I have picked out a piece of jewelry of our own for you to wear to the ceremony tonight.” I follow her to what I assume to be her room. On the vanity rested 3 beautiful pieces of jewelry. "From me, a very special diamond necklace." She says and walks to me holding the piece. I lift my hair and she clasps it around my neck. It was heavy; a choker style piece that hung loosely from my small neck. I studied the necklace in the mirror and touched the diamonds with my fingertips. Hundreds of diamonds decorated the chain of the necklace, and large festoon hung low on my chest and gave a beautiful center piece to the part of my skin that lacked dress. The festoon was made up of a large diamond circled by smaller diamonds. This piece must be worth thousands and I was shocked my aunt would have picked it for a clumsy 16 year old to wear.
"These are from your grandmother," she says and picks up a pair of earrings. They were droplet style, and again made of diamond. I put them in my ears untrusting that she would fine the small holes without trouble.
"And from your mother..." Thalia hands me a ring. Aerdon wore this ring every day for as long as I could remember. The center stone was a large opal, with diamond accent stones that wrapped all the way around the band. The ring was too big for my ring or index fingers, so I wore it on my left middle finger.
"You are such a sight." Thalia says and I swear I see her wipe a tear from her cheek. "Come," she says and turns toward the door. "Darril is going to do your portrait then the ceremony will begin."
I hope when she says portrait she means photograph. When we meet Darril I find I am wrong. I wonder how long I would have to sit to be painted.
"Darril is the finest artist in all the plains." Thalia says and the dark haired man does a silly bow.
"Please, have a seat here." He says and nudge some to the large chair in the center of the room. I sit and he adjusts me as he pleases: feet cross and knees slightly to the right, back straight, chin up, hands holding softly in my lap.
"Beautiful." He says, and I get a chance to study him. He had stringy brown hair that rested in front of his eyes.

"Oh there you are!" My mother approaches me. I thought I was successfully hidden in the garden from the chaos of planning but I was wrong. "The guests are beginning to arrive. Thalia is expecting you inside."
"I'm nervous." I admit. I had never been one to do well in crowds, especially large crowds. I've never had a ceremony in my honor, in front of my royal family whom part of I haven't even met yet.
"I know honey. Let's go get you a cup of hot tea to calm your nerves." I nod and follow Aerdon to the back door leading to the kitchen. My mother had only just out the kettle on the stove when Thalia enters, her heels clicking on the stone floor.
"There you are!" She says and crosses her arms. "We've been looking everywhere for you. We're ready to begin."
"Just one cup of tea before the ceremony," Aerdon says. "To calm her nerves."
"I'll take one as well." Thalia says shocking both my mother and I. "What? I need a break too." She says after we had both stared at her for a moment. We sit in quiet until the kettle whistles. My mother places 3 tea cups on the counter. She crushes a mixture of leaves into the cups and pours hot water over them. I take the cup in my hand and blow on the liquid to attempt a faster cooling.
"The honoring will be relatively short. You won't need to do much and will be given full direction. It is however, very important for you to mingle with the guests. Being as you have lived in the mortal world your entire life, they will want to hear about that." Thalia says and finishes her tea. I hadn't even taken a sip, still waiting for it to cool.
"It is time for introductions. Please be in the common room in five." She says and leaves the room, Aerdon close behind. I sip on my tea, trying to take as much in as possible before the five minutes passes.
“Do I mention the magic?” I whisper to my mother who immediately shakes her head no.
I can do this. I tell myself and let the warmth of the tea fill my body with comfort. I walk into the common room and find it empty besides a handsomely dressed man.
"This way Zaryth," He says and offers his arm to me. I link my arm in his and let him lead me out the front door.
The sight before me is one to remember. A white tent provided shelter from what looked to be about 30 round tables. Everyone was dressed in white and silver attire. To the right of the tent sat my family at a long table that faced the rest of the tables. I now notice all of them share the same white hair and green eyes. There were many I did not recognize seated at this table, but I had a feeling I would be introduced later. In the back left corner of the tent stood men with musical instruments. They were not yet playing.
An older looking man seated at the very middle of the table stands. "Please rise for the entrance of my granddaughter, Princess Zaryth." He says.
Princess!? Everyone stands and faces me, many smiling, a few even shed tears. The servant who had been escorting me lets go of my arm and I'm standing alone facing hundreds of strangers.
My grandfather approaches me. "Please take my hand in the first dance of Lim Noth." He says offers his hand. He looked way too young to be a grandfather, but I learned quickly how slowly elves aged. His long white hair was worn in a half braid. He wore a modest silver crown. I take his hand and he leads me in front of my families table. He bows first, then I do. He leads me through the steps of the Lim Noth dance. I had never been taught the dance but my body somehow knew what to do.
The dance finishes and we both bow. “Please have a seat,” my grandfather says and gestures to the empty seat next to his and Aerdon’s. I take the seat and my mother places her hand on my shoulder and gives me a warm smile.
“Please enjoy this meal in honor of our dear Princess Zaryth.” He says and nicely dressed men deliver food to all of the tables. Henwood takes his seat next to me and I immediately feel nervous; and with the nervousness comes the tingling of magic. I don’t know how I’m going to eat any of the food on the table in front of me.
Henwood looks at me looking nauseously at the food and a smirk creeps on his face. “Are you not hungry?” He asks.
“Oh, leave her alone.” Thalia pipes in from the other side of Jaslien. “Zaryth, only eat what looks appetizing to you.” She says with a warm smile.
“I am only teasing.” Henwood says and fixes himself up a plate of food.
I look around the table for food I recognize, which ends up being mostly vegetables. I take a slice of what looks like turkey, but leave it untouched on my plate.
“We have big plans for you.” Henwood starts. “As a child of both royal families, it is very important to us to come with terms on where you will rule when time comes. Have you put thought into what you would do as Queen?” He asks. I notice Thalia shift in her seat; I assume she was ready to take throne when the time came.
“I haven’t given much thought on it yet.” I admit. “This is all still very new to me. I’m not sure I even want to be Queen.” At this, Henwood laughs, quite loudly I might add.
After he calms down and looks at me, his expression changes. “Oh, you were serious?” I wait unprepared for what his response might be. “You don’t get much choice.” He says. “Whether you’re prepared or not, big changes are coming. You have much to learn about the ways of both worlds, and there aren’t too many years left before it is time for us to pass the throne on.” I turn my attention back to my food and push the slab of meat around my plate.
Noticing my concern Henwood smiles, “We will talk about this another time. Tonight, we enjoy ourselves.” He says with a genuine smile. Guess it’s good to know I have a little bit of time to decide what I am going to do.