Welcome to my World
Chapter One
Outside Hazurite Palace, 11:00 am
Morgana Murex Eclogite sat on palace Hazurite’s Front steps with her head between her knees crying softly. Lilyan sat beside her daughter looking bewildered and quite dismayed.
"Darling please," she begged "please don’t cry, it isn’t that bad" Morgana ignored her mother choosing instead to weep harder.
"Oh sweetie, PLEASE! I didn’t just do this for fun you know. It’s as hard for me as it is
you . . . " still Lilyan got no reply.
"MORGANA PLEASE! You’re only making it harder" Lilyan cried exasperatedly "MORGANA STOP!!" Lilyan shouted.
Morgana looked up surprised. Her eyes were red and her face blotchy from crying. Lilyan rarely yelled. At least at her.
Lilyan took this advantage and forced her daughter to look at her.
"Morgana," the Queen said fighting to control her emotions. "This is what is best, and I am not to hear another word of complaint from you. Your Grandparents have a lovely house and both of my parents are very kind as is your aunt Rose. So I do not want to hear another word. Understood?" Lilyan’s green eyes were fierce. "I said do you understand Morgana." It wasn’t a question. Morgana pulled out of her mother’s grip, stood up and grabbed her bag.
"Oh, I understand alright." She paused for a moment before saying "control freak" Lilyan stood up as well her eyes deadly "Morgana" she began, growling
But Morgana hadn’t finished. Her voice was cool as she said, "Oh and honestly Lily who is it really best for? Me or YOU" She turned and began to walk towards the awaiting carriage. Lilyan turned white, suddenly feeling quite weak. "Morgana" she began stretching out her hand
Her daughter turned, walking backwards for a moment. "Goodbye" Morgana looked her mother straight in the eye. "Your majesty" she added. Then Morgana turned around again and jumped into the carriage. Lilyan clutched at her heart, biting her lip as she watched the carriage disappear from sight. Then still looking quite pained, Lilyan glanced back one last time before walking back into the castle. And even so as she crossed through the entry way she couldn’t help murmuring to herself "oh I do hope I’ve done the right thing."
Hazurite Palace 11:30 am
James passed his wife a steaming cup of tea which she accepted with a grateful, if weary and pained, smile.
"How did it go?" Charles asked curling up next to his mother on the couch "you look tired."
"I disagree" James said sitting on Lilyan’s other side "she looks like she in pain."
"She is." Charles said "though I’m not sure why."
Lilyan took a sip of her tea and set it on the table before leaning against James and answering. "I have a child who does a wonderful job at breaking her Mother’s heart that’s why" she said it in a dry manner but Charles could see the tears glittering in his mother’s eyes. He bit his lip. James also sensed that something was wrong for he pulled his wife into his lap and forced her to look at him.
"James, no!" Lilyan cried
By then Charles’s father had seen Lilyan’s tears.
Their eyes met. "You’re crying." James said softly "why"
At that Lilyan really did begin to cry.
James bent and kissed his wife.
"What happened?" he asked, picking her up and placing her lying down on the couch.
Lilyan simply shook her head, jerking it slightly at Charles.
James understood. "Out" he told Charles sternly.
Somewhere in Hazurite, 12:00 pm
Dust flew into Morgana’s nose making her sneeze. The cobblestone was rough and she felt every bit of it. They had been driving for about a hour now, she guessed, with about 25 more to go. Possibly and probably more. Morgana sighed heavily bored out of her mind. She glanced out the carriage window. Landscape. Dull. Sigh. Perhaps if Morgana had seen less of places the landscape would have interested her. As it was it didn’t. Morgana sighed again and dug a book out of her bag and began to read.
Hazurite Palace, 12:15 pm
"Did I do right?" Lilyan asked looking up at James for approval.
"As right as possible." James replied "There isn’t much you could have done in a situation like that. The child walked off on you after all."
Lilyan couldn’t smiling slightly at this comment "No, Darling" Lilyan said, her smile faded "I meant sending her away."
"Oh," her husband replied "that."
"Yes, that. Did I?"
James considered this then said, "Yes dear, I think we did the right thing."
Lilyan looked down. "I just didn’t know what else to do. I was afraid if I kept her she’d run away again and - and - and" Lilyan found she couldn’t complete her sentence.
"And not come back again?" James asked finishing it for her.
Lilyan nodded, her eyes filling. "She only came back last time because she had no choice."
"Oh Lilyan!" James exclaimed "we don’t know that! For all we know she was coming home and fainted! And Lilyan please don’t start crying again! You just stopped!"
Lilyan wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat up straighter, placing her hands on her hips.
"Perhaps you don’t know that but I saw with my own eyes very clearly a dragon carry our daughter, unconscious, and set her down outside! And for your information James I have no intention of crying again. So there."
Rather in spite of himself James couldn’t help grinning. This was the Lilyan he knew quite well. Still truth was truth. "Lilyan" James said "There are no such things as Dragons."
Morgana's Carriage, 1:30 pm
Morgana soon tired of reading, and rummaged through her bag until she found her diary. Her last conflict with Lilyan was still quite fresh on her mind and though she had tried to forget it, she hadn’t been able to. She needed to try and analyze it. Opening the well worn diary to a fresh page she clicked her pen open and wrote.
Q: Why am I so mad? The answer came quickly.
A: I feel like mother isn’t giving me the freedom and respect I need. I’m not a child any more! I want to do thing and I want to do them without her looking over my shoulder!!!!!!!!!
Q: Why is mother sending me away? Have I changed? Is she tired of me?
A: I don’t know. I am changing; any idiot can see that. Mother can too I think.
Q: Is that why she’s sending me away? Because she can’t handle me?
A: I don’t know
Q: Why did she yell earlier? I was just crying.
A: Still don’t know. Feel like an idiot. Charles would know.
Q: WHY IS LITTLE BROTHER SMARTER?!!
A: Still don’t know. Sigh.
Q: Would I rather live with friends family(s) or have different mother?
A: No. Sarataya doesn’t pay any attention. Enrina’s too temperamental, I’d be afraid for my life. Also too many kids!!!!! Lady Clementine. NOOOOO! She’s worse than mother!!!!!!
Q: Is it really that bad that I’m going to Grandma’s?
A: Actually no, not really
A forest in Quineolynne, 4:30 pm
Thwack! An arrow flew though the air hitting the cardboard target 50 feet away. Isabelle Abbott smiled in satisfaction. Her smile faded however, when she realized that her arrow had landed on a yellow ring instead of the hoped bullseye. "Whipcracker" Isabelle muttered irritably. She reached over her shoulder and grabbed another arrow from her quiver and notched it to the bow string. She’d try again. Isabelle drew the string back to her cheek, aimed and let the arrow go. It flew through the air and hit the center of the target with a loud smack.
"Well done," said a voice from behind her. "Your aim has gotten better." Isabelle whirled. Quick as a flash she put an arrow to her bow.
"Who’s there?"
"Your timing too." a middle aged woman stepped out from behind a tree on Isabelle’s right. She had light brown hair that framed her face and pretty blue eyes the color of the sky at dusk. She had short dark lashes. Her mouth was small and rose colored. Her nose tiny and centered. She was a short woman even in the lime colored heels she wore. Her dress was long and forest green.
She smiled at Isabelle. "You can put that down Isabelle, I merely came to tell you dinner was ready. I’m not sure that deserves a death wish."
Isabelle blushed and stuck her arrow back in her quiver. "Sorry mom." she murmured putting her bow down. Isabelle’s mother laughed. "Quite alright. As I said your timing is better. Even better than me I’d say."
"Thanks. Your still better at archery though."
Iona laughed again, "I wouldn’t say that, your father’s the man in archery. I’m only a beginner."
"If you’re a beginner then I must be something awful." Isabelle said, grinning. "Here," she held out her bow to Iona "shoot?"
Isabelle’s mother shook her head in mild protest "oh Isabelle I haven’t shot in ages - besides, I don’t even have an arm guard!" she said. Isabelle looked at her with pleading eyes. "Oh, alright." Iona agreed "one shot."
She took the bow from Isabelle and backed up several paces. "Where should I shoot from? She asked.
"Sixty feet."
"Isabelle!"
"Please?"
"Oh fine." Iona took an arrow, motioned for Isabelle to move, backed up ten more feet, notched the arrow, pulled the bow string back, and shot. The arrow sped though the air going, it seemed, faster than the speed of sound. The arrow hit the dead center of the target. Isabelle cheered. Iona smiled and shook her head slightly as she handed Isabelle back her bow.
"Mom!" Isabelle said practically shouting with joy. "That was awesome!"
"Thank You," Iona said "Now Honey, will you go and get your things so we can go in to dinner?"
Isabelle nodded and ran to retrieve her arrows from the target.
Morgana's Carriage, 5:55 pm
Morgana closed her Diary with snap. It was far to dark to write. Her stomach growled loudly. Lovely. They’d forgotten about her. Suddenly the carriage pulled to a stop and her door was opened.
Her driver stood illuminated against bright lights.
"Your highness," her driver, a slender woman with a height of about 5'7 with blond hair pulled back into a high ponytail looked to be about 30 years old. "You have a choice we can either stop here for the night or continue along the road. If we stop it’ll take longer. Which one would you prefer your highness?"
Morgana glanced at the building behind her driver. It was a hotel. Tall and fancy. "I think we should stay here for the night." Morgana said after a moments hesitation. "Never mind the longness."
The driver nodded and turned to go back to the front so she could go park.
Morgana grabbed her bag, jumped out of the carriage and walked up the steps to the hotel.
The Abbott's house, about 6:00
Isabelle glanced at herself in the mirror as she brushed her medium length wavy brown hair. Her face, A pale but tanned complexion with large brown eyes and dark red lips with a small nose and long eyelashes, stared back. Isabelle put the brush down and slid a red cotton headband through her hair. Isabelle glanced down at her dress for a moment - it was red satin - and bit her lip. Wearing anything but her accustomed jeans and T-shirt always made her nervous even though she had dressed up every day at dinner - at her parent’s request for the last . . . well all her life really. Isabelle unlocked the bathroom door and walked into the hallway and, after taking a slight deep breath, walked into the dining room. The fire in the hearth crackled. Isabelle looked around. The dining room looked lovely. It always did Isabelle thought but tonight Iona, she realized, had decorated for the holidays, with a wreath centered above the fireplace, a white tablecloth, blue candles, a feast on the table and pine, fir and holly branches scattered tastefully around the room. Their blown blue glass star hanging below the wreath made Isabelle recall that today was saint Martah’s day. Isabelle
winced slightly how could she have forgotten?! Saint Martah’s day was a favorite holiday in Quineolynne as it was Martah, a common born farm girl who had founded the land, and with just herself, a few towns people and her country born friends she fought off the huge raid of 2112 unfortunately losing her life of a severe wound after the last attacker had been killed.
"Hungry, Isabelle?" Isabelle turned in surprise to see her father, a tall man with a deep voice, dark black hair and beard, standing behind her.
"Yeah, I should say so." Isabelle replied
Her father smiled "Good. Your mother would be most disappointed if you weren’t." he nodded towards the dining table. "She worked quite hard you know."
At that moment Iona came out of the kitchen, her arms full of plates and food. Immediately Isabelle’s father ran to help her, but Iona simply shook her head and said, setting her burdens on the table, "Thank you but I’ve got it." Isabelle’s father nodded at this and instead simply pulled out Iona’s chair for her. Iona smiled gratefully and took the offered seat. Isabelle slid into her seat and Bill, (Isabelle’s father) sat down as well. Iona bent her head silently in prayer then looked up. "Well," she said "shall we eat?”
Palace Hazurite, 6:09 am
James raised his dinner glass. "A toast!" he cried.
Lilyan looked amused "To what?" she asked
James grinned sheepish "actually I didn’t think about that." Lilyan laughed. Charles watched his mother carefully. There was little trace of her earlier hysterics. True, his father didn’t understand him, but the fact that James loved his mother and always managed to cheer her up was far more important to him than that simple fact. "What about" he said quietly "a toast to . . ." he didn’t know how to put it.
"To what Charles?" Lilyan asked pouring herself more water.
Charles jumped. He hadn’t realized she’d heard him.
"To love" he stammered out "family, happiness and endurance." Lilyan nodded, smiling.
"Cheers" she said.
Outside, snow began to fall.
Chapter Two
Morgana's Hotel, 9:00 am
The sun shining in her eyes made Morgana wake up and realize that was morning. A glance around the room made her remember where she was and realizing this Morgana was surprised to find she was happy about this. Finally she was out of her mother’s grasp! Hadn’t she been wanting that for months? And going to her Grandmother’s? Lilyan still wouldn’t be there! With newfound strength Morgana flung open her suitcase.
Quineolynne, 12:30 pm
Isabelle sat cross legged under the old sycamore tree, a notebook on her lap, colored pencils by her side, a protractor in her hand and quiver and bow behind her, leaning against the great tree. Iona sat next to her daughter, a notebook in her own lap, leaning over her child's shoulder pointing out certain things about Isabelle’s drawing from time to time. The sound of Bill chopping wood for a neighbor nearby made both mother and daughter smile and look up from their art. "Are you hungry Isabelle?" Iona asked suddenly
Isabelle tilted her head slightly. "A bit. Why?"
"Because I just looked at my watch and it’s half past noon and apart from that, Well I’m hungry."
Isabelle laughed at this and Iona smiled and brought the picnic basket out from behind her.
Isabelle pawed through the picnic basket hungrily. Fresh baked bread, cold chicken, raspberries, blackberries and tomatoes. All home grown. Apples and pears. Butter. Isabelle took a slice of bread, buttered it and bit in.
Morgana's Carriage, 2:30 pm
They were traveling again but this time Morgana found it far more pleasant and truly, quite enjoyable. The desert lands that they had passed through the day before, now began to transform into beautiful open country. Morgana unrolled her window and allowed herself a breath of fresh air, before opening a book and curling up against the carriage door.
At about 4 pm they pulled up in front of a pretty green two story house. Morgana blinked she had never been to her Grandparent’s house but, she thought this couldn’t be right . . . Lilyan’s parents were the former king and queen of Hazurite! They couldn’t live here! This sort of house was for people like . . . Maxidad or more likely Witch! Not for people so important as the former Royalty! She said all this to her Driver, but the woman simply laughed and replied that,
"This was address I was given" Morgana’s Driver replied "If it’s wrong I’m not to blame. Now pay up, and shoo."
"But can’t I just see - "
Morgana began
"- No." the driver said firmly "Pay up."
Morgana sighed deeply and reached into her bag. "Please?"
The driver held out her hand and Morgana dropped a fifty Hazuritene bill into it.
Her driver looked disdainful "that’s all?"
"Yes," Morgana said "that’s all and it’s more than Mother would pay anyhow."
Morgana’s former driver pursed her lips and pocketed the money. "Very well then," she said "Fair well, Princess." Morgana’s driver then walked back to the carriage, mounted the lead horse and rode away. Morgana bit her lip and, shaking slightly, she strode purposely up the front walk to the front door and, her heart beating furiously and feeling quite faint, rung the door bell. And as the bell echoed through out the large house, Morgana wondered what exactly she had gotten herself into.
Outside Hazurite Palace, 11:00 am
Morgana Murex Eclogite sat on palace Hazurite’s Front steps with her head between her knees crying softly. Lilyan sat beside her daughter looking bewildered and quite dismayed.
"Darling please," she begged "please don’t cry, it isn’t that bad" Morgana ignored her mother choosing instead to weep harder.
"Oh sweetie, PLEASE! I didn’t just do this for fun you know. It’s as hard for me as it is
you . . . " still Lilyan got no reply.
"MORGANA PLEASE! You’re only making it harder" Lilyan cried exasperatedly "MORGANA STOP!!" Lilyan shouted.
Morgana looked up surprised. Her eyes were red and her face blotchy from crying. Lilyan rarely yelled. At least at her.
Lilyan took this advantage and forced her daughter to look at her.
"Morgana," the Queen said fighting to control her emotions. "This is what is best, and I am not to hear another word of complaint from you. Your Grandparents have a lovely house and both of my parents are very kind as is your aunt Rose. So I do not want to hear another word. Understood?" Lilyan’s green eyes were fierce. "I said do you understand Morgana." It wasn’t a question. Morgana pulled out of her mother’s grip, stood up and grabbed her bag.
"Oh, I understand alright." She paused for a moment before saying "control freak" Lilyan stood up as well her eyes deadly "Morgana" she began, growling
But Morgana hadn’t finished. Her voice was cool as she said, "Oh and honestly Lily who is it really best for? Me or YOU" She turned and began to walk towards the awaiting carriage. Lilyan turned white, suddenly feeling quite weak. "Morgana" she began stretching out her hand
Her daughter turned, walking backwards for a moment. "Goodbye" Morgana looked her mother straight in the eye. "Your majesty" she added. Then Morgana turned around again and jumped into the carriage. Lilyan clutched at her heart, biting her lip as she watched the carriage disappear from sight. Then still looking quite pained, Lilyan glanced back one last time before walking back into the castle. And even so as she crossed through the entry way she couldn’t help murmuring to herself "oh I do hope I’ve done the right thing."
Hazurite Palace 11:30 am
James passed his wife a steaming cup of tea which she accepted with a grateful, if weary and pained, smile.
"How did it go?" Charles asked curling up next to his mother on the couch "you look tired."
"I disagree" James said sitting on Lilyan’s other side "she looks like she in pain."
"She is." Charles said "though I’m not sure why."
Lilyan took a sip of her tea and set it on the table before leaning against James and answering. "I have a child who does a wonderful job at breaking her Mother’s heart that’s why" she said it in a dry manner but Charles could see the tears glittering in his mother’s eyes. He bit his lip. James also sensed that something was wrong for he pulled his wife into his lap and forced her to look at him.
"James, no!" Lilyan cried
By then Charles’s father had seen Lilyan’s tears.
Their eyes met. "You’re crying." James said softly "why"
At that Lilyan really did begin to cry.
James bent and kissed his wife.
"What happened?" he asked, picking her up and placing her lying down on the couch.
Lilyan simply shook her head, jerking it slightly at Charles.
James understood. "Out" he told Charles sternly.
Somewhere in Hazurite, 12:00 pm
Dust flew into Morgana’s nose making her sneeze. The cobblestone was rough and she felt every bit of it. They had been driving for about a hour now, she guessed, with about 25 more to go. Possibly and probably more. Morgana sighed heavily bored out of her mind. She glanced out the carriage window. Landscape. Dull. Sigh. Perhaps if Morgana had seen less of places the landscape would have interested her. As it was it didn’t. Morgana sighed again and dug a book out of her bag and began to read.
Hazurite Palace, 12:15 pm
"Did I do right?" Lilyan asked looking up at James for approval.
"As right as possible." James replied "There isn’t much you could have done in a situation like that. The child walked off on you after all."
Lilyan couldn’t smiling slightly at this comment "No, Darling" Lilyan said, her smile faded "I meant sending her away."
"Oh," her husband replied "that."
"Yes, that. Did I?"
James considered this then said, "Yes dear, I think we did the right thing."
Lilyan looked down. "I just didn’t know what else to do. I was afraid if I kept her she’d run away again and - and - and" Lilyan found she couldn’t complete her sentence.
"And not come back again?" James asked finishing it for her.
Lilyan nodded, her eyes filling. "She only came back last time because she had no choice."
"Oh Lilyan!" James exclaimed "we don’t know that! For all we know she was coming home and fainted! And Lilyan please don’t start crying again! You just stopped!"
Lilyan wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat up straighter, placing her hands on her hips.
"Perhaps you don’t know that but I saw with my own eyes very clearly a dragon carry our daughter, unconscious, and set her down outside! And for your information James I have no intention of crying again. So there."
Rather in spite of himself James couldn’t help grinning. This was the Lilyan he knew quite well. Still truth was truth. "Lilyan" James said "There are no such things as Dragons."
Morgana's Carriage, 1:30 pm
Morgana soon tired of reading, and rummaged through her bag until she found her diary. Her last conflict with Lilyan was still quite fresh on her mind and though she had tried to forget it, she hadn’t been able to. She needed to try and analyze it. Opening the well worn diary to a fresh page she clicked her pen open and wrote.
Q: Why am I so mad? The answer came quickly.
A: I feel like mother isn’t giving me the freedom and respect I need. I’m not a child any more! I want to do thing and I want to do them without her looking over my shoulder!!!!!!!!!
Q: Why is mother sending me away? Have I changed? Is she tired of me?
A: I don’t know. I am changing; any idiot can see that. Mother can too I think.
Q: Is that why she’s sending me away? Because she can’t handle me?
A: I don’t know
Q: Why did she yell earlier? I was just crying.
A: Still don’t know. Feel like an idiot. Charles would know.
Q: WHY IS LITTLE BROTHER SMARTER?!!
A: Still don’t know. Sigh.
Q: Would I rather live with friends family(s) or have different mother?
A: No. Sarataya doesn’t pay any attention. Enrina’s too temperamental, I’d be afraid for my life. Also too many kids!!!!! Lady Clementine. NOOOOO! She’s worse than mother!!!!!!
Q: Is it really that bad that I’m going to Grandma’s?
A: Actually no, not really
A forest in Quineolynne, 4:30 pm
Thwack! An arrow flew though the air hitting the cardboard target 50 feet away. Isabelle Abbott smiled in satisfaction. Her smile faded however, when she realized that her arrow had landed on a yellow ring instead of the hoped bullseye. "Whipcracker" Isabelle muttered irritably. She reached over her shoulder and grabbed another arrow from her quiver and notched it to the bow string. She’d try again. Isabelle drew the string back to her cheek, aimed and let the arrow go. It flew through the air and hit the center of the target with a loud smack.
"Well done," said a voice from behind her. "Your aim has gotten better." Isabelle whirled. Quick as a flash she put an arrow to her bow.
"Who’s there?"
"Your timing too." a middle aged woman stepped out from behind a tree on Isabelle’s right. She had light brown hair that framed her face and pretty blue eyes the color of the sky at dusk. She had short dark lashes. Her mouth was small and rose colored. Her nose tiny and centered. She was a short woman even in the lime colored heels she wore. Her dress was long and forest green.
She smiled at Isabelle. "You can put that down Isabelle, I merely came to tell you dinner was ready. I’m not sure that deserves a death wish."
Isabelle blushed and stuck her arrow back in her quiver. "Sorry mom." she murmured putting her bow down. Isabelle’s mother laughed. "Quite alright. As I said your timing is better. Even better than me I’d say."
"Thanks. Your still better at archery though."
Iona laughed again, "I wouldn’t say that, your father’s the man in archery. I’m only a beginner."
"If you’re a beginner then I must be something awful." Isabelle said, grinning. "Here," she held out her bow to Iona "shoot?"
Isabelle’s mother shook her head in mild protest "oh Isabelle I haven’t shot in ages - besides, I don’t even have an arm guard!" she said. Isabelle looked at her with pleading eyes. "Oh, alright." Iona agreed "one shot."
She took the bow from Isabelle and backed up several paces. "Where should I shoot from? She asked.
"Sixty feet."
"Isabelle!"
"Please?"
"Oh fine." Iona took an arrow, motioned for Isabelle to move, backed up ten more feet, notched the arrow, pulled the bow string back, and shot. The arrow sped though the air going, it seemed, faster than the speed of sound. The arrow hit the dead center of the target. Isabelle cheered. Iona smiled and shook her head slightly as she handed Isabelle back her bow.
"Mom!" Isabelle said practically shouting with joy. "That was awesome!"
"Thank You," Iona said "Now Honey, will you go and get your things so we can go in to dinner?"
Isabelle nodded and ran to retrieve her arrows from the target.
Morgana's Carriage, 5:55 pm
Morgana closed her Diary with snap. It was far to dark to write. Her stomach growled loudly. Lovely. They’d forgotten about her. Suddenly the carriage pulled to a stop and her door was opened.
Her driver stood illuminated against bright lights.
"Your highness," her driver, a slender woman with a height of about 5'7 with blond hair pulled back into a high ponytail looked to be about 30 years old. "You have a choice we can either stop here for the night or continue along the road. If we stop it’ll take longer. Which one would you prefer your highness?"
Morgana glanced at the building behind her driver. It was a hotel. Tall and fancy. "I think we should stay here for the night." Morgana said after a moments hesitation. "Never mind the longness."
The driver nodded and turned to go back to the front so she could go park.
Morgana grabbed her bag, jumped out of the carriage and walked up the steps to the hotel.
The Abbott's house, about 6:00
Isabelle glanced at herself in the mirror as she brushed her medium length wavy brown hair. Her face, A pale but tanned complexion with large brown eyes and dark red lips with a small nose and long eyelashes, stared back. Isabelle put the brush down and slid a red cotton headband through her hair. Isabelle glanced down at her dress for a moment - it was red satin - and bit her lip. Wearing anything but her accustomed jeans and T-shirt always made her nervous even though she had dressed up every day at dinner - at her parent’s request for the last . . . well all her life really. Isabelle unlocked the bathroom door and walked into the hallway and, after taking a slight deep breath, walked into the dining room. The fire in the hearth crackled. Isabelle looked around. The dining room looked lovely. It always did Isabelle thought but tonight Iona, she realized, had decorated for the holidays, with a wreath centered above the fireplace, a white tablecloth, blue candles, a feast on the table and pine, fir and holly branches scattered tastefully around the room. Their blown blue glass star hanging below the wreath made Isabelle recall that today was saint Martah’s day. Isabelle
winced slightly how could she have forgotten?! Saint Martah’s day was a favorite holiday in Quineolynne as it was Martah, a common born farm girl who had founded the land, and with just herself, a few towns people and her country born friends she fought off the huge raid of 2112 unfortunately losing her life of a severe wound after the last attacker had been killed.
"Hungry, Isabelle?" Isabelle turned in surprise to see her father, a tall man with a deep voice, dark black hair and beard, standing behind her.
"Yeah, I should say so." Isabelle replied
Her father smiled "Good. Your mother would be most disappointed if you weren’t." he nodded towards the dining table. "She worked quite hard you know."
At that moment Iona came out of the kitchen, her arms full of plates and food. Immediately Isabelle’s father ran to help her, but Iona simply shook her head and said, setting her burdens on the table, "Thank you but I’ve got it." Isabelle’s father nodded at this and instead simply pulled out Iona’s chair for her. Iona smiled gratefully and took the offered seat. Isabelle slid into her seat and Bill, (Isabelle’s father) sat down as well. Iona bent her head silently in prayer then looked up. "Well," she said "shall we eat?”
Palace Hazurite, 6:09 am
James raised his dinner glass. "A toast!" he cried.
Lilyan looked amused "To what?" she asked
James grinned sheepish "actually I didn’t think about that." Lilyan laughed. Charles watched his mother carefully. There was little trace of her earlier hysterics. True, his father didn’t understand him, but the fact that James loved his mother and always managed to cheer her up was far more important to him than that simple fact. "What about" he said quietly "a toast to . . ." he didn’t know how to put it.
"To what Charles?" Lilyan asked pouring herself more water.
Charles jumped. He hadn’t realized she’d heard him.
"To love" he stammered out "family, happiness and endurance." Lilyan nodded, smiling.
"Cheers" she said.
Outside, snow began to fall.
Chapter Two
Morgana's Hotel, 9:00 am
The sun shining in her eyes made Morgana wake up and realize that was morning. A glance around the room made her remember where she was and realizing this Morgana was surprised to find she was happy about this. Finally she was out of her mother’s grasp! Hadn’t she been wanting that for months? And going to her Grandmother’s? Lilyan still wouldn’t be there! With newfound strength Morgana flung open her suitcase.
Quineolynne, 12:30 pm
Isabelle sat cross legged under the old sycamore tree, a notebook on her lap, colored pencils by her side, a protractor in her hand and quiver and bow behind her, leaning against the great tree. Iona sat next to her daughter, a notebook in her own lap, leaning over her child's shoulder pointing out certain things about Isabelle’s drawing from time to time. The sound of Bill chopping wood for a neighbor nearby made both mother and daughter smile and look up from their art. "Are you hungry Isabelle?" Iona asked suddenly
Isabelle tilted her head slightly. "A bit. Why?"
"Because I just looked at my watch and it’s half past noon and apart from that, Well I’m hungry."
Isabelle laughed at this and Iona smiled and brought the picnic basket out from behind her.
Isabelle pawed through the picnic basket hungrily. Fresh baked bread, cold chicken, raspberries, blackberries and tomatoes. All home grown. Apples and pears. Butter. Isabelle took a slice of bread, buttered it and bit in.
Morgana's Carriage, 2:30 pm
They were traveling again but this time Morgana found it far more pleasant and truly, quite enjoyable. The desert lands that they had passed through the day before, now began to transform into beautiful open country. Morgana unrolled her window and allowed herself a breath of fresh air, before opening a book and curling up against the carriage door.
At about 4 pm they pulled up in front of a pretty green two story house. Morgana blinked she had never been to her Grandparent’s house but, she thought this couldn’t be right . . . Lilyan’s parents were the former king and queen of Hazurite! They couldn’t live here! This sort of house was for people like . . . Maxidad or more likely Witch! Not for people so important as the former Royalty! She said all this to her Driver, but the woman simply laughed and replied that,
"This was address I was given" Morgana’s Driver replied "If it’s wrong I’m not to blame. Now pay up, and shoo."
"But can’t I just see - "
Morgana began
"- No." the driver said firmly "Pay up."
Morgana sighed deeply and reached into her bag. "Please?"
The driver held out her hand and Morgana dropped a fifty Hazuritene bill into it.
Her driver looked disdainful "that’s all?"
"Yes," Morgana said "that’s all and it’s more than Mother would pay anyhow."
Morgana’s former driver pursed her lips and pocketed the money. "Very well then," she said "Fair well, Princess." Morgana’s driver then walked back to the carriage, mounted the lead horse and rode away. Morgana bit her lip and, shaking slightly, she strode purposely up the front walk to the front door and, her heart beating furiously and feeling quite faint, rung the door bell. And as the bell echoed through out the large house, Morgana wondered what exactly she had gotten herself into.
