Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(5) A Design to Remember

My nightmares had woken me early that morning, little birds were chirping in the trees outside and I could see that the fog was blanketing the mountains in the distance. What would it be like to stand on those mountains breathing in the cold, fresh scent of them? I loved winter, loved how the snow makes a cold blanket over everything which silences the world like it's lulled it to sleep. But over everything I love the frosty scent that mingles with the air when I nestle myself down with a cup of tea and a book under a fluffy blanket, it was my favourite thing over all else. Like most days I had nothing to do today so I decided I'd sketch in the library at the other end of the castle.

There was nothing special about the peach coloured trousers and simple white shirt I'd slipped on after breakfast, today wasn't going to be special either. The sun had risen fully now, orange light illuminating the distant Sevian river through the fog. Chatter and whispers of gowns and skirts on stone filled the usually quiet hallways, I passed many anxious faced servants as I passed, what was going on? I'd almost dropped my pencils and pad when I'd beheld all of the activity in the giant entrance hall. Perhaps Grace had completely ignored my warning and increased the amount of bossy she was throwing around.

"Please tell me I'm seeing things right now" I mumble to myself when I see Grace and Vivian chatting in a small corridor right by the entrance to the library. They looked equally plain and boring as they laughed and sneered at passing servants who'd jump when they saw them there. Vivian was older than Grace, taller too, but they both looked strangely similar in their features. They both looked like my mother, medium length thin brown hair, pale grey eyes and full lips which were always in some negative shape. The only thing I had in common with my sisters was the faint orange ring we all shared around our pupils, although mine was brighter when someone took the time to look, of course, no one ever did. As the oldest Vivian is the heir to the throne, she constantly liked to remind everyone by ensuring she was at the king's side as often as she could be. As a family of Fae, if magic still existed in our land it would've chosen which of us to take the throne. The strongest, smartest and bravest were selected and then given an individual marker to show their great power. I often wondered what gift our family would've had, I'd spent a while trying to find it once however there were no records of it that I could find.

My plan was to slip past when a particularly short servant passed them down the hall they were in carrying a large pile of towels. The pile swayed precariously to one side, there was no way she could see over the stack. Being the horrible creatures my sisters were they'd likely start gossiping and laughing at her. As horrible as that was, I really didn't feel like having a conversation with them right now or... ever. The poor woman kept teetering and tottering every few steps because the towels were too heavy for her and she kept having to glace around the pile to stop herself from walking into a nearby wall. 30 steps from the door and the servant was just about to turn down the hallway they were in. 25 steps from the door someone calls a name. 20 steps from the door at the entrance of the hallway the servant stops to look in the direction of whoever called the name. 15 steps from the door and that was her name. 10 steps from the door the towel carrying servant starts running in the other direction towards the noise, there goes my cover. Five steps from the door and "dearest sister!" I hear Vivian call. shit. Sighing I turn to face my two sisters who were now grinning at me.

Vivian looks me up and down noticing the clothes that I knew she'd comment on fairly soon, Grace kept looking between Vivian and me waiting for something to unfold like usual. I wondered if Grace didn't parade around with Vivian like her sidekick whether she would've turned out a half-decent person. My older sister was wearing a plain pale blue gown that did absolutely nothing to bring any colour to her thin lifeless face and I tried to hide my amusement when I noticed Grace had very obviously copied her. "Have you grown out of all your pretty clothes? You should get Rosie to take them to the seamstress and have them taken out unless that task is too difficult too?" Vivian condescends. Grace must've told her about yesterday then, I'd awoken to a letter on my dresser table written by a servant from my father. Tt read something along the lines of 'I am disappointed in everything you do, if you weren't my daughter I'd have you thrown to the wolves, this is your last warning' blah blah blah. It'd been my 8th last warning now. "yes Vivian, right away Vivian" I sigh rolling my eyes. Would she come after me if I ran back to my room right now? I could jump over the railing, hang off the bannister and then drop down to the floor. There was a secret room that no one knew about just on the other side of that corridor and I already had my sketch pad so I could probably avoid her for a few hours. No, she'd find me somehow. "We heard about your little encounter with the guards yesterday although father isn't any more disappointed than usual, I don't think it's possible" Vivian teased. She does realise that they were treating her unfairly because she's a girl right? Why did every single sentence she spouted have to be laced with a level of snobbery only she could achieve? Vivian just clicks her tongue when I glare at her and cross my arms.