Surviving Sixteen {On Hold}

Chapter One

Surviving Sixteen

Chapter One

Eleni's indigo skirts swirled as her dancing partner twirled her. She laughed effortlessly, watching her sister make a face of disgust at her own partner.

"Something funny?" Tristan asked, his deep green eyes questioning her with an amused look. Eleni shook her head, pursing her soft pink lips. Her childhood friend understood the look however, and laughed.

**

Ambrosine frowned to herself as she messed up the dance steps yet again, but she knew her partner was no less clumsy. He stepped on her feet yet again, and she winced. Her toes were already sore, and she'd only been dancing for a total of ten minutes. She watched a hand tap on the boy's shoulder, and her face lit up as Tristan replaced the boy's hands on her waist and hand.

"Tristan," she breathed in relief. He laughed at the look on her face. She glanced at her twin, who was at least not dancing with the buffoon she herself had been with seconds ago.

**

Minutes later, Eleni excused herself from her partner, walking toward the table that held food. Her own indigo eyes met her sister's green ones.

"Eleni," her sister breathed. Eleni grinned at her. She was about to respond when a loud bang thundered from the front hall.

A rough, nearly un-understandable due to a thick accent, voice called out, "Send the princesses out." Ambrosine and Eleni glanced at each other. Their mother, in her deep blue silken dress, glided forward, her dark curls loose around her shoulders.

"Who is there?" she called out in a clear, ringing, demanding voice that could belong to none other than the queen.

"Send out the princesses," the gruff voice called out again. There was a moment of silence, then a man's voice cried out, "There they are!". Ambrosine recognized the buffoon she'd danced with earlier. Their mother stepped in front of them, shielding them, and glared at him. He immediately cowered under her gaze and shuffled back; the Queen turned to her daughters.

"Girls, go upstairs and do not come down until either your father or I comes for you," she told them in a hushed tone. She pressed her gilded dagger into Eleni's hands, then shooed them upstairs.

**

Eleni sat on her bed with a sigh. The ruffled skirt spread out around her. She stared at the jeweled silver dagger in her lap.

"What are we going to do?" she asked Ambrosine. The redheaded girl looked up from the book she'd immediately grabbed.

"Ummm...." Was the response. Eleni sighed again, rolling her eyes.

"Amy, we obviously can't just sit here until-" she broke off when there was an urgent knocking on the door. The sisters exchanged a startled glance, and Ambrosine crept silently toward the door.

The knocking came again.

Ambrosine took a deep breath and peered through the peep hole. A servant stood outside the door.

"It's the nanny. Do I open it?" she asked Eleni. Eleni thought, then nodded. She swung the door open to reveal a small, dark woman- their mother's maid, Maria. Her most trusted servant, and friend, and she had been the twins' nanny when they were babies. As much as their mother had tried to care for them, had tried to be there for them, she also had her Queenly duties to attend to. As their nanny, the girls had always had a sense of respect for her, that they must obey her, even though their rank was technically above the woman's. 

"Maria!" the girls cried in unison. Maria made hushing motions with her hands, coming into the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Girls, your mother sent me. We must get you out of here."

"No."

Ambrosine's response startled the older woman.

"Ambrosine..." she started again, but Eleni cut her off.

"She's right, Maria. We aren't leaving without our mother," the blonde girl said firmly. Maria sighed.

"I knew you would say this. Alright, she told me to take you to your summer home, and she'll be along in a few days."

The girls looked at each other, and Ambrosine shrugged. Their mother gave them no choice. They had to go with Maria, or they'd be in major trouble. 

"Alright," Eleni said. Maria breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now, get packed!" she told them, and they hurriedly did so.

**

An hour later, the girls had three bags each. Maria sighed at the sight of this, but said nothing.

"Put them in the carriage," she said. They placed them in, and climbed up in after them. Maria signaled the driver, and got in quickly as the wheels started turning. She looked at the twins, who were staring out the windows. They looked nearly nothing alike.

Eleni's blonde hair and indigo eyes contrasted with Ambrosine's dark red hair and green eyes. Both had fair skin, though Ambrosine had a light sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Eleni had a dancer's body- graceful, slim, and lithe. Ambrosine was different, still graceful-looking (though she wasn't at all), and slim, but Ambrosine had a more... rebellious look about her, as was the difference in their personalities. Eleni had always been the obedient little girl, while Ambrosine wanted adventure. Of course, Eleni had too, but in a quieter, more subtle way.

Maria sighed and closed her eyes. This would be a long ride.