The Hidden Lands

Chapter 7- The Bombs

Jayde

I had never known how quickly things could change. Just yesterday I had been an escaped slave that lived in middle earth and now, well now I was a princess, though I knew I wold have to abdicate my position to survive.

Just the word princess was too, prissy, I was glad I'd be rid of it soon. What princess had worked scrubbing toilets in a common house on her fourth birthday? The name Princess just didn't seem to fit with me.

King Rowan, I couldn't let myself call him Father, had left me in a room he'd called mine. It was the size of our living room in middle earth. I trailed my fingers over the various decorations and paintings. Even one of these probably could have fed an entire village I'd seen on the way here, I was willing to bet on it.

I hadn't been allowed in Mom's room because a doctor was checking on her, so I just flopped down on the too soft bed and willed myself to sleep.

I must have slept longer than I had planned, because the sun was already streaming through the windows when a small woman came in like a hurricane.

"UP! Up! Up!" She commanded and, though I didn't want to go, I felt no choice but to listen. She wore a simple but nice maids' uniform; her caramel blonde hair was tied in a tight knot making her seem older. I think she was around my age actually, if not a couple years older, maybe Wilbur's age.

"There's a tub in the bathroom, you'd do well to wash up before breakfast." She wrinkled her nose a bit and I laughed. I had no doubt that she had heard everything about my relation to the king and I had to applaud her for her attitude. I walked into the smallish adjoining room and found that she had already filled the basin.

Within thirty minutes I was washed and the woman, I learned her name was Elise, was holding out a dress option. I eyed my old clothes, jeans, a T-shirt and boots longingly.

"What do you think miss?" She pressed.

"I don't know much about dresses," I admitted, I'd always preferred jeans. "What would you pick?"

Elise looked delighted. "WellI personally I like the red, it would set off your hair." She held out a dark red satin gown, it was pretty. The neckline was a wide but shallow V-neck, it was open until an inch before the shoulder, making the long tight sleeves look sophisticated. I had never seen a dress like it before but I assumed Elise knew what she was talking about so I put it on. She offered to do my hair for me and spent the better part of an hour curling my hair and arranging it into a loose updo. When she was finished, I fastened the only jewelry I owned around my neck, a thin glittering gold chain with a small Lemniscate (∞) suspended in the middle.

"I think we're done here miss," she said standing up from the stool she'd been on to do my hair.

"Thank you, and please call me Jayde, if you prefer." After all, if we were going to be spending any amount of time together, we might as well be on good terms.

"Ok then Jayde," she said with a smile as she backed out the door.

If this confusing mess was my new reality, I might as well make new friends.

I sighed and slipped on the red satin shoes Elise had set out and stepped into the hall. I hoped Mom was at breakfast, otherwise I wasn't sure I wanted to go down.

I had no idea of where to go, but I shouldn't have worried, Uncle Kollin was waiting for me in the hall. He was dressed in his full uniform regalia and I wondered what the occasion was.

''Happy birthday, Jayde," If there was one thing that was oddly normal, it was Kollin, it was like I'd always known him. So far, my best guess was that he was so much like my mother, never the least bit shy.