Little Raindrops

Two

Aceline's eyes fluttered open as she yawned and turned to her left to see a new squadron of knights. She mumbled as she sat up,
"Grandmother's orders?"
She guessed as they nodded, each bowing their heads with a 'Good Morning' as she sighed. She slowly got up and called for her maids. As her maids entered a few knights peaked into the room only to be yelled at by said maids. One of the three maids gently and carefully stripped Aceline as the other two carried buckets of hot, soapy water as well as cloths to wash her with. Aceline's face flushed in embarrassment as the two maids cleaned her in front of the knights.
"Is this truly needed? Couldn't i just bathe in my own bathroom like usual?"
Aceline asked trying her best not to stutter and show any signs of anxiousness or embarrassment. The maids shook their heads. The maid who was picking out dresses replied blandly,
"No, Lady Aceline. We shan't. We shan't disobey the heir of the Laurels."
Aceline sighed shakily as the maids washed over certain provocative places. Aceline shut her eyes tightly wishing this moment could end only to receive chuckles in return from the knights.
"Looking good, Lady Aceline!"
A knight teased as the others laughed and joked along causing the next heir to the Laurels to blush furiously.
"Lady Aceline, may you open your eyes please? We need to put your day clothes on."
The maid who was looking at dresses asked, even though it sounded more of a command. Aceline opened her eyes to see one of the other maids exit as the other finishes drying her. She sighed in relief as the maid, just as gently as before, covered her in a vest and some underwear. As her face started to cool the maid put a pale cream dress on her before leaving. The cream dress was long sleeved and was quite tight everywhere making it hard to walk in, it didn't help how it fell past her feet causing a small pile of cream cloth to appear around her. She mumbled under her breath as she picked up her dress and sauntered toward her desk to study on her Maths, English and French. She opened her books and started to read small stories in French as her guards chatted amongst themselves when a small voice abrupted her thoughts. She looked around to see everyone doing the same thing as before only to look confused. She shook it off and continued her business only to be interrupted by the same voice.
"Oi! Down here!"
The voice was loud yet quiet at the same time, as though it only wanted her to hear.
"Are ya death? Down here!"
Aceline curiously looked down the window next to her to see a person she never knew before.
"There we go! Now, listen here pal! Don't reply but i'm gonna need ya ter trust me!"
Aceline looked down on them with distrustful eyes as she turns to her knights, ready to call, when,
"I can tell ya about yer life!"
She looked back down, double checking that they were insane before calling for her guards causing the person to mumble incoherent words and run off. As her knights followed suit Aceline sauntered over to her back window between the bookshelves. She looked at the water and lifted her arms up, trying to make the water reciprocate, only to feel her dress tense. She placed her arms down causing the water to fall back with a plop. She looked around her dress trying to see if it ripped. Sighing in relief to see nothing wrong Aceline continued. She tried to lift her arms again only to reach her eye level before feeling it tense. She tried to move her hands behind her. Tense. She tried to turn her torso. Tense. She tried to take a large step. Tense. She tried to-Tense.
Tense. Tense. Tense.
She screamed in annoyance and threw her arms up in aggravation only to hear a loud painful sound echo through her room. She looked down at her sleeves to see the now tattered, cream fabric stained with a large rip. Bits of strings spewed out and hung lifelessly. Aceline's eyes widened. Her fingers delicately traced the rip, guilt slowly engulfing her. Just as she looked for a sewing kit - even though she had no skills in sewing - a loud knock caused her to jump. Before the door could open she dived into her bed ripping more of her dress in the process. She quickly pulled her silk covers over her head just as the door slammed open revealing one of the maid's from earlier, who got startled at said slam.
"Lady Ace- Lady Aceline? Are you alright?" She asked as she quietly cowered towards her timidly, "Are you feeling alright?"
"Tired..."
Aceline mumbled while shoving her head deeper into her fluffy pillow in guilt.
"Oh...Oh! It's from the intruder, correct? The shock must have taken a lot of your energy!" The maid guessed as Aceline nodded, her head still in the pillow, "Alright! I'll leave you be!" The maid swiftly stated as she strode off shakily hoping not to anger Aceline. Just as the door gently clicked shut Aceline slowly got up and looked at the loosely hung fabric that was once called a dress. Sighing in disappointment she flung the fabric into her bin before looking for a simple dress to wear. She stood in her lacy, white underwear and matching vest as she opened her mahogany wardrobe revealing multiple dresses from red to green to blue, lace to silk, short to long.
'Is there anything else? Trousers? Shirts? Only dresses?'
Aceline wondered as she continuously shoved the dresses to the side trying to look for any other cloths only to find more and more dresses. She exasperated and slammed her head on her wardrobe randomly picking a dress and slipping it on. A nice, calm, light blue dress with short sleeves and a slight poof by her waist. She patted her dress to smooth it and went back to her window. She concentrated on the water slowly lifting her arms causing the clear water to reciprocate her movements. She smiled at her slight improvement and slowly started to make shapes until she saw a silver knight in the corner of her eye causing her to drop everything and duck. The splash of the water caused the silver knight to call for back up to investigate in case of another intruder. Aceline sighed as she looked up to see something catching her eye. Her calendar. 17th of the Silver Moon. Two days after her Birthday. She cautiously crawled towards her silk covered bed and plucked the calendar off the wall and looked at the cute pictures of peacodas as well as holidays. Peacodas were apparently a mixture of an Earth-land Peacocks and Earth-land Panda. A body of a panda yet wings under their arms with giant luscious feathers and a small cute beak. Their fur glimmers in sunlight and their tiny feathery tail twitch at the warmth. Aceline sighed at their cuteness before looking at all five months.
"Gold Moon, first month of the year which only lasts a week but is all filled with festivals for the Gods and Guardian Angels...Pink Moon, the second month that lasts sixty-five days...Black Moon, the third month that lasts sixty days...Green Moon, the fourth month that lasts sixty-five days...And lastly, the Silver Moon. The month my birthday is. The year is 130 AE. 130 years After Earth. Only 130 years? Sounds so short compared to the years Earth had..."
She muttered as she closed her calendar. Placing the peacoda calendar back to it's original place she collapsed onto her pillow, groaning in boredom. Took a deep breathe and exhaled loudly when a sudden thought hit her.
"Where is everyone? Am i not supposed to have a tutor today?"
She questioningly mutter to herself as she looked at her wooden clock. It was eleven, her lesson started half an hour ago. Her tutor was never late. Thinking it could have something to do with the recent kidnappings she swiftly shrugged it off without a second thought. Sitting up, she looked towards her window again,
'Perhaps they left...maybe i could practice again-'
Her thoughts were quickly cut off as a metallic hook appeared on her window sill. Rope seemingly following it to the very bottom. Fear shook through her veins as she saw said rope tugged a few times before quiet footsteps echoed throughout the room. Swiftly running to the door, her heart racing. Turning the door handle over and over only to reveal the door locked. She tried breaking the wooden door down only to fail. Nearly in tears she ran to her lamp, clutching it to her chest. To frightened to scream she hid under her bed allowing curtains on her bed to drape around it before a loud stomp rattled around the room. Covering her mouth with her hand she felt the footsteps walk around the room before it came close to her. Her breathing hitched as the footsteps stopped. Closing her eyes shut she held her breath. Vomit slowly crawled up her throat as the silent continued. Growing brave she opened her eyes and turned her head slowing only to be greeted with a masked face. Screaming, she tried to hit them with her lamp only for them to strongly hold her arms in a death grip. They dragged her out only for her to continue screaming thrashing. They snatched away her lamp throwing it onto her bed before pinning her down. Before she could scream again the stranger tied their headband around her mouth, gagging her. She thrashed around in her captives arms only to be lift up and thrown back onto the ground viciously. Everything became blurring and muffled only to return back to normal after a few seconds, though her mind still hazy. A few tears fell but her face showed no emotion as it slowly turned to the left. Trickles of blood stained her floor as her captive's muffled screams were filled with panic.
'Perhaps they wanted me unharmed?'
She thought not caring anymore until her eyes caught onto a glass of water. Lifting up her hand shakely, she concerntrated on it. Energy, adrenline. It took over her as she slowly felt as though she rejuvenated. Giving a weak smirk she started lifting it up before the door suddenly slammed open. The loud noise, scaring her, caused her body to whip towards her hero. The sudden change caused the water to be thrown at the captive, square on the face. Before anything else could happen the water froze. Aveline's eyes widened,
"Grandmother?"
She asked in a quiet, repectful tone but with a hint of shock. There, in the door frame, stood an old lady with a straight back, grey hair in a low bun and one huge, poofy, red and gold dress. Her eyes glaring at where the water - now ice - laid before moving her stare to Aceline. A scowl never moving from her face. She sighed, shaking her head at the captive before muttering,
"Idiot."
Aceline stumbled onto her feet, wiping away her dried tears. Straightening her back she bowed in front of her Grandmother.
"Grandmother, you have my gratefullness."
Aceline stated thankfully as she launched herself into her Grandmother. Clutching onto her silken dress before letting more tears fall. Her Grandmother wrapped her arms around her and patted her back before trying to calm her down.
"Hush, my Aceline. You're a lady and ladies do not cry over such things. But, maybe this once, i will allow you not to be such a lady this time. This time i shall allow you..." She let out a deep sigh before continuing, "allow you to be taught the ways of an elementalist. Just like your mother once did."
She hushed as she guided the sleepy young noble to another room. To a special room that they only allowed some to enter.