Gypsy Rover

Chapter 1-Banquettes, Dinner Parties, Festivals

An elegant girl who is slightly short for her age sat restlessly at the oak wood desk in her spacious room. "Why is it always the same every single day," the girl thought as she stared out of her bedroom window into the courtyard below. "I wish I had a sister or a pet that I could hang out with." There was a sharp knock at the door and the girl stood up and straightened her back and shoulders. "Come in," she called in her pizzazz adult voice. The door creaked open on its hinges and a tall muscular figure shuffled into the room

"Such a beautiful day today," the man said cheerfully. The girl shrugged her shoulders completely uninterested. The older man noticed the movement. "You don't seem to be enjoying the sunshine," he added after a bit. The girl shrugged her shoulders once more. The man who had walked into her room was her father, the King. He was tall and muscular with kind brown eyes and dark brown hair that was neatly trimmed and combed back off his face. He was the King of the Kingdom of Ravenstone and a well known figure among his people. He was not the sort of man to sit back and let others around him do the work, he would constantly involve himself with the people. King Rowan was liked and respected by the people of his kingdom and he worked hard to gain that respect. In other words he was a great ruler.

His only child was Winter, and she was staring at him waiting for an order. So he became serious and said "There is going to be special banquette in the Main Room tonight at 7 o'clock, so get ready and wash up, find a nice dress to wear then come downstairs. You have about three hours until the banquette is in full swing. Make sure you're there," then he added with a slight smile "And try to cheer up a bit." With that he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

Winter sat down at her desk again and slumped in the chair. "Banquettes, dinner parties, festivals. Why must there be so many, and why must I be at all of them," she thought angrily. She sat for another ten minutes staring out the window again wishing that she could do something in her life, other than being something everyone looked up to and admired. As the Royal Princess of Ravenstone she did get a lot of attention from others around her, whether it was servants, lords and ladies, maids, or just from the general public. "It'll end one day soon enough," she wished. Then getting up from her chair she sauntered over to the pinewood closet containing most of her finest clothes. Then opening up the well oiled door she searched through the dresses, tights, and skirts until she came across her favourite dress.

It was a beautifully made dress too. With deep greens, and blues, even brown was in there somewhere. Carefully pulling out the silk dress and changing into it she found it a bit tight around her torso. "I'll have to get another one," she said sadly to the dress a bit disappointed. "I'll go back to that woman at the markets where I bought this one." She remembered the kind elderly lady who had helped her to pick out the dress for a past dinner party. "You don't seem to be the type who likes the royal fashion my Lady," the woman had questioned. "No, I prefer to spend days outside doing active things rather than keeping up with fashion," Winter had replied. "I like the green and blue of the sky and earth. I find it a calming," she added hoping she didn't sound too ridiculous. But the older woman had nodded her head. "My son used to say the same thing when he was your age, and my other young one says that now" she had sadly said. Winter had noticed the hint of sorrow in her voice and looked at her question forming on her lips. The other woman looked up and saw the questioning glance she was receiving. "My sons name is Benjamin," she had explained. "When he was twenty seven he told me that he would be leaving the village and that he won't be seeing me for a while," she added with a cracking voice. "I'm sorry to hear that, is there anything I can do to help you," Winter had offered. But the elderly woman shook her head trying to hold back tears. Winter was quiet as she waited patiently for the woman to regain herself. "It must be hard on her," she thought. The woman looked up to her with a new face. "No thank you my Lady, but I think I know the perfect dress for you," she replied cheerfully. She had shuffled over to the corner of the stall and produced the beautiful green, blue dress that she was wearing now. Winter had fallen in love with it already and was eagerly willing to buy it. "Free for you my Lady. Consider it a gift," the woman politely said with a smile. But Winter shook her head "No, I'll pay full price for the dress, it looks like a fine piece of work," she answered and gave her the fifteen malies required to by the dress.

Then there was a quick rapping on the door and Winter whirled around quickly as she was suddenly broken out of her daydream. "Who is it," called a little more high-pitched then she had intended. "It's Maria my Lady," came a muffled voice of her maid from the other side of the door. "The King wishes to see you in the Main Room," Maria finished. Winter frowned, her father was probably going to tell her that she was to escort the guests, if there were any, to the Main Room while pointing out a few important parts of the castle. "I will be down in a few minutes," Winter called back to the waiting maid outside her door. "Yes my lady," Maria replied then rushed off to the kitchens to help with the preparations of the feast.

Winter let out a deep sigh as she pulled off her dress and put it away. "Oh well, if there's no getting out of it, might as well go along with it," she thought contentedly then made her way to the Main Room.