The King's Crest

Chapter 3

"Uncle, we're leaving!" I yelled while stomping down the stairs. "I'm taking Kristine to see her dad really quick before heading to the castle to attend the ball. As always, I should be back sometime in early morning. I'll try not to wake you when I return; I know you have to wake up early in the morning for work."

"And as always, you look beautiful. I appreciate it, be safe my dear," he said as he spun me around and kissed my forehead.

Krissy and I stepped out into the evening sky. Winter was beginning and it could be felt in the cool wind blowing in the night. It was clearly going to be a colder winter this year if the weather pattern continued like this. Luckily, I have always liked cold weather. Growing up working with my uncle in the blacksmiths shop, it was always better to have it cold outside than hot because of the fire that always has to be in the shop to work with metal.

I breathed out of my mouth as I turned the corner and watched as my breath was frozen in the air. The cobblers shop was right in front of me and I stumbled as Kristine shoved passed me and flung the door right open while running into her father's arms. Nervously, I followed peering behind the door. I looked in to see Mr. Lovise holding his daughter tight in awe. He looked at me and managed to say, "Thank you," he took a deep breath with tears filling in his eyes, "thank you so much. I never thought she would be able to go again... She looks so much like her mother now. She means the world to me, she is all I have. I can never repay you for doing this for her-for me-and letting her borrow all this, too!" I could see in his face what he could not manage to say. He wanted to apologize but could not find the words.

I smiled, trying hard not to cry myself. "She isn't 'borrowing' that, the dress she is wearing is now hers. I want her to have it. I have enough dresses, and that doesn't fit me. Plus, the dress looks beautiful on her," I replied. To be honest, I don't know where the idea came from, but it just seemed right.

Though I'm sure Krissy and her dad would have loved to have more time together, I made the consecutive decision that we needed to go to the ball soon. So off we went into the cold once again. This time Krissy had her cloak and was able to keep warm. I was no longer worried about her shivering in the cold, all I had to worry about now was making sure she was fine through the night and returned home safely at midnight. It shouldn't be too hard to keep track of a ten year old girl in a palace, right?

We soon were walking up the palace steps. No matter how many times I've seen the palace, I always have to take a breath when looking at it again. The deep cold lacing up the looming palace walls. The contrast between the blue and silver that our kingdom was known for shined brightly with the half-moon high in the sky and the thousands of stars spreading out in the sky.

I can't imagine how Krissy is feeling taking all this in. She's only been here a couple times, I've been here countless times. Not to mention, she still has the same awe of a little kid. The palace to a little child is even bigger than it is to an adult. The only difference is not every little child, especially a child of peasant blood, are able to even come around the palace.

          
Now announcing Lady Mary Alice Medeeva" the lady came by, did a curtsey, and walked down the stairs into the ballroom. He continued to call names as I leaned down to explain some things to Krissy.
  
"Kristine, you will need to tell that man your full name. I could do that, but I'll need to know it. Also, as proper, introduce yourself as Miss Kristine to everyone tonight. I will let you go off with people tonight, but make sure you're visible by someone I know, no weird stunts you're a la-"
           
I didn't have time to continue before the man asked me our names as people were watching the man in front of me walk down. "Names ma'am?" he asked as we walked closer.
           
"I'm Lady Katerina Grace Bergliot and this is my friend Miss Kristine..." I realized I never got her middle name!
           
Quickly, Krissy, being braver than I ever could be as a child, "I'm her friend Miss Kristine Florence Lovise," she said with a smile.
           
They announced me just as we said ourselves. Then, like ladies, we walked down the stairs with all eyes on us as we elegantly went down. I felt my dress swooshing behind me as I walked down and I'm sure Kristine felt it too. My eyes were wide as I smiled. I soon felt myself reaching the floor and going to the side as is proper. I greeted the few people I knew and watched as more and more people came spiraling down to the bottom of the floor after being announced. I had to keep telling Kristine to be quite as she kept "Oohing" and "ahhing" at the sight of the people coming in with their bling.
           
In no time at all, the people had begun mingling with the other individuals attending before the dancing for the night actually started. Instinctively, I made my way over to thank the king, queen, and prince of Vezena for their graciousness and hospitality. I made my curtsey and made sure that Kristine did the same before walking away to once again talk to others. I could tell that Rem wanted to get off his throne and ask me what the heck I was doing with some little kid, but alas he could not. We quickly walked away as not to make the king and queen laugh as they watched the person, who was practically their daughter, bow before them trying not to laugh herself.
           
After a short time I took a quick glance back to them to see a guard whispering to Jeremiah and handing him something I couldn't quite make out, but it seemed suspicious. Ignoring what I just saw I made Kristine talk to other people, particularly the few children that were there. I made the decision that being a mother isn't easy. However, my problems were mostly taken care of when a friend of mine, Lady Clara came over with her son Isaiah and her daughter Isabelle and started playing with Kristine. This way, Lady Clara was able to help keep an eye on Kristine. Also, it meant we were able to enjoy talking to each other about the current politics and gossip around the castle.
           
We watched as Isaiah and Isabelle tried to teach Kristine how to dance for later on tonight. They were giggling like the little children they were, not realizing there was a care in the world. Lady Clara and I wanted to let them keep talking and having fun, but we knew that people aren't allowed to be disruptive, especially children. So we tried to keep them quiet while they danced around each other with their hair flying around. The girls (sometimes) held their dresses down as they were trying to make sure that they were remaining "ladylike."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I am so sorry setup is taking so long for this book. I promise the next chapter will start to make it more interesting! At least this chapter was short! Thank you guys for reading!!