Half Complete

Annual Fair

The day was sunny and bright.I woke up to sunlight falling on my face and didn't stop the happy grin that stretched across my face.It was time.The long awaited annual fair was here.The past few days had been tiring, immensely so.Dorian had been stricter than usual. He made us practice relentlessly,his critical eye looking for the slightest mistake to reprimand. There was a knock on the doorand  Mary entered,her face alight with joy. Instead of the drab uniform for the maids she was clad ina colourful dress ,the long skirt swished as she walked. Her hair was put up into a fashionable braid and she looked young and pretty."Miss,get ready fast, we have to meet the commander in an hour" she said as she laid out the clothes and pulled back the curtains.

                                       "Ah yes,"I said as I inspected my attire for the day.I was wearing a short sleeved tunic and pants .There was a belt at my waist for strapping my sword. "Mary, are you sure that these are my clothes?" I asked, uncertainity laced in my voice. Surely the queen would be in a murderous rage when she would see my clothes .

                          "It is your clothes, miss. The commander insisted." She said with a sniff. There was some conflict between Dorian and Mary. She was brusque while talking to Dorian and tried to avoid him as much as she could.  Whenever I asked her, she would clamp up. I sighed. Well today was going to be interesting for sure.

                Mary helped me into the clothes and tightened the belt. Then she  brushed my  golden-brown hair and tied it to a high pony tail with a thick long ribbon. I hated the fact that I couldn't do auch simple tasks by myself. A few months back I had got so fed up of not being able to even braid my long hair that I tied one end of it to the bed post and cut it off with my sword. Mary had been horrified but I was happy.

         I took a deep breath and  looked at the mirror.The girl who looked back wasn't the scared, fragile thing I felt like.Her brown eyes shined with confidence and she seemed ready to face any fate."Come Miss,let's go"Mary said gently.I shook myself out of my stupor and followed her.Little did I know about the drama that would unfold that day.

                                 The palace grounds were decorated with colourful stalls that sold a multitude of things. The air was full of sounds and the streets with the folk dressed in their beat attire.A central space had been left open where there was a small platform.Instead of holding it the market, our fair was held at the palace grounds. The palace was open to everyone that day.Groups of soldiers under Dorian's instructions would perform different types of weaponry activities.There was a hint of a festival everywhere. Truly it was a festival with everyone happy.

        But a tedious task lay in front of me.As one of the two participating in the swords fight,I had to introduce myself to the king.For the annual fair marked the time when the monarch would inspect the district and engage in council with the feudal lord. The king was just in his late twenties though.He was almost the same age as my eldest sister.The untimely death of his father had forced him to take the reigns of the kingdom at an early age.At first the nobles were apprehensive but time showed that he was a formidable person.He ruled kindly with a touch of aggressiveness but most were happy during his reign. The king was also very good looking and he was said to be a playboy in his younger days.His  spy network was really well known and it is said that the black hoods or so they are called had infiltrated into every nook and corner of the country.

I ran to the palace grounds .Ciel was waiting there,Dorian beside him telling him of the sights around him.He turned and grinned."Hi Clarie!I recognised your footsteps.I thought you had run away scared leaving me no partner to win against".He smirked. 

"Dream on,Ciel"I said"I may be a lady of the house but I definitely won't go easy on you".Dorian clapped us both on our backs."that's the spirit,Kids.Now I have to go to check on something. Just do your best and I'm sure you both will leave everyone astounded."He said and walked away.

Mary hesitated."Go on Mary.I can look after myself "I gave her a little  push . "Okay, Miss, all the best. I'll be rooting for you"She laughed and went away to see the sights.

Ciel rested his back against the wall and crossed his hands in front of him.He was wearing a white under shirt with a navy blue waistcoat and grey pants.His raven hair was tied in his signature low ponytail and his unseeing eyes seemed to glow with determination. But there was something else in them too.

"Hey,Are you nervous?"I asked.

"Can't be nervous of someting you can't see"He said.

"But you can feel it right?"I asked.Butterflies were in my stomach and I could barely stand still with the excitement.

Ciel sighed."Yes,Clarie ,I'm nervous.But we can't stop now.We are so close to achieving our goal."

"Are you going to tell them?".

"Yes,I want their pity to turn into amazement"He smiled then stiffened"Clarie,Someone is calling you" .

I turned.My elder sister was walking towards me.Her long brown hair, a shade darker than mine and almond shaped eyes gave her the look of an elven princess. I involuntarily took a step back.  Why was she here? She couldn't be stopping me, right? But to my surprise , her face broke into a brilliant smile as she approached me.

                   She took my hand in her fair palms."Here clarie,It's great you found your passion" and pushed something into my outstretched arm.It was a half moon crystal attached to a bronze chain."It's a family heirloom."She said  ."Clarie do your best today and no matter what happens, where ever you go and however different you may be, always remember that you are a daughter of lord Harrowfield" she hugged me"and my dear younger sister".She kissed my forehead and muttered something like a prayer before walking away ,her long skirt swishing in the breeze.

I  stood still with shock. What had just happened? Sure my eldest sister was kind to me but the queen had forbade her from interacting with me in public. I felt my hard exterior break a bit.My sister said she loved me, a cursed half-complete person and she braved the queen's ungodly wrath to see me.I felt my eyes sting and throat burn.I shut my eyes and furiously rubbed my nose.I clutched the pendant tightly and slipped it over my neck. My mother would be in a murderous rage after this. But at least my sister supported me. And that alone was enough to give me courage.

    "Clarie" Ciel called"It's time". His voice wavered a bit.

"It's now or never"I said feeling a dryness in my mouth.
          "Come on ,let's do this"Ciel said.He held out his hand.I grasped it tightly and moved towards the platform,Ciel right behind me.It was time to show my family really how "incomplete" I was........