When You're Different

Chapter One

    The pale sunlight seeped through my light curtains and onto my face. It was a nice way to wake up but I'm still not a morning person. Holi let herself into my room to prepare me for my day.I sometimes felt sorry for her. She had to deal with 'morning me', yet she always had a smile on her face.

"Morning Princess." Holi had already gone into my closet to choose an outfit. She knows all my favorite dresses and blouses, so I never disagreed with her choices.

"Morning Holi, what colour does today feel like?" Tuesday... maybe a baby blue.

"What about this?" She emerged from the closet with a pastel blue, knee length, flowing summer dress.

"Reading my mind as always." I said with a chuckle as I dragged myself out of my bed. My day was going to be long so better start it on a good note. "What's on the schedule today?"

"Well, you've got history lessons in the study, then two hours free before lunch. Then I think you have etiquette in the dining room for an hour. Oh, and Sandra wants to see you to show you the dress." Holi always knew my schedule inside out and back again.

"Ugh, another boring history lesson with 'Madam Montisello'" that woman could shame people so well she could probably make the king, with all his ego, feel sorry for himself.

"I know Marion, but it's only one hour. Plus since you're fifteen, you'll get to drop history next year." Ah, the voice of reason.

"True," I send an agreeing nod in her direction, "Anyway, let's get me dressed." Holi helped me into the dress and zipped it up at the back, my arms could never reach the zip. She went back into my closet to choose a pair of shoes while I go to my shelf to pick a tiara. My favorite, a wonderful crown with curling vines and peridot and emerald gems for leaves (the colours matched my eyes). Beautiful, but not with my blue dress. Instead I choose one that looked like rolling waves, with a large sapphire in the middle. That would do. Holi returned with a bright blue pair of heels with open toes.

"Excellent choice Princess, that sapphire will go wonderfully with today's fashion." I sat back onto my bed so I could put the shoes on.

"Thanks Holi, go to know I'm not blind yet." I managed to get the words out in a polite tone and Holi giggled. Taylan, another one of my maids, but less favored to Holi, came into my room with an announcement.

"Your breakfast is here!" She always used an overly dramatic tone and sometimes even asked for a drum roll before she pushed my meal cart-thing into my quarters.

"Yes, yes. A gracious thank you Ms. Taylan." Holi loved to play along with Taylan. I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"Oh! I need to eat quickly, my lessons start in thirty minutes and Holi still needs to do my makeup!" I shouldn't of worried though, Holi's work with my hair and makeup was very quick, and I had leaned to politely shove my food in my mouth.

After I'd finished with breakfast, Holi worked fast as always. So then I had to deal with Ms. Monticello and the horrors of the Fourth World War. When it was finally my free hour, I wondered around the garden, it was my favorite place to be. So many greens and browns.

Ian, my father's butler, found me in my usual spot under the willow tree with some news, "Your Highness, the King has requested your presence at dinner tonight. He has some urgent news." I nodded before he walked away, wondering what could be so important that my father himself had to tell me.

I spent the rest of my day worrying about what could had happened. I wondered if he was leaving on a business trip or if mother's sickness had finally gotten to her.

Finally it was time for dinner. I walked into the large hall and sat next to where my mother would have been before she started spending her days in bed. My father walked in with his lawyers. This was not going to be good.

"Marion." His voice was calm and emotionless as always, "As you know, our country is in great danger. The Others have heard rumors about how you're... different." He spat the last word as if it was a curse. "You need to be relocated to a safer place until it is safe here." No. No. No no no no no no! I couldn't go! Not when my mother was on her death bed! I couldn't just leave her here! I managed to calm myself enough to get out some words.

"When will this be?" I needed to get ready, and I would take me a while.

"You leave tomorrow morning."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please comment if you think I should continue