Rowena {a founders story}

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

         There were flowers dripping from every surface, fine cloths covering every table, music swelling in the spring breeze – and yet the air was heavy with something unspoken. Rowena could feel it from her room upstairs, where she sat before her vanity; she was inspecting her pale face for similarities to the small painted portrait that had sat there her whole life, of Maida.

They looked eerily similar, something she regretted; Rodbern had never been able to look at her, especially as she got older. She was a walking ghost.

"Rowena!" Helga bustled into her chambers, dressed in a new, summer sky pink dress. Her gingery waves had gone almost completely blonde, and delicate freckles dusted her nose and cheeks. "The party has started, do you wish to spend your eighteenth birthday alone in your rooms?"

Sighing, Rowena turned away from the mirror. "I do, a little."

"Why? Everything is so beautiful, and I see Godric and Salazar –" she paused, tilting her head. "Are you...Rowena, are you blushing?"

"Oh Helga!" Rowena buried her face in her hands, cheeks hot with embarrassment. "I do not know if I can face him."

"Whoever – do you mean Godric?"

"Yes!" she cried, still hiding her face. "He visited me this morning, and – and he kissed me."

Helga squealed with delight, clapping her hands together. "That is wonderful, is it not? I know I would be quite pleased if a handsome lord kissed me."

"But it is not any handsome lord, it is Godric – and we are friends, and I enjoy his company, and I have never wanted any of this until he showed up!" suddenly frustrated, Rowena stood, abandoning her vanity and the array of jewellery Ms. Gray had put out for her to choose from.

"I believe that is how it goes," laughed Helga, "love tends to sneak up on you."

"No one said anything of love."

"There was no need to," Helga smiled kindly at her friend, "One must only look at the two of you and see, it is undeniable."

"I..." Rowena faltered, and did not have the chance to finish her sentence, for Ms. Gray came in, flustered.

"Your father has sent me to fetch you, Rowena – whatever is taking you so long?"

"I am sorry Patty, I...no reason, I am coming." Rowena realized she had not chosen any jewellery, or finished her hair, and simply wove a blue velvet ribbon through her hair and another around her neck, then chose her mother's diadem as a final adornment. She turned to Ms. Gray and Helga. "Do I look all right?" she smoothed the deep blue velvet of her dress, the hem dotted with crystals so it looked like the night sky dragged behind her, clinging to her heels.

Helga sighed dreamily, while Ms. Gray dabbed her eyes. "You look like Maida, only twice as beautiful." Rowena hugged her old nursemaid, and then followed the pair down to the ballroom. It really was beautiful, but Rowena only had eyes for Godric; he was waiting for her without shame, at the bottom of the staircase, with his hand out to take hers.

"Lady Ravenclaw," he bowed, grinning like a fool. "Happy birthday." He leaned in, lips brushing her ear. "And may I say, you look utterly divine this evening."

Cheeks tinting pink, Rowena let him lead her onto the dance floor; though she knew Helga, Ms. Gray – even her father – were watching, she quickly forgot about them as Godric put his hands on her waist. As he twirled her across the stone floor, she briefly spotted Salazar, but he turned away from her smile. Unconcerned, she let herself get lost in Godric's gaze, feeling for once that maybe she could have a night that went her way.