Silvia, Princess Silver

14. Home

Silvia was so tired she was unable to partake of the feast. Leaning back and letting her eyelids flutter closed, she fell sound asleep in her chair.

It had been a long and difficult adventure, but the Count was defeated, the animals and people of the land were safe and celebrating joyously, and she had found her real mother, not to mention the bonus of discovering she had a little brother. All this, in a world reached through the reflections on the surface of a pond in the park. Not your average day, by any means.

"Silvia." It was a deep, gentle voice, calling her name. A hand touched her shoulder and gave it a soft shake. "Silvia? Wake up, honey. You've fallen asleep in the park. You should come home now. It's time for dinner."

"What? Oh! Dad!" She jumped up, spilling her notebook and pencil from her lap, and threw herself at him, giving him a huge hug. "I'm back! And you are, too! I had no idea you were a king who'd lost his powers, and, and... You should have told me about mother." She let go and stepped back.

Her father was staring at her. His face, lit by the light on the post beside the park bench, looked amused. "Now, now, Sweetie. You've probably been dreaming. Were you writing another of your stories before you fell asleep?" He reached down to pick up the notebook. "Ah! Looks interesting. A magical world with rhymes for spells. Well, we had best be going in. I'm sorry I didn't come to get you sooner, but things are a bit chaotic right now, what with everything going on at the apartment."

"What's going on?" Silvia asked.

"I've been helping your stepmother pack. It just wasn't working out, as I imagine you'd noticed, what with all the arguing lately. I'm sorry, but she's left. I just helped her stuff her suitcases in the back of a taxi."

"Oh." Silvia stared at him. "I'm sorry, too, I guess. I mean, if you're sorry. But..." She didn't know what else to say. Did he know she'd worked for the Count? Or was that just a story? Silvia was still sleepy and not sure how much of it was real.

She had been sitting on the park bench, that much was obviously true. But there was no sign of a raft with a purple couch on it. Of course there wouldn't be. Not in the middle of a city park. She frowned. Then something itched her and she reached up to scratch her head. Her hand encountered leafy vines. She was still wearing the crown.

"It fits you rather well, I must say," her father said with a smile. "Although I'm not quite sure I like your hair blue, but I imagine it will wash out eventually."

"I didn't change it, that was... Well, I have a brother in the, um, the story."

"Yes, how very nice! But let's not speak of it here. Better be silent about the alternate nation, and only visit it on your vacation." He winked. "Now, shall we?" He offered her his arm, and she slipped a hand through and let him escort her along the path that circled the pond. There were some dark patches where trees cast deep shadows, but she was not afraid of them.