Simple Awakenings

chapter 17

It has now been a few weeks, I lost count so I think two weeks, since I have been forced to live in the Centre Realm castle. I would occasionally visit the Pond of Want to see what Josh and my friends were doing, and most of the times I would just sit there and cry.

My friend Max has been accepted to the top two colleges of his choice. My other friend Jessica got the lead in the school musical this year. Mr. Cobbs hasn't really said anything about me but it looks like he's still missing me. I guess. Maybe. I don't know what my band teacher is even thinking anymore, and all us band kids think all that he does is yoga.

Yes, my band director is a yoga addict. I would never even think of doing yoga in my life yet who knows what goes on in this castle.

I have days where I wished I took some of those yoga things seriously. I'm sorry, Mr. Cobbs.

So back to the past two weeks here.

I've been writing down everything that I do during the day, almost like a diary of some sorts. But it's normally the same thing for the past few days. Wake up, eat breakfast, take a walk in the gardens, study the map of the country, do a little more research about the vampires and werewolves, tea with Willa, my other two meals, go to bed, end of my day. It's been like that for a while except for today.

Willa told me that she was going to be having some guests, also known as the duchesses and countesses of the various clans, for a little tea party. She was constantly asking me to attend. She started asking me two days ago, and every time she would find time to ask me if I want to attend, I would try my hardest to kindly say no. I mean, they work at times, but again she would still ask.

This morning at breakfast, before she asks for probably the 23rd time, I ask her, "Willa, I know you're going to ask again if I want to come to your tea party. But before you do, can I ask why you want me to attend your tea party? I doubt the guests would not approve of my attendance."

"That's the reason I want you to come. I know at this point that word has gone around the Realm that there is a mortal who can see us, and I want the duchesses and countesses to meet you." She answers. "I want them to know that you are not harmful as others may say that you are." So people are saying that I am dangerous? But I am not dangerous. Sure I may be a bit of a roughhouse at times with my friends and Josh, but I am in no way not dangerous at all.

I am going to show these ladies that this mortal is just a normal person.

"Alright. You persuaded me. I'll come to your tea party later today." I tell her with a shrug of my shoulders. She squeals like a teenager and hugs me thanking me for doing this for her.

But I'm not doing this for her. I'm doing this to make a point to people who are just assuming things.

~

By the time the tea party rolls around, I soon realize that I have never been to an actual tea party. More the less a party that actually has tea involved with it.

I've been to bonfires, pool parties, graduation parties, birthday parties, and others but never a tea party. But when I was little I wanted to go to a Mad Hatter's tea party from Alice in Wonderland.

Also once I was mistaken as a sophomore in college at a friend's graduation party when I clearly was going to be a sophomore in high school. How else would I know the friend who was having that party? She was greek so you would expect a lot of dancing and such involved.

I doubt that the tea party will have an unbirthday celebration or a lot of greek dancing. I couldn't greek dance for my life that day yet I did greek dance.

I also doubt that these people would know what the term greek even is. Haha.

Rosamie places me in a simple light blue dress with a pair of white flats. My hair, unlike the past two weeks, is now pinned up into an updo that is making my scalp itch quite a bit. I was never one used to bobby pins. I didn't do dance classes growing up. It was always sports until the great discovery of marching band. Okay, well with with the marching band aspects I had to use bobby pins.

Shoutout to the hats that I had to put my long hair up in and my baby hairs.

I hear a knock on my door and hear the voice of Willa coming from behind my door asking if I was doing alright. I respond with, "Yes I am. Rosamie is doing a great job with me."

"Do you mind if I come in? Are you dressed?" She asks as I hear the door knob turn and the door open slightly. I tell her that I am dressed in the dress that I was given and I see from the mirror of my vanity that she enters my room. "Oh, Ellie, you look so beautiful." She tells me walking over to me. She moves Rosamie off to the side to get a better view and she also puts a hand on my shoulder, almost similar to a gesture that my mom made in the past. "Don't let the duchesses and countesses get to you. You're a strong girl, and I believe in you that you will show them wrong."

I take a deep breath. This is the first time since coming to the Realms someone called me something that is not mortal. Willa actually called me a girl. That causes me to smile and she tilts her head. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just...you called me a girl. Not a mortal."

"Well isn't that what you are?" She asks rhetorically. "I mean, sure you are a mortal, but you still have a vagina." That earns a laugh from all three of us currently in my room. "Alright I'm going to go tell the guests to go out to the party and that you will be coming down soon. Take your time." She gives me a friendly kiss on the top of my head and leaves my room.

After psyching myself out for a couple of minutes, I tell Rosamie that I am ready to go down to the tea party. I get out of my seat and follow Rosamie out of my room and out into the garden.

Upon entering the gardens, I could see various women sitting around a table, dressed to the nines. When we reach the door and Rosamie gestures to me that I can walk out into the gardens, I take a deep breath and walk through the doors.

I slowly walk to the table on the little patio and I could see Willa out of all of the women. She made eye contact with me as I got closer and it appeared that she cleared her throat. "Ladies, our guest has arrived." I can hear her say as she motions for me to come closer as I felt like I was glued in my spot. I do as she says as she announces me. "Ladies, I am proud to introduce miss Eliese Ardet. The mortal that can see us supernaturals."

The duchesses and countesses bow their heads to me as I once again stand in my spot frozen. All I could really do was give a wave and say, "Uhh...hello." Yeah, I'm being a bit awkward in a situation like this.

A lady dressed in a gown that was almost similar to the color of my simple dress comes over to me and walks around me. "She's...simple." The woman states before grabbing my face and looking on each side. "Good facial structure..."

"Ednes, please let her be." Willa says sighing some. "She's been through a lot lately."

The woman, Ednes, gives Willa a look that I couldn't see and then looks back at me. "I'm Ednes, duchess of the Water Clan." She introduces. "It's a...pleasant moment to meet you, mortal." And we are back to being called mortal.