Snow Fall (Book one)

Chapter two

Gracelia sat in front of the mirror as the maids braided her hair into two parts and added blue flower pins to match the blue dress she was wearing. The bow on the collar was a deep gray satin, the white ruffles on the hem of the skirt made the dress stop at just above her ankles, the sleeves were light blue lace that showed off her slender arms that the maids compared to those of her mothers, Duchess Juliana. Since she was too young, they didn't dare put makeup on her milk white skin and her cheeks were already rosy enough. Once the maids were happy they stepped away from the young girl. Gracelia gasped at her reflection in the mirror, she looked stunning almost like a young lady. "Are we done?" She asked the maids, they smiled in response and bowed to her.

"Can you do a spin for us my lady?" Asked Adelina. Gracelia spun in a circle and felt the skirt lift making a closed blossom around her legs. She smiled and giggled, the maids all gasped at the stunning young girl in front of the mirror. They couldn't believe how much she'd grown in the past year.

"I feel pretty Ade!" Gracelia said, still smiling wide. Adelina walked over to her and knelt down, fixing one pin that had moved from the spin.

"You're always young mistress," She smiled at her. "Even with bed head." Gracelia poked Adelina on the nose and stuck out her tongue. "Should we get going? Your mother and father must wait for you." Adelina offered the young girl her hand and together they left the room. Gracelia suddenly felt nervous, and she bit her lip, she would do it. She would ask her father for lessons on swordsmanship and archery, she wanted to be just like her papa. However, her little heart beat faster, and she suddenly felt nauseous. Adelina looked down at Gracelia and stopped, kneeling in front of her she asked. "Are you all right young mistress? You don't look well. Is the dress to small or is your hair too tight?" Gracelia shook her head which only made her even more nauseous. "Then what's wrong?" Gracelia squeezed Adelina's hand.

"I'm nervous." Adelina looked at her worried. "I'm gonna ask papa for my birthday present."

"That's a good thing, there's no way he could tell you no. You're his little girl."

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"No." Said Gracelia's father to her birthday present she wanted. Her mother just looked at her daughter, dumbfounded at what she had just asked Hugh.

"But papa! I wanna learn how to use a sword! Plus, I wanna learn archery too!" Gracelia begged to her papa, he sat there looking at her, not touching his food, the fork laid on the plate half dug into his roasted chicken breast.

"I said no." Hugh said, picking up his fork again.

"That's unbecoming of a noble lady Gracelia! You can't be serious? Do you know what the others would say?" Duchess Juliana asked her, Gracelia pleaded with her mother.

"Mama! Daddy's a Duke! They wouldn't dare say anything! Plus, I could train in secret, no one would know!" The Duchess shook her head and her father just stared at her, the fork halfway to his mouth. "Plus, it's my birthday, and that's what I want. I want daddy to teach me!"

"Gracelia, I don't know about this. You're a girl and a young girl at that. You're only seven!" Her mother told her, her brown eyes pleading with her to drop the subject. However Gracelia was a noble by birth and still had pride in what she believed in.

"I don't care! Boys learn how to fight and wield swords when they turn seven! Why can't I?" Gracelia would stand her ground on what she wanted, she never asked or begged for anything and this time this is what she wanted with all her heart. Her father lowered his fork and motioned for a knight to come to him. Gracelia noticed it was Sir Lee, her father's second in command to the first squadron. Sir Lee nodded, making his black hair move slightly out of place, his dark brown eyes came to rest on Gracelia.