Switched ~ a Fractured Fairytale

Chapter Thirty-One ~ A Cause for Celebration

The days began to grow shorter, the leaves on my favourite tree turning golden brown, and the birds at the sanctuary grew restless, eager to begin their long flight to warmer climates. I was settling back into a routine with more ease than I had imagined, but still, the niggling feeling to be doing something more persisted.

One crisp morning, I slid down my chute and ran along the corridor towards breakfast, my boots echoing off the wood floor and my skirts flying behind me. Most of my family were already sitting at the long table, just Mother and Marianne absent, but Father barely glanced up as I entered. I sat beside Theo, dodging his attempt to put me in a headlock. As ever, Cassy had a large, leather-bound book open before her and Bash had constructed a little contraption out of forks what liked like the wheel from a toy cart, that would, when he turned a handle attached to the wheel, scoop up a fig or a biscuit and deposit it on Isabelle's plate. She giggled in delight every time something plopped down and Bash grinned, manoeuvring his machine to pick up something new for her.

'Elia?' Father passed me an envelope as I pulled some fresh figs towards me. 'This is for you.'

I slit it open, munching a fig. A large, creamy card slid out, edged in gold. On the back was a hand-written note in Alastair's neat little hand.

'My dearest Elia,

I do hope you can attend, you would be my most honoured guest.

Alastair.'

I turned the card over and gasped. Written in flowing gold ink were the words I had been expecting but were still a surprise to see.

'His Majesty King Alastair requests the honour and presence of her most esteemed Highness, Princess Elia, to attend his coronation ceremony.'

I looked up and saw an identical card in Father's hand

'Can we?' I asked, excitement bubbling at the thought of seeing Alastair and Killian again.

'Of course,' Father said.

'What is it?' Cassy asked, peering over my shoulder.

I passed my invitation to Cassy to read, her eyebrows raised.

'King Alastair,' she said, rolling the sounds around in her mouth. 'Nope, still not used to it.'

The coronation was set for the last day of autumn, and we were to arrive a few days early. Pulling up to Hartfield Castle, I was awash with different emotions. I could not help remembering the first time, all those months ago. It looked the same as I remembered, towers of smooth golden stone soaring into the sky, glistening in the sun.

Alastair rushed down the stairs, arms outstretched.

'Your Majesty,' I smiled, sinking into a curtsey.

'Elia, you of all people don't need to bow to me,' he said.

I smiled and hugged him tightly.

He looked happier than when I first met him, more relaxed and surer of himself. Beneath his green coat, the first few buttons of his shirt were undone and only a thin gold circlet in his blond hair.

'Come in, my dear,' he said. 'Let me take you to your rooms.'

Alastair had put us up in the same suite as before, although I noticed several changes. There was a lot less gold leaf around, for a start, and much of the marble had been replaced with dark oak wood. In my chambers, the elaborate chest of drawers and writing desk were now made of simple, elegant wood and the soppy painting of the knight and the lady was gone, in its place, a large painting of Soteria and Xenia, lying side by side in a forest glade, their tails entwined.