Princess and the frog

XIV

Juliette was charming little princess. Dark brown eyes, long brown hair. Just like her younger sister. She was calm and pacient — everything her family wanted from her.

Juliette and Elluria were really close. Anytime one of them have had any problem, she could always tell the other. But as they grew up, their problems grew too.

Juliette didn't wanted to do just what her family tell her. She wanted to explore new places, make normal friends... Just enjoy her life.

So one day, when everyone were sleeping, she sneeked out through the door in garden. When she came back, she was — glowing. Elluria has never seen her like that. She was too young to understand, but only thing that matterd to her was that her sister was so happy.

But than Juliette started to go out more often, until she was there really every night. She had fun, but she didn't realize how she made Elluria feel. Always lying to their family, when they were suspicious about it.

Juliette told Elluria, she had met someone out there. She said It was the best thing that could happen to her. Elluria was so excited. She wanted to know everything about that stranger that changed her sister's life. When Juliette was telling her about everything they had explored, she couldn't believe it. It was like a dream.

But that, of course, something destroyed all the happy memories. Juliette was so in love, she wanted to be with her new boyfriend all the time, not just at night. She started sneeking out more often. And It was clear their family started to suspected something.

One day, it was three weeks before Elluria's birthday, Juliette was going back home, through the garden, when grandmother saw her. She was in such a big trouble! Grandmother told everyone, and all family was disappointed by her. She promised it was just for a first time, that she would never do it again without their permission.

That was a lie of course. How could she live without seeing love of her life? She was sad, and Elluria didn't know how to cheer her up. So she promised to help her. Anytime Juliette would go out, she distracted the family somehow, so they would forgot to check on her. But this only worked for a few weeks. Until they realized she is making out really stupid things, and turned attention back to Juliette. And saw her sneeking out. Again.

Juliette couldn't sayed anything this time. Mother was so angry, she promised that from now on, even every small hole in fence would be guarded by guards. She would send a letter to her good friend Lady Teresa, who would surely send her enough guards.

Juliette was crying all night. Elluria was destroyed, seeing her like that. Juliette was sleeping in her room that night. They cuddled in Elluria's bed until they fell asleep. Elluria remember Juliette saying to her „You are the best friend I could have.”

And in the morning, she was gone. Elluria waked up because of the chaos on the corridors. She ran to Juliette's room. It was completely empty, just grandmother was sitting on the bed.

Elluria started crying. „What happened?”

„I guess your sister better liked the ugly unsafe world than her own family.” she said. „You are the oldest child in this family now, Elluria.”

Tears were all over Elluria's face, as she slowly turn away. She wanted just to be alone now. Before she could go through the door, grandma told: „Remember this, so you won't make the same mistake.”

She started to cry even more, as she nodded and run back to her room. She said quietly to herself, still crying: „Happy birthday to me.”