"He's so cute!" Violet spun around the room her long brown hair moving in a perfect circle around her.
"Violet! He's our guest and an old friend of mine! We will be polite." Aurelia said her cheeks turning bright red.
"You think he's cute too!" Jessenia said in a know it all way a smirk on her face.
"Jessenia I will not discuss this with you! Like I said he is our guest and will be treated like one. I expect you girls to act like ladies during his stay here." She tied the end of Alana's braid and kissed her nose.
"Alright Alana off to bed. In fact off to bed with all of us." Several girls groaned but did as they were told anyway.
Snow fell lightly on the windows and the fireplace burned brightly. Our kitten Midnight curled up by her feet and fell asleep faster then she did. It was the perfect setting for a winter night.
For the first time in a long time she felt safe. Like the outside world no longer existed. She pulled the covers tight around her and fell asleep peacefully.
Morning came with the sun shining brightly on newly fallen snow. It was as beautiful as a storybook in there and everyone got to go outside to experience the first pretty winter day. Everyone but Aurelia.
Servants went from room to room shaking rugs and cleaning fireplaces. The cook came in with new assistants to help with the Christmas ball feast.
Everyone was in a hurry getting ready for the ball. Aurelia's name was called constantly to approve packages and guest list. Linens for the ball had to be checked and rooms prepared for guests staying at the castle.
The girls were thrilled that their studies were canceled and Aurelia's head buzzed the the preparations of everything.
"How are you doing?" Oliver asked as he came up behind her while she signed papers for more workers to be brought in for the week.
"I had no clue a ball took so much work and energy! I thought I would be able to finally rest no wonder Mother was always tired!"
"You do look exhausted. You really should sit down soon and wait until Carissa's birthday ball comes!" Oliver chuckled but his face darkened as he turned around.
"Which plenty of suitors will be attending!" A familiar slimey voice boomed.
Instantly Oliver encircled Aurelia's waist and drew her closer.
She let out a small gasp but went along with the game.
"I sure hope not! I wouldn't want anyone to take my princess away." He laughed and smiled his blue eyes as kind as if he really was having a fun conversation.
"Uh well..yes..um..have you made a public announcement to court Princess Aurelia?" He smirked as if he had just caught them in their own trap.
"We aren't planning to do so until after the Christmas ball." Oliver kept her in a tight grasp and she forced a smile thought.
"Yes we wanted to get the ball out of the way first."
"Yes well I am just doing a check on the castle.I see you still have angry villagers though Princess. You really must lower the taxes."
She kept from taking off her shoe and throwing at him and instead smiled politely.
"Yes well I will be having a meeting in town square in 3 days time right before the ball. I will address the people then."
"Very well I will see that your paperwork has been taken care of and then show myself out."
"Of course." Oilver let Aurelia go and moved towards Lord Famin.
"I will show Lord Famin to the library." Oliver touched her arm as he left.
She touched the spot he had touched and her cheeks turned bright red.
Night just in time for Aurelia. She was ready to pass out from the long day. She got the girls ready for bed and curled up under her blankets. With Midnight at the foot of the bed and the warm fire she fell asleep in no time.
"Aurelia." That same voice called to her.
She woke up startled. The room was now pitch dark and freezing cold. Midnight was meowing somewhere and Carissa sat up straight in her bed her face pure white.
"Did you hear it too?" Aurelia asked hoping she wasn't going crazy.
"What was that?" Daisy stood up and put her slippers on.
"I don't know but I've heard it before. Remember I thought there was someone in the house." Aurelia quickly put her slippers on and lit a candle.
"Wait....are those footsteps?" Aurelia moved closer towards the fireplace and sure enough black footprints made a trail.
"Where do they end?" Carissa was now waking up Jessenia and Violet.
Aurelia followed them and they ended inside the fireplace.
"That's odd they end at the wall."
"Let me see!"Daisy grabbed a candle and ran over to the fireplace.
"Look Aurelia there's a letter stuck inside this stone." Violet now wide awake as were the all the other girls carefully pulled the letter out and began to read it.
"Candle light on a golden stone will open your way. Our way to what and where in the world will we get a gold stone?"
"In the left corner." Robin said coming up behind them.
"She's right! How did you know that Robin?" Aurelia asked marveling at the pure gold stone.
"I found it once playing hide and seek. I was hiding in the fireplace corner so no one would find me. I saw it when I looked up. I won that game." She said grinning widely.
"Well girls....should we try it?" Aurelia held the candle tempted to try it.
"Yes! It might bring treasure!" Sarah and Genvieve exclaimed jumping up and down with excitement.
"Overall vote?" Aurelia asked holding the candle and looking at everyone."
"Yes!" All ten voices rang out the younger girls all stood on their toes waiting. Even Gretel seemed restless in Jessenia's arms.
Aurelia held the candle flame to the gold stone and the whole room seemed to light up. It was like a golden flash of lightning had flooded the room.
The light vanished and the girls all looked into what was now a large empty hole in the fireplace. There wasn't only a hole though. A golden staircase spiraled down to what seemed like a gold door.
Before Aurelia even knew it she was walking down the stairs her sisters following behind her.
"What do you think is behind that door?" She heard several of the girls whisper.
Jessenia caught up to her. "Aurelia you don't think this is dangerous do you?"
"How could something so beautiful be dangerous?" As they grew closer they saw the door had jewels of all kinds all over it.
Emeralds,diamonds,rubys just about every jewel you could think off in beautiful swirl designs all over the door.
"Your right..it's beautiful!" They were at the end of the staircase now just waiting. None of them knew what was behind that door but all of them wanted to open it.
"Are we going to open it?" Corine asked her tiny voice breaking the silence.
"Yes." After saying that Aurelia opened the golden door.
