The Dream Keeper's Dragon

3.18 Begin Again

Aurelie established a schedule of sorts in the mornings. First, she lay in bed and attempted to remember her dreams, a lost cause—since vivid dreams only came with a journey to the Dream Realm—but she tried nonetheless. And then she sat on her bed and said, 'No," to Cassandra over and over again as she attempted to sneak over-the-top dresses onto Aurelie's bed.

"You have such a nice and lean body," she said. "And that won't hold for long." Cassandra gave her a knowing look and put her hand over her mouth while she spoke, "I can see that stomach already."

"Would you mind saying it louder?" Aurelie whispered back. "I don't think everyone heard you."

She heard giggles rise from inside the cupboard and raised her own knowing brow Cassandra's way.

"So we're dressing for a funeral or a walk with the pigs today?" Casandra said with the corners over her lips dramatically pointing down. "Or perhaps a day in the cathedral with the faith workers? Black, grey or pale red?"

Aurelie smiled and rubbed at her eyes, shaking her head ever so slightly. "Alright," she pointed her finger at Cassandra, "if I allow you to pick whatever you want—"

"Whatever I want?"

"Yes." Aurelie nodded. "But only for today. Will you leave me to my taste?"

Cassandra narrowed her eyes in thought and nibbled at the loose skin of her bottom lip. "If... you let me take part in the making of your ball gown."

Aurelie brows sagged. "There better not be any colors from the rainbow in there."

"Sure," she said. "Girl, bring the yellow dress."

"The yellow one?" Aurelie asked between clenched teeth.

"You said whatever I want. That dress is gathering dust."

"That's because it's hideous."

"Nonsense."

"Please," Aurelie rubbed her hand over her face, picturing running into anyone dressed as a sunflower, "don't make me look ridiculous."

"Dressing for young Michael perhaps?"

Aurelie's eyes widened in response to her answer, she turned to the girl approaching with her dress and took it from her. "What do you mean?" she asked with her back facing Cassandra.

"Shoo," she told off one of the maids who had just started laughing.

"Michael's her son, Princess," the girl said, starting another fit of giggles in the cupboard.

Aurelie stood still for a moment, clutching the dress, and lost for words.

"Handsome boy, isn't he?" Cassandra's voice was gleeful, but stern. She made sure that the sternness stood out above the glee.

Cassandra walked over the cupboard, and leaned through the door, asking the girls to leave. She spoke once they all left and the door was closed behind them.

"I didn't know," Aurelie began but was stopped by Cassandra's shake of the head.

"Princess, I'm not your mother. I am, however, his and to make matters worse, I work for you and your father. I will make a small suggestion and that is that you think about this for a moment. Now, Michael can take care of himself, he is rather fond of the girls, I'm not surprised at all that he took a liking to you. Your hair has grown back a little—there it was the damn hair again—and you're beautiful, you really are. But that boy of yours is out there somewhere, I beg that he's alive for your sake, but if he isn't I don't want you to fill the hole he left behind with my son. It won't be fair, because you'll move on and he—well, he's never been in love with anyone for more than one night and by God... Life will make him love you just to get back at him for dropping all those other girls."