Verena __.t.pendragon

Late Again

Your Highness! Your Highness!" 

I groaned and put one of my pillows over my face to attempt to drown out my maid's voice. 

"What is it Martha?" I grumbled 

She huffed, "Princess, today is the day you're to report to school! The carriage is already waiting!"

I opened my eyes in panic and threw my pillow to the side. My heart sped up as I looked over to my parakeet, Rin, staring back at me from my nightstand. 

"Why didn't you wake me!" I shrieked, jumping off my bed. Behind me Rin made an annoyed chirp, which I ignored rushing to my dresser to put on the gown Martha had laid out for me.

"We tried, Your Highness," said Farah, my other maid as she helped me with the laces of my dress, "we did. It's just- it's a little difficult to."

I groaned again. This wasn't the first time it'd happened. It was rare that I didn't wake up in a panic because I was late for meeting up with my friends or for breakfast with my parents or for class with my tutor. Basically, anything that didn't have anything to do with my duties as a princess I was almost surely late for. My poor maids were so used to it by now, that they had perfected the art of doing my hair and makeup in under fifteen minutes. This is why I mostly wore my hair down and had minimal makeup on. And poor Rin, who always tried his best to wake me up on time. I don't know how I'd manage a year at school without them. 

School. The School for Good and Evil. The place where fairy tales were born. 

I remember when my acceptance letter along with my pass to the Flowerground had come barely a week ago. I was so busy yesterday night packing the last of my things and practically buzzing with excitement that sleep had eluded me until the early hours. Which is why I was currently in the situation I was in.

"All done!"

Farah stepped back and I took a second to look at myself in the mirror. They'd put me in a light blue gown with thin straps and a square neckline. There were blue flowers embroidered into the hips of the gown, with smaller white flowers to fill in the spaces. Aside from that, the skirt was simple with just three thin layers of tulle. It was light and breathable, perfect for such a hectic day. 

"Do you like it?" Farah asked

"I love it. It's gorgeous, Farah!" I smiled and she beamed with pride and moved to get my jewelry. 

I sat down and allowed Martha to detangle my hair and style half of it into two intertwining braids that wrapped around my head. She took my jewelry from Farah and delicately clasped a silver necklace around my neck and gave me earrings to match. 

She stepped back and took a look at her handiwork, "Perfect."

I thanked her and stood up from my vanity. "Oh,wait, what about-"

"Breakfast?" Martha finished for me with a knowing smile on her face, "Your father has arranged for there to be finger sandwiches and pomegranate juice served during your trip. He had a feeling something like this would happen."

I winced, "Great."

Martha chuckled. 

"Well," I sighed "I guess I better get going."

"Oh" Farah whined, "we're going to miss you so much!"

She moved from behind Martha to envelop me in a warm bear hug. "Farah!" said the former, ever the stickler for propriety.

"Oh please," I laughed, engulfed in Farah's hug and lifted an arm to welcome her in "come here!"

Martha looked skeptical for a moment but caved in in seconds, wrapping her arms around both of us. We stayed like that for a moment, ignoring the fact that time was already pressing against us.