Serafina: Becoming a Princess

Chapter Two

Sera felt herself being pulled away again from the scenes before her. Bright rays burned through her eyelids as the curtains were being pulled back from her window.

"Serafina, I swear you would sleep the day away if I didn't wake you." A huff was heard from the body of the hands that drew the curtains open. Leena, an older woman with faded red hair tied in a practical bun, was the oldest of Sera's four bodyguards. Her face held a scar from cheek to chin on the left side, it made her appear even more fierce than how her voice would lead someone to believe. She had also been in charge of Sera's care since infancy. 

Sera slowly rose and rubbed her eyes as she watched Leena walk into her closet and started pulling out different options of clothing for the day. Then Leena turned towards the three young women that were sitting in the living area.

"And none of you three bothered to wake her up." Her voice was strict, daring someone to challenge her. To which case Laney took up the gauntlet. 

"She doesn't have any lessons today. A little relaxation on her day off isn't going to hurt anyone." Her hazel eyes were defiant behind her light brown fringe, as her long ponytail swayed behind her as she walked into the room. 

"My dear Laney," Leena started with condensation in her tone, "there is not enough time in life to be wasting it on sleeping. People should just get their daily dose of required sleep to function and then the rest of their time should be filled with activities to better themselves."

The eye rolling was very visible behind Leena's back as she went to Sera's bathroom to draw hot water for a bath. Then the snickering came once all four young ladies saw that they had all rolled their eyes at the same time. But Leena wasn't without her eyes on the back of her head.

"Will you ladies start acting like the daughter of the king and her responsible bodyguards? Honestly, it's very unladylike and childish to be snickering behind your hands." Leena announced, without even looking up from turning the knobs on the tub. She then returned to the room.

"Now, Serafina, you will get out of bed, take a bath, and we will find something useful to do with your time."

Knowing that it was futile to argue or delay the inevitable, Sera swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, making her way towards the bathroom to become fresh for the day.

After she was fresh and dressed and brushed, Sera inspected herself in her full-length mirror. Her pale blue sundress swayed against her knees as she twirled and slipped on light blue flat shoes. Adding the finishing touches of a dagger on her thigh, well hidden under her dress, she was ready to face the day.

Her ladies held similar weapons under their own garments. Sera was well-trained in self-defense and blade wielding when she needed to be. But her bodyguards were far more armed than she was.

"Very good," Leena commented, doing her own inspection of Sera. "Now let us go to the training room and then after we will go to the library. We must harden our bodies and broaden our minds."

With plans set in motion, her ladies positioned themselves around her, enclosing her from all sides. Leena taking the lead, Jelena watching her rear, and Laney and Eileen standing on either side of her. This was always the way. Out of everyone in the castle, Sera was the only one to have four guards with her at all times. Her father and brother only walked around with two, unless they were away on a trip.

Sera's wing of the castle was small and isolated. Nobody other than Sera and her ladies lived there. Zander's was in the same wing as Queen Regina's and her father had his own wing as the king. This was done on purpose, for Sera's safety.