Demon Heart

Chapter 9.2

Evabelle could still feel the wind, taste the sweet air on her tongue. Her body still felt miles of the ground when her eyes slowly fluttered open. One of the biggest grins that she had had on in a long time remained glued to her face as she pushed herself up from the bed.

It was still dark outside, but when Evabelle pulled aside the drapes, she could just see the pale lavender-blue seeping across the horizon. Her smile grew as she gave a silent laugh of delight. It had been a while since she'd watched the sunrise. Pushing open the window allowed the cool air to stream in, but Evabelle pressed on. She leaned out her window and took note of the wide berth of roof in front of her. This day just kept getting better and better.

Still in the sugar smelling pajamas that the elves had provided for her, Evabelle clambered through her window and stood outside, taking in the colors slowly painting themselves across the sky as the sun pushed away the darkness.

Slowly, the early bird sank down, curling up, bringing her knees to her chest and smiled as the day erased the night. Back at her old apartment with her mom and brother, she'd quite often be up early enough to witness this, but she could never remember it being quite as stunning at this one was. However, she could also remember when her mom and Thom had woken up and had come to sit silently beside her to watch. The constant ache she held for them intensified for a moment. Evabelle breathed in deep and let it out slowly. At least they were safe.

After a while, which could have been two minutes or two hours, a knock sounded on her bedroom door back inside. Evabelle turned as she heard an unfamiliar voice say. "Princess Evabelle, may I enter?"

Evabelle scrambled back through the window and slid it shut. "Yes, yes come in," she replied, a little rushed.

The door swung open, revealing a shimmering, silver haired elf woman, holding pale blue satiny robes. "These will be your garments for the ceremony, this morning after a small breakfast. After the crowning is complete, you will return here for your fitting for the festival."

Evabelle stumbled forward. "O-okay," she stammered like an idiot, taking the clothes from the woman's arms.

The elf nodded and glanced down at Evabelle's leg then raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't say anything as she turned and left the room. The slightly frazzled girl closed the door behind the woman, still a little off guard after being pulled so suddenly from her thoughts. She backed up until she was able to sit on the bed again, only to realize, she'd forgotten to ask where the ceremony would be taking place. Hopefully she could find the others and maybe have that breakfast with them.

Setting aside the robe Evabelle began to undo the buttons on her shirt, when she saw a long jagged tear across the left shin of her pajama pants. She must have gotten it on the window sill when she'd climbed back in. That must have been why the elf lady had given her that odd look. Evabelle sighed and shook her head, and finished undressing and put on the white slip she found within the blue robes, which, when she had pulled that on, reminded her of the gowns that graduating students wore. It had the broad shoulders that flared a little and the rest went straight down just above her ankles. A thin silver trim went down in two parallel lines on the front and around the collar and sleeves. Also found within its folds, a pair of matching slippers, which fit nice and snug over cold toes.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, another knock sounded. Quickly, Evabelle ran a comb through her hair, and started a braid as she ran to get the door.

A small wild haired blonde waited behind the wood, wearing an exact copy of the blue and silver gown that Evabelle wore. Although Aza's was smaller, but not quite small enough as it went past her ankles and just lightly brushed the floor.