Rabecca.

I am not yet Through Growing Up.

The next few days went by in a flurry of activities. With the way my aunt Minerva was having me pack, you would think that I was carrying the entire estate to Ueteribus. Several times, Auntie Mishpa had attempted to save me, but the look that Auntie Min threw her was so intense that we decide to just let her be. To keep myself busy, I reverted to packing my weapons, not that I was going to war or anything, but it was something that was sure to annoy her. One that I was also sure that she would never interfere in.

"I do not understand why you have to carry those, a lady does not..." my aunt trailed off and I turned to find the old General shooting her a look that was full of displeasure.

"That is one way to shut her up." my auntie Mishpa sniggered and I snorted back in response. This had to be wrong. All the cogs in the wheel were working too well in my favour that I almost felt suspicious. But to borrow my father's words, who was I to stare a gift horse in the mouth?

We were at my farewell dinner party and I was lucky that the tight laces in the group had not had their way. Otherwise, it would have ended up being something much more bigger than the intimate family gathering that we were now having.

"She would have you pansified, but I will not let them do that to you. Your father and mother would not allow it for you are more than a Regina, my little darling and don't you ever let anyone limit you in that capacity."

"Yes Auntie." I, her ever agreeable niece answered. "I am just glad that you're coming with us, or rather, I am coming with you. Otherwise, it would have been rather boring and dull being left here with her, don't you think?"

She nodded before letting her own thoughts on the matter known.

"I know, right? Em and I are the perfect pair for mischief."

"Yea, and that reminds me, you are yet to tell me that story about how the two of you came to be. From what I hear, you two used to hate each other."

At that, my auntie let out a loud boisterous laugh. One that reached her husband and he turned in his seat to stare at us.

"Hate is a strong word, but the saying is right. There is a really thin line between love and hate, but I am afraid, that it is a story for another day."

"Please auntie Mishi..." I pleaded wearing my best puppy dog expression.

"Aaaw...You're so adorable when you do that," she said, cupping my two cheeks with the palms of her hands.  "But it won't do." she added, before pinching my cheeks like one of those old woman. "Your father will tan my hide if I bespoil his little angel with such a story. "

"Fine. Be that way!" I huffed away my disappointment, stealing a glance at my dear old father and sure enough, he had his eyes trained on us, and from the look that was his expression, I was sure that he would do that and so much more than tan the hide of anyone who would dare bespoil his daughter.

"Fine. I concede."

"Good girl. "

The rest of the dinner was fairly uneventful and before I knew it, I was being herded out of the ballroom and towards my parent's set of rooms where I was supposed to spend the rest of the night.

"Mum... I am not a baby." Eleven o'clock caught me whining.

"Yes, but you're OUR baby! Both you and Thomas."

"Yet I don't see him tacked in here with you?" I replied drily.

"Oh sweetheart, just this once. Don't you care that your dear old mum is going to miss you terribly?"

"Mum..." I groaned.

"What is she fussing about this time?" My father said as he walked into the room while undoing his caravat.

"She thinks that she is too old a girl to sleep with her parents." My mum replied with a laugh.

"Is she now?" Dada questioned with laughter now twinkling in the depths of those grey eyes.

"For your information!" I stood on the bed with my hands on my hips in order to appear somewhat convincing. " I am almost thirteen! A teenager! You should be acting scared, not mollycoddling me."

"Aaw...such big words from someone so tiny..." My father responded as he walked over to me. The glint in his eyes told me that he was up to no good and as a result, I jumped behind my mother's back in order to hide from his prying fingers.

"I'll have you know that I am not yet through growing up. I could still be as tall as you, you know!"

Both my parents burst out laughing and I scrunched up my nose in disgust.

I do not know how we finally did it, but somehow, despite all our bickering, we still managed to catch some sleep.

"Hey...wake up baby!" My brother's voice jolted me out from my dreamless slumber and I jumped up with a start.

"Wha... what? Where am I?" I called out, looking around frantically. Thomas burst out laughing and I turned to look at him through my sleepy haze.

"That's not nice." I complained.

"I know, but you're the baby so I get to bully you." He smirked at me as I frowned back at him.

"What about Marie and Kelslie?"

He gave me a sour look and I laughed back at him. For some reason, he had a problem with the dogs. Something about them messing up with his experiments.

"Okay, wake up or we'll get late."

Slowly, I crawled out of bed and left with my brother for my own set of rooms. After he was satisfied that I was not going back to bed, he left me and I was left to think about Ueteribus and my new school alone.

"What do you think Maurice, will Ueteribus be a great place?" I ask my token rubber ducky but he just stared back at me. "I guess you wouldn't know. You've spent your whole life holed up in here and I shouldn't ask that of you."

"I have seen the pictures though. Crayon city is a wonderful place. There are mountains, and flowers and dainty little cottages. There are a great number of mansions too. The house where we are going to live is moderate though and aunt Mishi, Uncle Em and Thomas and I are going to be really happy there."

"I know you're wondering why we won't be staying at the embassy, but the capital is too far away from Crayon city and that's where my school will be. Dada also wants us to keep a low profile and as you know, that cannot happen if I keep commuting from the embassy."

"All in all, I am very excited about this move. I'll miss you and this home though, but I'll always be thinking about you." Or not. Another voice spoke in my mind and I began to laugh at my new line of thoughts. So much would be happening to me that I was sure that the rubber ducky would be the last thing on my mind.

Still, smiling at my thoughts, I got out from the tub and dried myself. I put on a robe and walked into my closet only to find a pale pink silk satin dress laid out on the couch for me. It had Auntie Minerva written all over it and I scrunched up my nose in disgust as I quickly pick it up and chucked it into the dirty clothes basket that was beside the doorway.