Light streamed through the lace curtains in Alyvias' chamber and onto her face making her long, dark eyelashes flutter and forcing her eyes open. She sat up and stretched her arms when something in the corner caught her eye. When she turned to look at it she saw little Prince Elias sitting in the corner watching her. "Are you really my sister?" he asked in his sweet little sing song voice. Ayvia was unsure how to answer this angel faced little boy. Should she answer his inncoent question or leave that to his parents? " Well, I think thats something that you should talk to your mother and Father about she said in a slow, unsure tone. I already asked my mother and she said that you are a bastard and so you don't count." Alyvias' face burned with shame and rage. " I guess we will see about that Elias,now may I have some privacy so I may change." Elias gave her one last confused look and closed the door behind him. Alyvia opened the wardrobe door where she had hung her clothes in after changing into the nightgown that Alyvia assumed belonged to Princess Marin. To her suprise three beautiful dresses hung in the wardrobe in the place of her tattered old clothes that she was close to outgrowing. Alyvia assumed that these also belonged to Princess Marin. She gently ran her fingers over the lace and silk and finally decided on a lavender dress with ribbons and lace on the bodice. Alyvia examined her self in the mirror and ran a brush through her long, brown waves.
As Alyvia meandered down the corridor hopelessly lost when she ran once again into the brick wall that called himself Zeus. "Goodmorning he bellowed. Alyvia curtsied and felt somewhat shy in Zues's' presence niw that she could really get a look at his face and not the backside of him from over his shoulder. "Your father is waiting for you in the dining hall" he said this time in a much gentler voice. She must have looked confused because he took her arm and walked her to the table where her father was waiting across a long oak table. "Good Morning Alyvia" he said. " I see the dresses will fit you well." Alyvia remembered the lavender dress and the two others and turned red with embarassment. "Yes", she said barely above a whisper "they're beautiful, thank you," Alyvia sat down and Zeus pushed her chair in. Alyvia turned her head towards hima nd smiled shyly. She wondered to herself about this new, shy attitude that she had sudddenly acquired. "I have a carriage ready for you and Marin when you are finished with your porridge." Alyvia was so busy looking around at all the expensive things in the castle,she hadn't even noticed the porridge sitting in front of her. " Thank you, may I ask where we are going?" Lazarus glanced up from his breakfast " To town to get you some proper clothes and whatever you need." "What shall I tell those who wonder who I am?" " You tell them you are the kings long, lost daughter" he said mater -of - factly. Alyvia was somewhat shocked that there was no cover up story in order to protect the royal name, but she didn't dare question her father.
Alyvia wandered outside to find the carriage and her sister but instead found a quaint garden with lillies and peonies. " Alyvia" Marin said quietly. "Good Morning; these flowers are beautiful ,who planted them?" "Zeus did this is his garden and I don't think he would be happy if he saw us here, we had better go." Marin turned around and with the shuffling sound of their dresses the two girls headed to town. Marin was silent the whole way to town only responding to Alyvia with a shake of her head or a humming sound. The driver pulled up to a little shop and people gathered arond kneeling and curtsying. Marin stepped down with the help of the driver, curtsied to the townspeople and made her way into the shop. Alyva followed her lead and as she walked as gracefully as possible into the shop she heard the whispering of the people. One fat women in particular stood out to her " I have always know that the king had a child out of wedlock but i never thought that he would let her see daylight." ALyvia wante dmore than anything to have a nive long fist fight with this women but reminded herself that she was representing her father and a step mother who did not care for her so she held her tounge and clenched her fists at her sides. When Alyvia looked around the shop she saw many materials she knew of and many she had never imagined of touching. She saw a sweet seamstress in the corner talking quietly to Marin. She glanced at me and curtsied. Marin called her name and the little seamstress introduced heself as Eliza and took Alyvias' measurments.
On the way back to the castle Marin opened up to Alyvia a little more. " I'm sorry about your mother, Alyvia." Alyvia looked up at Marin and felt a twinge of love in her heart. " Thank you". A few moments later Marin looked up from her lap once again, " Alyvia, many people are going to judge you and my family but I just want you to know, I believe you are meant to be in this family and I think it will work out." Alyvia didn't reply but smiled at amrin and felt the love of a sister that she had only dreamt about. "How old are you" Alyvia asked trying to make conversation. " I'm sixteen or I will be tomorrow. Hopefully father has the help setting up for my ball." "Why are you having a ball?" "It's my coming out ball, I'm eligable to marry now." Alyvia wondered to herself if her father would put on a coming out ball for her to send her out to the kingdom and let everyone know who she is.