Double Chapter Friday today! But since I posted yesterday, this is going to be the second. Read on Wattpad here!
It had been almost two weeks since the Annual Palentia gala, and Elizabeth is sitting on the foot of my bed, sketching summery day dresses. She has enjoyed being a seamstress in the palace immensely, and I am truly happy for her. She looks up and catches me staring. I look down quickly, and she laughs. The light from the windows makes her hair gleam and when she smiles, the room looks dark in comparison. This room truly does make everything look different.
"What do you think..." She turns her sketchbook around to me. "About this one?" "I love it," I say quietly. And I do. It's white with pale blue flowers, and soft yellow accents. Light and dainty. It's just lovely. "I thought you'd like it. I think it would be perfect for when you leave to go visit the farmers." She says, waving air-quotes in the air. "Is there going to be enough time to make it? Also, I need to talk to you about the trip." "I think I'll have enough time. And what do you need to talk about?" "I'd like you to go with me," I say quickly. "If you don't want to that's fine. Just thought I'd ask." "I'd love to. I think it sounds fun!" She replies excitedly. "I'm glad that you'll be joining me, Elizabeth. I look forward to it." I say warmly. "You don't have to call me Elizabeth, Eira." She says before laughing to herself. "What's so funny?" I ask her. "You're the only one who calls me Elizabeth. Your mother, the queen of Oriande, calls me Eliza. Why don't you?" She asks curiously. "I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to act desperate. You're like my favorite person I've ever met, but I haven't even known you for two weeks. So I didn't want to make you feel like I was trying to be your best friend. Unless you want me to be your best friend. If so, I have no complaints." "First of all, I think that you are definitely best friend material. Also, call me whatever you want. El, Ellie, Lizzie, Eliza, Liz, Beth, Liza. You get the picture." "I think I'll go with Eliza. Say, Eliza, would you care to show me some more of your designs? They're all so pretty." I sat next to her on the bed, and we stayed there for hours. Looking at the pages in her sketchbook, thinking, and talking. So this is what it's like to have a friend, I think. I like it very much. We stay in my room until almost 1 o'clock, and before she leaves she pulls out a box from under my bed. Eliza puts it on my bedside table and gestures for me to open it. I do, and inside there is a set of three polished silver daggers. I pick one up and it's surprisingly light, but not too light. I feel as though I have complete control over the blade, and I like it. I place the dagger back in the box, and that's when I notice the locket. It's hidden beneath one of the knives, and something in me begs to rip it open. As I go to pick it up, Eliza's smile falters. What could be inside this locket, I ask myself, that could make a girl made of sunshine stop smiling? I open the dainty little heart and see a violet tablet inside. I know what it is. It's made from Anara Berries, the most poisonous fruit in the country. "A safety precaution. In case something happens. I'm sorry." Eliza says softly. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I understand." I reply, and I do. I understand it entirely. "Let's just hope you'll never need it." Eliza hugs me quickly, before sneaking off to her room next door. She usually goes home, but on nights like these, she stays here. It's nice to have her so close. After she leaves, I hide the knives under a floorboard and climb into bed. I leave the palace in three days to go outside the gates. But I don't know what to expect, and that scares me. I've always been two steps ahead of everyone else, but now it seems like people are catching up to me. This is a new world, and I'm an outsider to it all.
Read on Wattpad here!
It had been almost two weeks since the Annual Palentia gala, and Elizabeth is sitting on the foot of my bed, sketching summery day dresses. She has enjoyed being a seamstress in the palace immensely, and I am truly happy for her. She looks up and catches me staring. I look down quickly, and she laughs. The light from the windows makes her hair gleam and when she smiles, the room looks dark in comparison. This room truly does make everything look different.
"What do you think..." She turns her sketchbook around to me. "About this one?"
"I love it," I say quietly. And I do. It's white with pale blue flowers, and soft yellow accents. Light and dainty. It's just lovely.
"I thought you'd like it. I think it would be perfect for when you leave to go visit the farmers." She says, waving air-quotes in the air.
"Is there going to be enough time to make it? Also, I need to talk to you about the trip."
"I think I'll have enough time. And what do you need to talk about?"
"I'd like you to go with me," I say quickly. "If you don't want to that's fine. Just thought I'd ask."
"I'd love to. I think it sounds fun!" She replies excitedly.
"I'm glad that you'll be joining me, Elizabeth. I look forward to it." I say warmly.
"You don't have to call me Elizabeth, Eira." She says before laughing to herself.
"What's so funny?" I ask her.
"You're the only one who calls me Elizabeth. Your mother, the queen of Oriande, calls me Eliza. Why don't you?" She asks curiously.
"I don't know. I guess I just didn't want to act desperate. You're like my favorite person I've ever met, but I haven't even known you for two weeks. So I didn't want to make you feel like I was trying to be your best friend. Unless you want me to be your best friend. If so, I have no complaints."
"First of all, I think that you are definitely best friend material. Also, call me whatever you want. El, Ellie, Lizzie, Eliza, Liz, Beth, Liza. You get the picture."
"I think I'll go with Eliza. Say, Eliza, would you care to show me some more of your designs? They're all so pretty."
I sat next to her on the bed, and we stayed there for hours. Looking at the pages in her sketchbook, thinking, and talking. So this is what it's like to have a friend, I think. I like it very much.
We stay in my room until almost 1 o'clock, and before she leaves she pulls out a box from under my bed. Eliza puts it on my bedside table and gestures for me to open it. I do, and inside there is a set of three polished silver daggers. I pick one up and it's surprisingly light, but not too light. I feel as though I have complete control over the blade, and I like it. I place the dagger back in the box, and that's when I notice the locket. It's hidden beneath one of the knives, and something in me begs to rip it open. As I go to pick it up, Eliza's smile falters. What could be inside this locket, I ask myself, that could make a girl made of sunshine stop smiling?
I open the dainty little heart and see a violet tablet inside. I know what it is. It's made from Anara Berries, the most poisonous fruit in the country.
"A safety precaution. In case something happens. I'm sorry." Eliza says softly.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I understand." I reply, and I do. I understand it entirely.
"Let's just hope you'll never need it." Eliza hugs me quickly, before sneaking off to her room next door. She usually goes home, but on nights like these, she stays here. It's nice to have her so close.
After she leaves, I hide the knives under a floorboard and climb into bed. I leave the palace in three days to go outside the gates. But I don't know what to expect, and that scares me. I've always been two steps ahead of everyone else, but now it seems like people are catching up to me. This is a new world, and I'm an outsider to it all.