Dream § 7 [Public] Of Strawberries and Candles
She was sitting in front of her mirror, in her room. The maid was brushing her hair slowly, before pinning them up, clearing her face from the pink strands. Estelle caught a glimpse of her evening gown and refrained herself from frowning; it wasn’t appropriate of her to dislike a gift from the Commander. But obliviously, the man had not chosen the right person to pick up the dress. It was white, light blue and pink, colours the princess liked, but the shape of it was somewhat reminiscent of a bell. Estelle knew she would looked horrible in it, but she had smiled and properly thanked Alexei’s messenger when the dress had been delivered.
Her musings were interrupted with a knock on her door and the princess stood up to answer it. She opened it to reveal her sword master flanked by two knights.
"Ah! Master Drake! What are you doing at the castle at this hour?" she asked with a bright smile, obviously happy to see her teacher.
"I am invited to the bal after all, Lady Estellise" the older man chuckled lightly.
"Oh...right..." Estelle blushed in embarrassment.
"Besides, I thought that it would be more appropriate to give you your sixteenth birthday present now instead of in front of all your guests." The man added as he pulled a long rectangular box from behind his back.
Estelle’s eyes opened wide as she smiled brightly, her mind already reeling at what the box could contain. Excited as she was, it took all her will to slowly walk to her bed and she worked the ribbons as calmly as she could. She thought her heart had stopped the moment she lifted the lid of the box: inside it, on a bed of dark purple velvet, was lying a rapier. Taking out the sword, the princess ran her hand over the intricate metal work of the handle, before looking more closely to the carefully worked scabbard. She unsheathed slowly the blade, feeling the weight of the sword in her hand. The princess finally looked up from her gift to see her teacher smiling proudly at her. Estelle smiled back, putting the sword back in its box.
"Oh Master Drake! It is so beautiful! Thank you so much!" the young woman took a few steps closer to the older man and bowed, thankful for the present.
"I highly doubt that this is a gift appropriate for a young lady, Master Drake..." Estelle looked back at her bedroom door where was now her old nanny. She was frowning upon the older man, but the princess could see the twinkle of amusement in her eyes.
"I won’t tell the Commander if you don’t, Geraldine..." Drake replied, equally amused.
"Princess Estellise, we also brought you something!"
The pink head turned to the two forgotten knights with a smile. The very short and stubby man helped the tall and scrawny one to bring in a strawberry shortcake in Estelle’s room. The cake was leaning dangerously to one side, the fruits on top randomly placed and the frosting was missing spots. Sixteen lit candles were placed on it.
"We made ourselves, your highness!"
"We hope you’ll like it!"
"Make a wish Lady Estellise!" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to blow out the candle, knowing what her wish was.
[Wakes up, smiling at the memories. She looks at the date on her Dreamberry and her eyes open a bit more wider.] Oh...I forgot my birthday...
Her musings were interrupted with a knock on her door and the princess stood up to answer it. She opened it to reveal her sword master flanked by two knights.
"Ah! Master Drake! What are you doing at the castle at this hour?" she asked with a bright smile, obviously happy to see her teacher.
"I am invited to the bal after all, Lady Estellise" the older man chuckled lightly.
"Oh...right..." Estelle blushed in embarrassment.
"Besides, I thought that it would be more appropriate to give you your sixteenth birthday present now instead of in front of all your guests." The man added as he pulled a long rectangular box from behind his back.
Estelle’s eyes opened wide as she smiled brightly, her mind already reeling at what the box could contain. Excited as she was, it took all her will to slowly walk to her bed and she worked the ribbons as calmly as she could. She thought her heart had stopped the moment she lifted the lid of the box: inside it, on a bed of dark purple velvet, was lying a rapier. Taking out the sword, the princess ran her hand over the intricate metal work of the handle, before looking more closely to the carefully worked scabbard. She unsheathed slowly the blade, feeling the weight of the sword in her hand. The princess finally looked up from her gift to see her teacher smiling proudly at her. Estelle smiled back, putting the sword back in its box.
"Oh Master Drake! It is so beautiful! Thank you so much!" the young woman took a few steps closer to the older man and bowed, thankful for the present.
"I highly doubt that this is a gift appropriate for a young lady, Master Drake..." Estelle looked back at her bedroom door where was now her old nanny. She was frowning upon the older man, but the princess could see the twinkle of amusement in her eyes.
"I won’t tell the Commander if you don’t, Geraldine..." Drake replied, equally amused.
"Princess Estellise, we also brought you something!"
The pink head turned to the two forgotten knights with a smile. The very short and stubby man helped the tall and scrawny one to bring in a strawberry shortcake in Estelle’s room. The cake was leaning dangerously to one side, the fruits on top randomly placed and the frosting was missing spots. Sixteen lit candles were placed on it.
"We made ourselves, your highness!"
"We hope you’ll like it!"
"Make a wish Lady Estellise!" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to blow out the candle, knowing what her wish was.
[Wakes up, smiling at the memories. She looks at the date on her Dreamberry and her eyes open a bit more wider.] Oh...I forgot my birthday...