While the walls of Slan's castle seemed as tall as any fort, the inside was simply ravishing. The walls were casted with fine silvers and studded with exquisite gems. I suddenly felt like a small girl in a very big city. I followed closely behind Solan, my mouth open, as I gawked in admiration. Of course! it wasn't the first time I had seen such display of riches in the faery. The palace at summer had been floored quite similarly but with warm radiant gold instead of silver. Gold, silver, all kinds of precious metals appear to lie in wasting abundance in the two courts. But then it may not be real, it may all be glamour and enchantment. But whether it was real or not, it left one utterly awestruck.
"Where are we going to?" I asked Solan, I had began to feel lost in a maze.
"To get you looking presentable, so you can meet the king'
I frowned, looking down at my coat and green leather trousers.
" I don't look that...bad"
I eyed a guard at the corner, who had been giving me a side glance. They were all acting very stiff. I could tell they were tensed. They were all doing their best to pretend like they didn't see us, it was almost as if they were scared of the prince.
"Here! give me your hand" He said, swirling us to stop.
"Why?" I asked, absentmindedly offering him my left hand.
I was rather surprised when he pulled off his mother's enchanting bracelet( that would have frozen me to death, if I went too far from him)
I sighed, sweet relief pouring into me.
"Finally!" I squealed like a mouse.
His turned and started walking again, I followed.
We stumbled upon two fae maidens.
"Just the duo, I was looking for" Solan remarked.
"Prince Solan!" They exclaimed in unison, and let out high-pitched giggles.
I look from one white curlyhead to another.
"It's being a long time since we saw you" sang one
"A very long time" chorused the other.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
"Never mind that, girls, I want to meet someone" He said trudging me forward.
"June Seras"
"Hello" I said, a bit unsure of myself. I caught their bright blue eyes dancing with glee.
"Hmm, pretty!" Exclaimed one.
"Very pretty!" Exclaimed the other.
They looked down at my clothes and their cute baby faces cringed a bit.
"But not quite refined"
"Certainly not refined" echoed the other. I frowned, what was wrong with the way I look!
" Amissa and Mindy, I leave her in your care" interjected the prince.
"I need her in a more presentable state to see the king"
"Certainly, but quite a challenge is presented here" said one of the twins.
The other fondled her chin as if in deep thought.
"Who is she by the way?" She asked.
"No questions" said the prince who turned to leave. Both girls watched him walk, giggling, cooing and blushing immensely. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

A few moments after, the faery twins were still flinging dresses across the room.
"Look this one perfect, Sister!"
Her sister rolled her eyes
"That color is so last seasoned"
"Hmmm, yeah! You're right! Away with this one!"
A dress came flying past my head, another came landing on the bed beside me, a bit annoyed I pushed it off. I had sincerely just wanted to rest, for the little time I had. But they clearly wouldn't allow me. They were making so much mess of the room, well it wasn't my room but still who did they think was going to clean.
"I have finally decided!"I yelled, getting both of their attention. I looked from face to face, I bet even Solan didn't know which was Amissa or Mindy.
To make things worst, they always carried the same expression on faces. At the moment, they both stare at me expectantly, anxious to know which dress I had chosen to wear.
" I need a hot bath first"
"Ahhhhhh" they cooed in disappointment.
"Why do you want a hot bath for anyway?" The one who I supposed was Amissa asked, fixing me a suspicious gaze. Well maybe because I'll die if I bath with cold water in a weather like this.
"You don't have the frost fever, do you?" Queried Mindy, who was moving a step backwards.
"Because if you do" recoiled the other, fear creeping on their faces.
"No! What's the frost fever any-w! never mind that! I just want a hot bath!" I cried.

Severally minutes after the bath, I had started to feel much more relaxed and warm. I let the twins give me a new hair do. We settled in front of the mirror.
"Why is your hair colored in this manner?" mused Mindy( I suppose).
"I don't know" I sighed tiredly, then wistfully stared at my reflection
"I use to have wavy jet-black hair, hair as dark as the night, it was so beautiful"
"I don't know how black is a proper color for hair'" hooted Amissa, with a frown.
"I guess this color is better"said Mindy eyeing my hair with her eyes narrowed.
" If you look at from another direction, it's actually very....full of warmth" I looked at her face, not knowing if what she said was a good thing.
"You have a point sister" said Amissa, though her expression was very stiff.
"It looks like the fiery red orange of the sun" she didn't say like it's a good thing.
"It's the color of summer"
I laughed nervously, my cover was about to be blown, if they had known, I was half human and from summer, I would gotten a very different reception.
"I actually thought green was the color of summer" I chuckled shakily " the green of the lea...ves"
Amissa leaned forward and peeped into face.
"Ooooh you're clever!" I giggled
"How do you know Prince Solan?" Mindy cooed.
"Mindy! the prince says no questions!" scolded Amissa. I was taken back by the extent of which he was worshipped
" for him..."Mindy said slyly "he didn't say we couldn't ask her?"
"Mindy!" Her sister warned.
"Fine!" She rolled her eyes.
I was actually beginning to see their differences.
"You know strangers appearing to see the king, has become very common" Amissa said, she was talking to me.
"He welcomes them differently, some he has entertained, other executed immediately, some thrown in the dungeon"
She smiled sweetly.
"The king is creating an alliance"
"Fae from the unmarked territories are coming to swear their allegiance to him, he's building an army to protect us all"
I nodded.
"He's a good king"
"He's a grieving King" said Amissa sternly.
I turned slowly to look at her.
"He's putting more strength in our defences, even had the city rebuilt into a fort in a couple years, everyone admits that this is good, but it is the reason behind all this, the reason why we will fall. The king has become insecure and paranoid, he still grieves for his son Gilliam, after he lost him, he's frightened to lose anything else. The whole king is affected, we are all afraid, we have nothing to have to believe in, our king is broken"
Mindy had started to cry quietly, her beautiful white hands covered on her face.
"My sister, Mindera mourns for Gilliam, he had been very kind to us and although he saw us both as his sisters, Mindy has always been inlove with him"
Her muffled sobs grew and she was now crying uncontrollably, wetting the ground with her tears.
"Even though everybody thinks he's dead, she believes he is still alive and is still
hoping he will return"
She sighed.
"My sister has a very soft heart"
Soon she dried her eyes with her hands and popped a bright smile.
"There's she goes again like she knows better"
Amissa rolled her eyes and muttered"I do know better"
I met her teary eyes and nodded.
"I know the pain of losing a loved someone" I clutched my chest, it had begun to hurt a bit.
"And I know a lover's instinct is never wrong" A joyful smile crossed her comely face. She chortled in delight.
Ony then did I observe the silver heart jeweled trinket she wore. The heart was on the necklace was half, clearly lacking the other half, which her sister was not wearing.
"If your heart tells you he's alive, then don't give up hope, he will return" When I was done talking to her, she looked very different, full of happiness and....hope.
Her sister leaned down and whispered in my eyes, in a manner only I could hear.
"It's your eyes" she said.
I pondered her words and finding myself to be more clueless, I let them be.
It was quiet for sometime and then they began to comb my hair.

"Will it take too much time to dye my hair" I asked after fondling the thoughts for some time.
"Yes it will or you can just use glamour, it's better for everything" Mindy answered
"No, no need for that" I was really just tired and watching the faery twins I had become a bit envious and was wishing I had a sister. I wished I wasn't all alone, and at least had someone to share a bond with. An Image of Flash crept into my mind and I shook out angrily, another image came into my mind, this one I didn't object to. I sighed "just styled it the way you can and give me anything to wear, I want to get all this over with"
"Yay!!!" They jumped in excitement.
"We will make you look beautiful!!"

Stepping outside of my door, I did not expect to see Solan. My heart leapt for my throat and I froze in my steps. His blue eyes widened as he took me in. My face flushed red, and I bit the insides of my cheeks, it was too sudden! I wasn't prepared to face him, looking like.....that.
I watched the expression on his face, my hands shaking, until it dropped. His cold blue eyes reverted to twins behind me, who had been giggling.
"You've done well" He casually said. Although His face did not betray it, I could tell he was upset, but why? What was it with me? Did it have anything to do with the dress? I had no answers.
"May I?" He offered me a hand. A smile plastered on his face, fake as it was, it was still very much dazzling.
"Sure" I muttered.