Dear Rose,

I hope you get this letter soon. Stupid Nazam will not let me use Phoe to get it to you fast. Even though I pointed out it could save a messenger from traveling through the Winter of Eldair, he still said no. He just does not like me. I should see if Ruby can persuade him. I will do that after I finish writing. If this letter makes it to you by my birthday, then you can disregard this first paragraph!

Then again, I guess you have already read that part... so never mind.

I am not starting this letter over. This is my fifth draft, Rose! So, you'll just have to get over the messiness and ink splats. Wouldn't it be great if Nazam could make a potion, like an invisible ink to cover the mistakes on a page when writing? Wouldn't that make it so much easier? Mildred would say that easy is the steep slope to lazy. What do you think? Tallis thinks the idea has merit. That means he thinks it is a good idea, right? He can be charmingly sarcastic, I have found.

There is so much to say about Tallis Grey and the outcome of his trial. I do not know where to begin. You are aware by now that he is the new royal inventor? They put him in that old grain storage tower. I go visit him when I can. Can you believe Queen Amelia has taken over my education? I cannot believe I miss Mildred. Will you tell her that? She will criticize my penmanship if I write to her.

Tomorrow is the joust IN MY HONOR. I am supposed to choose who to give my favor to... Who do you think---------oh wait you are not here. The joust will be fun, but it is the ball tomorrow night that I am nervous about. I will be expected to dance with every gentleman who asks me. I will be expected to converse with the Ladies of Court. about hats? or fans? or weather? dinner? politics? I can't remember. There are not enough spirited group dances, I have decided... too many waltzes and idle ballads.

Oh! Tallis has a little box that can play music... or it is supposed to. He should be done with his repairs. I think I will go see it now after I have sent off your letter.

Prince Jareth will be competing in the tournament! I may give him my favor. But Cerise is his fiancée... perhaps she will want to. I was not going to tell you about his attendance but that is what you get for missing it.

but, yes, I do forgive you. And I am sorry for acting like a child before you left. Now that I am turning fifteen, I will try harder to behave properly.

Love,

Princess Sienna of Alderias

~~♡~~

The sun shined bright and mercilessly on all the spectators gathering for the tourney. The day's festivities were well under way and a myriad of voices floated up through our open bedchamber window where I was being squeezed into a corset and weighed down by mountains of fabric. In addition to the suffocating neck-high ruffle of my chemise and the stiff bodice and the puffy sleeves, my ensemble also included a pearl-adorned ornamental headdress which was pinned to my head after my hair was pulled up. When I woke up and saw the gown displayed, I had vehemently refused to wear all the silly garments, but my objections fell on deaf ears.

"How am I supposed to walk around in this? At least let me pin up the hem. It will drag on the grass," I complained.

"That is the purpose of the higher heels," Ruby had explained, her voice strained as a servant tightened her girdle. I did not see the point in that either. Ruby has a good figure without it.

"What is the purpose of everything else then? I can't even walk in this. It'll be so hot!"

"You can bring a fan. You are not supposed to be gallivanting about in it anyway. You are supposed to sit and enjoy the events. It is a traditional dress. Cerise, Carmine, Saffron, Olive, Jade, Rose, and I... we have all worn that style of dress for our fifteenth Birthday Jousting Tournament. It should not come as a surprise. Don't think the rules just suddenly changed for you."

How strange that once you enter the adult world, you are suddenly permitted to do things that seemed so far out of reach as a child. But you no longer can wear what is deemed 'inappropriate'. The freedom of growing up seems to be just an illusion, I was beginning to find.

Ruby and Cerise went on ahead with Father to welcome Prince Jareth who had just arrived. I was disappointed I could not go because the servant was still fixing up my hair.

I groaned. The laughter and merriment heard out on the grounds below amplified my impatience. To make matters worse, I couldn't find my fan.

All the remaining sisters in the room helped me in my efforts though Jade and Carmine commented needlessly on my carelessness and lack of responsibility all the while. Indigo suddenly pounced down onto her knees and swiped the fan out from under Olive's bed.

"Found it!" She cried out.

Finally.

Walking outside with my sisters amongst the colorful banners, the dark maroon veil attached to my headdress flailed about in the light breeze. As we walked, I struggled to open my fan. It wouldn't budge.

"What is wrong with this?!" I was tempted to throw the horrid thing, but I needed the wind it would create to survive the heat.

Jade, who had her arm looped with Olive's, snatched it away and attempted to open it roughly.

"You're going to break it!" I protested.

"No, I am not! The latch is jammed. If I just"--- Snap! ----"oops."

Groaning out loud, I took back the pitiful mess. The ivory skeleton of the fan was all crooked and the guard pieces were not even attached.

"Look what you did!"

"Hey! It's not my fault!" Jade said defending herself. "It wouldn't have been so easy to break in the first place if you took better care of your stuff."

I gasped with dramatic flair. "What?! How is this my fault? You are a savage brute!"

Jade rolled back her shoulders. "Say that again."

My cautious side urged me to behave like a proper princess. It is best to walk away, Sienna. My inner voice sounded like Rose. But my other side, the one who had no patience left to give, dug in her stubborn heels and said she started it.

"B r u t e," I pronounced slowly for my older sister to hear. In an instant, an arm looped around Jade's middle pulling her back when she started at me. I had flinched and my gut tightened in fear, but I would never admit that. Carmine whispered in Jade's ear as she held her close as if the sisters were merely embracing.

With a staged smile painted on her face, she whispered loud enough for both of us to hear, "People are watching. You will not make spectacles of yourselves and fight out here on the ground. What is wrong with you two?"

"She started it--my fan--"

"Sienna! Stop."

I pressed my lips together tightly and breathed through my nose.

"Jade, you and Olive go take a walk around the field. Cool off," Carmine ordered.

"Are you seri--," Jade stopped short when Carmine made the hand sign of 'I'm watching', with her thumb and pinkie extended and the remaining fingers curled. For us, it also held the meaning "I'm not asking, I am ordering" without actually having to say that. Only Ruby, Carmine and Cerise are permitted to use it.

Jade spun Olive around and stormed off. Carmine pinched the bridge of her nose and stood there silently. I looked at Indigo who had been standing nearby. Indigo was fidgeting and prancing in place like she wanted to say something but could not. She has been like this ever since she started limiting her relentless prattling. It was a bit annoying.

"What do you want, Indigo? Just say it," I snapped at her irritably.

Indigo opened her mouth to speak but Carmine interrupted severely, "Don't speak to her like that, Sienna."

"Like what? I'm just--"

"Watch your tone, Sienna."

"Fine! Can I go get another fan?" I asked exasperated.

"No. We will send a servant."

"I will be faster than a servant!"

"Sienna! Stop arguing with me."

"I'm not!"

"Enough. You need to cool down before you join us in the stands. This day is supposed to be your transition to a Lady. Start acting like it."

"A lady. Ha! That's rich coming from you." I regretted the words the instant they came out.

Carmine took a sharp breath and said, "Let's go, Indigo," before walking away.

Vexation over the whole ordeal was drowning me. If today was my special day, why was nothing going my way? Hot tears of anger threatened to break. Carmine was right about one thing. I needed to cool down...

But how can I do that standing here in this stuffy dress and with a broken fan?

At that moment, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Tallis weaved his way through the crowds heading towards his workshop. I hiked up my skirts and caught up to him as fast as I could.

"Tallis!"

He spun around. "Oh, Si--Princess," and inclined his head politely, "Happy birthday."

The simple words overwhelmed my state of mind. I felt a couple of those hot tears break from their prison and blaze down the plains of my face to the ridge of my jaw. His eyes widened in response.

Looking around, he couldn't seem to find whatever it was he was looking for. He reached behind me, grabbing hold of my veil and bringing it around to wipe my face.

"Sorry... This should be fine as long as you don't need to blow your nose too..."

I laughed through my trivial tears, "I'm sorry. It has been a long morning. And this dress is so ... so..." Struggling with speech, I waved my hands around as if to pick the right word out of the air.

"Much?" He supplied.

"Yes. Much."

But that wasn't why I cried. I cried because everyone was so busy bustling about to get ready for the tournament and the ball... no one has yet to wish me a happy birthday. Until Tallis, that is.

"It looks good though," he said.

I frowned at the pathetic compliment. Looks good? So does he not like it at all?

"What will you give me for my birthday?" I asked, hands behind my back.

"I was not commissioned to make you anything."

"Oh."

"Sorry," he added but didn't look very apologetic.

Right. He does not consider me a friend. No matter! He doesn't know what a friend is. Not really. I will have to be patient.

"Actually, is there any way you can fix this?" I held out the broken fan.

"I can't just"---he took the offered fan and gave it a quick appraisal--- "oh, actually I think I can."

He started a brisk walk again towards the crippled tower that housed his workshop. I followed behind, carefully, trying not to stumble on my skirts or heels.

He halted me at the door.

"Stay out here. This will only take a minute," He said eyeing all the guards around who had adjusted their stances.

When he came back out a few minutes later, he flipped the fan open and close experimentally before handing it back to me.

"There. Good as new."

"Wow..." I twirled the fan around. "That's amazing. How?"

"It isn't that impressive," he said shrugging off my awe. "It just needed a new pivot pin and washer."

"Jade broke it! And then tried to blame me for it!"

He gave a half smile that immediately cooled the ire that my mind was trying to spark.

"I supposed it doesn't matter... would you like to watch the pre-qualifying rounds with me? I don't have to be up in the stands until the semifinals."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I am not sure jousting is something I would enjoy watching."

"Well, there are plenty of sword fights in between the jousting. And it stands to reason you would not know what you like until you try it. Maru doesn't have jousting, after all."

"I can't argue with that logic."

I would've been skipping along beside him as we made our way towards the fields if it was not for my constricting dress. We got a spot amongst some other onlookers as two low class knights faced off in the ring. Around us, the villagers tossed coins in a pot betting on the victor. Tallis shook his head when it was offered to him.

He leaned down and whispered in my ear, his breath sending a welcomed shiver down my neck. "Enna, are you sure you should be in the middle of a crowd of... um..."

"Peasants?"

He glanced around furtively and lowered his voice, "Serfs is the preferred term, Princess. It has less negative of a connotation."

"Connotation?"

"A connotation is the idea or feeling a certain word invokes, beyond it's intended meaning."

"And the word 'peasant' invokes a bad feeling?"

"To those whom it applies, yes."

"Oh... I did not realize."

At that moment, Aggs clasped a hand on both of our shoulders. His frame was overshadowing, but his kindness was like sunlight. But the literal shadow his silhouette casted did provide great shade.

"'Ello, ye two! Didcha make a bet?"

"Princesses aren't allowed to participate," I pouted.

"Aye, gamblin' is man's vice," Aggs said gravely then gave a wink. "wha' 'bout ye, Maruvian?"

"No. I don't gamble."

"Why not?"

"The way I see it, gambling is frowned upon for good reason. I've seen men lose everything to it," the inventor explained.

"Are ye not in charge of yer impulses, boy?" Aggs laughed with a rumble.

"I don't want to find out," Tallis shrugged.

I interrupted, "Aggs, do you mind me calling you a peasant?"

The blacksmith looked confused. "'Tis what I yam to ye... why shuld I minds dat bits?"

"Apparently it has a negative connotation. Are you offended?"

"I dunno what dat means, wee princess. But sweet ding like ye could nev'r offend me nun."

I gave him a radiant smile then looked at Tallis who just shook his head and turned his attention to the ring. In just a few rounds, he got into the spirit and joined in on the infectious cheering of the crowd.

Right before the next fight was about to start, I felt a tug on my sleeve. Indigo stood there. She took a deep breath and in the next breath, she practically vomited all the words she had.

"Enna... I broke your fan and I am sorry and I accidentally stepped on it when we were looking for it this morning and I knew it was broke, but I didn't want to be blamed so I kicked it under Olive's bed and pretended I founded it there... and this was all one sentence, so I still have seven sentences left for today. I don't count the sentences where I have to explain how many sentences I have left. That would take up all ten! But I'm sorry. Ugh ... six... Does it count as one of my sentences if I wish you a happy birthday?"

Every time I had begun to say something, she kept talking. I looked to Tallis. He was listening too with an amused look on his face. Finally, she paused long enough for me to speak.

"No, Indigo. I will not count it. And... I am sorry. It's my fault for the fan being left on the floor in the first place.... I forgive you." Ugh... now I must apologize to Jade...

Indigo displayed her gap-toothed smile, thanked me with a hug then ran off.

I looked around and spotted Jade and Olive. I waved over and caught Olive's attention. She just squinted her eyes and ended up tripping. Jade, who was right beside her watching the fight begin, tried to catch her but was too late. Tallis and I both rushed over to help.

"Olive, you okay?"

"Oh, Sienna, I thought that might be you," she said as we helped her off the ground and she patted at her skirts. She turned her half-closed eyes to Tallis. "Who is that?"

"This is Tallis Grey."

Jade mumbled something that I couldn't hear but had Olive blushing and Tallis looking uncomfortable. I did not register what was said and had no desire to ask. My one-tracked mind was set in autopilot. I turned my attention to Jade.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Jade, and calling you a brute. You were right... I should be more careful with my belongings." Those last words tasted bitter, but I felt like a better person for it.

"Okay... I guess I forgive you."

A long silence followed with Jade and I staring down one another.

She is not going to say sorry, is she?

The voice told me to walk away and just take what I can get. This time, I listened.

"We should be making our way to the stands now. Come on, Olive. You too, Sienna," Jade said.

I hesitated. Yes, it was time, but I did not want to leave Tallis alone. If I was being honest, I just wanted to spend more time with him. Apparently, he did not have the same feelings. He was already taking steps away and wishing me farewell.

"Wait!" I called out. He halted his steps. "What are you doing after the tourney, before the ball?"

"Uh, getting ready for the ball?" He said without an ounce of enthusiasm.

"It won't be for some time. Meet me by your tower right after the last semifinal joust," I hurried off as guards began closing in to escort me to the stands and added over my shoulder, "That's an order!"

The semifinals consisted of two matches. The knights who won these matches would joust one another tomorrow for the title of champion. Knights from all corners of the land came. When I entered the stands, I went before my father king and bowed. He permitted me to sit in the seat right next to his, as was custom. On his other side Queen Amelia sat with Amber nestled against her bosom. The cherry-cheeked four-year-old was sound asleep despite all the noise. I was enjoying watching her slumber when a familiar, grating voice assaulted my ears.

"Are you really not going to address me? I traveled all the way here to celebrate your birthday."

Oh Divinities! I know I had promised Rose and myself I would behave and act like a proper Lady... but you did not have to test my resolve with every annoyance under the sun today!

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