I woke up earlier than the usual time Darion arrives.
Darion is our head butler. He does not usually attend to me but after the tree accident he was tasked to handle my morning ritual along with several servants. That morning though, I was up early even before the sun rose over the horizon. It was still dark and somehow the air was chilly. Ever since my parents dropped the bomb on me few days ago, I begun to obsessed over the ritual for the summoning of the Centennial Priestess. Sleeping became hard for me, I can't get it off my mind. I still can't believe I am given such cursed fate. What's worse is that I can't confide it to anybody lest they laugh at me or dismiss me for being over imaginative.
I walked to my bedroom's veranda and watched the cosmotic night sky. I never appreciated starry skies as much as this. It seems like I started to appreciate every details around me ever since I retrieved my past memories about a month ago. This luxurious and laid back life, beautiful castle, loving family, and my own body; Everything seems surreal to the point that life's too good to be true- maybe that's why I'm bound to die young and in such a horrible way too. I already died young once, I want to make sure I live long enough this time to enjoy this world and watch how everything will turn out in the future.
I rubbed my arms and hugged myself. The small body I have now is not as tolerant with cold as I was before. I walked back in and studied my self in the mirror. I had snow white hair that is tinged with a blush of carnation at dusk when light hits on it; my nose is small but it's pointy and chiselled, just enough to outline my silhouette. I have a pale blonde-brown lashes that was thick but not so much in length. But what strikes me most is the color of my eyes, the same ones I've seen with my mother and brother. They are bright crystalline blue like the sea in a bright sunny shore of Maldives. It's a striking feature that I think runs only in our bloodlines. I pinched my cheeks, and pat them twice, hoping it makes my skin red. I don't have a natural blush. It made me look pale or maybe because I'm sleepless that's why I look like shit? But I can't complain now. I'm too blessed with this icy beauty even if I'm only 8 years old now.
What I noticed around me most is the common color theme. White and blue. Just like our hair and eyes. I read a book about our lineage, it says our family is directly connected with the crown. I did heard about it before too but I never bothered to ask regarding the matter since it doesn't seem important then. I do know my mother is the sister of the High King of the Seven Kingdoms. That makes my brother a candidate to ascend to the crown if the King bears no heir. But I heard somewhere before that he does have an heir, two sons in fact. I never met my cousins but I have a hunch that I eventually will.
I yawned and threw myself to bed. I need to act as a lady regardless. I don't want to disappoint my parents. So for every chance I have, when no body is looking, I can relax like this and act loose. I sat up and crossed my feet, took a deep breath and screamed. My bedroom is sound proof so I don't think any one can hear me- I screamed loud and long until I can feel both my diaphragm and lungs collapse from all the air that was released. I feel so liberated doing this and to——
The door came swinging wide open, like a storm making an entrance. It bangs against the walls loud enough the furnitures near it was rattled and at the same time Aeron suddenly came barging in.
"AERRA?!!!" He hollered hysterically. In surprise, I answered abruptly,
"What?!?" My body automatically corrects my posture and I ended up sitting properly like a lady with straight back, chest out and head facing front. This... is a bad habit.
Aeron meets my gaze and after the longest pause I ever had in my life, he breaths out as if he had held his breath.
His shoulder eases down as he wings his head backwards, "You scared me, dimwit" he murmured.
His obvious trembling feet goes limp and he drops to the floor, sighing in relief.
"I scared you??? Geez, Aeron! What came into you!? Do you know what time it is? And exactly how long were you lurking outside my door?" I fumed, jumping off to my feet.
"I wasn't— it's nothing... Wait. Why were you screaming?" He retorted, crawling towards me and then sitting down with feet crossed when he was about a meter close.
"I was just trying to relax" I decided to tell the truth. I don't see why I should lie to him anyway.
He just head cocking to the side, studying me.
"Why are you here?" I ask, walking closer and sitting in front of him on the ground.
He pouted and scowled at me.
"Fine. If you're not going to answer, I'm going to have to ask you leave my room" I muttered as I stood up and was about to step away when I noticed my night gown was pulled. I looked at my feet where Aeron sat down, he was tagging at my skirt.
"Does it relax you to scream?" His eyes were big and innocent. I sighed in defeat and sat back down. I nodded. "Go ahead and try"
He hesitated first and then he screamed. "Louder!" I sang as I joined him. His lips quivered into a smile as he went on screaming. I took a deep breath and he did the same and almost at the same time we screamed in the top of our lungs. As if he was trying to compete with me, we went on and on, until we were breathless and began to gasp for breath. My heart was beating so fast, it's revitalising. I glanced at him and he shyly glances back as well. We were panting like dogs and yet when our gazes met we can't help but laugh.
"One last time" he says as I agreed and we went for another round. Suddenly soldiers and servants alike came rushing in. I forgot the door was wide open.
Our parents eventually came as well in a rush, worried that something happened but Aeron and I just ended up laughing from all the commotion that went off because of us. I then realised I enjoy this sort of thing too. Having a twin brother who somehow share the same inkling and sentiments as me. This is especially the part in my life now that I never had before, Aeron's existence, and our bond is special... Too special I can't explain.
"You're right. That was relaxing but you never said it would be fun." Aeron tells me while pulling my arm. "Here" he says putting something in my hand. He closes it into a fist and leaves the room.
The rest of the people of my household also left the room including my parents. Darion stayed however.
I opened my fist and saw a peculiar looking rope tied in knots. "That's an anklet charm to ward off bad things, especially accidents, from happening" Darion stated with a smile, seeing the rope I held. "Master Aeron has been making that ever since you woke up from the accident. It is believed that when you wear that anklet, your feet will have more affinity to the grounds you are stepping on. He believes it will protect you from falling ever again. He had asked several servants to teach him how to weave that even if they insisted to make it for him instead, but he was adamant to make it with his own hard work."
"Is there a name to this charm?" I asked. Bending down to tie the charm on my ankle.
"There is but... if you name it now it might work it's charm more effectively" Darion chuckled in delight.
I faced the tall windows were my reflection can be seen against the dawning scenery outside it. The sky was dark but half of it was kissed by the pink and red skies. And in between these psychedelic hues were the blue heavens that served to balance them both. A perfect transition of the night and the birth of new day. Though stars can still be seen, the horizon was lined already in a golden line where light travels the length of the mountains as the sun shyly rose. I stepped my foot forward where the anklet is worn and saw how it matched the colors of the view beyond my windows: Red, black, white and blue. I was not sure if the colors were relevant to the said charm it holds but it gave me the better idea of what it is, "Sky of Dawn" I said as Darion nodded,
"I'm sure Master Aeron will be glad to hear you gave it a name"
"Darion, I have a request. I want a dress to match this anklet. A red dress gradient with black. And a white and blue coat to top it up. I think that would be my own theme from now on"
A contrast to our Dukedom ofonly white and blue. It's different but it will be my own identity, I need to claim it, this new life. I swear— I'm going to live long. No more accidents!
----End of EXTRA Chapter (2.5)---