Wings, Beasts and Claws

I sat in my room feeling bored as I re-read some of my old books, deciding whether it would be tossed aside for donation or kept for later enjoyment. I was nearly done taking down most of all my books from my bookshelf, placing the ones for donation in a wooden crate while my more treasured tomes were being gently tucked away in a small luggage case. I paused when an old dark blue leather book caught my attention.

When we finally arrived at the Palace we were quickly escorted to the Queeness Palace, a Palace maid guiding us to our private rooms on different wings. Rosanna was verbally grateful to be living away from me as she followed her Maid to the north wing. While I smiled and silently followed my guide into the south wing. Ivy and Arden walked with me, wanting to see where my rooms were before settling into their own. Gratefully, my rooms were the last ones at the very end of the south wing, with large wooden doors that were adorned with intricate designs.

After me meeting with the King and Queen I was sulking in my room, feeling so utterly pathetic for letting myself get sucked into my memories in front of others. Especially His and Her Majesty. Ivy wouldn’t stop bringing it, saying how she was so moved with my tales of my mother and how happy my childhood had been. My brother on the other hand was drowning in his own embarrassment, trying to shift all the cringey feelings onto me by teasing me.

The morning of the first festival day brought on a surge of chaotic excitement that affected everyone. And soon the news of who was going to open and close the first day of the festival spread across the Palace. Those Noble Ladies spent the entire morning shouting commands at their Handmaid’s as well as the Palace maids. They were urging them to get things for them, changing their minds about their performance outfit and crying a river when the tiniest things were out of place. Ivy, Arden and I just enjoyed the free show, quietly laughing at the manic range of emotions that was running through the two dancers of the day.When the sun was high in the sky, we were all escorted to the large open plain on the farthest edge of the Palace grounds, on the other side of the Central Palace. Banners, flowers and ribbons of all colors were blowing in the summer breeze from the posts of every shop and game stand. There were hundreds of Shifters walking around too, all full of smile

The next few days of the festival passed by in a near blur, with Ivy and Arden enjoying the daily changing booths and activities. We tried many different treats and poked fun at each other while we played different games. Ivy burst into tears on the third day when I had shown her the new and simple outing dresses I had bought her. And my brother managed to sell a few more trinkets that I had snuck away from the Du Pleasant estate, adding more to our travelers fund. Little Calix even joined us a few times, introducing us to his mother who was the Crown Princes’ adopted cousin.She was a beautiful woman named Lanalee with straight coffee brown hair that she kept in a neat shoulder length cut. She had the same amber eyes as her son, but her facial features were a lot more delicate and curved than his, making me wonder what his father looked like. She was also very kind and open to us, telling us stories about herself and her son when they traveled around. She had let slip