Flower In The Forest

The garden in front of our manor was filled with people and the smell of cake and lavender. It was a blissfully sunny day in May. It was also my tenth birthday, and I greeted everyone with a cheerful smile. I was wearing a dark green silk dress that Mother bought for me; it complemented my forest green eyes that I inherited from her. The short sleeves were puffed, and the skirt went past my knees. The lace flower embroidery on the dress looked a lot like the numerous flowers growing in our garden. I looked over to where my mother was standing. She had her dark brown hair up in a crown braid and had a taffeta periwinkle gown on that was fitted to show off her curves and her small waist. Her glossy pink lips were set in a sultry smile as she gossiped with the other noble ladies. I couldn't deny it, mother looked beautiful in everything she wore. There was just something about her that all the other women in our village didn't have. Perhaps it was the way her flawless skin glowed with youth, or the way her voice always sounded syrupy and sweet. Many of the young lords flirted with her, despite the big shiny wedding ring on her finger. The man who gave it to her wasn't far off. Father was talking with his fellow merchants. He was dressed finely in a navy blue tailcoat with matching pants to offset his tan skin and his blond hair that was tied in a low ponytail. He had a ruffled burgundy cravat tucked out of his collared white waistcoat. I caught him stealing glances at Mother every so often; his hazel orbs meeting her jade ones once in a while.

"Eve, come over here! I want to show you something!' I heard my older sister Iris call. She was standing by a table that had vibrant flowers spread out on it. The flowers were all grown by mother and sometimes she used the edible ones in her baked delights. I walked over to Iris to see her hands behind her back.

"Close your eyes," She said anxiously. I did as I told and waited patiently. I felt something shift on my head and after a few seconds it stopped.

"Okay you can open your eyes now." Iris said, barely hiding the excitement in her voice. She held a mirror in her hands. When I looked into it, I gasped.

" Iris its so pretty! Did you make it yourself?" I asked excitedly, admiring myself in the mirror. All the flowers being from either our garden or from merchants that Father traded with.

"Of course I made it myself. No other girl is as good at making them as me." Iris said saucily.

"Iris, cant you ever take a compliment?" I groaned playfully.

"Iris, come on! Come talk with us!" I heard her friends call.

" Iris don't leave meeee," I whined. Iris only laughed at my puffed cheeks.

" Go on Eve, go play with your friends. I doubt my friends would want to talk with someone that's two  years younger than them," she said, nudging me in the direction of my friends.

"Freya, do you have anything to say?" I asked her. She is simply shrugged.

" Your mother's food is very good,"she mumbled nonchalantly. I sighed.

"Come on Freya. I know that Silica and Kayan can be pretty wild, but at least try and talk to them. they're not as intimidating as they look,I promise." I told her in my determined ten year-old-voice. Freya's ears turned the color of her hair.

"You don't understand. I just don't like them. They tease me when you're not here. I liked it better when it was just me and you." She said quietly, taking caution to make sure that the twins couldn't hear her. I patted her back.

"Its okay. They did that to me too when I first knew them. After a while they stop. If you want, I can talk to them about it." I told her. Freya just nodded.

"Thanks, but I just wish they could go back to Adelram already." She said, shaking her head. I gasped,looking over at the twins to make sure they weren't paying attention.



........To be continued........