Genevieve's Tale: A Nutcracker Retelling

Chapter Seven: Slatkovila

When Vi's eyes fluttered open, she was lying on a large canopy bed with a feather comforter and silk sheets. The drapes around the bed were all closed, but sunlight made its way through the gossamer material. She found a pair of moccasin slippers at the side of the bed that fit her feet perfectly. Vi washed her face and hands at a small basin alongside one of the walls of the grand room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a velvet chair next to the window; there was a blush pink gown draped over the chair. The dress was finer than anything she had ever worn, yet it was relatively simple for a dress meant for royalty. Her fingers were fumbling with the strings along the back of the dress when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A fairy with red hair walked into the room, carrying a tray in her hands. Vi's mouth watered when the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls reached her nostrils. The young fairy, who looked to be no more than ten years older than Vi, had a wide smile on her face when Vi made eye contact with her.

"Good morning, my lady," she replied sweetly. "Would you like me to help you finish getting ready?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Once I have tied the laces on your dress, you may help yourself to breakfast while I fix your hair."

"My name is Genevieve, but I prefer to be called Vi."

"I heard rumors that the princess had returned to the land. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess," she said, dipping into a curtsy.

"I'm not a princess. I'm simply a visitor in this land."

The fairy titled her head to the side. "They said you didn't have a clue about who your parents are, I mean, were, but now it not the time for somber conversation. The council wants you to meet with them after breakfast."

The fairy let out what sounded like a nervous giggle to Vi.  "I almost forgot my manners. I'm Rose." She curtsied.

"I'm pleased to meet you." Vi curtsied, unsure what she was supposed to do. "May I ask you a question?"

"You may, although I don't understand why you think you need my permission. You are a princess, after all."

Why does she keep insisting that I am a princess? The only thing I know for sure is that my mother is dead and she was someone important to these people...I mean fairies. I hope someone will give me some clear answers today.

"How well did you know my parents?" she asked, saying each word carefully.

Rose opened and closed her mouth, almost as if she was unsure of what to say or how to say something. Finally, she gave a stiff smile and said, "I knew them like a servant knows their master, but we shall not talk about this grim subject anymore. The Elder Council is not patient when it comes to matters of the royal court."

Vi wanted to scream or stomp her foot. Why is everyone here treating me like a child, that everything I say is silly or unimportant? At least he...

She shook her head to clear her mind of him.  "Yes, Ma'am." Vi obediently followed Rose downstairs into a dining hall. In the center of the room was a long table draped by an iridescent cloth of some kind. All of the council members were seated at the table, along with some fairies that Vi did not recognize. There was another table farther into the room, but it was quite a bit smaller; Vi saw Felix sitting at the smaller table as well as some of the other fairies that she remembered seeing last night in the woods. Nobody turned in her direction until the eldest fairy stood up and made a whistling sound. She twirled a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder as the entire room gazed at her in astonishment; a few people had their arms crossed, but most of them stared at her with their mouths open.