Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 12

Daniella's POV

I held my breath as I listened to my mother's speech. Olivia and Yvette were fussing around me, making sure that my little hairdo hasn't come loose. Then, another maid came towards us with a deep-fuchsia box. After curtsying, she opened the box and retrieved a beautiful tiara. The base of it was brushed silver, inlaid with thousands of silver gemstones. There were silver vines that twisted and twirled from the base to meet at the top of the tiara and sprouting from these vines, butterflies made of silver and blue diamonds hung as if they were alive and fluttering free. 

"This is for me?"

"Her Majesty wanted to keep it from you as a surprise but she wishes that you wear it as the Princess."

I bowed my head a little so that the maid could arrange it onto my head. She did so, quite quickly in fact, and handed me a hand-held mirror. When I looked into the glass, my breath hitched a little. Two months ago, I was just an ordinary peasant girl from the village. Now, my pale reflection looked back at me, rosy cheeked and with a crown adorning my head. I must have stared at the mirror for a long time for Yvette patted me and said, "Its nearly time."

I nodded and handed the mirror back to the maid who brought me my tiara. Then, I turned and faced the wooden oak doors that were to be opened very soon. 

As I waited, I listened to Mother's speech. Parts of it wasn't the truth, of course. Mother decided that she didn't want the neighbouring kingdoms to show me disrespect, simply because I have lived a peasant's life for ten years. So, she's concocted a story in which I've lived with a family of nobles in Wonderland because a force of dark magic took me there. My thoughts of this story were cut short when I heard mother's voice announce, "...my daughter, Princess Daniella"

My heart stopped beating as the doors opened and a crowd of curious faces greeted me. I looked straight ahead and to my left, there was the throne podium, where my mother stood beaming at me. A little overwhelmed, I was rooted to the spot for a second before I decided to carefully make my way past the sea of people. Soon enough, I was standing next to my mother's side, watching the guests as they lowered their bodies and bowed to us. Mother bent down a little and whispered so that only I could hear, "You look stunning, my little firefly"

...........................

After the feast, I decided to look for Prince Nathan. I was constantly hindered by people who wanted to talk to me but eventually, I spotted Nathan by himself near the large fireplace. Cautiously, I made my way over to him . As he looked up, he smiled and said, "Well, I never knew."

I bit my lip and then replied, "but you don't mind...do you?"

"Why would I? Although, I think my sisters are a little afraid."

I scoffed, "Why?"

"Well, you're the daughter of The, um..... The Queen."

I observed Nathan's stuttering words as he mentioned my mother. I knew what he was going to call Mother. Evil. I sighed and replied, "So they're afraid of my magic."

The prince shrugged and said, "Well, I'm not. I know you won't hurt us."

"You're right. I won't. I have light magic..."

"Really? I thought you would have dark magic," Nathan exclaimed cautiously, just in case it came out as an offence.

I smiled and said, "Well technically, I have both light and dark magic. My dark magic is inherited obviously but my light magic comes from both of my parents."

"You're a product of true love aren't you?"

"You know about magic?"

"A little....when you're a child of true love between your parents it means that you are gifted with light magic right?"