The Dragons of Rhelawen

CHAPTER 2

"I understand I will have a lot of work then," she said, turning sharply on her heel.

We followed her into the giant cottage, where she instructed us to call her Madam Prim. The cottage was separated into small quarters. Each one of us was given our own, and the servants placed our bags in our respective quarters. Evangeline was on my right, Adeline on the left.

My room was covered in pink tulle and frills. I gagged when I first saw it, but stepped inside and sat on the bed. It was a royal pink color, too.

I unloaded the bag and put a new gown on, this one purple with smaller flowers on it, and a high neckline. My black cloak when over it, and I stepped to the small window in the corner of the room.

The meadow outside looked so pristine. It reminded me of the days spent picnicking with my mother. I sighed, tracing my finger against the white windowsill. A cold wind blew through the window, and I realized it was cracked open.

Would it be so bad if I climbed through it? My fingers moved their way to the latch and started to open it when the bed room door opened. I shut it closed and turned
around quickly.

"Supper is served, my lady." A serving girl a little older than me curtsied gracefully. I nodded.

"Are you going somewhere?" The girl saw my cloak. I noticed she made direct eye contact, which meant she must not have known who I or my sisters were.

"I am not," I apologized. "Except for heading to dinner."

She nodded, and then left the room. I followed her slowly, delaying as long as I could. My sisters were walking to the dining hall, and I was the
last in the little promenade.

Other girls were already seated, all looking mature and ladylike. I had to be the youngest in this entire place. They seemed to stare at me and raise their gloved hands to whisper something to their neighbor. I raised my chin higher and sat on a chair next to Evangeline and a stone- faced girl.

"Hello," I whispered, but she raised an eyebrow and looked away. I copied her and stared at the plate in front of me. Gold silverware was placed around the engraved plate. A small glass sat next to it, empty.

My stomach rumbled, and everyone looked at me. I brushed a
loose curl behind my ear and looked down. I should not care what the others thought of me. I could beat any of them in a sword fight.

Madam Prim stood up and clinked her spoon against her glass. "May I have everyone's attention, please?"

The dining hall went silent almost immediately. "Thank you," Madam Prim continued regally. "Classes will begin promptly at the crack of dawn." I heard a few sharp intakes of breath, as if being a lady entitled one long resting hours.

She explained the order of the lessons: manners, etiquette, eating, sewing, needlepoint then more useless classes. I hoped
to not attend them all.

We had a quick supper; the food too light to be filling. I wolfed down the split pea soup, then had three dinner rolls and was first to finish.

After glaring at me, Madam Prim excused us to our chambers for the night. I ran up to my frilly room, and finished unpacking my bag.

My fingers hit some parchment, and I remembered the letters. I grabbed one and tore it open without hesitation. My eyes scanned the letter, and I nearly dropped it.

It
was a decree for war from Avalonia against Driere, dated for the first fortnight of summer. This week, the battle would begin.

The war must be the reason we were sent out of the castle to attend this school. I recalled a closer finishing school in Driere itself, and realized we would not be able to visit Driere at all. That also must be why we passed through it quickly without a single stop.