Lady Illea (Lady Illea #1)

Chapter Eight

    I didn't expect such a turn out, but there was. Just about everyone in Carolina was there to say farewell to me. There were signs, so many of them, I couldn't count. Countless people had me sign things for them, children and adults alike. 

    As a gift Emilie and Leslie bought me my going away dress. It was violet with a delicate lace pattern. There was a red rose pinned into my chignon but strands of hair kept falling into my face. My hair never stood un updos very long. The pins and hair bands always slipped right out of my hair.

    I bid one last goodbye to everyone I loved and boarded the plane. I tried so hard to keep my focus ahead of me because I knew if I looked back I'd burst into tears. I was so close to bursting into tears. 

   The woman that escorted me onto the plane told me that there were most likely other girls on board. This was the seventh province they stopped by and now it was straight to the palace from here. They took my suitcase and I was left alone.

   The plane took my breath away. Beautiful white leather seats, ample space to walk, big windows with ivory curtains, and the abundant sunshine blazing inside the plane. I'd neevr seen anything so pretty. It almost looked like a mini house inside the plane. I sat by myself in the corner next to a window and rubbed my locket.

   I stopped fighting my hair and let it fall out of its updo. My hair was to my knees these days. Thick and in abundance. I ached. My whole heart, whole body, whole mind, and whole soul ached. Every part of me did. A part of me was dying to be at the palace already and the other part of me wanted to go home. 

   Someone laughed loudly and I peaked over the back of my chair.

"No way! I have never seen anything so expensive in an airport before! Wait, what?"

   The girl disappeared behind the curtain again. A few moments later she reappeared. She was a wearing a tank top and black jeans. She had thick light brown hair cut in layers and eyes so bright I saw them all the way from my seat in the back. She was looking through a bag and when she looked up she jumped and dramatically looked up and placed her hand on her chest.

"You scared the crap out of me."

I suddenly felt self concious, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

She titled her head. "You're the new girl right?" she asked, and walked over sitting in the seat across from me. "The one we picked up here in Carolina?"

I nodded,

She smiled radiantly and extended her head. "Fantastic. What's your name kid?"

I shook her head. "Alessandra Carswell....."

She whistled. 'Jesus Christ that's a mouthful."

I just blinked at her.

"Got a name that's shorter?"

"Ummm.....my middle name is Maia....?"

She clasped her hands together and I jumped from the sound. "Perfect. You're Maia now. But no one else is allowed to call you that." her face turned serious, but in a way it was humorous. "I'll tell everyone else that."

"Hmph" I smiled. "What's your name"

She smiled proudly and raised her chin. "Ora Frayzer at your service."

That was a beautiful name. Ora.

I chuckled.

"I'm a three from Dominica. You?"

I swallowed. I hated saying my caste out loud. Your caste wasn't just your caste. It was a number that defined who you were in the eyes of others. "I'm a Six. From Carolina"