The Lost Princess

Chapter Eight

"Wake up, Ivy. We have to get ready for the Zenith," Giselle said as she shook my shoulder to wake me up.

I rubbed my eyes as I sat up in my bed. "What?" I said as I yawned.

"Ivy, we need to get ready. It's the third day of the Zenith Celebration," Giselle said as she rolled her eyes.

"Ah...the third day of the Zenith. Okay, I'll get ready," I said getting out of my bed.

Giselle sat on her bed watching me as I rummaged through the armoire for a decent sun dress for today. I could feel Giselle's eyes burning through my back. I turned around to face Giselle. "What?" I said.

"Just wondering what happened to you last night," Giselle said.

Kat swung her legs off the top bunk as she sat up to join the conversation. "Yeah, what happened to you last night?" Kat asked.

"Nothing. I just walked around the town," I said.

"No, you didn't," Giselle said. "I saw the soldier grab you."

"Okay, well that fighter, Keaton, ran into the soldier and helped me get away from him. Then I just walked around the town," I said.

"You were out way past curfew," Kat said crossing her arms.

"You weren't walking around past curfew," Giselle said.

I felt the heat rising in my cheeks.

"You went out with that Keaton, didn't you?" Giselle asked.

"Maybe," I said.

"You did," Kat said smiling.

"Okay, I did," I said.

"And?" Giselle asked.

"And what?" I asked.

"What happened?" Giselle asked.

"Nothing happened," I said.

"Ivy, your cheeks are bright red," Giselle said. "Tell us."

"Okay, fine," I said. I explained where Keaton took me as I got dressed for the day. I explained that we had fallen asleep gazing at the stars and talked most of the night.

"Did you kiss him?" Kat asked.

"He kissed me," I said turning away from Kat and Giselle.

"What was he like?" Kat asked.

"I don't know, nice I guess," I said. "We just met. I don't even know him."

"Kat, let's get some breakfast," Giselle said.

"What?" Kat said still staring at me.

"Kat, now," Giselle said. Then Kat and Giselle left the room.

I turned towards the large mirror. I twirled around while looking at myself in the mirror. The tiny, yellow bows on the light, blue sun dress danced around me as I twirled. I laced up my boots. I tied some of my hair back out of my face. Then I headed down stairs to the kitchen.

Aunt Rosalie, Giselle, Kat, and Jakob were sitting at kitchen table eating eggs and toast.

"Good morning," I said as I sat down next to Jakob. Jakob wouldn't even look at me.