Once again, here's my disclaimer; I will do a mass one this time since I am updating with 3 chapters rather than the one. Thank you elfinchakie for your support and lovely words! This is my original work, my baby. I hope you enjoy! 

Chapter 4 – Winter

Never before have I ever worried seriously about what I looked like, but for some reason, tonight, with the thought of my beautiful savior in my head, all of my clothes looked outdated; unflattering even.

I finally settled on a pair of tan shorts, and a violet tank top, trying to accentuate all of my "good" features. Staring into the mirror, I heard a soft cough behind me. I looked over my shoulder and was face to face with my mother.

"Hey," I said guardedly, not wanting her to see how anxious I really was, "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about something important," she said as quietly as possible, as if embarrassed.

"Oh God," I started, "Mom I already know about sex and condoms and stuff." I felt like I could sink into the carpet around me, so I knew that my face was the color of fresh beets.

Her face flushed (I didn't even know that it was possible) and she looked down at her designer shoes, "Um, that's good to hear, but NOT what I wanted to talk to you about. We are still having your coming of age party later tonight, so please don't be out too late with your friends." She sneered the last word like it was poison.

"I won't," I said softly, wondering at where we were going to have this party. The house I live in has, like, 15 bedrooms, and an unknown amount of other various rooms, none of which I have ever seen, and I have lived in this house since I was born. In the 17 years of my existence, I have only ever seen my bedroom, the den, my bathroom and the kitchen, I had wondered off as a small child and my mother made it VERY clear that I was never to go anywhere that they hadn't quartered off for me ever again.

I had sulked in silence for many years about it, but eventually it had not been of enough importance to keep my attention any longer. Seeming to sense my unasked question, my mother added quickly, "Your party will be in the Great Hall, and you will be getting a tour of the rest of this house as part of your present. You will understand it all in a very few short hours."

My head spun with such ferocity that I knew in an instant that I would be sporting some very new and vicious looking bruises if I didn't slump down into the overstuffed easy chair behind me. Darkness threatened my emotional wellbeing as I looked at my mother's carefully guarded expression, and I managed to stifle back a sob.

I hoped and prayed that I could manage to get through this seemingly adolescent party I was about to attend so that my insatiable desire to see this house would in fact be quenched at last.