"Alanna. Alanna. Alanna."
Her name was being called over and over again. She opened her eyes and blinked. There was an unfamiliar face floating above hers.
She blinked again and the face came into better focus. She did know that face, after all. It was her maid, Delia. "What's happened. Where am I?" she asked, confused.
Delia only nodded her head and said, "In the Palace, Mistress. You have a visitor."
Alanna tried to sit up in vain. She fell back down into the feather pillows piled behind her. She didn't try again.
"Alanna, are you feeling better? I brought you presents," said the visitor. She couldn't see his face, but recognized his voice. It was Merin. She hadn't wanted to deal with this until later.
"Merin. How did you get here so quickly? It's four days' ride to the Palace from Goldenlake!" said Alanna, puzzled.
"Well, I was on my way two days before your accident, and apparantly, you've been asleep since then. I just arrived. Would you like to see your presents?" asked Merin.
"Oh, OK. But I do need to talk to you, Merin. It's very important," Alanna replied.
Merin pulled from behind his back three packages, of varying sizes. One was fairly large, one was extremely small, and the other was in between. He handed her the large one first.
Alanna unwound the twine that held the paper to the gift, then peeled back the paper to see what it held. She gasped.
The package contained a beautiful gown in virginal white silk, dotted with pearls all over, with hand-made lace topping the hems. She was speechless, her mouth hanging open like a fish out of water.
When she regained her composure, she said to Merin, "Merin. It's absolutely beautiful. It is," she said.
"You haven't even opened the other packages, honey," he replied. With that, he handed her the medium package.
She opened it slowly, believing that she knew what was in the package. She was right. It was a pair of white slippers to match the beautiful dress. They, also, were speckled with pearls, and she put one on. It was exactly a match to her tiny foot. By now, tears were streaming down her face. She knew he still loved her. She didn't think she could bear to open the tiny package, knowing what it would be.
"Merin, I can't take these presents. I can't," she said.
"Why not, honey? Are you tired? Do you want to lie down?" he asked tenderly.
"Merin, while you were gone…I met someone…and he was the Prince!" she wailed. "And he asked me to marry him. And I said yes!" By now, Alanna purple eyes were overproducing tears, and she was sobbing. Merin just stared at her in shock. He backed away from the bed, and finally left the room, leaving the small package at the door.
Her name was being called over and over again. She opened her eyes and blinked. There was an unfamiliar face floating above hers.
She blinked again and the face came into better focus. She did know that face, after all. It was her maid, Delia. "What's happened. Where am I?" she asked, confused.
Delia only nodded her head and said, "In the Palace, Mistress. You have a visitor."
Alanna tried to sit up in vain. She fell back down into the feather pillows piled behind her. She didn't try again.
"Alanna, are you feeling better? I brought you presents," said the visitor. She couldn't see his face, but recognized his voice. It was Merin. She hadn't wanted to deal with this until later.
"Merin. How did you get here so quickly? It's four days' ride to the Palace from Goldenlake!" said Alanna, puzzled.
"Well, I was on my way two days before your accident, and apparantly, you've been asleep since then. I just arrived. Would you like to see your presents?" asked Merin.
"Oh, OK. But I do need to talk to you, Merin. It's very important," Alanna replied.
Merin pulled from behind his back three packages, of varying sizes. One was fairly large, one was extremely small, and the other was in between. He handed her the large one first.
Alanna unwound the twine that held the paper to the gift, then peeled back the paper to see what it held. She gasped.
The package contained a beautiful gown in virginal white silk, dotted with pearls all over, with hand-made lace topping the hems. She was speechless, her mouth hanging open like a fish out of water.
When she regained her composure, she said to Merin, "Merin. It's absolutely beautiful. It is," she said.
"You haven't even opened the other packages, honey," he replied. With that, he handed her the medium package.
She opened it slowly, believing that she knew what was in the package. She was right. It was a pair of white slippers to match the beautiful dress. They, also, were speckled with pearls, and she put one on. It was exactly a match to her tiny foot. By now, tears were streaming down her face. She knew he still loved her. She didn't think she could bear to open the tiny package, knowing what it would be.
"Merin, I can't take these presents. I can't," she said.
"Why not, honey? Are you tired? Do you want to lie down?" he asked tenderly.
"Merin, while you were gone…I met someone…and he was the Prince!" she wailed. "And he asked me to marry him. And I said yes!" By now, Alanna purple eyes were overproducing tears, and she was sobbing. Merin just stared at her in shock. He backed away from the bed, and finally left the room, leaving the small package at the door.