Chapter 13
The door closed behind Cerys and she gasped delightedly at what she saw. In front of her was the most spectacular mirror she had ever seen. It was the size and shape of an over large egg. The frame surrounding the mirror was pure carved gold in a Celtic design; the table in front was made out of marble and had strips of rubies lined around the very edge. The dressing table chair was equally beautiful. A lilac satin pillow was squashed down onto a silver square. Atop the table were gorgeous selections of silver trinkets and brushes for her private use. Against the far wall was a magnificently tall wardrobe, which held gowns and garments of all colours. "Oh, Nia, is this all for me?" Nia smiled at her reaction and spread her hand wide. "All yours." Cerys beamed at her and skipped over to the wardrobe. She began to flip through the different gowns, simultaneously 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing over various ones. Cerys pulled out what looked like a long, glittering off-the- shoulder dress with a bolero top to match. "Oh my gosh, Nia! This is the one I'm going to wear tonight." She smiled enthusiastically at Nia who smiled back. "How are you going to do your hair? Ah! I know. Stay still." Nia clicked her fingers once and Cerys felt the hair band in her hair being tugged by an invisible hand. She felt her body being pushed to sit in front of the mirror. "Nia! What's happening?" Cerys was feeling panicky by an invisible force. She expected the unexpected in Aranosia, but it didn't stop her being afraid. She watched in the mirror as her hair was played with and twisted this way and that. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for whatever it was doing to finish. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair looked gorgeous, and to her surprise, her face had been made up beautifully too. "Wow," Cerys whispered to her reflection. She imagined herself dressed in the gown in her hands. She was standing in the middle of the room two seconds later, wearing the gown and a glowing pair of satin shoes. Cerys turned to Nia, who flashed her a double thumbs up. "Cerys, its time." came her mothers' voice through the door.
*
Cerys stepped out and her mother lightly kissed her on the cheek. A new throne had been place next to Cerys'. She suddenly felt extremely panicked, as she didn't realise what she had to do. There were rows and rows of faerie folk were standing on the edge, smiling encouragingly at her. "Just walk towards your throne, dear." Her mother said quietly. Cerys put her foot on the tip of the silver carpet and every man, woman, child, faerie, elf, hag, leprechaun and butterfly-girl all bowed as soon as she done this. She took a deep breath and slowly began to walk. The chair seemed to get further and further away as she got closer. Cerys concentrated hard on the words 'Do not trip' as she walked. When she had finally reached the throne, Sam appeared holding a gold silk cushion. Lying delicately on top of the cushion was an emerald ring and a small bronze key. "People of Aranosia, hear me. This is Cerys Jane Matthews. She is your Queen's one and only daughter, your future Queen. Bow before her now and welcome her into our community. Cery, as King and Leader of Aranosia, I greet you into our world. This initiation gives you the permission to transport here whenever you like." Sam took Cerys' left hand and placed the ring on her index finger. He also handed her the key. "This is the key to your chamber for when you are here. Now, let us embrace you into our kingdom." Sam began to clap and everyone else followed suit. Cerys smiled around and sat down. Almost at once, the band in the corner of the room struck up mellow and soft music. Cerys looked around, some people had moved onto the dance-floor. It was quite a sight seeing little faerie people dancing with elves. Cerys glanced at her mother, who was in deep conversation, and she saw Nia flutter over, holding a tiny goblet of Tree Sap, apparently this was a delicacy in Aranosia. "Hi Cezza. How are you feeling?" Nia smiled down at her. But her expression faltered at Cerys confused face. "What's the matter?" Cerys opened her mouth to talk. "What do I have to do? Just sit here for the night?" Nia choked on her Tree Sap. "No, no, of course not. There's some one Elaina will want you to meet, but not just yet. In the mean time, you can go and mingle. Many of the folk want to meet you." Cerys watched as Nia flew away. She stood up and wondered towards the crowd. She nodded towards a couple of faerie folk and a little Elvin lady with bright green tufts of hair. A tiny man wearing a green suit and holding a gold staff in his hand pushed through the crowd and came right up to Cerys. "Scuse me, scuse me, comin' through there! Cead mille failte, m'lady. This means one hundred thousand welcomes in the land of the green and beautiful. We, that is us leprechauns, think you would make a grand Queen. So that's a thank you from us all." The leprechaun bowed deeply and bustled off with a hearty wink. Cerys was taken aback for a moment but continued walking through the crowd. Cerys reached the drinks table and took a look at what was to offer. She felt a small tug on her elbow and turned to see a small red-haired child. For a moment, Cerys thought she was an ordinary child, and then she saw the pointed ears. Although she jumped, she placed a friendly smile on her face. "May I help you?" she asked kindly. "My name is Kassio. Would you like any help?" the girl beamed up at Cerys sweetly. "Erm, thanks, but I'm ok for now." Said Cerys. The little elf girl curtseyed and went on her way. Cerys was browsing through the kinds of drinks and felt another tap on her shoulder. Elaina was standing behind her. "Cerys, there is one other thing you have to know. It is about the arranged marriage that - " Cerys was shocked and put up a hand to stop her before she went on. "What arranged marriage? Is this why I am here!? Oh gosh!" Cerys covered her mouth with her hand, turned and ran out of the Hall.
The door closed behind Cerys and she gasped delightedly at what she saw. In front of her was the most spectacular mirror she had ever seen. It was the size and shape of an over large egg. The frame surrounding the mirror was pure carved gold in a Celtic design; the table in front was made out of marble and had strips of rubies lined around the very edge. The dressing table chair was equally beautiful. A lilac satin pillow was squashed down onto a silver square. Atop the table were gorgeous selections of silver trinkets and brushes for her private use. Against the far wall was a magnificently tall wardrobe, which held gowns and garments of all colours. "Oh, Nia, is this all for me?" Nia smiled at her reaction and spread her hand wide. "All yours." Cerys beamed at her and skipped over to the wardrobe. She began to flip through the different gowns, simultaneously 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing over various ones. Cerys pulled out what looked like a long, glittering off-the- shoulder dress with a bolero top to match. "Oh my gosh, Nia! This is the one I'm going to wear tonight." She smiled enthusiastically at Nia who smiled back. "How are you going to do your hair? Ah! I know. Stay still." Nia clicked her fingers once and Cerys felt the hair band in her hair being tugged by an invisible hand. She felt her body being pushed to sit in front of the mirror. "Nia! What's happening?" Cerys was feeling panicky by an invisible force. She expected the unexpected in Aranosia, but it didn't stop her being afraid. She watched in the mirror as her hair was played with and twisted this way and that. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for whatever it was doing to finish. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair looked gorgeous, and to her surprise, her face had been made up beautifully too. "Wow," Cerys whispered to her reflection. She imagined herself dressed in the gown in her hands. She was standing in the middle of the room two seconds later, wearing the gown and a glowing pair of satin shoes. Cerys turned to Nia, who flashed her a double thumbs up. "Cerys, its time." came her mothers' voice through the door.
*
Cerys stepped out and her mother lightly kissed her on the cheek. A new throne had been place next to Cerys'. She suddenly felt extremely panicked, as she didn't realise what she had to do. There were rows and rows of faerie folk were standing on the edge, smiling encouragingly at her. "Just walk towards your throne, dear." Her mother said quietly. Cerys put her foot on the tip of the silver carpet and every man, woman, child, faerie, elf, hag, leprechaun and butterfly-girl all bowed as soon as she done this. She took a deep breath and slowly began to walk. The chair seemed to get further and further away as she got closer. Cerys concentrated hard on the words 'Do not trip' as she walked. When she had finally reached the throne, Sam appeared holding a gold silk cushion. Lying delicately on top of the cushion was an emerald ring and a small bronze key. "People of Aranosia, hear me. This is Cerys Jane Matthews. She is your Queen's one and only daughter, your future Queen. Bow before her now and welcome her into our community. Cery, as King and Leader of Aranosia, I greet you into our world. This initiation gives you the permission to transport here whenever you like." Sam took Cerys' left hand and placed the ring on her index finger. He also handed her the key. "This is the key to your chamber for when you are here. Now, let us embrace you into our kingdom." Sam began to clap and everyone else followed suit. Cerys smiled around and sat down. Almost at once, the band in the corner of the room struck up mellow and soft music. Cerys looked around, some people had moved onto the dance-floor. It was quite a sight seeing little faerie people dancing with elves. Cerys glanced at her mother, who was in deep conversation, and she saw Nia flutter over, holding a tiny goblet of Tree Sap, apparently this was a delicacy in Aranosia. "Hi Cezza. How are you feeling?" Nia smiled down at her. But her expression faltered at Cerys confused face. "What's the matter?" Cerys opened her mouth to talk. "What do I have to do? Just sit here for the night?" Nia choked on her Tree Sap. "No, no, of course not. There's some one Elaina will want you to meet, but not just yet. In the mean time, you can go and mingle. Many of the folk want to meet you." Cerys watched as Nia flew away. She stood up and wondered towards the crowd. She nodded towards a couple of faerie folk and a little Elvin lady with bright green tufts of hair. A tiny man wearing a green suit and holding a gold staff in his hand pushed through the crowd and came right up to Cerys. "Scuse me, scuse me, comin' through there! Cead mille failte, m'lady. This means one hundred thousand welcomes in the land of the green and beautiful. We, that is us leprechauns, think you would make a grand Queen. So that's a thank you from us all." The leprechaun bowed deeply and bustled off with a hearty wink. Cerys was taken aback for a moment but continued walking through the crowd. Cerys reached the drinks table and took a look at what was to offer. She felt a small tug on her elbow and turned to see a small red-haired child. For a moment, Cerys thought she was an ordinary child, and then she saw the pointed ears. Although she jumped, she placed a friendly smile on her face. "May I help you?" she asked kindly. "My name is Kassio. Would you like any help?" the girl beamed up at Cerys sweetly. "Erm, thanks, but I'm ok for now." Said Cerys. The little elf girl curtseyed and went on her way. Cerys was browsing through the kinds of drinks and felt another tap on her shoulder. Elaina was standing behind her. "Cerys, there is one other thing you have to know. It is about the arranged marriage that - " Cerys was shocked and put up a hand to stop her before she went on. "What arranged marriage? Is this why I am here!? Oh gosh!" Cerys covered her mouth with her hand, turned and ran out of the Hall.