Thanks to Coolgirl123 and fairypixie3! You guys were very complimentary! I enjoy the encouragement (hint hint)! No, jk. Now, on with the story!
For my thirteenth birthday, I had a relatively small party. Lisa the Cook, Harriet the Chamber Maid, and Jeffrey the Butler all came to it. It was a merry occasion, and they all doted upon me. I had a white cake with little red roses, and Grandmother had made me a breathtaking silver dress. The fabric seemed to glisten, and it was light as a feather and very soft. I hadn't even known she could sew. She whispered in my ear, "I have other presents, but I shan't give them to you now." Lisa, Harriet, and Jeffrey all commented about how grown up I was becoming. It was a lovely little party, and I had a wonderful time.
After everyone left, I got ready for bed instantly. I lied on the cott, waiting. Grandmother took her time, as if she wished to delay it.
After what seemed like an eternity, she was finally ready for bed. She lied down next to me. It was quiet for a few moments.
"Grandmother," I paused taking a breath, "I do believe it is the night of my thirteenth birthday."
Grandmother sighed. She rolled over, facing me. She stroked the hair out of my face. "Oh, my pretty little one," she said gently while caressing my face, "What shall I tell you?" I didn't know what she was talking about. It seemed as though she were talking to herself. Was my Grandmother going crazy? I moved away from her slightly, though I don't believe she noticed.
She stopped stroking my face and lied back, with her eyes closed, still for a few moments. Her eyes flew open, alarming me. "I have other presents for you, sweet." She reached down by her feet and grabbed some packages and my dress.
I was wondering why she pulled that onto the bed. I had already known about that. "Um, Grandmother, you already gave me the dress." I said, somewhat irritated and startled. Was my Grandmother trying to pull one over on me, or was she just getting old?
She smiled and picked the dress up and held it in her hands. "No my dear," she said as if she was keeping some delicious secret to herself. "I didn't explain to you what this dress can do."
"What can it do?" I echoed. How annoying I sounded. I scolded myself in my head. Echoing was something I detested.
She picked the dress up to it's full length. "My dear, this was made by fairies. Your Fairy Godmother, to be exact." What? I had a fairy godmother? Who was she? "She made it especially for you. Soft as plush, and it'll fit you perfectly, no matter how old you are. She laced it with hair from a unicorn's mane, and a bit of fairy magic. It also has another secret, but I will let you discover that on your own. Try it on."
I tried it on. I had no trouble slipping into it. It fit me exactly, just as Grandmother said it would. I twirled around in it, feeling like a princess. It was lovely; beautiful, yet easy to move in. It rustled whenever I stepped. I imagined myself in a beautiful red dress, with a golden brocade down the middle. I had lovely satin slippers to match. The fabric shined, and it glittered like many little lights of red and gold. It had tight-fitting sleeves, and a dipping neckline. I also envisoned a crown atop my head, and me meeting Queen Ella. I gave her a sweeping curtsy, as I had always wished to do, even though it was physically impossible for me. "Your majesty, I have waited…"
"Leah, look in the mirror sweet." Said my Grandmother, interrupting my trance.
"Ohh!" I said, looking at my reflection. It was the same dress I had envisioned in my dream, without the tiara. Was I still dreaming?
"How did…what hap…oh Grandmother what is this?" I exclaimed with shortness of breath.
"The secret I was to let you discover. This gown changes to whatever you imagine yourself wearing. It also changes to your size, so you may keep this as a lifelong present. It's only fitted to you, so no one else can wear it. I figured this would be a good present for a girl with an imagination such as yours." She laughed.
I couldn't believe my eyes! I still wasn't sure if I were awake or not. I leapt about the room, pretending to sword fight with an ogre. I was so thrilled!
What a birthday present indeed!
"Oh Grandmother, thank you! Thank you a million times over!"
She laughed, a heartwarming laugh. It made me happy to hear her laugh. "I'm glad it made you so happy, love," she smiled up at me. "I know you've never had a nice dress in your life, and I thought this would insure you for the rest of it. The other presents are for later. We will open them when the time comes. Right now, we will talk about your parents." Finally! The moment I had been waiting for for years! "What do you want to know, sweet?"
"What happened to my parents, first of all? And why do I live with you instead of them?"
My Grandmother looked sad for a second. Then she snapped back to reality.
"Your mother's name was Julia. She was a beauty. Thick, dark auburn hair, straight like you and your grandfather; but with blue eyes, like mine. We were poor; your grandfather was a blacksmith, and I was a gardener, as I am now. We lived in Frell at that time. Your mother was our only child." I faced the floor, because tears were rolling down my cheeks. Grandmother seemed worried, so I distracted her with another question.
"Did you ever see Queen Ella?"
She smiled. "I should've known you'd ask that. But no love, we didn't see the Queen. And at that time, she was only a princess, just married to Prince Charmont."
"I don't really know much about your father; I know he was noble--" she saw me open my mouth and answered my question "and no dear, he wasn't related to Queen Ella. He was noble because his father had made a fortune off of his farm. Not because he was royal." I had noble blood! WOW! I was a little disappointed that he wasn't royal though.
"Anyway, your mother worked at his family's manor. He saw her and began to woe her." How romantic! "His parents found out and fired your mother. She was heartbroken, as was he…but he never knew your mother was with child." What? My parents didn't have a romantic wedding? That meant that I was a child out of wedlock! My heart filled with shame. I knew how bastards were treated. I hid it well though, for Grandmother kept going.
"We tried to get a message to him, but his parents refused to hear of it. They didn't want him to marry a poor girl. As far as I know, he never heard of Julia becoming pregnant." Great. My father didn't even know I existed. I was on the edge of tears.
"Your Grandfather died that year. He was very stressed with the news of your Mother's pregnancy, and became sick. The sickness took hold of him, and he passed. There was nothing left for your mother and I in Frell, so we moved out to Emba, where it was quiet and serene. I didn't need your mother getting sick with a child in her belly.
"I became a Gardener here at the Carpuza's Manor. I had a friend here in Emba, Helen, who was a midwife. She helped us move out here. She was the next closest thing to family, so I asked her to be there for the birth to help.
"Your birth took a long time. It was in this very cottage. It was about two hours, and your mother lost a lot of blood. She said it was all worth it though. She wrote the experience down in her diary." She had a diary? Did my Grandmother still have it? "She named you "Leora" for she had always loved that name. It meant "Great light" and she thought you were the light of her life. She said she'd call you Leah, as a nickname.
"She adored you from the moment you came out. And you were a pretty one. Dark eyes, black hair, flushed cheeks; one of the prettiest babies I've ever seen. But maybe that's because I'm your Grandmother.
"Helen was also an artist. Her work was wonderful, but it wasn't acknowledged because she wasn't noble; she thought that you and your mother were so adorable together, that she wanted to do a portrait. She sketched one quick as lightning. She painted it too, and what a lovely thing it was." Where was it?
"Where is it Grandmother?" I questioned earnestly, my sad thoughts subsiding for a minute.
She stopped, as if pondering something. "Yes, I think it's time for your next present."
"But Grandmother," I protested, but it was as if she didn't hear me. I didn't feel in the mood for opening presents. She handed a lightweight package to me. I wanted to learn more about my Mother. "Open it." She urged.