Right i updated finally!
Thanx 2 all reveiwers - sorry i can't really b bothered 2 write all the names out, u no who u are and thanx cos it made me update. i need encouragement. this was originally supposed to be half of a chapter with Liam aswell but it didn't work too well. So the rest is coming. im not great at writing fluff but there will b some, not quite yet though cos they just met sorry.
i got very annoyed with writing the accent thing nd a reveiwer mentioned it so the grammar when she talks might still b wrong but just assume the accent.
Chapter Two
Asa woke when the bell rang, still tired by the journey and events of the day before. Shadow, hearing the bell, began to make a sound halfway between a bark and a howl. She groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head. There was a snuffling, and something wet licked her face. With another groan she sat up.
"Alright Shadow, I'm getting up." She rolled out of bed, and hit the floor with a bump. Beds in Everton were lower, almost on the floor, and rolling out of bed in the morning meant falling about a foot onto soft rug. Here, the beds were four times as high. And the floor was hard. She shook her head, examining the bed and its posts. What a waste of wood and cloth! True, at home there had been curtains, but thin veil-like ones that she had also wondered the purpose of. These seemed rather more ridiculous.
There was a knock at the door. Asa scowled. It was too early for this. "Your highness, are you up?" a voice asked in Eve. Her scowl deepened. I thought Lachran said it would be 'some random person', she thought, grumpily. I don't see what's random about the Mistress. If she was any more ordered she would be a shelf of Mother's china. The dainty, flowery set.
"I'm just getting up, Mistress." Another thing she hated about the Mistress. Formality. Your Highness, My Lady etc etc. She wasn't her anything. And besides, if she was of higher status (as the Mistress insisted pointing out) why did she have to do what the curséd woman wanted all the time? Life wasn't fair.
Looking at the clothing she had, Asa chose her simplest Everton dress. Long sleeves that flared, a tapering bodice and skirt that fell gently to ground almost vertically. Modest neckline didn't need to be mentioned, and indeed, her preferences were well known among seamstresses in Everton. Luckily, after one incident when she had lost her temper nothing was ever mentioned about putting low necklines on her dresses ever again. Except perhaps by the mistress, who wouldn't listen to anything she said.
It was light blue, with a hint of other threads that brought out the many colours of her eyes. Unfortunately, that couldn't hide the fact that they were the colour of an almost transparent crystal, however much the moving shards and flecks of colour were accented.
They were something she didn't share with Aranias – or any of her siblings for that matter. She and her brother had the same ebony hair, olive skin and gently carved features, and although he was quite a bit taller than her, they both shared the same slight build, but her eyes were the exception. Something that marked her as different or unnatural. That was why she had used the glamour spell the day before.
It was something Aranias had invented or found somewhere. Put a drop of blood on the spelled powder he had given her, and it would become paste that had to be then smeared on her eyelids. Voila, her eyes were brown. She briefly considered using it again, but decided to come clean for once. And besides, if used to many days in a row, her eyes began to hurt.
"I don't care how dressed you are, I'm coming in now, My Lady." A key was fitted into the lock and began turning. Asa glanced around in panic. "Shadow - Kiek!" she swore in a whisper. Kiek, kiek, kiek! She glanced out of the window. Someone was walking across the courtyard. Reach the other side, quickly, go inside, she thought frantically, all too aware how embarrassing it would be for a wolf to jump out of the princess's chambers. She shooed Shadow under the bed, making motions for 'go' and 'later', just as the Mistress stepped into the room.
"Oh honestly, your Highness, are you really not properly up yet?" I'm dressed aren't I? That's good enough for this time of the morning! "I'll do your hair." Asa stepped quickly aside and, grabbing a brush, sat on her bed to unbraid her hair. And conveniently sat in front of Shadow of course. The Mistress fussed as Asa rebraided it in one plait and pinned it in a circle around her head. Two small plaits hung by her face, complete with beads at the bottom.
"Right, you have a busy day ahead, Highness. After breakfast we are going dress shopping." Asa paled. What? I already have dresses! The wardrobe's bursting full of them! And half of them aren't even wearable outside! "You need some in the Tortallan style." Oh no. No. She had seen pictures of Tortallan ladies and dress designs and all Asa had noticed was the excess of lace and a preference for corsets and puffed out skirts. Not to mention high heels, that were everywhere in Everton as well. She put her foot down at that, if only to prevent the likelihood of never being able to put down her foot again.
She followed the Mistress out the door, catching sight of vague black shape jump out of the window as it shut. She allowed herself a small smile that vanished as she wrapped her shawl around herself once more, half listening to the Mistress comments about 'getting on with the Prince', 'mind your manner's' etc.
On the way to the door she tripped, scraping her leg on the desk. The Mistress tutted disapproval and she scowled think of the coming trials in the city with this woman.
Morning most definitely wasn't her favourite time of day.
Very sorry it's so short, i mentioned at the top why.
Liam in next chap and vision stuff.
Going away for a week so might not update 4 a bit not sure will try.
I don't even neeed to say it.... (please?)