It was a crisp, autumn morning, the last day before winter set in. The sun peeked from behind the clouds as a man looked out at the lands before him. In the shade of a large tree a small figure could be seen under the layers of red and gold leaves. It was a little girl, kneeling beside a plaque set in the tree.

Lady Adonia of Rasine.

A loyal friend

a loved wife

and a caring mother.

The love and hope she gave

will always be remembered and cherished.

She's gone, the girl thought. She's not coming back and I'll never see her again.The words repeated over and over again in her head until they were all that she could hear. Her eyes filled with tears and the single rose fell from her fingers as she remembered.

She was walking down the dark hallway with her father. They stopped in front of a large wooden door. Her father pushed the door open and sunlight poured out. She walked into the room and was surprised to see that her mother was sitting in the huge bed. Her smooth face was was pale and her brilliant green eyes had none of their usual sparkle.She looked so small and weak.Callista ran to the bedside and took her mother's cold hands in her own small ones. Her mother opened her eyes and smiled weakly. "Hello darling," she said. "Mama, why are you still in bed? Are we not going to the fair then?" Callista asked. Her mother tried to laugh at this, but the laugh turned into hard cough and she slumped down further onto the bed. Callista felt her father kneel down beside her and take her mother's other hand in his. Her mother smiled and slowly, her eyes closed" I love you," she whispered "both of you,forever". Her eyes did not open again and Callista and her father sat in silence for several minutes. Tears rolled down her father's cheeks unoticed."What is wrong with mama?" She asked her father "Why will she not wake up?" Her father turned to her, not realising she was still there. "She's gone," he said. "When will she come back?" Callista asked.

"She's not coming back." Her father had answered.

It had been two years since her mother had died. She had only been five years old at the time, and she had not understood. But Callista understood now. Her mother was dead and she would never see her again. She would never again hear her mother sing her to sleep, never feel her hand hold hers, never be enveloped in her warm hugs, never anything.

"Callista," Her someone called "Callista, where are you?" She spotted her father at the door of their manor.Wiping her tears, she ran towards him. The man spotted his daughter running towards him and when she reached him he picked her up and spun her around. "Papa!" she exclaimed, "put me down this instant."

He laughed and set her gently down on the ground. "Callista," he said, "We must talk about something very important."

"Of course papa," she smiled.

" I have business in the city that I must attend to," he said.This isn't unusual she thought He goes to the city all the time.He continued" I will be gone for several months, but that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to tell you that I will be bringing back a certain lady and her daughters. They will be your new mother and sisters." Callista stood in shock for a moment. Her father was worried she would not take the news well. Suddenly, Callista's face broke into a delighted smile. Her father smiled too, inwardly relieved. Callista skipped around her father, singing " I will have a new mother and two sisters". The next morning, Callista awoke at early , to see her father off in the carriage. " Be good for me," he said " and I will bring you back a special present"

Callista's eyes widened. "Something more special than a new mama and sisters?"

"Almost, my dear" he smiled "almost" Then he stepped into the carriage and waved as it disappeared into the morning fog.

Almost four months passed before her father returned.Callista had been up since dawn and too excited to go back to sleep.The sound of a carriage reached her ears and she ran down the stairs to greet her new family. Her father was holding out a hand to the slender woman who was exiting the carriage. She was quite beautiful, with her honey coloured tresses and light brown eyes. Her pale blue gown rustled as she moved down the steps to stand beside Callista's father. Two girls then emerged from the carriage. Callista fought to keep still as the girls stepped into the sunlight."Callista," her father said "I would like you to meet Lady Adriana," he gestured towards the woman " and her daughters Mary, and Anna" Callista curtseyed and looked at the girl. The first, was a year or two older than Callista and did not look very happy. She had the same honey coloured hair as her mother, but her eyes were a light blue. The colour of ice Callista thought. The younger girl was about the same age as Callista. She was very different to her sister. Her hair was the colour of cream and her eyes were green-blue like the sea. She was smiling warmly and Callista could not help but smile back.A maid was called to show the ladies to their rooms and Callista followed her father to the study."Well?" he said, once he had closed the door. "What do you think of our new family?"

"They are wonderful!" Callista exclaimed. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"

Her father laughed and Callista realised he was holding something behind his back. "Come here," he gestured to a chair "and close your eyes" Callista walked forward to sit down then closed her eyes. He placed something cold in her lap. It was a porcelain box, the size of her fist, decorated with swirling leaves in gold, red and orange.A tree, exactly like the ones that stood on the grounds of their manor was painted on the top. She opened it and inside, lying on on the velvet lining, was a beautiful gold necklace. Sunlight glinted off the pendant, a clear greenstone, the colour of the trees in spring, and a small white pearl, shaped together as a budding rose. "It's beautiful papa!" she whispered. She set it down gently on the desk then stood and wrapped her arms around her father's waist. Her father smiled and took her hand. "Come now," he said. "We must join our new family for breakfast now" Hand in hand, they walked towards out of the room.