"Princess! Princess!" A young maiden exclaimed, trying to catch Delilah's drifting attention as she walked past the exotic birds in a daze.
"Cordelia!" Delilah curtsied and smiled at the daughter of Areida, her mother's dearest friend, "What are you doing at the royal menagerie?" So like the one at home.
"Oh Princess, I am the exotic birds keeper. Your mother loved them so. You know, you look so like her. And your father as well, those freckles sprinkled across your nose is his no doubt. Although I haven't seen you or Echarmont in years."
"Call me Delilah." I miss them. "And how is Areida and Cyril?"
"Oh, mother is fine. Would you like to see them? They would be so happy for you to join at our dinner tonight."
"It is always a pleasure to dine with you." Damn the court affairs! "But perhaps another night? The Ayorthaian courts are very strict on formal dinners."
"That doesn't sound much like the Delilah I used to play with." Cordelia smiled cheekily.
"Excuse me, miss, but do you know about this bird?" Someone called from the exotic bird's cages.
"Duty awaits, Princess." Cordelia curtsied and hurried off to answer the guest's questions.
"It's Delilah!" She yelled to no avail. Delilah continued her stagnant disinterest at the beautiful, strange flowers of Ayortha. She soon regretted declining Cordelia's offer, as this conversation was the most she had had all week. Except with the strange gentleman in the corridor. She heard a voice from the distant gardens singing beautifully-
"Oak, granite,
Lilies by the road,
Remember me?
I remember you."
Delilah quickened her step towards the sound of this voice. The song was one that her father would sing to her mother, especially when she would make him laugh. He would call her 'Little Lela' and they would dance, no matter where they happened to be. The sweet memory stung at Delilah, so homesick already.
"Clouds brushing
Clover hills,
Remember me?"
Delilah tripped, and tore her dress, but she didn't care. She was near enough to the voice to notice it was a young man's.
"Sister, child,
Grown tall,
Remember me?
I remember you."
She peered through the hedges and saw the strange gentleman who had found her in the corridor. He had laid down on the springy grass and was swirling a flower between his fingers, singing her parent's song with such caress that Delilah's breath caught in her chest for a moment. His light, sandy-blonde hair ruffled around in the gentle breeze, it's currents taking his song to Delilah's awaiting ears.
"Emlyn?" Delilah shrunk lower into the hedges as a lovely young maiden came running up to him. The young maiden laughed surprisingly as his song stopped.
"What have you been doing? You know the wedding is soon!"
"Oh dear Syllphi, I know, I was just enjoying the breez-"
"Don't give me that!-"
"Don't worry! Everything will be taken care of." Delilah shifted slightly so that the leaves wouldn't poke her. Emlyn heard the shuffling.
"Go ahead and tell your mother not to worry." His eyes shifted to the bush, "I'll be along in a minute."
Delilah's heart started racing as she scrambled to get out of the bush and away from this Emlyn, succeeding in ripping her dress more.
Dear Mother,
I have succeeded in ripping three dresses in a single day. No amount of finishing school could have prepared me for my clumsiness in foreign lands.
I met Cordelia, Areida's daughter, in the royal menagerie. She is the exotic bird keeper, Mother! I daresay that she has even exceeded her mother's gift for charm.
(and not only for the birds.)
Sorry that my letters have been so short.
The magic book is probably revealing more than I am.
Missing you terribly,
Delilah.
p.s.- Tease Mandy a good bit for me.