"My lady," Mirajane's singsong voice called through the door.
Mavis let out a small groan pulling the covers over her head. "Not now Mira," the small child squeaked.
"Come on" Levy called, "you wouldn't want to sleep through your entire birthday, would you."
Mavis instantly bolted up, that's right it was her birthday. Starting today she would officially be eight, but more importantly she would be allowed out of the castle. Mavis bounced out of bed and ran over to the door throwing it open. "Father hasn't changed his mind has he?" she asked the two fairies bouncing with hopeful excitement.
Mirajane smiled, "He said as long as you promise to stay with the guards then you can stay out till sunset."
Mavis let out a joyful squeal tackling the fairy in a hug before running back into her room and propelling her closet open. "What are you going to wear?" Levy asked coming up behind her.
"I've been planning for this ever since Father first mentioned it," Mavis said shuffling through the dresses, "so I got the castle tailor to make me something."
Levy and Mira peered over the child's shoulder as she pulled out a light brown dress with sleeves that ended at the elbow and a skirt that ended just bellow the knees. Attached to the skirt was a small white apron. "Aw," Mirajane cooed, "It's so cute."
"How did you know your father would say you could go?" Levy asked curiously
Mavis smiled proudly, "I had many plans made to ensure that he would say yes."
"Oh your so smart," Mira said, "would you like some help getting that on?"
Mavis shook her head, "No I've got it, but could you help me with my hair."
Mavis's hair that she had kept short for most of her life was starting to grow longer and more curled rather than spiked. "Of course, milady."
Mavis slipped the dress over her head and reached behind her back to do the buttons. Mavis examined herself in the mirror with satisfaction in her eyes. She's waited for eight years to see the world passed the castle's walls. She remembered when she was younger, before her mother had fallen ill, when the castle was still just a little happy. Even then Mavis could tell that something was wrong, something they weren't telling her. But then two years ago her mother had fallen ill. What little happiness that remained in the castle evaporated. To this day her mother was still ill. The doctors had told her father that the Queen had less than a few months less. Everyone assumed that Mavis wouldn't understand what was happening but she did. For years see had spent almost every day tucked away in the library, reading. Fantasy was her favorite, for before her mother's illness both of her parents had read to her stories of fairies, knights in shinning armor, princesses in high towers, and dragons. After the Queen fell ill Mavis had taken up reading books on her mother's condition. She may not have understood everything in those books but she understood the general idea, her mother was going to die. Mavis shook the thought from her head, today was the day she had dreamed of for so long and nothing was going to stop her. "Who are my escorts going to be?" Mavis asked the two fairies.
"I believe Sir Yury, Sir Warrod, and Sir Precht," Mirajane answered.
Mavis smiled, she liked the three knights. Each one was kind to her and not just the fake kind of nice that the others showed her. She found the three oft them amusing and fun to talk to. Yury was gullible and fell for her tricks, Warrod was kind and helped her when she fell down, and Pretch was the stern one that kept them in check. The four of them worked well together.
A knock sounded from the door making the three girl look up. "That should be them," Levy said walking over to the door. The bluenett opened the door to reveal Yury, a tall teenage man with wavy blonde hair that spiked up slightly.
"Hello, Sir Yuri," Levy greeted bowing her head.
"Hi Yuri," Mavis called waving.
"Lady Levy, Lady Mirajane, Princesses Mavis," Yuri said with a smile.
"Is it time?" Mirajane asked.
Mavis squirmed with anticipation. "Yup, Warrod and Precht are waiting for us with the carriage," Yuri answered.
Mavis jumped up smiling widely as she followed Yuri out of the room and through the labyrinth of hallways. They reached the main door of the castle and into the courtyard where Pretch and Warrod were waiting with a carriage. Mavis ran up two the too men. Warrod is considered a well-built young man, his head, somewhat rectangular in shape, with messy hair on its top. Meanwhile Pretch was slightly shorter than Warrod and had slicked back dark purple hair and an eye patch over his right eye.
"Hi Pretch, hi Warrod," she greeted with a wide grin.
"Ready to go Lady Mavis?" Pretch asked with a grin.
"Of course!" Mavis exclaimed, "did you really have to ask?"
"I figured she would say that," Warrod said opening the carriage door.
Mavis bounced up into the carriage looking around it in wounder. She had never actually been in a carriage, though she had seen guest arriving in them before. Mavis had once read about the way a carriage works and had found it interesting how the horses were able to carry these coaches and still have so much energy. "All set?" Yuri asked as Mavis plopped down on the velvet bench seat.
"Uh huh," Mavis answered bouncing up and down on the padded seat.
Yuri smirked as he watched her continuous bouncing. The carriage lurched forward and Mavis turned towards the window looking out in wonder. The large oak gates rattled open revealing the large forest that surrounded the ancient castle. The lush tree were lively with the sound of birds and other wildlife. Small animals scurried in and out of view, animals Mavis had only seen in pictures. "What's that?" Mavis asked pointing to an orange dog like creature with a fluffy tail.
"That's a fox," Yuri said with a smirk.
"Wow," Mavis sighed resting her head on her hand.
The carriage went around a curve and the village came into view. Mavis let out a gasp. The village seemed to glow in the late morning sun. Houses lined the cobblestone streets, flowers bloomed along the streets and ivy grew up buildings and streetlamps. People bustled around the streets, vendors, merchants, and shoppers alike. The carriage came to a sharp stop and Mavis threw open the door jumping out onto the bustling street.
AN: This was suppose to be longer but I felt like I was taking to long to write this. I've been so busy with school and stuff but I haven't given up on this yet. I'm so sorry about this