a/n: Thanks again to all who reviewed the second chapter! I promise this chapter will be longer! *shot by lazy readers* anyways, I'll try not to make it boring and unnecessary. Sorry, but I had to make Ia a bit more daring for this story. XD *shot by her makers* and thank you to all who favourited the story as well! Including Mariuspersen!

I woke up to the sound of Ellie-May lighting the fire and sunlight streaming in through the lace curtains. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. The sunlight always seemed blinding the first thing in the morning. Ellie was humming a tune that sounded like Dance of the Blessed Spirits, the tune that my brother Scipio was playing on the piano last night.

"Ellie?" I asked, and she looked up. "Isn't today your day off?"

"It will be, soon!" she laughed, resuming the hum. "Oh, and here's a letter for you, Miss."

Breaking the wax seal, I pulled out the single folded sheet of paper. It said, in neat black slanting cursive,

Dear Arianna,

I have received your last letter about your request. Yes, I do think it is a good idea. It would be nice to spend the day out with Ellie-May, and it would be good for you to get some fresh air. My only concern is that you may not come with her when she goes to town. Is that understood? You may go with her when her next day off comes around. The town is not the best place in the world, Arianna. I don't for the life of me understand why you would make such a request when you have everything a young girl could want, but you may go, of course. That is, you have my permission, but be sure to ask Ellie-May once again if it really is all right with her. You don't have to tell anyone about this if you don't want to.

Best wishes from here in Spain,

Claude Craven,

Your uncle.

I was practically jumping up and down with joy. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that Uncle Craven would let me go! "Ellie! Ellie! He's said he'll let me go with you!"

A grin spread across her face. "My, isn't that wonderful news! And before you ask, Miss, I haven't changed my mind. It's still all right for you to come with us, but don't expect too much! I also need to make a stop in town, if that's all right, Miss."

Ellie-May handed me the clothes I was required to wear that day. It was a grey-blue puffed sleeve dress with a white fleece sweater.

After I was dressed, the first thing I did was to wake up Riccio, my brother. He was the youngest of my six brothers, and he wasn't that much bigger than me. He was the only one I had told, since he was the most adventurous, and the most trustworthy. I'll grant him that, even if he does persist in calling me Arianna.

I knocked on the door fiercely. "Riccio! Riccio! Wake up!"

The door opened by just a tiny crack, and his brown head popped up. "What is it? Oh, Arianna, why did you wake me up so early?"

"For your information, Riccio, it's not early anymore," I said. I held up the envelope. "And I've received this earlier this morning."

His eyes widened, and he opened the door for me. "All right, you can come in."

He invited me to sit. "So," he began. "Uncle Craven's let you go, hasn't he? No, don't answer that, I know he has, otherwise you wouldn't have come barging in here. Give me that," he snatched the envelope. "Ha! And I suppose you're planning to get into town, huh? You'll need my clothes for that. Come on, have your pick."

He opened his wardrobe for me, and looking inside, I found all the clothes boring and dull and so utterly Riccio. The only ones that I liked was a white shirt with frills on the front and blue velvet breeches. I reached out to take them when I heard Riccio sigh. I turned around. "What?" I demanded. "Er, I mean, I beg your pardon?"

"You can't wear those out to town, dear sister. Those are my party clothes. Here, wear this," he said, handing me a plain white shirt, brown cotton breeches, and a green and red striped vest. "There, those should be good."

I looked down on them in disgust, but Riccio knows best, after all. I had never been to town; never seen what the people wear. He has. He knows, and I don't. So I decided to take him on his word.

I raced back to my room.

Ellie-May, who had been packing several sets of my clothes to bring along, looked up from her work and looked askance at me. "What are you doing with Master Riccio's clothes, Miss Ia?"

"Oh, I'm borrowing them today. You did say you wanted to make a stop in town, and I thought I'd maybe like to go with you, and I needed his clothes for that," I explained. "Ellie? Why are you looking at me like that? You will let me come along, won't you? Please, Ellie-May?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it. She finally nodded.

a/n: once again, please review! Reviews are love! XD just to say, I know it's a bit unfair, but then this chapter would be a bit too long so I'm making the next chapter Ia's POV again. Sorry, Ollie! Thanks for all who reviewed and favourited!