After being gone for, well, half a year, TAOAT is back! What with all the mid-years I had to take, it's finally time to get my inspiration juices working now that it's the holidays! And yes, Beauty and the Beast will be coming out in 2017, and I'm so hyped for more Emma Watson! Just saying, you know.

Anyway, I already had Chapter 2 in my storage for a while, and I completed the second half of it today. Yes, I did say I am super hyped for this one (partly because I've FINALLY rearranged all my thoughts on this one and have planned out a GENERAL PLOTLINE) but eh, when the brain ain't working it won't be working for a while. Sorry for the ramble.

Hope you guys love this one!

When the first rays of sunlight spilled into the bedroom farthest from the staircase a girl with dripping silver strands trod heavily out of the shower.

It evidently didn't help when she had to part the curtain of silver that hung above her forehead to help clear her blocked vision. Elizabeth groped around for the dress hanging on the doorknob, effectively yanking the entire thing from the hanger itself and, having used too much force, collapsing into a flurry of towels and satin.

Elizabeth cursed under her breath when she saw that she had gotten her dress wet. It was made from fine pure satin, the neckline barely modest and the sleeves barely covering her shoulders, and the hem ended just below her knee. Silver intricate patterns traced themselves like creepers around a pillar. She made extra sure to dry her body cautiously while she left the dress to dry beneath the fan. Wrapping herself tighter in her towel, she stepped back into the bathroom to dry up a bit.

The bathroom had a small vent covered with netting to prevent any unwanted creatures flying inside. Still, the netting did not prevent Elizabeth from smelling the appetizing scents wafting up to her nose from the kitchen below. Her sisters and father must be cooking up a wonderful breakfast, lunch and tea for today, the anniversary of her as a part of the Lioneses.

She slipped on the dress and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Staring back at her was a girl with flawless pure skin, big blue eyes and a beautiful outfit—probably too beautiful for a girl as simple as she was. She didn't deserve this kind of unnatural beauty; this wasn't anything like her. Just because she should celebrate the occasion doesn't mean she should doll herself up in the superficial beauties this world could offer.

It was strange for her sisters when she thought like this, since they really couldn't understand her in-depth thinking, but she didn't mind that. She'll just have to come up with an excuse for not wearing her second sister's birthday present to her.

She slipped on her ordinary day dress—short and blue with a uncomplicated white design on the front—and looked back into the mirror with a much more positive outlook. That was the real her: simple, pretty and that's about it. Feeling light in her heart she trooped put her bedroom and bounded down the stairs.

The first person she saw was Margaret, who was dolled up in a cotton-knit gown of midnight blue. It brought out her hazel eyes and pale skin, and the older sister was surprised to see her younger sister not in her birthday dress.

"Where's the one Veronica made you?" she exclaimed.

Elizabeth smiled daintily. "I kind of found it way too beautiful for today. I'd probably wear it at some sort of wedding." Margaret stared, even squinted at her younger sister, then laughed and shook her head. "Whatever you say, birthday girl." She retreated back into the kitchen, citing for Elizabeth to make herself comfortable in the dining room.

The wafting smells were possibly too much for her to bear. Elizabeth peeked into the kitchen, then with one big surge of energy slammed the door open. "Wow!" she literally exhaled.

Pangs of the rosemary scent squeezed her stomach glands dry. The smell of ham and melting cheese drifted from the oven. In front of her, Veronica, surprisingly apt at cooking, pinched at a piece of bread soaking in batter and flipped it around. Elizabeth's eyes widened to the size of plates.

"French toast!" she cried. Veronica gave her a knowing smile.

Someone stepped in through the door, and Baltra, larger than life, swept his daughter up into his bear-like arms with joy. "Happy birthday, my dear!" Elizabeth's smile was radiant when he put her down. "Many happy returns of the day."

"Thank you, Father." She eyed the basket he had put down on a stool near him. "What's that you've got there?" Baltra smiled, taking out a dozen oranges and placing them on the tabletop. "Orange juice."

"Amazing!" Margaret let out a little chuckle at Elizabeth's enthusiasm while putting on oven mittens and placing her hand on the oven handle. "Careful now, it's going to be hot," and she pulled. Indulgent, extravagant scents exited the oven door.

Elizabeth let out a strange cross between a groan and a gurgle. The other Lioneses laughed.

After a few minutes in which the French toast came out just nicely and the ham and cheese rolls had had some time to cool, Elizabeth surveyed the sight on the dining table with interest. No, interest doesn't begin to cover it… more like surveying it with the eyes of a hawk on its prey.

"Ham and cheese rolls, French toast with vanilla ice cream and berries, fresh orange juice…" She squealed aloud and jumped into her sisters' arms. "This is the best breakfast ever!"

Her sisters shared a look behind her back, knowing for long how to deal with their younger sister's eccentric behavior. "Happy birthday, Elizabeth."

…

After a hearty breakfast and a few dad jokes, Elizabeth bounded out of her house and down the street. People there wished her a happy birthday, and were dazzled by her smile. Taking the steps two at a time, she finally reached the door of her favorite place in town. Breathing deeply, she rapped her knuckles curtly on it.

The bespectacled librarian opened the door and smiled. "Happy birthday, Elizabeth," she said, and placed a book in her hands. "You wanted this, didn't you?"

Elizabeth stared wide-eyed. "How did you possibly…?"

The librarian chuckled. "It's no surprise you keep borrowing your favorite book on the day you were born, is it? Now, go spend some family time instead of reading for once, silly girl."

Elizabeth thanked her profusely, eyes shining with gratitude.

…

"Margaret?" The youngest sister knocked softly on Margaret's bedroom door. "You called me just now?"

"Ah, yes," Margaret smiled softly at her sister's voice. "Come in."

Elizabeth opened the door timidly, as if she was committing a crime. Margaret had never openly invited her into her room in fear of her excitement causing her to break any intricate ornaments sitting on shelves and cupboards. She humbly took the opportunity to marvel at the tidiness of her sister's room.

"Have a seat, won't you?" Elizabeth sat down next to her on her bed. There was a wooden box in her sister's dainty hands, having intricate carvings steeled into the wood.

"I wanted to give you this," Margaret pressed the box into her sister's hands, a wavering smile of nostalgia on her face. "To commemorate my youngest sister's seventeenth birthday. You're a woman now, Elizabeth."

Somehow the words that escaped her eldest sister's mouth hung in the air before disappearing into the space of Elizabeth's imaginative brain. Before it did, though, she contemplated the weight of her sister's words, and cherished them.

She opened the box and gasped. Inside was a single sapphire earring, with the image of a sun, a moon and a cluster of stars emblazoned in the center. Its simple beauty and elegance was enough to take Elizabeth's breath away.

"It was handed down to me from my mother on my fifth birthday," Margaret said softly, admiring the earring with eyes glimmering. "I felt you needed it too."

Elizabeth gasped under her breath. Margaret and Veronica's mother, Caroline, had passed away right before Margaret turned five. Seeming to read her thoughts, Margaret slid her hand into hers.

"It's okay, I'm fine now," she gave a small smile. "You know, whenever you feel troubled, or helpless, just hold onto this… and think of me and Veronica, and Father. You'll remember the ones you love through it, no matter where you are. It helped me a lot too."

Elizabeth flung her arms around her sister, her mouth moving silently in thanks while tears brimmed in her eyes. Margaret wrapped her arms around her too, enjoying her embrace.

When they pulled away, Elizabeth handed the earring to her, and whispered hoarsely, "Help me put it on." Margaret compromised, fitting it in place in Elizabeth's ear.

"It's beautiful!" Elizabeth stared in awe, mouth gaping, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The earring was a little heavy, but she'd get used to it somehow.

"It's on you, dear," Margaret winked, and said, "Quickly now! Father wants to speak to you about something" and pushed her out of her room.

…

"Elizabeth," Baltra began, and cleared his throat. "For once, I'm going to say this to you, so while I'm telling you, please do not interrupt any second." Elizabeth nodded, wide-eyed.

Baltra closed his eyes and sighed. "When I come back from the fair, with all your lovely trinkets for your sisters… I'll take you on a picnic in the woods. Just the two of us, your late birthday present. Is that okay for you?"

He kept his eyes closed, and was certainly startled when two warm arms wrapped around him tightly. "It's not okay!" Elizabeth cried. "It's absolutely, fabulously, definitely awesome!"

Baltra gave her a knowing smile. "Then get some sleep, my child. You've got to get up early to send me off tomorrow."

Elizabeth landed a kiss on his cheek, gratitude spilling from her heart, then retreated into her room. She changed out of her day gown into a comfy cotton night gown, and looked at herself in the mirror once more. The sapphire earring glistened as it hung from her ear.

"God, thank you," she clasped her hands together and bowed her head. "For these wonderful people you've brought into my life."

She went to sleep, the last thing she saw being the dress hanging on her wardrobe door. Her dreams consisted of an exciting, out-of-this-world story involving a stolen earring and a suspicious picnic. But she never got to finish her dream, because a knock on the front door awoke her from slumber.

Whoa, what's with the mystery knock? Third chapter coming soon (YES, I'm writing it now.)

-Mint-chan.