Flashback 6

by schammielynn

After my ankle healed, my life began as the adopted daughter of an Ozian royal. My first dinner party was up and coming, and Oswin and Alexandra were wary about having me interact with the prestigious social monarchs of Oz.

I don't quite remember what the circumstances had been, but before I knew it, I was thrust into etiquette lessons. Oswin was all for them, as he still had his reputation to uphold. He meant so in the nicest of ways and wasn't at all cruel in suggesting it. Alexandra was still slightly concerned that they would be pressuring me, but I didn't complain. Besides, it was something new and that excited me.

This was about a month into my stay. I still called Oswin and Alexandra by their full names out of respect and insecurity. Although she had told me to call her Aly, it didn't seem to fit her regal and almost magical personality. I knew it bothered her every time I called her by her full name, but I couldn't help myself. It was an automatic response to authority.

As for the lessons, they were fine at first, but by the third or fourth day, I couldn't stand them. Four hours a day with an hour break in between was too much etiquette time. Although there were other lessons mixed in there, they all related back to royalty. I complained to Terrance a lot about them during the hour break, when all Ozian kids were supposed to report home for lunch.

"They're so boring," I whined, biting into an apple.

"Why don't we go play or something? Who needs those silly old lesson anyways? You're already pretty polite. And your ankle is good as new ever since Oswin fixed it!" He shrugged and looked out at the garden behind the school.

I hesitated. Skip etiquette lessons?

"Ess," he continued. "These are the last days of warm season. Come on. Be daring! It'll be fun! I've got the perfect things to do in the garden!"

I couldn't say no to his pleading face, and he had a point. My days of warm season were numbered.

"Fine."

He raced me to the garden and he grinned big at the first tree we came to.

"Ever climbed a tree before?"
"No."

"Come on, I'll show you."
"I don't know, Terry…"

"Wimp."
"Am not!" I said defiantly with a smirk on my face and ran eagerly over to the tree.

He hoisted himself up and instructed, "Just step where I step. We'll be to the top in no time."
"You're sure about this?"
"It's got fruit at the top," he bribed.

I reluctantly followed his lead until we got to the top. We each found a sturdy branch to sit on, and he picked us a few ripe fruits. "So what do you say. Fresh fruit better than etiquette lessons?"
"Definitely!" I took a sloppy bite into it and the sweet taste reminded me how rewarding a bit of daring adventure could be.

When I looked up, Terrance was looking down at the ground.

"Something wrong?" I asked.
"Shhh."

I peered over the edge, but I didn't see anybody. There were tons of branches though, so it was no surprise that I couldn't see the ground.
"He can't see us, or we'll get caught!" Terrance whispered.

I said nothing until he watched the man walk out of sight.
"Hurry! We gotta go while he's not here!"

Terrance flung himself off of the branch with athletic ability and ease while I unsuccessfully shimmied my way down.

Everything went fine until about the last 2 branches when my foot slipped and my dress tore all the way across the bottom.

"My dress!" I yelped in a whisper as I landed on the ground.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then don't be such a girl." he smirked, "Run!"

We high-tailed it out of the garden in a wild fashion. Leaves were everywhere in my dark hair and my dress had several tears, but only one that was truly noticeable.

"Alexandra cannot find out about this," I huffed, out of breath from running and sheer terror. "This dress is brand new."

Terrance started laughing, "I got you so bad."
"What are you talking about?"
"There was nobody there! Tricked ya!"
I hit him in square in his shirtless, dirtied chest. "What did you do that for?!"
He kept laughing, "You should have seen your face!"
I sighed aggravatingly. "I'll get you for this."

"You wouldn't dare." He flashed a toothy grin and then motioned for me to walk back home, trudging along in my torn dress.

I opened the large green doors to enter our living quarters of the palace. Alexandra was sitting in the living room, reading Oz's latest newspaper, and I knew she'd heard me come in. I had a hard time keeping quiet.

"Essie, come here."
I walked in, doing my best to hide the tear that was almost all the way across the front of my dress.

"Oh, you're new dress!" She stood and walked over to examine it. "How'd it tear?"
I gulped, my mouth dry, "I-I tore it on a desk."
"Hm. I'll have to mend that. Why don't you get washed up and changed and then meet on the porch for tea."

"Yes, Alexandra."

I heard her sigh as I walked off to my room and did as I was told, slipping on a different dress and brushing out my dark hair.

When I got back to the porch, she was sitting there basking in the sunlight that filtered through the window. I stopped in the doorway, almost intimidated by her beauty.

"Come on in, Essie. I already poured you a cup."
Alexandra and I usually had tea together whenever I came home from etiquette lessons. I always assumed that it was a way to monitor my progress, so I always curtsied and acted on my best behavior.

"So polite," she commented as I hoisted my way into the chair.

I gave a wimpy smile and took a drink of my tea, avoiding her gaze. I felt terrible lying to her.

"Essie?"
"Hm?"
"Where were you this afternoon?"
I sheepishly turned my gaze back to her, "What do you mean?"

"Your etiquette teacher and I had a nice conversation about your progress while you were supposed to be walking home." Alexandra narrowed her eyes and I caved in an instant, prattling off confessions.

"Oh, Alexandra, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! They were just so boring, and Terry-Terrance found me during the lunch break and convinced me to climb a tree and that's how the dress tore because he tricked me and I'm so sorry! Please don't give me up!"

"Give you up?" she looked confused, then hurt, and then stood up out of her chair. She looked out the large windows thoughtfully for a moment, then motioned for me to sit on the swing next to her.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Well, um…I... " I tried to say whatever would sound the best, but I was so nervous that the words wouldn't come. A breeze shifted the air in the room and it suddenly became chilly.

She sighed, then asked, "Can I tell you a story?"
I nodded, thankful that I didn't have to talk anymore.

"When I was a little girl, my parents and I made the decision to put me through lessons. It was a choice, and I always lied and told them I liked it because I didn't want to offend them. But one afternoon, like yourself, I found them painfully boring. One day, rather than walking to the lessons, I grabbed a book and a lunch and I went off and had a picnic on my own. I thought I could hide it from my parents, but they found out. I expected them to be furious. Instead, they wondered why I lied about it. I couldn't give them any real reason other than that I didn't want them to be mad. But they were mad. Not because I didn't go to the lessons, but because I had lied. They told me they would have been willing to pull me from the classes since I was excelling at them, but because I had lied, they gave the teacher strict orders to watch over me and I had to finish out the class. Needless to say, I never lied again."

I didn't say anything, and looked at my shoes.

"I am going to inflict the same punishment as my parents gave to me. Etiquette lessons will be required until the end of warm season. When cold season starts, we'll enroll you in school. I don't want to be harsh, but I also don't want to see you lying to me. Understand?"
"You're not getting rid of me?" I asked, nervously, still worried about being sent back with my munchkin parents.
"Of course not, dear."
"Or spanking me?" I then recalled my punishments in the past of spankings and beatings and long time outs and name calling and realized how much better prolonged etiquette lessons were than the past years of abuse.
She grabbed my hand and held it in hers. "You have to understand that I'm not your Munchkin Mother. Elsa, dear, I care a great deal about you already, and it's only been a month. I'm not just going to drop you the second you do something wrong. It's not even that bad. In fact, you're very well behaved. You didn't deserve half of the beatings I'm sure that family gave you. And I certainly will not be giving you any more."

She paused for a second before looking down, "Your hands are freezing!"
"Sorry." I said, weakly, looking back down again.

"It's no matter. Now, do you understand what your punishment is and why?"
"Etiquette lessons until the end of warm season, then school. To teach me not to lie and discipline."
"Good girl," she squeezed my freezing cold hands and then began to walk out of the room. Before she got any further, I hopped out of the swing and cried, "Aly?"
She turned around with a surprised smile on her face, "Yes?"
I fiddled with my dress and then with my hair and then looked back up at her, mustering all the courage I possibly could, "Thanks. For, you know, taking me in a month ago. I don't think I've ever thanked you before. And. Well. I'm glad it was you and Oswin and not somebody else."

She grinned and walked over to me, then hugged me tight, "Me too, Elsa. Me too."