It was late the next morning before she returned, and although I wanted to ask her where she had been all night, I figured I was in no place to do so. She flew in through the half open window before the big black bat fell apart, it seemed to dissolve into a thick smoke that sunk down to the floor and recollected into into her black cape and body. She went to the dresser and threw on a white nightgown before turning to me. "Why are you still awake?"
"I couldn't sleep," I lied. I could have slept if I had tried to, but I hadn't felt like I wanted to risk what my dreams might show me when I didn't need to. She heaved a tired sigh when she flopped onto the bed, and tucking the covers in around herself she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. "Is flying that tiresome?"
"No, flying is fine, everything is for that matter. I get incredibly tired once the sun comes out completely, we all do really," She replied, "Vampires don't have to sleep during the day, but it's very difficult to stay awake, and once I'm asleep, I'm dead until the sun sets." I remembered seeing her in the carriage, and shuttered at the remembrance. "Turn that way," She said, raising a limp hand to point towards the window. I turned without protest and felt her strong arm pull me close to her, wrapping around my waist with a strange softness to it's cold, iron grip. There was no pulse, no breath, no sound from her, and her limp arm weighed heavily on my side.
I shouldn't be blushing, I thought. I should be terrified, disgusted, anything but what I was feeling. I took a deep breath and waited for my face to loose it's heat before carefully turning over under her limp arm. Her soft white eyelids lay shut, her red lips hung open, revealing sharp white teeth, and her curly black hair fell over her white nightgown in loose coils, half obstructing her face. I am in no place to be thinking like this,. Here I was in some unknown land, the pet of someone who had probably murdered more people than I had ever met, and I was laying here with my heart beating out of my chest because she looked so pretty. Was I really this shallow? And beyond that she was over a millennium old and the daughter of my mother's killer. Could there be anything more wrong with me, to lay here and blush that her frigid hand was on my waist, and think she looked so peaceful in her sleep.
This was the being I had watched gorge herself on her own mother's blood, yet all I seemed to want to think was that she was forced, and it wasn't her fault. She had threatened me, pinned me to walls, and gave a good yank to my chain at least once an hour. Why did I like her? Do I like her? It didn't matter. She's practically a god, or a demon for that matter. I'm just once of her slaves, and she's probably being courted right that moment by some relative of mine. There was no place for these feelings. I turned myself over and gave my all to sleep, and even if it took till noon for it to overtake me, it did come eventually.
* * *
It was late the next evening when I awoke, and Master was already gone. I found a note on the table telling me to return to my room, and talk to Diamond about that evening's plans. I descended the staircase until I reached the parlor and slipped away into other servant's door. It was nine o clock and I came back into my room to find a dress and jewelry already laid out on my bed. The blue dress was soft and fell to my feet, opening with a slit that began at the waist band to show a lacy navy fabric underneath. At my feet it was patterned like simple, overlapping flowers and on top it lacked sleeves and instead sported a bow that tied at the back of neck, leaving my upper back exposed. I slipped it on with the blue heeled slippers fairly easily, and found a light blue, almost transparent sash beside it to droop over my arms at the elbow.
I slipped on the silver, sapphire incrusted bracelets and went to the mirror to ensure my chain was hanging right on the dress. But when I got there I almost let out a yelp, as in the mirror was reflected only the dress, and it looked hollow, as though it stood with no one in it, the collar of my chain hanging in midair above it. I focused on making myself appear so I could put in the pearl earrings and check my hair, but after that I let myself disappear again. I decided it was a better use of my time to go find Diamond instead of sighing at my invisible self in the mirror, wondering what had become of the old me. I left my ring on the bathroom counter, and slipped on a random one I found just to keep my finger from being lonely.
I knocked on their door in the hallway and heard a muffled "come in" from the other side. When I entered I found Diamond rearranging the ruffles on a white shirt, half engulfed by a white vest that in turn was covered by a gray suit.
"I found a note telling me to find you." I said, stepping in. Just then Ebony twirled out of the bathroom in giant eccentric black ballgown, that had only one sleeve so it swooped down exposing her scared torso and closing up neatly just before her waist. Her long hair done up in a braided bun. Diamond turned and gawked at her, and I couldn't blame him. She was gorgeous.
"Ta-da," She said excitedly, turning to Diamond for approval. He hid his interest well but I could tell she knew his opinion by her laugh, and grabbed his hand, pulling him close until he seemed unable to subdue a slight blush. It was the moment she leaned in to kiss him that she saw me, and I could see the embarrassment on her face. "Oh," She said surprised, "sorry Sapphire, I didn't even notice you." She pulled back reluctantly and gave Diamond a pat on the back of consolement before rushing over to me. "Blue really does suit you perfectly, you look marvelous" she laughed, "What did you come for?" She asked, plopping down on the bed.
"Master told me to come." I replied, and she cocked her head for a moment, as though she didn't connect the words Master and the person immediately.
"She came for me," Diamond replied cooly, "Illy wants us to educate her on party etiquette."
"Oh good," She said, "Do you know how to dance?" She asked.
"Not really," I replied, "I learned a tad in elementary for gym class but I haven't since then, and that was hardly dancing."
"Well, the basic idea is that you match your partner's movements. Since you're a slave and a rauzire I don't think anyone will expect you to lead so that'll be fine, you just have to move with your partner, so you match them, and never bump together." She replied, "That's all I'll be able to teach you in such a short time anyway." She stood and stepped up. She put her hand on my back and mine on her shoulder, with our other hands clasped out in front. "This is usually how you dance, for the waltz at least, and so you just match the leader's steps."
She stepped back and I followed, trying to remember all I could from elementary, although mostly I just recalled the communal horror at the idea of having to hold hands with your partner. "See," She said, "You're good at it. You don't have to be great, just make an effort. Your backstory was all over the news yesterday, so people should know about you're upbringing by now." She raised me by one hand and spun me, but our hands lost grip and I had to let go to find my balance again. Diamond was laughing in the corner.
"That's not how you spin someone," he laughed, stepping over to push her away before taking my hand, "here, you hold the hand like this so they can spin without letting go." He said, giving me a spin before falling back into the step of the waltz. I could tell he was lot more used to leading than her, but in a moment he had dropped me and return to his work.
"I haven't lead in a century," She took up my hands again, "I'm married and he's too good at leading to let me do it." She stuck up her nose at him from across the room. The clock struck eleven and Ebony let me go, content that I had enough dance practice to at least not offend anyone. "Do you want to bring Illy her lunch?" She asked, yanking open the door to reveal a servant with a large silver platter of food, who seemed wholly unimpressed with Ebony's intuition.
"Sure," I replied, taking the platter from the servant. The lady glared at me and went swiftly back down the hall to the door at the end. "Why did she glare at me like that?" I asked, turning to Ebony.
"Pay them no mind," she replied, "The maids here are mostly human daughters of middle class families, who are jealous of the nobility and such. Their names aren't told to us slaves so they give us all the dirty eyes they can while they have the chance to be unseen." She shut the door behind me and I went out into the parlor, finding Illy reading a large stack of newspapers. I set the platter down on the table and she laid aside her reading to eat. She wore a ballgown of even more extravagance than Ebony's, and her hair was now pulled back into a loose bun of curls. It was purple and had flared sleeves and small vibrant red and white flowers that seemed to scatter across the fabric, collecting along the neckline and the waist, before overtaking the dress entirely at the floor.
"Have some," She said, pulling back the covers to the little plates to reveal an array of small cakes, finger sandwiches, and fruit. I took a sandwich or two from the plate and indulged in a strawberry shortcake timidly, but she didn't seem to mind the loss of anything I took. In all she ate three grapes before she stopped eating altogether and got back to her newspapers.
"Do you eat often?" I asked, unsure if it was a weird question.
"No, I have food every once in a while but it's unnecessary and when I do it's simply for the taste." She looked up at me after that and seemed to scrutinize me closely, "Go drink some poison." She commanded, and I almost laughed at the ridiculousness off the statement.
"Why?"
"The ball starts in an hour and one must always look their best for a ball."
"What does drinking poison have to do with that?"
"Blood is what keeps me alive, poison is what keeps you alive." She replied, "If you have more of it, you look more alive, especially if it's fresh." I guessed it made sense and so I went to my room and downed a small bottle of ricin that was left next to my bed before starting back out into the corridor. But as I cracked the door and was about to step out I saw all of the slaves lined up in a line in the parlor, Master standing before them.
"How long's it been?" She looked down the line like a captain taking inventory of his crew.
"21 days," said the left golden twin, standing the the end of the line closest to the door.
"34 days," said the right.
"10 days," replied Diamond, as he was next in line.
"52 days" replied Ebony.
"48 days," said the first silver twin, and finally the second answered, her face a little anxious looking and her head held low.
"61 days," she replied, pulling at the sleeve of her slender silver dress.
"Then just you two huh," She replied, motioning the rest to step back. All but Ebony and the right silver twin did so, to the best of their ability that is, as the Silver twins couldn't get far from each-other due to their chains, and Diamond had to shuffle back a little slower than others due to the chains on his feet, which I realized I had not notice when I was dancing with either him nor Ebony. "Sorry sweetheart," she said softly, in her cold tone, "You know the rule." She said, stepping up to her. She looked almost ready to cry out as Master bent her head over her neck.
I saw for a moment her white teeth glisten in the light as she pulled back their red lips and bore down on the exposed flesh of her neck. I wanted to call out, to tell her to wait, to stop, but I couldn't. I could do nothing for her, even as I caught her eye and she stared animosity at me as I stood paralyzed in the doorway. Her gaze was a cocktail of a fearful plea and a hateful glare, and I knew full well why. My blood had never been sucked from my veins and most likely would never would be, and she, right now, was my replacement. If I had been a human, it would be me up there. If I had been anything but what I was, it would be my neck, my fear, my rigid frame, and my blood. But instead it was her's.
Illy pulled back now, a drop of blood on her teeth lapped up by her hideous, bloodstained tongue before it could fall, and relief flooded the girl's eyes. She bent down again and lapped up the beads of red forming in the two, pin sized wounds softly, before pulling back entirely. "I didn't take much, so it won't impact your appearance tonight," Master said, taking a handkerchief from her and wiping the spot. I saw that apart from the right silver twin, no one had noticed me, and so I slipped back from the door and let if fall silently closed in front of me. I didn't know much about what had just happened, but I was fairly sure I wasn't supposed to see it, as she had sent me away just moments before calling them in, although I was a little confused as to why she cared to hide me from this.
She seemed to spend half the time pinning me to the wall and biting me on accident, and the other half hiding the origin of the blood in her wineglasses and sending me away when things got gruesome. It was like her eyes, so opposite, it was a miracle they could exist on the same face. I collected myself and marched through the door as if it had never been opened, pressing down slightly on the knob so it made a little noise as it opened, as I had learned to do long ago, to differentiate between when I did and didn't want to be seen.
We followed her out in the line and navigated through large marble halls and archways until we finally emerged on a pathway blocked off with white, pillar-like rails to look down on the giant ballroom. The floor was tiled and a giant chandelier was so shiny it looked to be made of diamonds and mirror, and in this place, I didn't doubt it. Servants were scurrying about hurriedly to get ready as we descended the large staircase down into the ballroom, leaving Illy to stay behind the doors at the top so she would come out when the guests had arrived. "Then what do we do?" I asked, leaning over to Gold as we walked down the steps.
"We greet the guests as they enter the door and once they are inside we migrate to the stairs so we can bow as the Princess enters. After that she will dismiss us and sent us off to mingle with nobility, but you are never to obey anyone other than the Princess, and if she calls you always come. The servants carry all food and drinks and things, so make sure you don't touch any labor unless it is for the Princess, or else we'll look less nobel and therefore the Caedis family will look less wealthy." The right gold twin told me in a hushed voice, drifting away from me as we reached the base of the stairs.
Almost as soon as we had reached the doors we were lined up on the side as though we were canalling the guests in, and the doors were opened, and a steady trickle of rich attire and carefully done up hair flowed in. At each group of guest we all said welcome and then whoever could identify the guests would call out their names.
"Lord and Lady Felix," Called the silver twins as a young brown haired gentleman entered with a gorgeous woman on his arm, her blond hair done up in short curls around her face and her big blue dress cascaded out so large it almost displaced him on her arm.
"Monsieur Morbum," Ebony and Diamond almost sang, smiling amicably at a lone man dressed in a red pantsuit that was patterned almost like a red bandana. It seemed in every group that there was a contest to see how many of the slaves one might get to recognize you and call out your name, although most people only got one or two, occasionally there was someone everyone but myself knew.
"Master Clementia," was one of these such names. In entered a tall man long blond hair that swept over his forehead and congealed in a short neat ponytail at the back of his head. He looked like an elegant butler fit to be the groom at a wedding, but he entered walking with the eloquence of a prince. His expensive white suit almost shone and his bright blue eyes reminded me of my mother's, that is, before they met mine. When they met mine, they seemed to tarnish, and harden into a glare, before he quickly turned away and resumed his kind and soft look of before, striding forward into the ballroom. I almost looked after him but caught myself before I did and turned quickly back to the door.
Once the guest finally slowed and then servants came to shut the door we slid into two groups to go around the edge of the ballroom and lined the edge of the stairs at the base, one person to a step. It didn't line up quite right because there was an odd number of us but that didn't matter much. When the doors at the top opened we went down on our knees and watched ahead like statues as Illy passed through, only to be swarmed with guests when she had reached the bottom. At this she turned to us and shooed all but Diamond away.
I wandered out into the crowd but didn't have to go far before someone was approaching me. I had tried my best to match faces to names as they entered, but it was still a little difficult. Luckily this guest had arrived alone and so I recognized him perfectly. "Monsieur Morbum," I said, doing my best to sound elegant as I spoke. He looked impressed I had remembered his name and settled by me with an effortless comfort.
"Sapphire," He replied, his voice almost wrought with wealth. "I do not believe we've had the pleasure of meeting, which I suppose is quite overt."
"Yes, we have not," I replied, "But shall share it now. I'm sure a gentleman is a well informed man, and if I may assume you to be one, I would say you have heard much of myself already, and therefore know me to be new to this land." He nodded. I felt like I was talking a little as my mother had when I was little. "However I have not had the privilege of learning of you."
"Ah yes," He replied, "Well I cannot say much of it may interest you greatly but I would be happy to speak of it anyway. I'm a banker here in Caedis, and the head of the Morbum family, a long line of rauzires originally from France," He spoke proudly and I could see him looked about for someone to recognize so he might be able to brag further.
"My a banker, that is an intelligent work if I ever saw one, and one that takes much trust to pay off." I could almost see him blush under the praise but he turned away quickly and called over two women.
"This is my lovely wife Madam Vitiosus," He said proudly, "And this is Sapphire." I could see the introduction was completely unnecessary though, as it was not hard to discern my identity with a chain around my neck and my name the talk of the kingdom.
"Ah yes," She said, reaching out and shaking my hand with a vicious grip and an exited but malignant expression. Her big gray eyes swept up and down my frame in a second as though categorizing it.
"And you are Mademoiselle Morbum if I remember correctly," I said turning to the slightly shorter woman by her side, "It is a pleasure to meet you both." I smiled amicably. She smiled back and I could see behind her pink lips blunt white teeth like her fathers, and realized she must be a rauzires as well. The girl smiled, a slight blush on her cheeks as she readjusted the red swoop of hair that fell across her forehead.
"Yes," Her soft voice was sweet and tingled almost like wind-chimes.
"She was just asking about my bank," The Monsieur said to his wife, she looked much harder to impress than the others about her.
"I've heard much of you," She said, her voice harsh as though wore with ages of use. "How are you adapting to your new lifestyle?"
"I'm doing my best, though I must say all of this is so new to me, and I cannot say I do not regret that lack of knowledge that seems to plague me here." I replied, "Here I am faced with such wonderful and nobel people, and yet I hardly know the meanings and histories behind their names, of which have been the title to their prosperity for centuries. Here you stand with your wonderful dresses and I hardly know what the Vitiosus family is so trusted and esteemed for, though I can tell you have been in the favor of much by your standing." I took every opportunity I could to turn the conversation on them, and flooded my words with complements, hoping it was all I could do to win their favor. It seemed to be successful.
"Well you have a marvelous sense for words and elegance at least. My family is a long line of artists and scientists on the cutting edge of the study the stars," She replied, "If I might flatter myself as you have done me." She laughed lightly. It was at this moment Diamond arrived behind me, tapping me on the shoulder and pointing to the right.
"I'm sorry to have stayed for such little time, but I hope we may meet again if you wish it. The Princess has called for me," I said, curtsying to the family and leaving Diamond to take up conversation, although I could tell he was much more inclined to disappear into the crowd in search of someone he might enjoy the company of more. I went off swiftly in the direction he pointed and soon arrived at the Princess's side as she spoke to a pair I had seen earlier. I positioned myself staggered beside her and settled into silence as she spoke, though I could hear little over the roar of conversation and the music.
"Here she is now," Master said, pulling me forward by the hand to meet the eyes of the couple. I recognized them quickly enough and curtsied.
"Lady and Lord Felix," I said softly, standing up to look at Illy for approval.
"Can a child of her age really appear in a mirror," The Lady inquired, scrutinizing me as I stood before her. A servant hurried up with a circular mirror around the size of a plate and placed it so all could see."Well she's not there now," The woman said, almost as though she had already confirmed her suspicions for herself. I looked at Illy for cue, surprised she wanted to bargain on me so early.
"Appear," She said, turning to look down on me. I turned to the mirror and focused all I could, and slowly I saw myself fade into view like a painting, and could almost see the gawked facing of the guests behind me. I focused until I was completely opaque and Master, satisfied with my performance, simply said, "Now let go." I rapidly drained from the mirror. The servant let the mirror fall to her waist as I turned back to the Lord and Lady, who looked astonishingly at us.
"My," The Lord exclaimed finally, "The royal family sure does know their place. You never fail to astonish us Princess, at all you are capable of." He laughed, but in a moment a servant had tapped him on the shoulder and took him away to another guest wishing to speak with him. Illy turned to me and yanked me closer by the chain, which I was finally beginning to get used to.
"Dance?" She asked, dropping the chain and slipping her hand effortlessly under my arm and onto the small of my back, taking my other in hers. I placed my free hand on her shoulder as a sign of recognition, and hoped to god that I might not be blushing too profusely. It seemed never slow as we danced, and she seemed to swing me and her effortlessly back and forth. I felt as though I had danced all my life as she tossed me through her arms and brought me up in swirls, only to take me back down again and into a soft sidestep, never wobbly or unexpected. I could see from the side of my vision that a couple of people were watching, a significant number actually, but in her arms I had no time to pay them mind of any sort.
She was the violin bow, striking and gliding across the floor, and it seemed that I was simply the strings, and she knew all about the strings and could hit them perfectly. Everywhere I stepped she had corralled me to, and I could not help but notice she was a better dancer even than Diamond, of whom had impressed me greatly at the time, through then there was no music. When the soft piano finally pressed it's last cord and the violin struck it's last note, a break in the music began. We cease and I finally looked around. I saw a couple people raise their hands as if they were about to clap, but stopped themselves. Other dancing couples had stopped in their tracks to watch. Conversations had fallen into disarray in the nearby part of the ballroom.
"Relax," Illy said softly, dropping her hand from my waist, "They always do this when I dance with someone." She shooed me away with a elegant swoosh of the hand saying, "Go fetch me Gold." as she did so. I scurried off into the crowd and caught sight of them conversing with another party. I tapped them on the shoulder and pointed as Diamond had done to me earlier, and they excused themselves politely and disappeared in the crowd. I walked slowly for a while and found Ebony and Diamond, but they were dancing and not interruptible. I could see their individual skills matched each-other perfectly, and though they danced with chained legs they never tripped or stepped wrong and swung back and forth with a softness I could see in both of them.
"Perfect match, aren't they," said a voice behind me. I turned to see Master Clementia before me. He looked down on me from a considerable height, as I was a little short and he a little tall. His white suit shone before me and he raised a hand to sweep back his blond hair, revealing his glaring eyes.
"Master Clementia," I said, curtsying.
"Eleutheria Clementia," He said with distain wrought in his low voice, viscous animosity seemed to fill his eyes and throat as he looked upon me.
"Please call me Sapphire," I replied, making sure not to show any curtness in my voice. This man was playing for his life, and I had a feeling the moment we met he knew he was loosing, and hated it and everyone around him for it. "I go by the name of which my master grants me." He seemed almost to laugh at me as I said this.
"So you'll discard the name of your nefarious mother and all your past, for her?" He asked, scorn was all about his face like a disease that had engulfed him, blinded him.
"Though I think her less than nefarious, yes," I replied, "My mother is past, my master is present, they hold no connection, and can stand separate and stable, I assure you."
"Well I've come as your wake up call," He said, almost snarling at me, "You're a petty slave now, so never try to be anything but. You're my cousin no matter how heinous your blood, and I know my family to be one of many great charms, that even without proper education, may show through the foulest of skin."
"Yes," I replied, "I am content with my position, and shall kneel at the feet of my master and savior for eternity if she might ask it. I shall do my best to serve her and bring her all she may desire from me. I live to serve, and wish you the best of luck with all you endeavor on." He seemed taken aback by my response for a moment, although I could say it was curated partly as I noticed some people on the sidelines listening, but his shock quickly turned to anger.
I could see the rage grow on his temples, but in a moment he glanced behind me and saw a pair of watching eyes, and knowing he would do more damage than good by continuing, he bid me goodbye. "Well I have others to attend to but it was a pleasure to speak with you so affably, and I wish you too the best of luck on anything you may desire to have." He averted his gaze from me as he spoke, as though he couldn't say the lie will looking at me, and I had to hold back laughter when he said,'affably'. He ran off through the crowd and I noticed Diamond and Ebony had caught sight of me and rushed over.
"How have you been fairing?" Diamond asked.
"Well enough, though this convinces me even more that I must study all this so I might be better at it." They seemed to relax as I shot them a smile, and I realize that they were surely worried about seeing me with Master Clementia. "I have met such wonderful and nobel people here," I said, before we were ripped apart by an oncoming group of guest wishing to speak with them. I went off the other way and caught sight of others through the crowd. The silver twins were shyly conversing with a pair, and I saw the Madam Vitiosus and Monsieur Morbum speaking with a group. I caught sight too of Illy dancing with Master Clementia, and could not help but find their moves a little stiff.
"She danced better with that slave girl than with him," I hear murmured as I walked past, towards the edge of the ballroom, a slight smile on my lips. "He's trying to lead, and you can't lead a girl like the Princess." I felt a little as though I had defeated him but also felt rather bad for him. He was just trying to live, and to rebuild the broken name that had cursed him since childhood. He took his anger out on me because I was, more or less, the cause of it, and he had no one else to blame, though it wasn't my fault. And beyond that, now I had shown him up at part of his own game. I was a slave with no training raised in the human world, and I had, probably, more favor than him if I wasn't the child of blasphemy. It must drive him mad.
I seated myself on a stone bench at the side of the ballroom and listened to the music a moment, though I didn't get long. In just a moment the Morbum girl had seated herself next to me and held out her hand to shake. I took it and turned to look at her. Red freckles dotted her soft white cheeks and even her eyelashes seemed the red of her hair, standing out against her sparkling emerald eyes.
"Hello," I said, "I believe we just met, and I regret to have left you so soon just then."
"It's alright, your Master called." She smiled demurely. "I thought we might speak more as I think we have much more in common than you know."
"Do we?" I asked surprised, "What could I have in common with such a delicate lady as yourself?" I asked, flattering her a little. I found she blushed easily under her freckles.
"Yes. It may be a surprise to you, but we are the same age. And as rauzire girls I thought we might make great friends. I have few friends my age as people here live so long, and so I could not help but hope we might get along."
"That would be wonderful," I said, "I was worried I might find no one to speak to here that would be of my age and might be willing to befriend me."
"I am glad,"
"But I do hope you might be willing to put up with me, as I know very little of the customs here and may be rude without the intent to be, and if you I would like you to tell me right away. I wish to learn from all I do wrong, and I cannot be friends if we are not honest ones." I turned towards her as we spoke, straightening my dress against the stone.
"Oh, of course," She said, "And if you wish I might be able to teach you, if you cannot find what you seek in books."
"Would you? I would love it if you might, though I would be a burden to you I am sure. I can find some things in etiquette books but to know of families and their prosperous members might be difficult to find, and if I might confide in you, I was until a short while ago, obvious of many of my powers, and being seventeen, I am embarrassed to say I still cannot use many of them."
"I would be most happy to, and you are never a burden to someone as myself. I spend my days before my instruments and go out rarely to things such as this. I would much enjoy a friend of whom I might teach, and you too might teach me much from your experiences." It was at this time that the music stopped and the large clock struck the hour as a sign that the ball was over. I could see as the Princess ascended the staircase, and looked toward the door.
"I regret to say I must go again, for I think I am needed to see the others out."
"I shall accompany you," She stood, saying "For at the doorway is the best place to find my parents." We walked in silence there and I took my place in the lines by the door, and near the end witnessed as the Morbum and Viciosus family left, Heather waving at me as she disappeared out the large double doors. When the room was finally drained of it's bustling people, we slipped in our line back up to the Princess's bedroom and retired for the day, as we had spent the night dancing. I sank easily into sleep.