• Chapter three- Welcome
    An embrace from a stranger

    “lady annaline!” a maid caught up with us, “please, change your clothes. They’re filthy and need to be washed” she smiled “sure, Raiden , Kindly get clothes for Eriden too” “What!? “What!?” both of us shouted at the same time, she grinned slightly “ Your saying that you wont do it?” Raiden cleared his throat, “O-of course I will do it.. excuse us then princess” he grabbed my arm and lead me to a large room not far away filled with clothes, two maids stood right next to us. “ Clothes for him?” Raiden nodded then left the room, I gulped in air as they showed me a whole room filled with a variety of clothes “pick one” she said, “p..p..P-i-ick O-one?” “or should I sew you a new one?” that seemed easier so I nodded, in a few seconds five more maids entered. I bit my lower lip, each held finger sized needles. “ready?” I started sweating…
    ……………………….nghh……………….mmmiii……nnngGhhh…!!!..................
    GYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

    It was the last day of the flower festival and a party was set in the ballroom. Chandeliers lit up the huge room brilliantly; food prepared elegantly in each long table, and of course flowers everywhere you see. I quietly sat in a chair next to the queen and Annaline, I only took small bites of food to make sure I don’t embarrass Annaline, or the queen, who was smiling as she looked at me. Unfortunately the king has died not too long ago; he has been killed by mercenaries paid by the other opposing kingdoms, but even with the death of her lover she still kept smiling as if nothing ever happened. “What does it feel like now that you wear clothes fit for a prince?” the queen asked warmly, I smiled “ well, it was painful at first..” she laughed softly, the queen looked so elegant “ well, it does feel good though to be out of the cold” she looked at me with sadness in her eyes “now that my daughter opened my eyes, Im hoping to help people like you. Ever since my husband died… we have been caged in this palace like birds.. we don’t really know anything about what is happening outside the castle.. Im sorry” my eyes widened, the queen? Apologizing to me? I shook my head “ Its not your fault.. Your majesty, don’t pity me..” she was silent for a few seconds, then changed the subject. “ So how was the outside world my Annaline?” Annaline looked up with a fork still in her mouth, she smiled “ It was wonderful mom” she mumbled.

    After we all finished eating the dancing has now begun. Raiden caught up with us after he had eaten himself, we sat beside each other with me in the middle. “ Is always like this in a festival?” I asked “ Yes, but neither raiden or I get to dance..” “why not?” she blushed then started kicking back and fourth in the limestone bench. “ Maybe because we are embarrassed… Well all of them are adults and might laugh at us..” Raiden smiled and rolled his eyes “what do you mean we? Don’t you mean you?”. He caught my attention when he suddenly nudged me on my arm “Well what are you waiting for? Dance with annaline you playboy” I gave an agitated look at him, playboy huh? Before I could knock that smirk out of his face Annaline grabbed my hand then pulled me towards the crowd, was she serious at this? Raiden kept smiling as if he were taunting me, even though I know it’s a harmless taunt I feel weird about this. “ look… Annaline, I don’t know how to dance” “well then follow sheeshh” “Hmpft”… I grabbed her hand with my right and placed my left around her waist pulling her closer, “like this right?” Even though I looked at her with blank eyes she blushed as she was drawn closer to me “ y..yeah” the music changed the mood, I followed the couple beside us. “E..eriden” I looked at her “what?” “I have to tell you something…” I rolled my eyes. “ I..-”