Ava woke up early to find her clothes laid at the end of her four poster bed, which was just the right size and the perfect softness. She bounced out of bed, took off her elegant pink nightgown, and looked down disdainfully at the slim, red velvet dress that she knew would reach right down to her ankles. She blatantly ignored it even though she was quite sure that it was what Hetty, her maid, had chosen for her. Instead, Ava wandered over to her dressing room. She walked past all of the clothes that had been carefully chosen for her, without a glance. Until she reached a small cupboard at the end of the room.
The cupboard was packed with vibrant clothes. Her eyes shone as she picked out an airy blouse made with fine silk and colourful flowers embroidered at the bottom and at the end of the sleeves. She walked over to the window and surveyed the beautiful gardens and soft green grass she had so often looked at but never felt under her feet.
As Ava gazed out of her massive window she felt a buzz of excitement that fizzed inside her stomach as if it was a firework, waiting for the fuze to reach it with a pop and crackle so it could wizz out of her mouth and up into the air where it would explode in a beautiful display of colorful, glowing sparks. Ava had often watched the thrilling displays wistfully and longed to be one of the magicians sitting watching the fuze in the crisp air below. Even better, she could imagine making the fiery creatures and experimenting so they made different sounds, adding a pinch of moonlight so that they lit up, blue in the air and changed shape. Oh yes, Ava loved magic, she pined for it like a long lost friend, and when she saw it she felt a warm glow inside. Her mother had died when she was young and she had told Ava of the days when magicians were magical creatures and could make magic without the moon. Her brother Rustro was being trained to harness magic and Ava envied him with some part of her that was cold and hating and yet red and hot. This place had never existed when her mother Amora was alive, Amora had been soft and kind. She had cared for her in a way that her cold, hard father never seemed to have time for.
Today Ava didn’t think about that though. She was too full of anticipation for any other feeling to fit in her mind, the excitement dominated her thoughts and coursed through her blood as if popping candy was mingling with her blood cells. Today, she would be allowed outside, for years since Amora had died, Ava had been locked in just her own rooms. Everything she wanted was brought to her. Anyone would think she would be horribly spoilt but she wasn’t. All Ava wanted was to be able to run through grassy meadows, she longed to be bathed in moonlight and run freely through the magical woods.
Ava was bouncing up and down in front of her window when Hetty knocked politely on the large door to Ava’s dressing room.
“Come in” Ava assured
A stout woman with large glasses and coarse brown hair walked briskly into the room.
“Hello Miss Ava.” she called, from the other side of the huge room, “good morning.”
“ Hetty,” Ava laughed “haven’t I told you there isn’t any need to knock”
Though Ava was awfully fond of her devoted maid, Hetty’s well-mannered respect could be utterly frustrating.
“But it’s a dressing room!” she protested, horrified.
Ava twirled over and pecked her friend on the cheek in one graceful movement.
“I love you dearly, but you needn’t be so polite and formal.” she insisted.
“As you wish.” Hetty agreed indignantly.
Ava was still ecstatic with excitement and buzzed around childishly like a little, delicate bumblebee. She rushed over to her secret cupboard and picked out a pair of pale blue lace up boots that had been her mother’s. They had all sorts of different butterflies on them and almost went up to her knees.
“You seem energetic this morning.” Hetty observed.
“Oh Hetty!” Ava exclaimed with her head in the cupboard,”You haven’t forgotten have you?”
Ava looked over her shoulder, appalled.
“What is it?”
“Today is the day I’m finally allowed out of these dull rooms!”
Hetty grinned her most fabulous grin. It was not charming and attractive as Ava’s most pretty smile was (the metallic on she put on for important people she was asked to meet). However, Hetty’s smile was warm and friendly, it was very jolly too, her grin could make anyone sublimely happy. Ava believed it might even put a slight glint in her father’s eye someday. That would be a wonderful change compared to his usual stern, tired expression. Then her expression changed.
“Don’t expect too much though,”she warned “you know your father”
“Do you think I’ll get armed guards?”Ava muttered under her breath.
“I’m not sure,” chuckled Hetty “though I would be surprised if he lets you go past the rose garden gates”
The rose gardens were a series of small gardens running around the palace. Ava groaned and Hetty pursed her lips in knowing silence. Still, Hetty pulled her into an excited hug and they both danced around squealing and exclaiming in joy. Hetty kissed her lovingly on her head, then she broke away in astonishment, obviously embarrassed.
“Sorry Ava” she said, blushing, “I quite forgot myself.”
Ava giggled and winked at Hetty, who looked at her sternly
“Ava Istara Willow Hope! I know you are a princess and I am only your maid but don’t you start to disrespect me! ”
Ava smiled to herself at this statement, she knew it would only take a while for Hetty to get comfortable with her again, then she would start calling her “Starry” Hetty preferred the name Istara to Ava so Ava let her call her that even though it didn’t really suit her, no one else could though. She looked up innocently
“I’m sorry my dear Hetty, I’ll try to be more formal”
“Oh Starry, you always get the better of me. I don’t mind your cheek one little bit!”
Ava smiled warmly, it was a marvellous smile, one that truly reached her eyes. They were deep blue eyes that were pure and very beautiful, they glittered when she was happy and when she smiled like she did then, butterflies danced inside them. Hetty had often told her how she loved her eyes. Hetty was her best friend and her only friend, except Fern - her cat and pip - her tiny pig.
She sat dreamily while Hetty brushed her hair and plaited it. Then she realised her hair was being tied up and sat up indignantly.
“Hetty! You will never get away with that.”
Ava did try not to be vain, but she despised having her hair plaited, she always let it hang over her shoulders however much Hetty protested. It wasn’t pretty like her Penelope’s. It was just unusual. Penelope was her younger sister, she was twelve and Ava hated her with every inch of her body. She knew that everyone should love their family and she really wished she did but Penelope was so arrogant. She was locked up too but she didn’t mind a bit, each day she would brush her long golden hair for hours and then play with all her toys until night fell. Ava wasn’t a bit like her. She would chatter away to Hetty and care for her animals and for the sun butterfly that came to sit on her window in the mornings. She had a secret though, she hadn’t even told it to Hetty. She was having strange dreams. Each night she would dream that she woke up to the moon shining through the window and found that her white-blonde hair that had before been as bright as a star, was now jet black.