Chapter 3 Diana

As soon as I hear the big front door open whilst everyone but father is at home, I know it can only be him.

I wonder though why he is back so early, too early even. He left an hour or so ago.

Putting the book I was reading to my brother - a tale of the first king and his dragon - aside on the small table besides the chair, I get up and rush out of the library and down the head stairs, Ewan following closely behind and calling for me in incomprehension.

‘Father, shouldn't you be at the meeting? Why are you back?' I ask when halting in front of the judge.

‘Sis, wait! Not so fast!' Ewan stumbles down the steps and stops next to me. He has noticed our guest before I have. A delighted smile forms on his small chubby face. ‘Hey, I know you.'

I take a look at the small girl that father has brought with him. She looks strangely familiar to me. Brown ashen hair, eyes as grey as the sky on a stormy day.

The girl from the streets we met at the execution, now I remember. ‘Hello,' I greet her warmly. ‘What are you doing here?' My eyes wander from her to the man beside her. ‘She has not caused any trouble, has she?'

He shakes his head and laughs heartily. ‘Diana, always worrying. Just like your mother. No, darling, I want to introduce you to someone. The both of you.' He puts a hand on the brown-haired girl's shoulder. ‘This is Aerona and she will be your sister from here on out.'

I stare at him in disbelief. He must be jesting. ‘Sir, are you truly meaning this?'

Brother approaches our new sibling and introduces himself. ‘Hi, I'm Ewan. Nice to meet you.'

She gives him a small nod. ‘Nice to meet ya.' Her whole attitude emits discomfort, quite unlike the impression she gave when we met her. Poor thing, this must all be very strange for her.

‘She is uneducated, so I trust you will be able to help her in her studies.' Father looks at me confidently and I know I have no choice in the matter.

Despite my happiness of finally having a sister to talk to, I am still hesitant as to her origin. She is from the streets and I have heard the most dreadful stories about the people who live there. At the same time, it is a good opportunity to finally learn more about life outside that of mine. I will watch her like a hawk, just in case anything goes wrong or is about to.

‘Of course,' I respond, making a small bow and reaching my hand out for Aerona. ‘Welcome to the Blackburn family, sweetheart. Let's get you cleaned up and give you something to eat.'

'But, Di, I want to climb the trees in the yard with her and show her all the best spots to hide,' Ewan protests and pouts his lips.

‘You can show me those later,' Aerona says, sounding a bit unsure and looking at our father with a gaze that begs for help. He simply nods all-knowingly and gestures for her to come with me.

‘I don't bite, so you have nothing to fear. Come on now, chop chop.' Her grip seems to relax a bit as she lets me lead her up the stairs, through the hallway directly on the left and to my chambers, where she can make use of my bathing room.

‘Alexander said you'd educate me. What's that mean?' she asks, sitting her down on the edge of the bed.

‘Hold on a moment and I'll tell you. First I need to run the water.' I walk through a set of white double doors to the bathtub underneath the window and open the golden faucets, adjusting the water to not be too hot.

A brilliant scholar of the Academy of Bodur - God of smithing - invented this system that gives one access directly to water and can alter the temperature to one's wishes. In return, we pay tax over it, but it certainly makes life that much easier.

I put in some of the sandalwood and vanilla soap I bought on the market yesterday before I return to the bedroom. It truly is a safe haven with its broken white walls and beige carpet. The windows look out unto the inner garden, where the flowers and plants are forming a lush scenery. I like sitting in bed with a book and just staring at the outside world, wondering what is happening without my knowing.

In the past, though every now and then still, when it storms, Ewan comes to my room to hide from the thunder. By now he has mostly grown over that childish fear, yet never admits it.

He cannot go to mother when he is scared, she does not approve of us being afraid of small things such as thunderstorms. Instead of comforting him, she pushes him away and tells him to be braver, only to send him off more panicky than before.

All she cares about is maintaining status and image, hence is why I act like a true parent should and take care of my little brother. I do not want him to grow up as one of those cranky old men that hate the world. No, I want him to become a person one can be proud of and that is capable of helping those in need thus creating a better reality. That is what I want for him.

I take a seat next to Aerona on the grey blanket that matches the colour of her eyes. ‘To answer your question, it means you will learn all that is important. History, etiquette, writing, reading, politics and when the time is there, fighting for our cause. I will be your mentor in these things.'

‘I said to Alexander I will not talk and act fancy if I don't have to, bear that in mind. I don't want to be someone I'm not.' Her reaction takes me aback once again, just like when I met her. Such strong will, a rebel heart. I can see why father likes her.

‘The only person you can ever be is yourself, if you stay true and do not stray from your principles. I will not force you to do anything, I am here merely to regard any change that you initiate yourself. All I do, is helping you out and give you a base to work on.'

‘Hey, Diana?' Aerona's eyes have an odd expression, very uncharacteristic. ‘Thank you.'

I pet her head and ruffle her messy hair, making it more disordered. ‘No problem, darling. That's what sisters are for, right?'

In spite of the unknown risks, I have a feeling she is cut from a different cloth than those other awful villagers I have seen in the lower parts of the city.

Perchance she is the sister I never had.

 

Whilst Aerona is bathing, I am searching for some of my old clothes that possibly fit her. In the last drawer of the oak wood dresser next to the double doors that lead to the washing area, I find an old green silk dress with golden embroidered patterns along the bottom.

‘This would look adorable on her,' I mumble to myself, feeling like a caring big sister.

What am I doing? I need to stay objective, cannot let my happiness overtake me lest my vision will be clouded.

Rummaging through my shoe collection, I find a pair of low heels that go perfectly with the dress.

Using my arm as a display, I enter the room linked to mine. Aerona is just getting out of the bathtub and drying herself off. When she notices me, she quickly covers herself with the towel. ‘By the Gods, lass, I thought you highborn always at least first knock before entering. Manners and all that.'

‘There is nothing to be ashamed of. We are both ladies, are we not?'

‘Yeah, but... It's just awkward.' Her cheeks colour a deep shade of crimson.

I chuckle because of her reaction, earning myself an irritated look. ‘Over time you will get used to it. Believe me, if you find it embarrassing now, you do not want to know how you will feel when you start to become of age.'

‘You sound like one of them old ladies down at the docks. How old are you?'

‘It is not polite to ask a lady her age.'

‘We're sisters, so it should be fine asking. I just want to get to know ya a bit.' She smirks mischievously.

And there my own words come back to bite me, because she is right. She is my sibling now and perhaps I should play open card with her up to a certain level. ‘Fair enough. I am thirteen years of springs old.'

‘You talk like you've at least seen thirty.'

I laugh at the remark, because it is true. Since mother is never there for us, I guess I grew up fast. ‘I won't deny that.'

‘It ain't normal.'

‘In this day and age, nothing is.'

‘True enough. Still, lassie, it’s weird.'

‘You will soon discover the reason for it by yourself. You only have to look.'

‘And you also sound like one of them luck cookies the nomads sell.'

‘Oh, deary, you are quite a handful and brash, aren't you? You better watch it in the future or it might get you killed.'

‘Not before I kill the attacker,' Aerona confidently responds.

A rebel warrior's heart she appears to possess, one of the most noble in the realm. I might just start to like her.

‘That for me?' Her eyes look hesitant as she points at the dress.

I nod and present it to her, together with the low heels. ‘What do you think of it? These shoes go very well with it.'

‘Bloody marvelous.' The air of sarcasm cannot be ignored.

‘Not one for dresses, I assume?'

‘Not at all. I'd rather wear a pair of pants and a shirt. Boots rather than those death traps.'

‘I see,' I say, slightly feeling disappointed. Everyone has their own taste and perhaps this was a bit too optimistically thought. She probably also sees this as me trying to change her into my personal doll, which is the last thing I would do.

Aerona sees my crestfallen expression and immediately tries to cheer me up. ‘They're beautiful, but not for me. I have never learned to wear and function in those kinds of garment.'

I regain my composure. ‘How about this? You will only wear them until after dinner, when you will be presented to our mother. Afterwards, you are free to wear whatever you like. I'll see to it there is an outfit ready for you by that time.'

She looks sceptical. ‘You don't know what my sizes are, neither do I. Haven't been tracking it, ya know.'

I wave her remark away with a nonchalant gesture. ‘There will be an outfit when the time is there. For now, please wear this. I'll teach you how to walk in these shoes and some basis etiquette. You don't want to address mother the wrong way, Gerbrode preserve you if it happens. And now that your hair is clean and more manageable, let's see if I can create a cute hairdo.'

‘No cuteness. Something simple.'

‘But you are adorable, sweetie.'

‘I am not cute,' Aerona protests, crossing her arms and trying to look as arrogant as a couple of days ago when we first met. Back then she had not looked lovely, but now that she is my little sister I cannot regard her any other way.

‘Yes, you are,' I say and tap her nose. She merely huffs and lets the subject of the debate rest.

 

Getting in a dress is a hassle, no matter how old you are or how much help you have. After five minutes of tying straps and laces, we manage to get the dress to stay on the body.

Sitting in front of the mirror of the wardrobe, I brush her still wet hair until all the remaining tangles are gone. If it is completely dried, it will be smooth as silk.

Training her to walk in heels has to be one of the funniest things I have ever done. Seeing her stumble across the room, gripping furniture not to fall instead of the arm I offered.

After an hour of wobbling, she seems to get a taste for it and another half an hour later she walks more steadily and by the next as graceful as a swan.

Impressed I see her develop the skill.

‘See, it's not so difficult,' I say when she approaches me, exhausted of all the walking around.

‘Not anymore, it ain't. Ah, by The Dragon, me feet hurt.'

‘You looked pretty elegant just now.'

‘Keeping up appearances, as is necessary.' Aerona winks and a smug grin forms around her pale lips.

‘You're a quick learner.' She gets it much faster than I did when I was her age.

She shrugs. ‘Just doing what I need to do to survive. Though I suspect this life ain't so dangerous as the one I had on the street.'

‘I cannot compare the two, but let me tell you that this life has its risks as well. Politics are dangerous, as are the people that partake in them.'

‘Let me take a wager. This whole family partakes in it.'

I nod. ‘We are not without enemies. Alas, that is a case for another time. Time for some etiquette and then dinner. You must be hungry.'

‘Hungry as an emaciated wolf.'

‘Better get to work then, my pup.'