Chapter 3

When my father saw me with my mouth open, and my eyes rolled, he just laughed softly without saying anything.

"Father, what…?" I start to say.

"Now that Edith has arrived, we can eat. I'm going to tell you to serve the food," my mother says and gets up from her chair. She approaches me, looking at me meaningfully. As she passes me, she gently pulls me with her, and I follow her. I understand that something is happening here, and I do not resist. We make some steps, and then she tells me. "I have spoken to your father. For you".

I smile at her. "Okay," I answer. "Harry up with food because I'm starving," I tell her right after.

My mother laughs softly. "Take your father and come to the dining room to sit. The food is coming too ".

I make a change to my course, and I return to the small living room. I look at my father, who was absorbed in reading his book. I stare at him for a few moments, and as if he felt that someone was watching him, he raised his head and looked at me.

"My mother told me to come and escort you to the dining room. And as I can see, she was right in the end. You were so much absorbed in your book that you wouldn't come for lunch. "I tell him, and I smile at him.

He closes the book, puts it on the small high table next to him, and gets up. He approaches me and hugs me from the shoulders while making our way to the dining room.

"I love you. You know that, don't you? And the only thing I wish for you it's to be happy."

"I love you too, father. Very much. I want you to know that I also want to be happy, and guess what? I'm happy! My choices made me happy. "

He smiles at me. "I'm happy too then," he tells me and kisses me on the top of my head.

"When will we practice at fencing together?" He asks me right after, and I stop walking in surprise.

I look at him. "Really? You mean that?"

"Of course, and I do."

I smile. "Any time you want. I am always ready for my victory!"

I hear him laughing. I always liked my father's laughter, clear and melodious.

"I will arrange it," he tells me afterward, and I laugh softly. I pop a kiss on his cheek, and we split up so that everyone can take their place at the table. Soon my mother shows up, and she sits. The father's position is at the table's head. I sit to his right and the mother to his left. All the years of my life that I remember, we have these places at mealtime, and we are used to them. I do not feel comfortable sitting in another position on the table except mine.

Almost immediately, after my mother sits down, the servants make their entrance carrying the plates with the food. The butler who was coordinating and directing them moved forward to avoid any confusion and create an accident. The whole room fills with the beautiful smells of food, and my stomach makes that sound again but louder. I pressed my belly to prevent the sound from being heard outside. I did not want the servants to hear.

After they served us on the plates and left the room, leaving the big platters with the rest of the food on the table, we start eating. I drop the food greedily in my mouth, with big bites.

"Easy Edith, you will drown," my mother tells me, looking at me intently but not sternly.

I understood what she means, and I slow down my eating activity. When I eat the last bite of my plate, I realize that I am still hungry, so I serve another portion on my plate, and I eat it too.

I eat much, I admit it. Maybe I have so much appetite because of the hard training I do daily.

When we finish eating, the maids come to pick up the dirty plates, while the same servants as before return and took the heavy plates with the rest of the food. Now it was the turn of all the staff to eat the leftovers. This has been happening since I can remember. If it is not enough for everyone, they cook something more so that everyone is satisfied.

Now it is time for dessert, a delicious pie with wild blueberries and cheese. My favorite!

«Edith? What are you planning for later?" I heard my mother asking me. I looked at her, and in her eyes, I saw her desire to speak to me. The truth is that I also want to ask her some questions. What had happened to the father? Why did he change?

"I will take my bath, mother. Today I am exhausted. I cannot continue my practice. "

"Very well," she says and smiles at me.

I finish with my dessert and get up from the table.

"I'm going to take my bath," I inform my parents, and with a nod, they permit me to leave the table.

I climb up the large central staircase leading to the chambers and head towards my own.

I walk in and see that my personal maid Una is inside tidying my clothes.

She is so sweet and caring to me. If I'm not mistaken, she is two to three years older than me, but she is so tiny and slender that she looks much younger. She has beautiful auburn hair, which I envy a little, and sweet sky-blue eyes. As soon as I enter, she turns her head, looks at me, and smiles.

"My highness," she tells me and bows slightly.

"Oh, come on. I have told you a thousand times that when we are alone, I do not want all these formalities." I tell her with a complaint, and I lie on the bed. I turn to the side and support my head with one hand so I can look at her.

"Did you go to eat?" I ask her.

"I will go as soon as I finish from here."

"But you will not find anything until then."

"Do not worry, and the cook cares about all of us. No one is left hungry."

"That's nice. Then after you finish your lunch, I would like to take my bath, please ".

I see her smiling at me and saying, "With pleasure. And I have told you a thousand times not to tell me the word 'please.' My job is to take care of you, and I do it with great pleasure and not with your 'please,'" she tells me teasingly.

I hear her words, and I laugh. "You're right," I tell her.

"I am happy that you understand. Well, I have just finished with your clothes. I will go to eat, and I will return with the hot water for your bath ".

"Okay, I'll wait for you. Take as much time as you need ".

Una leaves the room, closing the door behind her. I left alone. I leaned on the pillow to rest a little bit, but it seems I fell asleep.

I feel a gentle jerk on my shoulder, and I half-open my eyes.

"Who is it? What happened?" I say, still dizzy from sleep.

"It's me, Una. I brought hot water. Your bath is ready. "I hear Una's warm voice.

"Oh, perfect!" I say and get up. I walk to the bathtub, while a wonderful rose scent flooded my nostrils, Una helps me with my belt laces, and I take off my clothes, and I immerse myself in the scented, hot water.

I felt my muscles relax, and a sweet euphoria flooded my whole body.

After enjoying the hot water for a while, Una helps me wash my hair, and when I am ready, Una holds my towel open and wraps me in it.

"What a nice strong body you have!" she tells me as always with admiration, and I just smile at her.

I get dressed and go to find my mother, waiting for me in front of the lit fireplace.

The heavy winter is over, and the sunshine has begun, but the weather has not entirely warmed up. We have to wait a couple of months until the summer comes for good.

"Hello, mother," I say and sit, turning my back to her to comb my hair.

"Hello, my girl," She answers me.

"What happened to the father? He has changed. He asked me to do fencing together, "I tell her.

I hear her laughing softly, and I felt the brush sink into my hair and roll gently down. "I made the decision and talked to him. I explained to him that I do not consider what you are doing indecent. Still, on the contrary, I applaud it, I admire it, and I am very proud of you. I also told him that I feel calmer knowing that you can protect yourself, and since that is what makes you happy, so am I. I told him that all the previous years of your life were enough to teach you everything a princess should know, so please be careful in your ways—for example, today at the table. I draw your attention. Please do not make me look like a liar to your father because I will have no arguments to support you. Do you understand what I'm telling you? "I hear her ask me tenderly.

"Yes, mother. I understand, and you are absolutely right. I will be more careful from now on."

 "Glad to hear. That was everything I said to your father, and apparently, he thought about it with what you told me. He probably agreed that I was not completely wrong. Oh, my girl, I am so happy for all this." She bends down and kisses me on the cheek.

"I also want to inform you that this year it is our turn to organize the anniversary ball." She tells me.

I turn and look at her. "Really? Do we have to organize the ball? But the father does not believe much in all this."

"I know, but this is how it is.  We can't deny or avoid it. The accusations against us will be serious, and the consequences scary. So, we will do what we have to do. The only thing you have to do is to make sure that you will be beautiful and glamorous that night."

"I'll try. Do you know what I'm thinking? I have an idea," I tell her.

"Tell me."

"How about the ball to be a masquerade?" I ask her and see her thinking about it.

"Hmm. The truth is that it will be something different. I will discuss it with your father, and I will inform you ".

 With the discussion, time passes, and my hair is now dry.

"You are ready," she announces to me at some point with tenderness. "Your hair is beautiful," she adds, and I smile.

"Thank you, mother," I say, running my fingers through my soft, dry hair.

I get up from my seat. "I will go to Libelle to see her and feed her. I will keep her a little company as well," I tell her.

"Go. You love her, don't you? No matter that she is… »

"Yes. I do love her very much." I interrupt her.

"Go," she tells me sweetly, "and give her a kiss from me too."

I smile. "I will give it to her."

I go to the kitchen, hoping to find my nanny. Actually, she was, because now I am old enough to have a nanny.

But because we all love her and she loves us, my father decided to keep her in the castle-holder position. And the truth is she does a fantastic job. Due to the habit of so many years, I continue calling her a nanny, and it does not bother her at all. On the contrary, she likes that.

I'm lucky, and I find her in the kitchen. She sees me and smiles at me.

I approach her and ask her. "Is her food ready?"

"Yes, it is ready. Here it is," and she shows me the usual wheelbarrow that I use to carry her daily food full of large pieces of beef.

"Nice." I take it and get out. I am strong enough to carry it alone.

I head to the shed we have set up in a warm stable with straw. I open the door and enter. I hear movement from within and a small cry of joy. She understood that it is me. I see her coming towards me with her eyes fixed on my face.

"Hello, my dear," I say tenderly. "Here's your food," I tell her and offer it to her. She takes it and starts eating with a great appetite.

I just watch her and admire her beauty. She is white, with beautiful white wings. And she has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in the color of gold.