One frosty morning, a household, in the north of Balona, woke up to the calls of the royal trumpets and stomping of the king’s foot soldiers. A girl known as Avice lived in this household. Creaking in and out of her sleep, a voice suddenly rang throughout the walls of her room.
“Avice, dear.” the voice murmured softly, “Wake up.” A hand nudged her smooth face. Avice opened her blue-green eyes. She rose in shock as she knocked over a glass of water beside her bed.
“Oh, rub that dust out of your sleep.” Avice heard the woman say. Then a sigh echoed through the room.
“Make sure you dress properly.” she said, then paused, “And make sure you take a bath. The stench in here is like a stus peine.” The servant rushed out of the room with a flurry of hair flowing behind her. Avice sat motionless on her bed as she processed these words. What is stus peine, She thought longingly, it must be something Father hasn’t told me all these years. All because of that bloodline language. Sighing at the thought, she placed her foot down on the stone cold floor. The coldness pulsed through her and she eagerly dressed for the day. Brushing her hair, she looked herself in the reflection. It was of a young girl of 13. Brown and black streaks coursed through the veins of her hair. Her pale skin made her look as if she was sculpted from linder.
“Avice. Come quickly.” growled a voice from the main room. Avice tilted her head up, tidied up her dress and hair, then proceeded to the main room. I wonder what all this proper thing is about.
When she reached the main room, her father, Neal awaited. He crossed his arms across his mighty chest and made eye contact with her.
“What took so long?” he demanded, his voice thundering. The servants around the house stopped their work immediately at the sound of his voice. Suddenly, it was so quiet outside, you could hear a feather drop. Avice gulped. She felt as if she had just woken up. Rounding up her courage once more, she stuttered,
“W-Well I wanted to l-look nice today bec-cause Muriel came in and told me to dress properly. S-so I thought, I s-should look nicer than usual.” she paused, “Father.”
“Is that so?” replied Father, brushing his beard along his mossy chin. He turned to Muriel, a woman with a white cap covering her short blond hair,
“Wacurm mentihas des ihadas gesam?” asked Father. Avice looked concernedly at him, but instead of questioning her Father, she folded her hands and looked down at the stone floor. Not knowing the language of her bloodline made her want to run to the horse’s stable and hide in the straw. Then Avice looked up and saw Muriel lean in and murmur,
“Ichu horgit dire kontig Trotuben.” Father looked as if he was about to object to the statement, but then another servant interrupted,
“Horauditen vosic Gediusch dire pedrant der dirw fubstodaten.” Looking up eagerly at the news, the servant led Father to the stain glass window that our family cherished. Father’s expression immediately changed into a grin as he realised what was happening outside.
“Ohk aho.” He swiveled around and faced Avice.
“I see the king has brought him and his soldiers to our village. And a carriage.” He paused a moment to look at my brother, Barat, winking. Then to the servants, “Redasgis Sien unis aufabis. Nunsec momast est geckra.” Then Father turned to Barat, who was about 17. He muttered something to him. At once, Barat left the room. Then without a word to Avice, Father left the room too. She sat there on the ground. Am I forgotten? Why does everyone think I’m not here? Looking disappointed, she steadied herself up and walked back to her room, all happiness drained from her face.

Once in her room, Avice stood paralyzed, believing this was all a dream. Suddenly a crash of loneliness overtook her and Avice fell to her knees against the brick wall. Leaning, she started to cry against it. Emotions pumped through her head as if there was a might wind spinning in her skull. I wish mother were here. Avice sniffed. But, she’s not. Sustaining herself, Avice got up from her knees, trying to forget the depression. But trying to forget the feeling was as if someone had put a knife through her heart. Blinking tears off her cheeks, the feeling came again. She cupped her hands up and the tears poured out of her once more.
When it seemed like a river of tears were in her hands, Avice looked up and saw her reflection. It was one of a young woman who had a determination to prove she was worthly of her actions. But on the other side, there Avice sat, sitting on the linder floor crying and crying every time she remembered her losses. Avice looked down, shaming herself for the actions.
Clonk clonk clonk. Avice looked up, wiping her swollen eyes. Redoing her hair again, she called to the door,
“Come in.”
Another servant poked their head in.
“Your Father would like to see you out in the main room.” she said gently. Avice nodded, noting to herself that she needed to tidy up once more.
“Also, your Father would like you to wear this ribbon.” the servant held up a tray that held on it’s silver panel a royal purple and silver ribbon. Avice gasped. She recognized the prize possesion Father always had in his hand. She knew it was the only thing her Father had left of her mother. Thinking of it, she never noticed how much she longed to wear it, to touch it’s smooth lining and the it’s memory of her mother wearing the string. The thought comforted her and her smile blazed through the depression that had once surrounded her. The servant nodded, as if amused by her reaction. “It symbolized how much your mother meant to him.” Avice stood up from her bed and collected the ribbon from the servant. She curtsied gratefully to the servant as the door closed. Happily, Avice jumped up and skipped to her mirror. Brushing and combing once more made her feel alive as she tied the ribbon onto her flat hair. Admiring the look that it gave her, she unwrinkled the dress and when she turned around, she felt new, as if she were a princess. A wave suddenly hit her and Avice finally remembered to meet her father in the main room. She placed down her brush and quickly slipped out the door.

When Avice was at the main room, she looked at Father, whether to see if he was pleased or not with her appearance. But instead, Avice was merely surprised with Barat’s and her Father’s appearance. His usual messy hair was combed and he had put on a rich brown tunic that matched his beard. Barat had tied up his own hair but, he was still wearing his normal clothes. The eyes beneath those brown bangs shone like the North Star. He even looked more handsome than usual. Father beamed proudly at Barat. He patted his back and said,
“All right son, ready to meet the princess. (Nathan, please translate this to Blodgren Language.) Barat shrunk back a few steps when Father said this. He swept his hair to the side of his face, making his bright blue eyes shine even brighter in the sunlight. Father patted Barat on the back and gestured him toward the front doorway. Barat smiled and stepped out of the house. Following Father, Avice blinked tears upon her cheeks, feeling as if she was already forgotten.
The straw and bushes got in their way as they headed to the main road to see the king’s soldiers past by. Avice was eager to venture out, but Father held a firm grip on her sleeve.
“You will stay with me throughout this passing.” he said with a unyielding voice. He paused a moment. Then turned to Barat, leading through the brush, softening his grip on Avice. She walked toward the path as her father and Barat neared to the stopping carriage. She leaned closer, trying to get a better view, but her brother and father were to mesmerized by the view of the decorative carriage to move. Only such a king would such a carriage. They watched as a man appeared out of the carriage. The crowd gasped.
“It’s the duke!” fussed one.
“Has he come to bring his duchess?” asked another.
“Will you all just watch!” shouted the third. Avice fumbled with the view as finally, the Duke emerged fully. She stared at the feather on his leather hat swaying in the morning breeze. His coat glistened like gold. That must be the Duke,
“My,” said someone, “That must be a costume.” Everyone turned to the gleaming man to view his reaction. But he acted as if the crowd wasn’t there.
He announced,
“Good morning, people of Balona. I am the Grand Duke, Third of the Royal Class, Second of the Royal Council, and Fourth to the Crown has arrived to present to all of you standing, a message. The Duke shifted in his position as he gestured to a man sitting at the bottom of the carriage. The man pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to the Duke standing on top of the platform. Unrolling it, he coughed into his glove and continued speaking.
“The king has decided that his daughter, the princess will be soon seeking suitors throughout the land. The proved worthy one will marry the princess. All suitors must come to the palace when the sun has reached the top of it’s peak. That is all.” Quickly, he slid inside the carriage and shut the door, begging the driver to start the horses. Soon, dust filled the village people’s eyes as they backed away from the road.
Barat’s eyes gleamed as they headed home. Avice’s father was talking to him as Avice trudged along the dusty path, kicking up dust wherever she went.