The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Forty

A young lady leans forward kissing the lips of the poster picture of Alvis Galvin. She smiles staring the poster down eyeing the young prince only a few years older than herself. She leans forward and goes to kiss the picture again when she hears a voice yell from the other side of her door.

"Lady Ashe?" She quickly rolls up the poster and places it in a large trunk. She closes the trunk top pushing it under her bed. She sits there with the covers over herself composing herself.

"Yes, come in" the door flies open and a peasant eyes lady Ashe over noticing her messy hair and uncompossed look and then looks to the closed curtains covering the sunlight.

"Why do you never let sunlight in?" the woman walks to the window pushing open the undusted curtains and the sunlight shines in annoying Lady Ashe who let's out a sigh flinching away from the sun. The peasant looks around and slowly takes out the nice white envelope sealed with a gold G and stares it over. She turns and motions to lady Ashe.

"I went through the post today and surprisingly I found this before your mother did." She holds it out and Lady Ashe asks sounding surprised

"What is it?" She says curiously and the peasant eyes the G and motions to it

"A letter marked from Galvin."

"Galvin?" She says sounding happy and grabs the letter taring it open and throwing the ripped pieces aside. She skims the words and squeals out in surprise

"Alvis! Alvis Galvin has invited me to Galvin city! He, he never replied to all my posts and finally, finally, he has!"

The peasant looks on worried and the girl hops happily on her bed yelling.

"I'm going to Galvin!"

She yells happily and the peasant remains quiet thinking it over as she asks lady Ashe.

"Why?" She says it not believing the words the girl is speaking as she knows Lady Ashe has an unhealthy fascination with Alvis Galvin and writes him weekly without any replies.   Lady Ashe happily paces on her bed whispering as she ignores the question from the peasant.

"What will I wear? how do I speak to him-"

"My lady, perhaps you should ask for more information. do not forget your ceremony is today-"

"Screw my ceremony! besides the letter made it clear I should postpone my ceremony until further notice."

She drops the letter on the bed happily and rummages through her closet whispering.

"What does a girl even wear when meeting Alvis Galvin?"

The peasant glances the letter over surprised that it does in fact tell the girl to postpone her ceremony and the peasant places the letter down motioning to Lady Ashe.

"I should perhaps inform your mother-"

"No." The girl states outright and stares the woman down as she speaks firm demanding the lower girl.

"My family and the Galvins have a history. so, it is best my mother be informed after I arrive at Galvin"

"You're going to run away?"

"Hardly I am a Lady now. My ceremony would have been today that proves I can make my own choices. You are not to tell my parents till after I leave by then I will be in Galvin"

"My lady you have suitors coming, from all over the monarchy"

"I will leave in an hour. you can inform them an hour after that. It is plenty of time to turn the suitors away. Besides..." She holds the letter happily and whispers as she lays back on the bed and smells the letter taking in Alvis's scent on it.