Aiming Straight, Aiming True.

Chapter 20 - A new life?

"Good morning Lady Arena, did you sleep well, are you feeling better, I am sorry for your lost", an unfamiliar female voice said cheerfully. She doesn't sound sorry, Arena thought grumpily as she hid under the soft silk covers of her bed. When she arrived it had been late, so she had been taken to her room and hadn't left since. Only her mother had visited her to give her her food. She hadn't seen Stephen or Hunter since they had arrived but she knew they were busy.

They were doing something that involved her but she wasn't sure what? She knew she had her own guard that watched her every night which pissed her off. When she had the chance she was going to have a little chat with Stephen and Hunter. " Come now Lady Arena big day,  I'm here to get you ready", chirped the lady.

" Please don't call me Lady", Arena mumbled from under the sheets.

" Pardon Lady Arena", said the chirpy lady. Arena forgot her annoyance towards Stephen and Hunter and peaked out from under the blanket. A middle aged woman with blonde hair tied up into a bun stood before her. Her fringe falling into her eyes. Her eyes were very unique? Her eyes were a mixture of hazel and a tinge of blue and they were the strangest eyes Arena had ever seen. And I thought my eye colour was unusual, she thought as she frowned at the lady.

She stood very straight like something was keeping her back straight. She wore a very simple black and white dress. Why can't  I have a dress like hers, Arena thought as she remembered the so called simple nightgown. If her nightgown given to her when she arrived was 'simple', she couldn't understand what would be elgant in a place like this.

It was a silvery silk nightgown with a little Robin bird on the hem surrounded by vines. It was pretty but she was use to the simple rough material for a nightgown or even baggy pants and a shirt, a hamiedown from her brother. Oh Cederic where are you, do you know about father?, she thought. She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts, enough grieving, time to move on.  

The lady before her smiled sweetly at Arena. She was as white as snow and her teeth even whiter.  She wasn't very tall but she was skinny. A few wrinkles could be seen around her strange eyes and a splash of pale freckles on her pointy nose.

" You don't have to call me Lady because I'm not one", Arena said rudely. The lady seemed to ignore her attitude, probably expecting it, Arena thought grumpily.

" I'm here to get you ready, help you dress or get you anything you need", smiled the lady.

" Why?", Arena asked confusingly. I'm not a baby I can dress myself, she thought in annoyance.

" Because that's my job and it's an honor to serve you Arena, how you saved the prince and I'm so glad his highness has you for a friend",  smiled the lady.

Arena frowned, she had been here for two days and she already disliked the staff here. I'm so going to fit in here, she thought sarcastically as she stared at the lady. " I don't need to be served on, I can take care of myself", said Arena grumpily lying on her stomach.

" The prince insisted you had what a Lady or noble woman or a princess would have", smiled the lady. Arena rolled her eyes at this comment. "Come on, I have the perfect outfit for you Arena", she smiled.

The lady crossed to the wardrobe and opened the double dark brown doors. Arena gasped at the contents inside the wardrobe. Inside was dresses upon dresses, skirts, jackets and shawls. The dresses ranged from what she guessed was simple riding dresses to full blown gowns a princess would wear.

What her favourite outfit was though was not the pretty dresses or skirts or shawls or fury jackets but the few plainer clothes. There was a plain green shirt and brown pants complete with a black hunting jacket, a long sleeved baggy white top and black pants and a black shirt with grey shorts.