-Madeline
I undressed and slipped in the water. “Yow!” I cried, standing up.
“Oh, no you don’t. Get back down,” said Grandma, picking up my clothes off the floor.
“But it’s so cold!” I whined.
“Yes, it is, but it was nice and warm an hour ago, if you had been there on time,” she said, giving me her look.
I sighed and slipped in the cold water again, trying not to jump up. I washed myself off, and a good of dirt and mud (as well as skin) layer came off. But Grandma was not satisfied. She made me get out again and put some type of oil, perfume, and dried rose and lavender petals in the water, while I put something thick and white in my hair. I got in again and washed off with some of Grandmother’s special honeysuckle soap, which probably took off another layer of skin.
Grandma went into the kitchen and came back with a bowl and lathered it in my hair, saying it would make it soft and shiny. She told me to shave my legs again while she left.
She returned yet again with another bowl, and I massaged the gritty, yet soothing stuff on my face. When I finally washed everything off and got out of the tub, I felt clean, shiny, and more exposed then ever. I almost wished that I had my layer of dirt on me once more.
I dried off with a towel, while Grandma disappeared again. I hopped it wasn’t something else for my hair. She came back a few minutes later, a bundle in her arms.
“Here. This was mine when I was your age, when I lived in Alidor,” she said with a soft smile. She held it out, and I took off the burlap sack to find....the most beautiful thing. It was a beautiful, shiny cloth the color of the bluest sky in summer. I was almost afraid to touch it, but when I did it felt soft and smooth and very comfortable on my fingertips.
“Well, go on. Try it on!” Grandma said with a smile.
I put on my undergarments and a corset which Grandma insisted I had to wear or else the dress wouldn’t fit.
And then I pulled the gown over my head. It felt airy and light, like goose feathers against my skin or like water swirling around me gently in the river, but without the wet part.
I looked in the mirror while Grandma tied a sash around my waist, and smoothed out the skirt. The dress looked amazing, and brought out the blue in my eyes and the gold in my hair as well as the pinkness of my cheeks and lips.
Grandma then set me down on a chair and brushed out my hair, before once more applying something that smelt like vanilla in my hair. Her nimble fingers ran through my hair, knotting and twirling and pulling and brushing and pinning. When I was finally allowed to look in the mirror again, I couldn’t didn’t recognize myself.
Yes, I was Laurana. The height and the eyes saw to that, but I was more beautiful. Yes, regal. A lady, someone important and queenly.
My hair was pinned up and looked soft and shiny, in an array of curls and waves at a bun at my neck. My hair was braided on the sides, and violets and blue lorina flowers dressed it up.
I didn’t say anything as I looked at myself in the mirror, open mouthed with awe.
“Oh, you look just like your mother,” Grandma said with a sigh.
And I did, though I always thought she was much more beautiful, at least of what I could see in the sketch father made, that hung in its mahogany frame above the fireplace. And Grandma, whom my mother had gotten all her good looks from.
“And you,” I said smiling at Grandma. I hugged her, while Grandma had that laughing smile on her face.
“Thank you, child. Now I need to get ready! Now, go sit on the couch and don’t move a muscle. Practice your song while you’re at it, too.”
“Yes, ma’am!” I said.
Grandma smiled at me with a roll of her eyes. “I’ll be ready in half an hour.”
Indeed, half an hour later Grandma came down, her skin soft and shining, and her silver hair in a bun much like mine, but dressed with small white flowers. Her dark green dress was low cut and much like mine, making her seem much younger than she actually was. Though, she always looked not a day over forty to me, and not the sixty-seven she was.
“All right, let’s go deary!” she said, a bright light in her eyes.
Alexander picked us up in his little buggy. His blue eyes were bright, and his beard was trimmed more neatly. And in stead of his neatly patched, worn clothes, he looked dashing in a black tunic and breeches, new black leather shoes on his feet.
“Let me help you there, Selena,” Alexander said, hopping down from the buggy. He gently took her hand and helped her into the seat beside him. Grandma’s face turned a lovely shade of rose when she took his hand.
I sat in the back, two big pots full of soup and pulled pork nestled in beside me.
Alexander drove us to John’s place, where other wagons and horses were packed in front of it. Alexander helped Grandma down again, and took the baskets of rolls and cookies in for her.
I, too, was about to hop out and carry one of the huge pots in, when a dashing young man appeared.
“Aiden?” I asked.
Aiden smiled at me, the dimple in his left cheek showing.
“Good evening, Laurana,” he said. He grasped my hand, and helped me down from the back of the wagon. I was quite sure I was as pink as Grandma, but maybe more red.
“Good, good evening, Aiden,” I mumbled, as I took him in. He was wearing new black breeches and boots, and a forest green tunic that brought out the green in his gentle eyes.
I went to pick up the heavy pot, but then Aiden was there, wrapping his hands around the handles, there for touching my own hands. I blushed again, and hid my hands shyly behind me, my face cast downward.
“Did I tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?”
I looked up at Aiden’s face. “No,” I said softly. My heart thudded in my chest like something never before.
Suddenly Bess, Alexander’s horse, whinnied and the strange thing between us passed. “Hmm, what is it?” asked Aiden, with that boyish grin of his.
“That is Grandma’s chicken basil soup,” I said, catching a tangy whiff of it.
“Oh, did she make it just for me?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Perhaps,” I said.
We went inside the house, where Rosa, Aiden’s mother, greeted me with a hug.
“Congratulations with Will,” I said.
“Aw yes, Violet is a sweet girl. Now we only have to get Aiden married, hmm?” Rosa said, looking at Aiden.
Aiden almost dropped the pot as he set it on the table. “Mom...” he said, his face turning scarlet.
Rosa laughed. “Go on. Be a gentleman and take Laurana to the wedding pavilion. Go and enjoy yourself at the party. The feast will start in half an hour.”
Aiden and I left the kitchen and out in the backyard, where John had laid out a wooden dance floor, and couples were dancing. I saw with surprise that Grandma was one of them! Dancing in Alexander’s arms with a dreamy look in her eyes.
“Will you allow me a dance?” Aiden said, bowing.
I laughed. “All right,” I said, taking his hand. When I touched it, it felt warm, strong, and comforting.
He led me on the dance floor, where a few of the village men were playing a cheery tune
“Will Laurana come up?” said John.
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. “Go on. You’ll do fine!” Aiden said comfortingly.
“Thanks,” I whispered. I hardly heard my own words as I walked up to the stage.
All those eyes looking at me. My palms were slick with sweat, but I knew I shouldn’t wipe my hands on Grandma’s dress.
I cleared my throat. I hope the firelight of the torches didn’t show that my knees were shaking.
And then I sang. My voice came out sweet as honey and as clear as a bell. The words floated off my tongue, and when the song ended my fear was gone and nearly all of the crowd, especially the women, had tears in their eyes at the sad tale of Balron and his love, Lorlei, who died a horrible death after she traded her elven immortality for the mortal life of the human.
The crowd stood up and clapped, but none clapped harder than Aiden or Grandma.
I walked down the steps and then another girl began to recite a poem about spring, which was fairly good, but I honestly don’t think people liked it as much as mine.
“That was amazing!” Aiden whispered in my ear. “It was so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I whispered back.
After the girl finished the poem, the little band got on the stage, and everyone moved the benches to the side of the platform.
Then, a handsome couple danced on the floor, looking into each other’s eyes dreamily. Will was dressed in a blue tunic made out of silk and gold thread, and Violet’s hair was down, and she looked lovely in a dress the color of violets.
After one song, other couple’s swarmed onto the dance floor.
“May I have this dance?” Aiden asked.
“Sure,” I said, slipping my hand into his.
He led me somewhat into the center, his hand on my waist, but our hands did not touch. Then the fiddle began to play a stringy tune, and then the other instruments joined in a fast dance. We whirled and twirled and danced, laughing and laughing. Then we switched with other dance partners, and then I danced with him once more.
After three more songs, Jake came up and asked if I could dance with him. For a moment I thought Aiden glared at him, but then he nodded.
I danced with Jake, which I decided that it was more than awkward. He was not balanced and didn’t know the dance, and we kept on stepping on each others’ shoes.
Finally after another song, Aiden rescued me and offered to go outside with me. I was very happy to accept.
Outside it was dark. A beautiful, full moon shined in the velvet sky, small stars twinkling beside it. The hush of a wind, the song of the crickets, and the light of an occasional firefly made the sweet night air so romantic and sweet.
“It’s so pretty out here,” I said with a sigh.
“Yes,” said Aiden looking down at me strangely, his usually boyish eyes filled with something different. My heart fluttered in my chest, and I looked away.
“Um, shall we walk to the lake?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said, holding out his arm.
I hesitantly took it, and we walked down the green, overgrown trail underneath the outstretched limbs of trees.
In the moonlight the quiet river looked even more majestic and more beautiful. We sat down in our favorite crook of a tree, watching the rushing river while making small talk. Throughout it all, Aiden seemed hesitant, wanting to say something but couldn’t seem to say it.
Finally I couldn’t stand it any more. “Aiden, what’s wrong? What do you want to say?” I asked.
Aiden looked at me, and then he blurted out, “Laurana, I’ve known you nearly all my life and you’re my best friend. Well, I, I, we are getting older and all our friends are falling in love and get married and...and....”
I stared at him with shock. Had I not been sitting down I would’ve fallen over.
He grasped my hand, his wonderful, warm hand that was so familiar. I knew it as well my own, down to the scar on his thumb to the way his dried hands cracked.
“Laurana, I love you.”
And then his lips were pressed against mine. His wonderful lips. His lips I knew so well as they spoke, but I didn’t know his lips were like this.
It felt so right, and before I knew what I was doing I kissed him back, and then I snapped out of it.
“Aiden!” I cried, pulling away.
“You do love me!” Aiden said happily.
“Aiden it’s not like that,” I said, standing up. I hugged myself and turned away. What was I doing?
“What? But you kissed me back,” Aiden said, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me against his chest, his heart beating against my own. It just felt so right, and I almost leaned against him, so safe. No.
“Aiden, I’m not ready for this. I’m only sixteen winters. I’m not yet ready for love, and marriage and...” I shuttered.
“But... Aliena is already married to Nate, and pregnant, and she is but a few months older than you!”
“And Aliena has been dreaming of love and marriage and children since she was a child! I haven’t given it hardly any thought, honest,” I said, unwrapping his arms so that they hung at his side. I looked into his eyes. “I’m not ready for love,” I said firmly, looking at him.
“But,” Aiden said, those beautiful forest green eyes pooling with tears.
“Please, maybe in another year or two. Maybe then. But not now. I still want to be free and hunt and play, with you and the boys,” I said with a small smile.
Aiden forced a smile.
“Let’s go back to the party.”
“All right.”
We walked back, but a foot apart from each other. I knew then something had changed, and the carefree days of our youth were now gone. We were both changing. And much sooner than I wanted to.
Grandma and I left the party two hours later, during which I stayed away from Aiden and other men, and spent most of my time in the kitchen. I was quiet on the way home, and when we got there and run up to my room and washed off my face, changed into a nightgown, set Grandma’s gown on a chair, and crawled into my bed, my face buried in the pillows.
Soon the tears came, and then did Grandma.
I spilled everything, and then sobbed. Grandma said little, but she didn’t seem too surprised when I told her Aiden kissed me, and sad when I told her what I said to Aiden. She then sang me a song, rubbing my back, and finally my tears stopped, and I slipped into a dreamless sleep.
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