garden with several young women who seem solely intent on irritating her with petty gossip.
The evening meal is also served in the dining hall. Zariah finds eating impossible despite once again being served all the foods she usually loves. After several enquiries as to her health and lack of appetite, Zariah finally admits to feeling unwell. Which earns her the opportunity to retire to the bed chamber she had woken up in.
The maid from the morning assists Zariah in changing into comfortable pyjamas and getting settled. Then she leaves and Zariah finds herself alone for the first time all day. Even huddled down in the luxurious bed, she finds she can't sleep and her thoughts keep going to her family and the familiar palace she had grown up in. When she does finally doze off, she dreams of being home. Waking to find herself in the magically created bed chamber is a jolt. Zariah huddles back down into the bed and tries to return to her dream.
“Is your highness well?”
Zariah pokes her head out of the blankets to see the uniformed maid, “No.”
“Should I summon the physician?” The maid looks worried.
“Yes, please.” Zariah ducks back down into the bedding. Through the blankets, she can hear the servant leaving the room. She can also hear when two people enter.
“Your highness,” The voice belongs to the maid, “The physician is here.”
Zariah carefully eases herself into a sitting position on the bed. Her eyes go to the middle aged woman carrying a large white bag.
“What seems to be the trouble, your highness?” The woman moves closer to examine the young woman in the bed.
“My head feels strange,” Zariah sticks with the truth, “And I can't seem to eat anything.”
The woman nods slowly, “Well, let's see.” She procedes to poke and prod and ask a number of other questions. Finally, she shakes her head, “I can't find anything physically wrong. Still, it wouldn't hurt you to take it easy for a day or two. No audiences and no large crowds. You may walk the garden if you wish, but no more than one companion.”
Zariah nods, “Okay.”
The physician turns to the maid, “No rich or heavy meals. Tell the kitchen to only prepare things easy on the stomach.”
“Yes, milady.” The maid bobs her head.
“Get some sleep if you can.” The physician adds to Zariah.
The young woman nods.
“Ring when you want something.” The maid adds. Then both leave the room. Zariah slumps back into the bedding, feeling only slightly relieved.
When she wakes next, the sun is no longer coming through the bed chamber window. Feeling somewhat better, Zariah eases herself out of bed. Locating the robe, she slips into it before going to stand at the window. Staring down at the unfamiliar gardens does nothing to help her head. Finally, she goes to ring for the maid.
The uniformed woman appears promptly, “Yes, your highness?”
“Could I please get something to eat?”
“Of course, your highness.” The maid vanishes. She isn't gone long and returns bearing a tray of fruit and hot chocolate and white pudding. The maid sets it on the table.
Zariah manages to eat some of it, mainly the fruit and pudding. The rich hot chocolate turns her stomach at the first sip.
When she is finished eating, the maid asks, “Will you go out to the garden for a walk?”
Zariah nods, “Find me something comfortable, please.”
“Yes, your highness.” The maid goes into the closet and quickly returns with a simple top and pants. She helps Zariah get dressed and find comfortable shoes.
“Shall I have someone meet you in the gardens?”
“No, thank you,” Zariah shakes her head, “Just have someone call me for next meal.”
“Yes, your highness.”
Leaving the bed chamber, Zariah eventually finds her way down to a door leading into the garden. As she walks outside, there is no sign of anyone else. No young men or young women. Not even gardeners. Zariah just follows one path after the other without paying a whole lot of attention until a guard finds her.
“Your highness requested to know when dinner was ready?”
She nods, “Tell them I'll take it in my rooms.”
“Yes, your highness.” The guard hurries off to do as requested. Zariah follows him back to the palace.
By the time she finds her room again, a tray of hot food is waiting for her. After she has eaten as much as she wants, Zariah finds her way out onto a private balcony. As she is standing there, her arms resting on the railing, she gradually becomes aware of someone beside her. Turning her head, she spots the fairy.
“You don't like your gifts?” The fairy looks a little upset.
“It's overwhelming,” Zariah shrugs, “Makes it hard to take in.”
“Give it time,” The fairy's expression turns sympathetic, “Maybe get some sleep.”
Zariah slowly nods, “I will.”
The fairy vanishes with a pop, but Zariah remains standing by the balcony railing until nearly full dark.
However, after nearly a week of easing back into the full routine she had experienced the first day, Zariah is so homesick all she wants to do is sleep. Every time she sees the fairy, she keeps being assured things will get better and that she should be grateful for everything she now has. Instead, Zariah is beginning to grow irritated with the half sized woman.
On the last day of the week, instead of going to the audience she is expected at, Zariah goes out on the grounds for a walk. She deliberately avoids everyone she spots and hides from the guards who come out to find her. Eventually, she finds herself at the wall which marks the edge of the grounds. Using a convenient tree, Zariah climbs up to sit on the top of the wall.
“Dear girl,” The voice behind her belongs to the fairy, “You're wanted inside.”
“Oh go away!” Zariah doesn't move.
“Didn't you hear me?”
“I said go away!”
There is a distinct pop and Zariah knows the fairy is gone for the moment. The young woman remains seated on the wall until she hears the sound of approaching guards. After a moment of deliberation, she glances down the outside. The ground below is thick moss and heather, so she drops down onto it.
Since she had insisted on dressing for comfort, Zariah is wearing pants instead of a skirt. Which makes it easier for her to sprint away before the guards get close to the wall.
About the time she is starting to get winded, Zariah comes to a paved road. She glances in each direction before picking one and heading along the shoulder. She keeps walking until the sky grows dark. By then, the road is passing right beside a sheer cliff at the base of a mountain. When she comes to a shallow cave in the cliff wall, Zariah slips inside and curls up. She has to huddle in on herself to keep warm in the rapidly cooling air.
“I wondered when you would run.” The voice is female but unfamiliar.
Zariah looks up with a frown to see a very different half sized woman, “Who are you?”
“You can call me Tien.”
“So what you do want?”
“You're homesick, aren't you?”
Zariah just nods.
“And finding it hard to be grateful for that fluffy marshmallow princess dream creation?”
“I guess some girls might like all that,” Zariah shivers, “It isn't what I would have wished for.”
Tien nods to herself, “What happened to make you so miserable as to unintentionally summon her?”
Zariah makes a face, “How much do you know about me?”
“You're the fifth daughter of the king and queen of Barchant and your father is seeking to see you married.”
Zariah nods, “He's never just arranged marriages for any of us. He prefers if we pick from his selection of appropriate eligible young noble men or noble women as the case may be.”
“I've heard of worse.” Tien nods to herself.
“None of my older siblings have ever had a problem,” Zariah makes a face, “At least not that I ever heard ab
out.”
“You have?”
“There's this one boy,” Zariah shudders, “He gives me the creeps. But he's shouldered practically everyone else out of the way... no one else dares so much as speak to me. I wouldn't marry him if he were the last man in the world.”
Tien nods to herself a second time, “All you really want is this bully out of the way?”
Zariah nods, “Well, now I'd kinda like to undo the mess she dumped me into as well.”
“You'll have to in order to get what you truly need. Until her spell is undone, you can't go home.”
Zariah scowls, “Great.”
“It isn't impossible,” Tien smiles reassuringly, “Although it may prove difficult. You need to get me her wand.”
“Okay...” Zariah looks uncertain.
“Yes, it means you have to go back,” Tien takes a deep breath, “And you'll likely have to think of a way to trick her.”
Zariah slowly nods, “First I have to get back without getting caught.”
“I can help you there, if you're willing to trust me.”
Zariah takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, “What do you need me to do?”
“Close your eyes and remember to get her wand.”
After another deep breath, Zariah closes her eyes.
She opens them to find herself in bed, in the bed chamber, with the uniformed maid standing over her.
“Your highness,” The maid looks upset, “Where have you been?”
“Right here,” Zariah eases herself upright, “Did no one tell you I wasn't well yesterday?”
“No...”
Zariah shakes her head, “Is breakfast ready?”
“Yes, your highness.”
Zariah slips out of bed and allows the maid to assist her with the robe and slippers, “I want
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