“I am sorry about the slip of my tongue, Madam Nesha,” Siro said, bowing her head.

“It’s fine, Siro; I know it is hard for you to accept. Even though years have passed since the title was taken from me.” Nesha said,

“It is indeed, Madam,” Siro said, but her mind said something else, “Of course, I would be upset, Nesha. I was your personal maid since you were born, and I was so close to your mother that we could be considered childhood friends. The fact that your father threw your title away is still a sore spot for most of our race, let alone me.”

“Well, come Siro, I need help getting to…” Nesha paused; her eyes glanced around in confusion before a wide smile crossed her face.

Far behind Nesha, who stood in the doorway of Carter’s room, was a little girl with bright blue eyes and long brown hair. The little girl was doing her best to hide behind the furniture that dotted the hallways, but Nesha noticed as soon as the little girl’s eyes looked at her.

Siro, who noticed the little girl sneaking behind, smiled, covering her mouth to show the girl she would not say a word.

Seeing Siro playing along, the little girl smiled and tried to stifle her giggles as she stealthily snuck down the hallway, growing closer and closer to the pair in the doorway.

Nesha noticed the girl getting closer, and a sinister smile stretched across her face, “Oh, Siro, I am hungry; why don’t we make our way down for food.”

“Of course, madam. Shall I show you the way,” Siro smiled, ignoring the whole situation.

In a panicked state, the little girl began to frantically dash behind the furniture as best as she could until she was close enough to run and grab Nesha. So the little girl did, and just as she was about to grab the back of Nesha’s dress, someone pulled hers. As she was falling backward, the smiling face of Nesha was all she could see as her back hit the ground.

“Well, hello, Sara,” Nesha said, looking at the little girl beneath her.

The little girl, Sara, looked at Nesha with her blue eyes wide before screaming, “No fair, you can’t use your powers in the castle.”

“Says who?” Nesha asked, a sly smirk on her lips.

“Me! It takes all the fun away, and how am I going to catch you if you do,” Sara screamed as she tried to get up.

“Sounds more like whining,” Nesha said with a wide toothy smile.

“Oh, what lovely sisters you are,” Siro said, shaking her head, although her thoughts were elsewhere, “The young princess has been too influenced by Prince Yonish; she plays the same games with Nesha as he did when he was young.”

“Siro, help me get her,” Sara screamed.

“Oh my, just like your brother,” Siro said, giggling, “But remember, Princess, there is a resting guest in this room.”

Sara glared at the boy lying on the bed, his arms stretched across the pillows, and his eyes twitched from the light from the windows.

“Ha, If something like this can wake that child up, I would be surprised,” Nesha said, pulling her sister out of the room.

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“Madam Nesha, I think you would be surprised at how light of a sleeper this child is.” Siro thought as she remembered the last four months of caring for this child. It seemed to her that he only slept when there was light outside.

Sara noticed the topic change to the boy, and she began to panic again, “Sister come with me; I want to show you what I’ve done since the last time you came home.”

Nesha opened her mouth to speak, but seeing the light in her sister's eyes, just nodded and took her hand.

“Now wait, Princess, Madam Nesha has not had anything to eat this morning, and I guess that neither have you,” Siro spoke in a commanding tone waving her finger at the pair of sisters, “Sigh, your poor mother will be so disappointed to know that her daughters went out to play without her.”

“Oh right, we should eat with Mother and Father; they would love to see you, Nesha,” said Sara, a smile stretched across her face before looking at the boy lying on the bed inside the room.

“Oh, I am so sorry, Princess, but unfortunately, young Carter will not join your meal again today.” Said Siro.

Hearing this, the smile on Sara’s face grew larger, “Nesha, Follow me; I know where to go.”

Sara pulled Nesha behind her as she confidently led her in the direction where the family usually eats. Before turning around the corner, Nesha mouthed a thank you to Siro.

Siro sighed, watching the shadows disappear around the corner, “It must be hard to see her old room being used by someone else, even if it is her sister.”

As Sara was pulling Nesha through the castle, Nesha was reminiscing about all the time she had spent here in her youth. She looked at the back of Sara with pain in her eyes; seeing her brought back memories as well. Her little sister just turned ten, the same age as her, when she was ousted from the castle and the royal family; if not for Queen Perela, Nesha’s mother, surviving on her own would not have been possible.

Sara stopped before a well-made wooden door, bringing Nesha out of her memories.

“Why are we here, Sara,” Nesha asked, looking at the familiar door.

“I needed to change… Father would never allow me to wear this.” Sara said, spinning in her simple green dress, “You could have gone ahead, sister.”

Nesha silently stared at the door and the familiar scenery around her, “Sara, It’s been nearly twenty years since I have walked these halls.”

“But what about…”

“When Yonish was little, I was never allowed past the throne room, just like any other guest; the only reason I can stay in the guest wing now is because of these circumstances we find ourselves in.”

“The boy”

“Yes, anyway, why would King Kyo be upset with a dress like that? It seems fine to me,” Nesha questioned with curiosity.

“It is too plain and does not show the regal side of royalty,” Sara said, trying to deepen her voice to sound like her father.

Nesha raised an eyebrow, “Is that what the king said?”

“Yes, but I like this dress the most,” Sara said, looking down at the dress, “It is probably my favorite dress that I have.”

“Really, something so plain? As a princess, I am sure you must have many beautiful dresses lining the walls of your room.” Nesha said

Sara’s eyes never left her dress, “This is my favorite because you got it for me for my birthday just a few months ago; you can’t recognize it. Mother did make the maid change parts of it, so it is a little different, but still.” Sara thought; she wanted to voice the words but had no courage.

“Are you alright, Sara?”

“Yes, um, can you wait here while I change? It will only be a moment,” Sara said, closing the door behind her.

Nesha nodded at the closed door and leaned against the wall facing it. She let her mind wander over things that have happened in the last twenty-nine years of her life, bringing up the question of did she make the right choice.

After a few moments, Sara walked out of the room, now wearing a bright yellow dress encrusted with many jewels; Nesha looked at the dress and thought how the other dress looked much better on Sara, but what would she know about the new customs of the nobility.