Chapter Four

“I can’t believe it’s really she…”
“The day is finally here!”
“She is more beautiful than we imagined.”
Ileana stirred at the voices--strange voices, thick with foreign accents.
“I think she’s waking!”
Indeed, she was. She opened her eyes to a bright light--far too bright--and she gasped and squeezed her lids shut once more. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked, trying to adjust to the light. When she could finally see, she saw a small and thin, tanned face before her. The face had big hazel eyes and freckles. Long brown hair hung beside this face. Ileana connected the face to a body--a woman. She was small and wore her glasses on the tip of her nose. She smiled brilliantly at Ileana, then suddenly dropped to her knees. Ileana began to sit up.
The next woman was taller, though not by much. She was pale, paler than any person Ileana had ever seen before. She had long, sleek black hair that fell in beautiful curls down her back. She had deep violet-colored eyes framed by thick ebony lashes. She smiled slightly, a white fang showing, and sank to her knees gracefully.
The third woman was the tallest of them all and held herself more regally than both of them. Her dark hair was pulled up into a elegant bun. Her deep emerald eyes stared into Ileana--practically to the soul. She had ruby red lips and hardly smiled at all. She had a long and slender neck like a swans, and on her head she bore a crown of silver flowers. She too, dropped to the floor in an elegant curtsey.
By this time, Ileana had grown frightened. She stood and saw that she had been laying on a huge bed, one covered with golden silk and green velvet. She put a hand to her chest and looked back at the women, who were still on the ground, heads bowed as if in prayer. Ileana didn’t know what to say.
“Please, what’s happened?” Ileana asked, sounding more frightened than she intended.
The women rose to their feet. The regal one came toward her, and spoke.
“Welcome, Ileana. We are so grateful that you have come. I am the Empress Annaleasa, at your eternal service.” She bowed her head slightly in respect.
The hazel eyed woman stood next. “My name is Danae, and I am your loyal servant, Ileana. I welcome you.”
Last, the dark haired woman stood. “I am Zennabelle. I welcome you to your kingdom, Ileana.”
They stared at her, obviously expecting her to say something, but what could she say? She stood there, in shock. What did they mean by all of this? It was a dream, it had to be. But it was so real. Ileana pinched her arm once, twice. No, it was no dream. Zennabelle saw the movement and laughed.
“Anna, Ileana is obviously in shock. She thinks this is a dream! Please, tell her what she is doing here!”
The Empress Annaleasa smiled and nodded.
“Ileana, you have been brought here to do something wonderful--to become something wonderful.” She said. Ileana shook her head, not understanding. “You are heir to the throne. You are to be the next Keeper of Elganiel. You will rule over our entire land, protect us and watch over us. You will be given supreme power and sovereignty. We are honored to have you as our ruler, Keeper Ileana.”
Ileana took it in with a surprisingly clear mind, trying to understand. Her first thought was that it wasn’t true. The second, that they chose the wrong girl. She had always underestimated herself, had always been insecure. She was always thinking too little of herself when everyone else thought so highly of her. True, Ileana was from an esteemed family, but blood got her nowhere morally. She felt that she hadn’t ever truly earned anything in her life. She certainly hadn’t earned this.
“I don’t understand,” Ileana began, “Why have you chosen me? Who was that man in the garden? Is he one of you? And where are we?”
Danae smiled at her confusion, amused and said, “We did not choose you, you are sole heir. Your mother was the Keeper Isabella. She died sixteen years ago and we have awaited your arrival for those horrible sixteen years. She left you the throne. The man from the garden is someone that the Empress hired to lead you here, to us. He is one of us. By ‘one of us’ I assume you mean faeries, for that’s what we are. We are in the land of Elganiel, home to our kind for years. You are in another realm, your realm, Ileana.”
Ileana’s brow furrowed, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
“Your mother was the same way, I’m told.” Zennabelle piped up. “She was also reluctant to accept all of this. But you will, in time. This is your home now.”
“Do not frighten the poor dear, Zenna, you’ll scare her off!” Danae chided.
Zennabelle shrugged and averted her eyes to the floor. The Empress Annaleasa approached Ileana and grasped her shoulders. “Come now, you must rest. More will be revealed to you tonight. A grand feast shall be held in your name! There shall be dancing and music. It will be wonderful! But for now, you must sleep on all that you have heard.”
She gestured back to the bed that Ileana had just woken from, and Ileana obediently laid down. The three women ushered out of the room silently, their long gowns brushing against the stone floor. Ileana stared at the wall and looked very much like a woman possessed. She couldn’t believe it. She did not trust any of it. Yet, they had mentioned her mother. Was it true?
Her eyelids grew heavy and she found she was fighting to stay awake. After a while, she let sleep come, and dreamt of her mother, bedecked in pearls and emeralds and swathed in cloth-of-gold, surrounded by faeries. Everywhere were smiles, everywhere was joy.