"Oof! Easy girl."

I slowed down the horse and got off the saddle. It's been a month since I started horse riding and I can say that I've gotten quite good at it. The first few days were disastrous as Uma (the name of my horse) didn't even let me touch her but now, we were the best of friends.

"You've learned how to tame it very quickly Lady Jerinah, I'm sure the Duke and the Duchess would be very happy to hear about it." Zed said.

He was observing me from a distance.

"Any way, how are you feeling? Any sort of dizziness?"

"No, I'm all right." I replied.

Ever since I started my horse riding, Zed kept asking if I was feeling sick or if I needed anything from time to time. I understood why he kept worrying since the Jerinah of this world was always sick until I came and now this body is so fit and fine!

Once I tried to push the bed a little further away from the window by myself because the sunlight always fell on my face in the morning and I didn't like it. One of the maids happened to see that and nearly fainted. Since then I tried to do things at a minimum.

"Lady Jerinah, there's a letter for you." A maid came over to me.

That must be from Al, I thought. Earlier, I asked the maids to directly bring the letters to me if it was in my name. Al and I sent letters to each other every time we got the chance to and also in case we found any clues on returning to the real world but we never got any such clues.

I sat on the chair and took out a new paper to reply to Al. I didn't tell him about the sorcerer who lived outside of Azalea as I thought it'd be better to tell him in person and I didn't get a chance to tell him at the palace during the celebrations.

As I started writing, a maid knocked on the door and told me that Juliette had come to visit me. I slipped in the paper inside the drawer and went to greet her.

"How are you feeling today, Lady Jerinah?"

Even Juliette kept asking about my health every time we met.

"I'm fit as ever, Princess Juliette. I'm so glad you came to visit."

I got used to Juliette addressing me as 'Lady' and me, addressing her as 'Princess'. I got comfortable with Juliette as each day passed. I told her how happy I was that she visited me every week since nobody else did. Thinking about it, did the old Jerinah not have any friends at all, aside from Juliette?

"Maybe you should hold a small garden party." Juliette said.

"A garden party?" I asked. I really didn't know what that was.

Juliette went on to explain what a garden party was and it sounded like fun; fun because there would be tea and sweets.

"You could just invite a small number of people."

As Juliette said that, I counted the number of people I knew. 'Juliette, Al and maybe Keilan.' That was three and including me, it's four.

"Can it still be a garden party with four people?" I asked.

Juliette looked at me. Was she looking at me with pity?! Because that's what I saw in her eyes. Back in the real world, I'd invite Juliette and Kai over and it would be the four of us including my sister and it'd still be a fun party. 'I don't understand what makes a party in this world'.

"I'll make a list of people you can invite!" She quickly said.

She took a pen and a paper and wrote down some names and handed it over to me.

"They're all from good family backgrounds and I'm sure you could make new friends." Juliette seemed to be very optimistic about this and so I gave in. With her help, we made the invitations to be sent. She stayed for some time and left.

I went to my room and continued writing the letter to Al.

"Dear Al,

I see that you haven't found any clues yet. Princess Juliette just came over to visit me and she said I should hold a small garden party a week later. The invitees were all the ones Juliette knew and she was optimistic enough that I'll make good friends from there. She's just too pure, too cute!

Anyways, I've sent you an invitation too and DO BRING YOUR BROTHER.

P.S: I have something to tell you regarding going back to the real world! See you real soon.

Jerinah Adline Celeste (Ayano)."

I folded the paper and inserted it in an envelope and gave it to the maid who would stamp it with the seal of the House of Celeste and then mail it.

I went over and talked with my mother about the garden party to be held in a week. I told her that this would be a great opportunity for me to know people and make friends or to make ties, as they would say it. My mother gladly agreed to it and decided to make the preparations. She ordered the maids and the gardener to prepare for the party by trimming the bushes in garden and other arrangements.

It was to be held the next week, why were they starting now?!

"Adline, go and get dressed. Mommy's going to take you for some shopping."

'Shopping? Now? For what?' I asked these questions to myself which were answered as we reached the town.

The town was aesthetically beautiful and lively. It was nothing like the towns and cities in the real world.

My mother took me to one of the stores and asked the employees to measure my body to prepare a dress. I now understood why mother wanted to go shopping today itself but I could have just worn the clothes I had at home. My closet here was larger than my room in the real world!

We went from store to store buying stuffs from head wear to shoes. I was exhausted! My mother seemed quite happy though and I was relieved seeing her so.

Before we came here, when I asked the maid why mother was so eager for this party, she said that since I (the old Jerinah) was always sick in bed in the past, there was no chance to hold a party in the Celeste Mansion and also it had been years since mother had gone out for shopping with me.

As I learned that, I thought to myself that holding this party was a good thing after all.

The sun fell behind the horizon, painting the sky in shades of red and pink. We returned home exhausted yet contented.

I flopped on the bed and rubbed my fingers along the silk mattress, it was irresistibly soft. I pressed my cheeks on the cool pillows, closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning, the sun rays fell on my face. As much as I hated it falling on my face every morning, if I had my phone right now, I would have taken a 'selfie' and posted it in social media with a hashtag saying sunkissed or something relatable but my phone's been there under the drawer for weeks now. Oh, I had my phone with me when I came here but it wouldn't work and I did not know why.

I got up from bed and tried to drag myself to get changed and leave for breakfast. But my body felt stiff and I felt a slight headache. I asked the maid to call for a doctor and she hurriedly called one to the room. The doctor said that it was due to fatigue and that a good rest would be enough. I was relieved that it was nothing but a fatigue but my mother sat sobbing beside me.

I wasn't dying and moreover I just had a headache and nothing else. I told her to calm down but she kept on saying how it was her fault and that it was all because she took me shopping the entire day.

Though we came home late that day, it wasn't her fault as I had my share of fun too. It took her some time to calm down and finally agreed with me.

As I laid on my bed, alone in the room, I thought about all the events that had happened and how my family and the people here were so loving and kind.

I remembered my family back in the real world, I missed them. I wondered if I'd ever be able to see them again. Did they miss me too? I remembered what Al had told me during the celebrations, 'the time I entered this world, I was forgotten in the real world.' I tried to put away that thought but I couldn't; it pained me.

I sniffled into the sheets on my bed and curled to the side.