My family as Persephone hadn’t been the largest. There’d been my parents and siblings, of course, and then three grandparents. My dad’s parents were cliché grandparents as much as two people could be, and he was their preciously spoiled but blessedly level-headed only child. From my mom, I only knew her mom. Her dad had grown abusive and alcoholic, so Grandmother divorced him when Mom was six, and Mom’s brother, Kleon, was way older and lived a dangerous lifestyle Mom wanted nothing to do with.

So, the fact that as Evianna I had four grandparents and two great-grandparents in addition to my uncle and two aunts meant the coddling and spoiling proved overwhelming indeed.

Mother’s parents hadn’t been around as much. They’d been at the palace when my siblings and I were born, but important matters on their estate forced them to leave Aunt Dianira here while they went to deal with the situation. Only today, two weeks before the ceremony officially announcing us children to the populace, did they return.

“You’re doing so well, little one,” Grandmother Alice praised. I smiled in response but hardly felt worthy of her words. She sat on the plush red rug with me gently stretching and working my muscles. It was her raising my arms above my head. Even so, constantly being showered with support and reassurance when doing absolutely nothing was quite nice most of the time.

Now nearing three months old, my sight blossomed enough for edges to have defined lines, for me to be able to see more than a few inches away, and for bright colors to have returned to my world. Faded and pastel shades, like Grandmother Alice’s pale corn hair, remained out of my reach for the moment though. Grandfather Attwell’s rich auburn hair and warm brown eyes, which both also belonged to Mother and my brothers, however, were clear and full.

“I hope the two are enjoying their time,” he spoke to the room.

The room, Father’s parents’ private parlor, contained both sets of grandparents. Unlike Grandmother Alice, Grandfather Leomer’s fair hair, albeit with flecks of silver, shone to me in all its golden glory, almost tinting orange with enough sunshine. Such was the hair I had. I’d yet to hear of or see the color of my eyes though. Heather had those big brown eyes while the so-black-it-shone-blue hair came from Grandmother Sidhana.

“It amuses me to think life has turned in such a way that all Eagan wishes to do for his birthday is sleep,” Grandmother Sidhana replied, her eyes glittering blue. “It has been one of the easiest presents to grant. Of course, I am glad the children have stabilized so that he and Renira can finally rest peacefully.”

The infant mortality rate in Solstice was low. It was why parents didn’t hesitate to name their children and why announcement ceremonies of royal births typically happened much faster. However, it was only now that our health had indeed stabilized that the event was being planned.

“I agree. With all the...worry about the pregnancy, to have the children as they are and growing strong is a relief beyond relief,” Grandmother Alice said.

Hmm? What was with the pause? Unfortunately, I could hardly ask, and a knock on the door ruined any chance of that topic of conversation continuing. I made note of the curiosity though.

“Enter,” Grandfather Leomer beckoned.

Also, I had to come up with a more succinct way to address each grandparent.

“Ah, Kaeda. You have finished the outfits?” Grandmother Sidhana stood, approaching the middle-aged woman in a navy dress who carried several bundles of cloth.

“Yes, Your Majesty. All I need to do is begin altering the sizes,” Kaeda confirmed.

I’d known my siblings and I were getting special outfits for the ceremony, so she had to be the royal seamstress. Grandmother Alice picked me up and worked with Kaeda to redress me first. Heather, Theo, and Lucian all slept in bassinets spread between the couches where the others sat. It was the first time in a long time this life of mine had been so quiet. No doubt my grandparents wanted to keep it quiet.

My siblings and I, Theo and Lucian included, donned dresses to make changings easier. The same was true for the ceremony outfits. Grandmother Alice and Kaeda slipped me into a white dress with lace around the collar and sleeves while intricate stitch work of shiny red and gold thread danced flames at the bottom. Heather’s outfit had to be the matching white one while Theo’s and Lucian’s were then the ones of bright red.

“Want to see?” Grandmother Alice granted a wish of mine.

She walked me to the long mirror in the corner with Grandmother Sidhana eagerly following to gush over me. To be honest...I gushed over myself as well. My head, as I’d known, had been graced with a plentiful helping of hair. My blue eyes that I finally got to see, they had to be from Grandmother Sidhana, only being a hint darker. Past that, I was a lump of a baby, but a lump of a baby with long lashes and great potential for beauty. I kicked my legs and gurgled happily.

“I think she likes it.” Grandmother Sidhana smiled wide.

Oh...yeah, the dress was okay. I liked myself more though. Perhaps it was a little narcissistic, but after dying, being torn away from everything and everyone I loved, and having to deal with intense pain and more threats of death...being born pretty wasn’t a bad compensation.