Elowyn immediately felt better after the exorcism. She slept twelve hours straight and was back at training the next day. She still had to start slow, she had lost much of her strength during the ordeal, but she was elated to be back.

Erik stayed ashore because Elowyn felt better, her coming-out party didn't need to be postponed and was set to happen shortly. Erik was therefore asked to stay and be Elowyn's escort.

Elowyn wasn't sure what to expect, but Erik sure complained a lot about how boring he thought social parties were. He hated dancing, the food was too fancy, and he couldn't drink anything but water as his training didn't allow for wine. Adults were boring, the music put him to sleep, the clothes he had to wear were always uncomfortable... his complaints went on.

"Are you excited about your party tomorrow night?" Chord asked during training. He was helping her notch an arrow correctly. Her small fingers kept fumbling and she couldn't get it to stay on the string.

"No," she dropped the bow, frustrated, "Erik has told me so many awful stories. What if I do something wrong? The King still complains that I act like a monster."

Chord laughed.

"You do still have a rough edge to you, always running when you shouldn't, tearing your dresses, never using correct addresses...But you can't help that, you weren't raised in this world. Considering you've only been here a couple of months I'd say you are doing amazing."

"Really?" Hope rose in Elowyn's heart.

"Of course. And don't listen to what Erik says - he's always had an air of doom and gloom, everything is awful for him."

Elowyn smiled. That she knew was true. Chord grabbed her hands and put the bow back in them. Elowyn smiled and got the arrow notched on her first try.

* * * * *

Elowyn was stunned when she looked at herself in the mirror. The dress she wore was light blue and silver, just like her bedroom. Lady Estel said they chose lighter blue because it would look lovely on her still somewhat tanned skin.

She was right, Eloywn looked like she was glowing under the silk. Pearls wrapped her neck and draped over her arms. Her hair was up in several small braids. Elowyn looked the way she had always dreamed - like a princess. Of course, the style was very different from the Suditian style finery she dreamt of before, but the extravagance was there.

Elowyn wished Nayeli could see her.

The realization that she could now buy whatever she wanted suddenly hit her. Since arriving at the castle, she hadn't wanted anything except to see Nayeli again. And perhaps to sleep when she had been plagued by the demons.

But she had never been hungry. Had never felt too cold or too hot. Had never looked at something and wished it belonged to her. She was a completely different person than she had been back on Suditi. And it had happened practically overnight.

Elowyn had to sit down at that thought. Someone knocked on her door. She called for them to come in. Erik entered.

"You ready?" he asked, barely glancing at her.

"Do I look different?"

He looked back at her.

"I suppose. Your hair usually isn't done up. And the dress is nicer than those you normally..."

"No, I mean... from when you first saw me. Do I look so different? I... I don't recognize myself."

He stared at her, scrutinizing her. 

"You do look different. You are less afraid. You are less unsure. You are starting to look like a princess."

Elowyn was stunned. None of what he said had anything to do with the way she was dressed. 

She stood confidently.

"I'm ready."

Erik held his arm out and they left together. It was still a bit awkward to walk with him, he was shorter than her already, but now she was wearing heeled shoes and was easily six inches taller than him.

As they reached the ballroom, a man announced their arrival. Everyone in the packed placed turned to look at them. She could hear people whispering and as they descended the stairs and got closer - she could actually hear people cooing at them! Awwws and giggles spread through the room.

Elowyn's face flushed. Were they laughing at her? Did she do something wrong? 

Music started and Erik turned to face her. It was time to dance now. She had been taking dancing lessons, but she was still clumsy and her instructor said she was hopeless. 

The music started and Elowyn began the steps she could remember.

"Don't worry, they're giggling because they think we're..." he coughed as if he had just tasted something bitter, "cute."

Elowyn looked up from her feet at him.

"We're wearing matching clothes, we're short, we're tripping over each other, and we're betrothed. I'm sure all these silly Nobelwomen are bursting to see something so sweet."

Elowyn smiled at this. "So I didn't do anything wrong?"

"No. At least not yet." Erik looked back at her blandly.

Elowyn ignored the comment and turned her attention back to dancing. When the song ended, something happened she didn't expect - the King approached and asked her for the next dance. She nervously accepted.

She again focused on her feet.

"You don't have to look down, even if you stumble I am more than strong enough to catch you." 

Elowyn looked up, her neck craning to see the huge man's face. He was smiling at her. Did he just make a joke?

"Your manners have improved leaps and bounds since you arrived. You're doing Erik proud."

Erik, what did he have to do with her manners, he was never around and when he was his manners were worse than hers.

"Thank you?" She responded softly.

"How old are you now? Twelve? Same age as Erik. So you two can marry in just a couple of years now."

Elowyn's face felt hot. She didn't like thinking about marrying Erik. The knowledge of their engagement always loomed in the back of her thoughts, but she tried to ignore it. She had more important things to think of... like fighting demons...

"But no rush of course. Erik's brother's will wed first, no need to hurry into marriage unless an heir is needed."

Elowyn's face grew hotter. Erik was right, parties were awful. She practically ran away from the king when the song was over, but not before curtsying politely as she had been taught. 

The rest of the night, she was bounced from introduction to introduction. Lady Estel introduced her to the Duke, the Duke introduced her to his cousin, the cousin introduced her to his wife... By the end of the night, she had met over a hundred new people.

Everyone was ecstatic to meet her - the Child of Prophesy, the One True Ayer. They asked about how she ended up on Suditi, how her childhood was, some tried to ask about her plans to defeat the demons, but Lady Estel would curtail the subject.

Elowyn was thankful for that. She still wasn't even sure what all that meant, she just knew that suddenly everyone thought she was very important.

When the party was finally over, she collapsed on her bed, falling asleep without any dreams.