It was raining the morning Nari was supposed to leave for her aunt’s house. Quietly slipping out the front door she began her usual walk up to her uncle’s house. All was quiet as it had been every other walk she had taken.

  Glumly she said her goodbyes and began walking back to Amanda’s home wondering if she would ever see her home again. Next, she said goodbye to Amanda’s backyard garden with its lovely wildness. She had spent many hours here as well enjoying all the flowers, forest, and woodland animals she saw there. Even as she stood saying goodbye to her favorite climbing tree a small baby deer appeared from around the trunk.

 “Hello.” She said softly. The fawn stared back at her intrigued until its mother bounded into the garden. The three stared at one another for a long moment and then the mother took her baby and left. Nari smiled feeling as though the mountain had been saying goodbye back to her.

         When the car arrived, she saw that the driver was an older gentleman who carried himself with a straight posture and didn’t smile.

 “I have come for the miss.” He spoke directly to Amanda.

 “Oh. Oh yes, right. Of course. Alright now child, you mind your manners and remember to brush your teeth and comb your hair. Your aunt has my address, so you be sure to send this old woman a letter now and again.” Amanda gave her a quick tight hug and then swept up her suitcase and handed it to the gentleman. Then she bundled Nari into the backseat and tucked her favorite blanket around her.

 “You listen up. I’m going to miss you; I’ve gotten quite fond of having you around. But this is for your own good and I want you to make the most of it. You’re about to have an amazing adventure child.” Amanda placed a kiss on top of her head and shut the car door.

 The gentleman had climbed into the driver’s seat during their final exchange and now started the engine of the car.

  “The name is Charlie, Miss.” He looked back at her through the rearview mirror. “I worked for the Madam, and you need not fret because I will look after you.”

 The girl couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or sincere, so she smiled agreeably and thanked him.

         And then their long journey began. They drove for the rest of the day stopping only to eat and put fuel in the car. Very gradually she watched the sea and the mountains of her home become smaller and smaller until eventually, she couldn’t see them at all. Her home, Amanda and her cozy cottage, the sea, the mountains, and the little village scattered across its rocks all lay far, far behind her and still they drove.

         They traveled through the night and when she opened her eyes the next morning it was to see great big buildings flashing by. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she took in the city around her. Amanda had been right about having an adventure because wherever she turned her head there was something new to look at. After a while though, the city got a little less crowded, and in these surroundings, Charlie pulled up to the gate of her new home. It was made of white wooden doors with no way to see to the other side.

  They had to wait a moment as the doors were opened, but then they were moving again down a long circular drive, and she saw that her aunt lived in a small white mansion. Great big pillars, sharp doors, and boxy windows stared back. The whole building gave the impression of being very strong. She couldn’t tell if this was a good thing or not yet.

 Pulling the car to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, Charlie climbed out of the car, and while she was still gawking at the strange surroundings he had come around and opened her door. In a daze, she climbed out taking in her surroundings and all the activity. People were carrying boxes and bags and handfuls of decoration here and there. Some were setting up a small stage and chairs. And one even walked past leading a couple of horses all decorated with pretty ribbons.

  “What’s going on?” She asked Charlie.

  “Birthday party. For one of your cousins. I forget which.” He answered shortly as he pulled her suitcase out of the car. “Madam instructed me to take you straight to your room as she would be too busy to deal with you today.”

 “Thank you.” She replied remembering what Amanda had said about manners as she followed Charlie around to the side of the house.

 “We will be using the servants' entrance and their hall and stairs to take you to your room. It is safer to not bother the Madam now, which we will most certainly do if you were to be seen in your state now.”

         Confused Nari looked down at her dress, the nicest one she owned, and could not possibly understand what he was talking about.

 The trip up to the third floor was a long one with many turns leaving her quite unsure of where exactly on the third floor they had ended up.

 They stopped in front of an open door leading into what appeared to be an old storage room with a small window letting in a meek amount of sunlight. There was a scratched-up bed frame with a worn mattress pushed against one wall, a small dresser in the corner, a wardrobe against another wall, and a small threadbare rug in the center of the floor.

  Charlie set her suitcase on the bed and swept back out of the room.

  “You are to remain here until your governess arrives. You will then be informed on what is expected of you and the rules of the house.” With that Charlie walked quickly away, and by the time she had poked her head back out into the hallway she found he had disappeared completely. He was very odd. She certainly hadn’t found him to be the most caring gentle person, but he had changed strangely since arriving on the property. He had been willing to answer her questions on the car ride there and now he seemed as if he couldn’t wait to be rid of her.

  She shut the door to the room to block out the rest of the strange house and its strange occupants.

 What kind of a place was this? What kind of a person was her aunt? From what she had seen she didn’t seem like a very nice person at all. Making a big fuss over when she had to leave her home to come here when the woman wasn’t even here to meet her and putting her in a room clearly only hastily thrown together for her to live in wasn’t exactly what she would call warm and friendly. She wondered if this aunt of hers even wanted her here. The idea that she was so far from home about to begin a life with a family that didn’t want her was unsettling.

 Dragging the small dresser across the floor she climbed up on top of it to peer out the window. She saw that her bedroom overlooked the front yard. Servants were still scrambling to fetch things from here to move them there. Balloons were being filled and tables were being laden with a feast. She saw them hanging lanterns as well which meant that they expected the party to go on for a very long time.

  About noon she guessed was when the partying got started. Party guests swathed in fancy clothes and extravagantly wrapped presents had been streaming in for twenty minutes already. She once caught a glimpse of what she thought was the family she was currently living with. A woman wearing a large dress covered in laces and pearls and ribbons with her hair piled up on her head seemed to be her aunt. There was no uncle to be seen although she had been told she was married. Probably he was away on a business trip she decided. Rich people always seemed to be traveling for one reason or another. Her cousins ranged in size and age from almost adult to younger than herself. Whose birthday it was she couldn’t tell with as much fighting about ownership of the fancy gifts as there was. The other guests were dressed similarly to her aunt each one trying to outdo the rest. The resulting sight of so many bright patterns and frills made her eyes hurt. One woman in particular looked atrocious. She was wearing a blazing orange dress with lime green lace and yellow ribbons scattered all over it. An obnoxiously large yellow bow pulled her brown hair into some sort of a lump on the top of her head and the woman’s laugh reminded her of a hyena who had inhaled helium.

         She remained there watching the party until she grew bored; then she went to her suitcase and began drawing until she fell asleep.