I wake up and stretch out in my four-poster, king-sized bed, laden with silk sheets and a mattress of soft down feathers. I gaze out the window at the brightness that coats the whole world. And I just lay there, under the translucent blue curtains of my bed, looking at everything. 

I suddenly remember that today is the day when I will get my new dresses for the upcoming banquet! I gasp in excitement and pull myself up off the bed. I call for my servants, and they tie my bed curtains to the bedposts, and they help me down. 

I walk into my closet room, where there are rows and rows and rows of dresses hanging from ebony racks, all sorted by colour. I decide to put on a soft, cornflower blue satin dress that has ivory white fabric that drapes over my hips and a low trimming of ivory blue. The sleeves are ruffled and reach halfway down my upper arm and the neckline is ruffled and cut as a square. 

My servants get me out of my silk nightgown and bathe me, scrubbing me down until I am pink and glowing. They soak my body with oils and perfumes. I watch them work, thinking my own thoughts. As always, they are perfectly silent. They wash my hair, first with soap and then with herbal potions to keep it soft and silky and shiny. They brush my hair with a fine-toothed comb dipped in special hair oil. And they rub my nails with special oil. 

Once I am shining under the morning light, they layer on the many layers of my underclothes and they place me in my chosen gown for the morning. Then I look at myself in the large, full-length mirror and I am awed by my own beauty. I am awed at how good the light blue looks on me. I am awed at how perfectly it brings out my eyes. I made a terrific decision. 

I look through the many pieces of jewelry in fine glass boxes in my jewelry room and I pick out the pieces I want. I choose a set of necklaces and bracelets made up of many fine silver chains with silver chains hanging off of the main loop, topped with light blue sapphire.

They do my hair, and I am ready to go down to breakfast. 

Breakfast is a lighthearted affair, and the excitement is tangible in the air. We all are looking forwards to what we can buy and how they will look on us and what an impression they will make at the banquet. It's rare that I ever see my parents this excited. Happy, sure, I see them happy all the time. But it's only on occasion that they look forwards to things so much. 

We get into the spacious blackwood carriage and we sink into the plush seats. 

"I love almost nothing more than to take my two ladies out shopping for new dresses," Papa tells us. 

"And I love almost nothing more than shopping for new dresses!" I tell him. 

"I can think of a few things you love more," Mama tells me. 

"Like what, Mama?" 

"Oh I don't know. Seeing your friends at the banquet." The banquet! She's right. I'll get to see my friends again after a number of weeks! I don't get to see my friends often, and so all the time spent with them is a treasure. 

"I can't wait to see them," I tell my parents. "I bet you both cannot wait to see your friends either." 

"Oh, friendship when you're an adult is not nearly as fun as friendship when you're a child," Papa tells me. "But still, it will be lovely seeing them all again. It's always entertaining to have new people to talk to." 

"It is, isn't it?" Mama agrees. "You get to look into another life that is different from your own." 

"Wow, that's really insightful, Mama." 

"Aww thanks, baby." 

"Don't mention it Mama." 

"Averill and Stacia will be there," Papa tells me.

"Aww that's amazing! I haven't seen them in months!" 

"I'm glad you get to see them again." Papa smiles. "I'm glad you get to see all of your friends again." 

"I'm glad too," I agree. 

"I love it when you're happy," Mama coos. "My whole heart lights up inside."

"Oh yes," Papa agrees, "I feel the same way. It's as if the whole purpose of my entire life is to make you happy. You and your Mama."

"Aww thanks, Mama and Papa," I gush, "You guys are too sweet." 

"Well what is life of you can't dote on your little one?" Mama asks rhetorically. 

"Exactly," Papa echoes, "what is the point of life without you? What is the point of life without both of you?" 

"You make things bright, and shiny, and beautiful," Mama tells me. 

"You make me feel bright and shiny and beautiful," Papa adds. 

"So what are you going to be doing during the banquet, little one?" Mama asks. 

"Oh, I'll probably be showing all me new toys to my friends. And then we'll probably go play with them out in the garden." 

"That's a great idea," Papa tells me. "The garden will be decorated with many coloured torches so you guys will be able to play into the night." 

"Make sure you take them into the castle too," Mama suggests, "you'll want to show them all the new additions."

"Oh yes. There is a lot to show them inside the palace as well." My voice is merry. 

"You'll have plenty of time to show them everything, don't worry," Papa reassures. "The banquet will be going on for three days after all." 

"I can tell you, the servants were not pleased with having to clean the whole palace." Mama's voice carries a hint of heaviness to it. 

"Who cares what the servants think?" Papa's question is rhetorical. "The guests will love the banquet." 

"Oh they sure will," I agree. "My friends will be so impressed." 

"Well you better make sure to buy the prettiest dresses possible," Papa advises me, "then they'll be doubly impressed."

"Oh our little Angelina looks impressive no matter what she wears," Mama contends. 

"Of course she does," Papa agrees. "It's just that, a lovely sculpture looks even lovelier with good paint."

"I'm not a sculpture, Papa!" I laugh. 

"Of course you're not. You're our lovely little girl. It's just a metaphor." 

"You're not as good at metaphors as you think you are." We all laugh at Mama's words. 

"I agree, I'm not. But at least I try." Papa's voice is mirthful. 

We sit in silence for a little bit after that, looking out at the beautiful countryside and all the pretty estates and the farm fields. 

Eventually we near the city. I know because I can feel the road becoming smoother underneath the carriage. My Papa pulls down the curtains of the carriage windows so that I can't see outside anymore. 

"Why did you do that, Papa?" 

"You know we can't keep the curtains up when we're in the bad part of the city, sweetheart."

"But I want to see it." 

"There's really nothing to see. Only little wooden buildings and dirty, filthy streets. You're not missing out on anything. Besides, we can talk. Don't you want to talk?" 

"Sure I do." I want to see the forbidden part of the city, but I know that there is no winning this argument. Papa and Mama will keep the curtains down and that will be that. 

And so we do talk. We talk about the latest book I was reading, and the story that it told. It was a fantastical story, full of magic and dragons and brave knights who saved the day. I love brave knights who save the day. Papa loves brave knights who save the day too. But Mama prefers wizards who cast all sorts of spells.

We talk about the clever, brave, beautiful princesses who need to be rescued from wicked witches or trolls or ogres. We talk about how hard it must be for them to leave their lives of luxury and be trapped by the villains. Papa tells me that he hopes that I'm never in danger and in need of rescuing. I laugh and tell him that these stories are not real, and I won't have to worry. Mama tells me that even if they were real, she wouldn't be worried. I'm far too smart to get captured. 

We keep talking until Papa lets me put the curtains up again, and I look at the regal stone buildings lining the streets with fascination. The city is so interesting. 

Finally we get to the dress shop and enter it's spacious confines. It's so large. It's like a palace. Everywhere I turn, there are dresses and dresses and dresses and dresses. They are arranged by size and style and colour and cut. There are mannequins displaying different voluptuous dresses. There are racks all around. 

I immediately run to the girls' section, and I turn around to see that Mama and Papa did not follow me. Oh well. They're probably looking for their own clothes. I'll look for mine. We always tend to get seperated in dress shops. 

I comb through the inventories displayed in the shop, looking over dress after dress after dress after dress. There is so much incredible variety. It astounds and amazes me. But I still can't find any that really speak to me. I can't find any that make me want to just bring them and take them home. 

Well there is no rush. We'll be eating our food at a restaurant in the city. We have all day to shop for clothes. We don't have to find anything right away. I can just keep looking through the inventory. And so I do. 

I get absolutely lost in it, in all the pretty colours and patterns and designs and cuts and frills and laces and tassels and ribbons. And I am unsure of how much time has passed. I feel like I'm in a different world.