1 1. She Dreams

Catherine thought that it was funny when someone told her that she's better off alone, to cut ties with her loved ones, because she brings disaster that she can never undo, but in her seventeen years of existence, there was no disaster that occured. All her life, she was surrounded by people she loves and they loved her too.

"Tomorrow is your coming-of-age ceremony, Cath! You're already in the age of marriage!" Catherine got distracted from her reminiscence when Airis held her hand and spun her around the room, with their silk dress flowing and following their every move.

"Airis, you need to stop calling Her Highness, Cath. She's not just your friend." Ria who was sitting in the chair, with her perfect posture reminded Airis, her twin sister.

Catherin frowned and returned to her seat with Airis. She took a bit of the perfectly cut cookies in the table and sipped the tea in her favorite, gold and silver cup.

"Ria, you should be calling me Cath, not Your Highness. We've been friends since we were born." Airis looked at Catherine and laughed, remembering all the things they did as a child. Ria shook her head in disbelief and took the teacup in her hand, as she drink on it, elegantly.

"Speaking of marriage, what is your dream wedding?" Airis asked them and she looked at each of the girls in the room. "You first, Your Higness."

Airis and Catherine giggled at Airis' remark as they look at Ria who was busy thinking.

"I... I haven't really thought about it. You know I've always dream of becoming the most powerful enchantress since I was child." Catherine answered Airis who made a face. Catherine was not really into making wedding plans, she's more of a dreamer. She dreamed of becoming an adventurer that would travel the land and seas, improving her elements and magic in the process.

"How boring." Airis retorted that made them laughed. "Well, how anout you then?"

"I dreamed of a wedding in a garden. You know my element is earth, so I want to grow and design my own wedding, full of flowers that bloomed only for me. In differen colors, of course! As the sun shines on me while I walk on the flower pavement that I created, with the man who only love me waiting at the end of the aisle." Airis stated as she dance and twirls in the room, thinking about her own wedding. Ria and Catherine looked at each other and chuckled. They knew that Airis was a hopelessly romantic young lady but they surely both wish for her dream to come true.

Catherine stood up in her seat with her feet one step forward that the other. She pointed in her large window, overlooking her favorite vast garden and the sea beyond.

"I will be an adventurer, venturing about in the unknown! Seeing and tasting everything in the big, wide world. I don't need a man! I can do everything by myself! I will try and travel the world, enhancing my power and I will return to our kingdom, all powerful and strong!" Catherinw finished her speech and laughed. She knew that she can never escape the beautiful bird cage, the Blessed One has put her and all she can do is dream about it. She slumped to her seat and sighed.

"You can still become powerful enough here." Airis move back to her seat and stroke Catherine's back. Ever since they were a child, Catherine has been hoping to see the world outside. Not just from books she read from her ancestors but she wants to experience it for herself.

"I know." Catherine smiled but her eyes did not.

"Anyway, here!" Airis and Ria, both handed her a box, one wrapped with total elegance and the other wrapped in a messy paper.

"Happy birthday!" They both said in unison and highed their friend.

"We figured that you would be receiving a ton of gift so we decided to give you our gift now."

"Thank you!" Catherine said and wrapped her friends in an embrace.

She first opened the gift in a messy wrapper. When she opened the gift, she was surprise to see a three piece purple pearl bracelet, covered in white diamonds around.

"This is a friendship bracelet. Unlike the ones we made when we were younger, this is real." Airis laughed and showed her wrist with same bracelet but this time the color of pearls were blue. Ria also raised her hand, showing the the bracelet with green pearls.

"It matches our eyes!" Catherine exclaimed and thanked Airis once again. She was truly grateful to have friends like them and she will never trade them for anyone else.

Catherine took the box that was wrapped properly and slowly peeled it. It was a book that her grandmother always read to her about humans before she died. She looked at Ria and hugged her tightly.

"You remembered."

"Of course, I did. She used to read that to us whenever we sleep over here." Ria responded.

The three ladies continue to talk about their dreams and goals in life until it turned dark.

"Oh my, look at the time! We'll get going, Your Highness. We will see you tomorrow at your celebration." Ria said and stood up with her sister.

"Sleep tight. You need your beauty rest, Cath!" Airis reminded and blowed a kiss to Catherine. She laughed and was about to go with them when they stopped her.

"You take a rest. It is your big day tomorrow." Airis ordered. Sometimes, Airis acts as the big sister in their friendship but Ria is the one who is truly the big sister. Ria nodded in agreement making Catherine stay in her room.

"Alright, take care!" She shouted across the room as the two headed to the door.

Airis looked back and answered, "We won't get lost, we practically lived here!"

 

Catherine laughed before she was left alone in her room. She can't believe that she will be tunring eighteen tomorrow. Time sure flies when you're always having fun. 

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