~4~

When morning came, the golden flames in the fireplace had been reduced to cinders, and the rain hadn't yet let up.

Ivory yawned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and clambered lazily out of bed. Ivory tripped over a large suitcase that had been lying on the floor beside her bed.

She undid the silver clasps that were holding it shut and lifted the top. Inside were four new dresses, a few ribbons, her gold hairbrush, and matching mirror, a spare cloak, some underthings, and lastly, Olivia's snow globe.

Suddenly, Ivorys mother's voice came echoing through the halls.

"Ivy! Ivory Evan's you'd better be out of bed, that lady will be here any moment!"

Ivorys eyes darted to her wardrobe, where from it she pulled a pretty brown dress with puffed sleeves. Brown was her favorite color to wear on a stormy day, though she didn't know why.

She quickly pulled it on, fastened her cloak, and slipped on her black boots, then rummaged around her bedroom for her umbrella.

"Have you finished getting ready?" Asked Ivory's mother as she barged into her room.

"Just about," replied Ivory, "Oh, have you seen my umbrella? I can't find it anywhere"

"Ivy..." her mother groaned as she too began searching for Ivory's umbrella.

"Here you go, I've found it" exclaimed her father as he hurried into the room and handed it to Ivory.

"Thank you..."

"What now?" Asked her father as he noticed how Ivorys eyes continued to dart furiously around her.

"Have either of you seen my gloves?"

Her parents sighed, and at that same moment, Olivia came bursting through the door, red-faced and out of breath.

She threw a pair of white gloves at Ivory, then said, "she's here!"

Ivory hurriedly slipped on her gloves whilst trying not to tip over herself as her family rushed her out of her bedroom.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Asked her mother as the four of them descended the marble stairs three at a time.

"I'm sure," Said Ivory.

"And did you pack my snow globe?" Asked Olivia.

"Yes, I did."

"And your extra cloak?" Asked her father?"

"Yes!"

Three knocks sounded the moment the four of them reached the front door.

Ivorys heart gave a painful jolt, and tears began to swim in her line of vision.

"I'm not ready..." Ivory breathed.

She only barely felt her mother's hand, as she placed it on her daughter's shoulder. Her knees have gone weak, and Ivory felt as if she could collapse at any moment.

"It's rude to leave her waiting in the rain like that Ivy," said her father.

Ivory looked up at him, then at the door, and nodded.

On the other side of the door stood a rather intimidating looking woman who was well in her years. She had dark brown hair pulled into a tight bun in the back of her head. She wore all black and had purple rings beneath her extremely hooded eyes.

"You are Ivory Evans, I presume," said the woman.

Ivory nodded.

Josephine's eyes raked over Ivory as if she were a piece of meat.

Then without any warning at all, she yelled; "Jezebel!"

A young nymph with long wavy brown hair came leaping from the carriage that stood just behind Josephine, climbed the front steps, and stopped beside her mistress.

"Take Ms. Evans's bag to the carriage."

"Oh, it's not that heavy, I can manage--" ivory started, but was interrupted almost immediately.

"That was not a request, it was an order given by me to my Nymph. Do you dare ask her to defy me, Ms. Evans?"

Ivory quickly found herself truly frightened by this woman.

"N--no ma'am"

"Good. Jezebel, her case."

The Nymph smiled at Ivory as she took her suitcase, then made her way back to the carriage with it.

"I hope you have said your goodbyes for now Ms. Evans. I don't particularly like the rain." Said Josephine.

"Yes, of course." Said Ivory, then she turned to her family and said; "goodbye mother. Goodbye father. Goodbye Olivia."

She gave each of them a hug, then waved to them as she and Josephine climbed into the large carriage.

"I will see them again, right?" Ivory asked Josephine after she had shut the door.

"I'm not sure. But in time, you will understand why I say this."

The carriage had finally begun to pull away from the manor. Ivory tried to wave back at her family as they drove away, but she doubted they could see her through the thick sheet of silver rain that was now falling harder then ever before.

"Is Clarion far from here?" Ivory asked Josephine.

"Oh, my dear. You have much to learn."

"What do you mean?"

"Why on earth would we be going to Clarion?"

"Because that's where you told my parents that is where we would be going."

Panic was beginning to rise again in Ivorys chest.

"Well, I had to tell them something didn't i?"

Ivory said nothing.

The woman sighed.

"There is a place deep in the woods where the borders of our world and the first world meet. There is a palace there, only accessible to the Elites, called Atwood Hall--"

"Who are the Elites?"

"Do not interrupt me, girl!"

The Nymph Jezebel who was sitting beside her mistress Josephine jumped and accidentally dropped Ivorys suitcase onto the floor.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm terribly sorry..." she continued saying over and over again.

Josephine was visibly annoyed but did not reprimand her.

"The Elites, stupid girl, are the ones who keep our world from burning to the ground. They have as much effect on our kingdom as any queen. So I expect you to treat them with respect, no matter their place."

Ivory nodded, then said.

"I still don't understand, why couldn't you tell my parents where I'm really going?"

"As I said, Atwood is only accessible to the Elites. It's not like they would be able to visit anyway."