Chapter Twelve
Within three weeks, Alora had finished her major lessons which quiet impressed Ira that she could be done by that time.
"Well congratulations. All you need to do now is start learning the things you would be doing as the first lady of the kingdom. Well of course I would be the one to teach you and I think we should start almost immediately. But since you've been really dedicated to this past lessons, I suggest you take a break." Ira said firmly and Alora smiled.
"Thank you Aunt." She smiled.
"Alora." Zayen rushed in pulling her out of the hall, not caring if she was in the middle of a class or not. All that mattered at that moment was what he was going to tell her.
"Zayen she is still in class." Ira scolded but the Lord didn't even spare her a glance.
"You didn't tell anyone tomorrow is your birthday." Zayen frowned as he dragged her towards Ruger's study.
"Oh yeah. Tomorrow is my birthday." Alora rubbed her neck nervously. "I forgot."
"You what?" Zayen stopped in his tracks immediately they stepped into the study, pulling the Lords attention. "how could you forget such an important event?"
"What's wrong Zayen?" Ruger asked looking at Zayen drag Alora towards him and sat her down before him. He stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
"Well father, did you know tomorrow is my sister over here's birthday and she forgot tomorrow was her birthday." Zayen frowned and the Lords looked at Alora in disbelief.
"I don't usually put my birthday in mind. I only remember the morning of my birthdays because mother and Ava usually wake me up with cake and birthday presents. They don't even bother reminding me." Alora replied looking down at her fingers.
"So you don't like celebrating your birthday?" Ruger asked.
"Something like that." Alora bit her lips and Ruger chuckled.
"You'll celebrate it this year but it won't be a large one. Just a family thing okay?" Ruger said and she looked up at him.
"I'm sorry father but I don't want to disrupt any plans tomorrow so let's just let it slip. I'll do next year's birthday with my coming of age." Alora tried to convince the man before her but his mind was already made up.
"Well, that's going to make next year's more special. I've made up my mind Alora. I'll have Ira tell the cooks prepare for your birthday tomorrow." Ruger replied and Alora couldn't help but sigh.
"Yes father." She said and Zayen pat her hair.
"Very well little sis. Now I should start preparing your gifts." Zayen's lips curved up in a smile as he pulled her out of the study.
"Not another gift. It took me hours to unwrap the ones from my welcoming party and now another gifts. Oh no." Alora groaned making Zayen chuckle.
"Well as we're speaking news has gone round Arran that tomorrow is your birthday." Zayen laughed and Alora couldn't help but give a defeated sigh.
The next day…..
Alora was woke up by her best friend jumping into her bed with a squeal. Alora wished so much to remain asleep and make this day called her birthday pass.
"Happy seventeenth birthday Alora." Ava squealed squeezing her in a tight hug.
"Thank you so much Ava." Alora smiled as Alora released her from her breath snatching hug.
"Your mother is downstairs. Lord allowed her to come and celebrate your day with you. You should see your cake. It is so beautiful and I wondered how they were able to make it that beautiful within a short period of time." Ava kept running her mouth as the maids walked in with different accessories.
"Good morning my lady." They all chorused. "Happy birthday to you."
"The royal dressmaker had sent these beautiful dresses to be worn by my lady before and during the ball." The first maid who usually spoke said.
"Wow those dresses are gorgeous." Ava gasped at the read dresses.
"Thank you very much." Alora smiled at the maids.
Two of them went to place the dresses in the dressing room while the others helped her out of bed to the already prepared bath.
Like that night of her welcoming ball, she was bathed specially and dressed specially. She wore the dress that was more casual between the two dresses sent to her. Her red waist length hair was done in a low ponytail with different hair accessories added to beautify it.
"You look gorgeous Alora." Ava squealed. "Lord Zayen asked me to be by your side all day so I would escape kitchen work." Alora giggled and Alora couldn't help but chuckle.
"I think he knows pretty well that you're very lazy." Alora said looking at herself in the large wall mirror in the dressing room.
"No I'm not lazy. He knows I would like to spend the whole day following you around since it is your birthday." Ava squealed. Her excitement was even more than the celebrant. If they didn't know who was celebrating her birthday, they would have thought it was Ava whose birthday it was.
Ava followed Alora down from the room to greet everyone and have breakfast. The first person Alora saw was her mother whom she ran to and hugged her tight.
"Good morning my sweetheart." She smiled. "Happy birthday."