Royal Invitation

"What are you eating, Raziel?" A shrill voice demanded causing Raziel to look behind her, then at the plate of food, and then back to the owner of the voice.

"M....mother, I was hungry," Raziel answered.

"You're supposed to be on diet but here you are stealing food from the kitchen," Rachel scolded, snatching the plate of rice porridge from her hands. " Just look at what you're eating, do you want to look like a bull? We've only been here for three weeks but look at your cheek and body. You're 22, don't you know that men don't like chubby women?" She asked looking at the rice porridge in disgust.

"I...I was hungry and I only ate salad since this morning," Raziel complained. She had barely taken more than two spoons when her mother appeared and took the plate of rice porridge away from her grasp. For the past three weeks they started living here again, Raziel has been eating not more than the food her doves eat, all in the name of diet. She was looking so skinny yet her mother called her chubby.

Now, she was preferring the forest to this mansion. There she could eat whatever and whenever she likes, but here, she only eats twice a day and a little food. Her mother would say it was time for them to get married and they shouldn't eat too much else they would get chubby.

Back then in the forest, no one talked about diet or marriage but here, she talks about it every single day that passes by.

"What's wrong with eating salads? I'm only trying to help you maintain your body. You don't want to look chubby and all the guys start running away from you," Rachel said.

"But I'm not chubby."

"You're not but if you keep eating things like this, you'll get fat, and clothes won't fit you. Do you know when I was your age, I was already married to your father and I was even carrying all three of you in my tummy? If you keep being like this, no one is going to get married to you," She scolded, walking to Raziel and pulling her ears causing her to cry out.

"Ahhh, mother, please you're going to pull my ear out," Raziel pleaded.

"Yes, I'm going to pull them out so next time you'll remember not to eat too much. I wasn't this stubborn at your age," her mother said, letting go of her ear and Raziel quickly rubbed it.

"Oh no, Rachel, you can just let it go today, she has already started eating the rice porridge. Let her finish it," Maxwell said walking into the kitchen.

"Absolutely not. Raziel has eaten enough for the night," Rachel asserted. Why was Raziel always stubborn and refused to take simple instructions? May and Jaria followed her words and only ate what she gives them but it wasn't the same for Raziel. She wondered where she took her rebellious character from.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Crayon, good evening miss Raziel," a maid greeted walking into the kitchen and bowing her head a little. Rachel turned to look at her and asked.

"What do you want Bitu?"

"There's an invitation from the palace, Mrs. Crayon."

"An invitation from the royal palace?" Rachel exclaimed, her face brightening up.

"Give me that," she ordered, collecting the silver invitation card from the maid and the maid quickly walked away.

"Which invitation is that? Open it let's read it too," Maxwell said and she hurriedly unlocked the seal which was in the center of the card and she proceeded to take out the letter slowly and carefully. It was a handwritten paper which at the bottom stood the king's signature. She cleared her throat and read aloud.

"To the Crayon family, from king Valhoon of Daxtan. If you received this letter, know that you are one of the few families that have the respect of our house. We are pleased to invite you to the Royal grandmother's birthday party."

Raziel's mother put her hands on her chest as if she was having a heart attack and she smiled. "Oh my God. Is this a dream? We are invited?" She screamed. It was a big thing to be invited to royal birthdays. The last time they were invited was before they started living in the forest and it was good to see that they were still considered noble and important.

"Raziel, go and tell may about this and you guys should start searching for a beautiful gown to wear. Go now," Rachel ordered and Raziel walked out of the kitchen.

.....

"Rani, Rani," Raziel called, climbing down the stairs. She was all set to leave for the seamstress shop but Rani was nowhere to be found.

"Raziel, you're all ready?" Rani asked coming from the main entrance of the mansion.

"We've been ready for almost an hour and we've been looking for you. Where were you?" May asked as she and Jaria climbed down the stairs.

"I'm sorry, your mother sent me to get some fruits."

Ok drop the fruits quickly and let's leave for the seamstress shop," May ordered.

They got into their car with the three girls sitting at the back and Rani at the front with the driver. They got to the seamstress shop and they climbed down from the car.

"Good afternoon, young misses of the Crayons," the seamstress greeted, bowing her head. "Good afternoon," they all greeted except May who pridefully walked into the shop and sat on one of the chairs. It felt good for an outsider to bow to her again after so many years. They were one of the most prestigious families in Daxtan before they were sent to the forest and it was good their position and honor were still intact even after coming back to Daxtan.

"Do you girls desire some fabrics in particular?" The seamstress asked as they all entered the shop.

"Get is the most prominent and prestigious fabric in the new collection," Jaria ordered.

"Ahh, miss Crayon, I already sold part of the new collection but I'll check if they're still some."

She walked deeper into the shop and came back in less than five minutes with a stack of clothes which she laid on the table. The three sisters stood up from their chairs and walked toward the table. May picked hers and her eyes sparkled with joy. "I'll take this pink one, it's so pretty. What do you think, Jaria and Raziel?"

"It's beautiful," they both agree and Jaria also picked a pink fabric and handed it over to the seamstress. Raziel gazed at each fabric for some time before moving to the next. Her gaze fell on a yellow fabric with diamond stones.

"That one," she said and her lips curved into a wide smile.