A/N: Okay, I know, another story…I hate writer’s block…I just can’t seem to finish my other stories! If you have any ideas, PLEASE tell me! Well, for this story, my "editor" hasn’t looked at it yet, so blame all of the spelling and grammar mistakes on her! (lol Amanda!). Well, here it goes…and PLEASE review!

The fourteenth of September, in the year 117 O.T.

Dear Aslynne,

You wouldn’t believe what I just said, what I just did. It is awful, I can remember each little syllable I spoke. Each clumsy movement. I wish I could just forget about it. But I can’t.

This morning, I was so happy. Father was going to present me to the Royal Court. I woke up really early and woke up Ninnia too. Father had brought me the nicest clothing possible, with the help of Ninnia. I had a deep red tunic, with a cream undercoat, embroidered with golden thread. It was splendid, perfectly fit for a thirteen-year-old girl of a not-so-wealthy noble family, going to court for the first time. Even my shoes were cream and gold. My veil was silky cream, brocaded beautifully. I was ready before sunrise. I sprayed some perfume on and walked downstairs to greet Father.

"Good day, Cosette." Said Father, all of a sudden acting noble, so unlike the Father I knew, who at home would walk around in a simple white tunic, singing a song that he heard the stable boy singing, including all the vulgar words that a noblewomen shouldn’t hear. I had had a very different childhood then most girls my age. But then again, most noble girls had a mother to care for them, and teach them proper behavior. I only had Ninnia, my Mother’s old servant. It did not help that I had to care for my three other sisters, Allysia, Arva and Cybellé. Despite the fact, Father had decided to present me to court, anyway, just like any other girl of a noble standing would do. Father had hired a tutor for me, Da Gran Cyrah A Bythemlen. She was a rich old women, but not nearly frail and I was punished many a time for my insolent mouth and unnoble-like behavior. I was very good at unnoble-like behavior. After all, I had grown up as stable boys as my friends, and I could nearly beat them at many things, including fighting and archery. Da Gran did not like that I had those talents, and forbid me to practice them (especially fighting), but I did so anyway. I think Dan Gran hated me! She was a stickler for perfection and I spent many days sitting in my room on a backboard, learning how to perfectly embroider a tablecloth or how to spin all skills I had not been taught in my childhood. I learned the correct greeting for all social classes and over one hundred different ways to curtsy. Ballroom dancing was next. Once I had learned the art of shopping, she tested me by bring me into the marketplace. There I had to buy food for the household (arguing with the merchant, yet not going out of station, took six days), and I had to find the prefect gift for the "Prince" I knew. Did you know that there is a special way to put honey in your tea? There is the proper way to do everything and Da Gran (tried!) to teach me it all. I learned how to play the piano and how to talk to my elders. I learned how to run a household and chastise maids. For a whole year, I was under Da Gran’s tutorage and I hated every moment of it. Yet, I was also thankful that my father wasted his purse in my preparation of being presented at court. After all, I did not want to make a fool of myself in front of the entire Royal Court and Da Gran had helped me be ready. This September, Da Gran had said I was ready. I felt ready. I had perfected (almost) the skills of being a noblewomen.

"Good Morning, My Father." Said I and curtsied perfectly, my ankles not even wobbling.

"My daughter." He said, lifting up my chin to look into his hazel eyes. "You are beautiful." He said, before letting his mask off. If I had not held my hands out, I would I swore (Another skill I had learned from the stable boys, and Da Gran punished me) that he would have picked me up and swirled me around.

"Father, my dress. I do not want it to get crumpled." I said and smiled.

"Yes!" He cried. "My little girl, all grown up!" He said, his face beaming.

Later that day, we got into our fancy carriage, with two horses, The Duke and Duchess, pure white horses, leading the way. My nerves were on high as we climbed the hill to the royal palace in the distance. Now I know that you have been to the palace before, but I hadn’t. I had always looked at it atop the roof of Father’s apartment, it’s silhouette brightening the sky. Previously a thick stoned walled fortress, the Castle of Royn De Juile, now was one of the most elegant buildings in the entire of kingdom of Harren. Father escorted me inside the building. It was beautiful! Marble floors, draperies of cherubs and knights and mystical creatures. I got a headache from the wonders. Father lead me to a small waiting room, full of chairs and the floors lined with exotic carpets. There were other girls there, too, waiting to be presented at court.

That’s when my problem began. Their dresses were made of silk and satin. Mine was cotton. Their shoes had heels, making them inches taller. I was barely as tall as the sapling tree in the courtyard, and my shoes flatter than the floor I stood on. They had pearls and diamonds and other gems glistening from their neck and wrist and fingers. I had nothing of the sort. Their hair was pulled back in the latest trends, with combs of gold and ruby shinning. I had placed a single lily-of-the-valley in my hair, which I had seen on our way to the palace. My hair was only pulled back in a bun, tresses of my curls already falling out. I had always known that I was not from one of the riches families in the kingdom. I knew that. But how would I ever get noticed at court when I was so plain, compared to the other girls? I was the common pigeon, while they were a peacock. I began to feel faint, and my head heated up. I sat down in a chair, only to stand and pace the next. I wished that Father was there, with me, but he was in the crowd, waiting to see me, and the other girls presented to the King and Queen and the rest of the royal family. I was a-jitter. Then they called my name. I hadn’t noticed, but one by one, the other girls had been called and left the room. It was my turn. I took a deep breath, and prayed to the Gods that I wouldn’t faint. I should have prayed that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.

The serving man lead my to the chamber outside the thrown room.

"All set?" He asked. I nodded, although I only felt like running away. He opened the door. I stumbled backwards for a moment, seeing King Edward and Queen Evelien sitting peacefully on the dais, hundreds of steps away. Below them, sat all five of their children. Margot, Cora, Darien, Eron and Emberlynn. I had memorized their names, for I knew the Queen tested the girls presented to court and I didn’t want to mess up on the names of the royal family. To both sides of the royal family was a large crowd, made up of nobles. I saw my Father and smiled ever so slightly. I began to walk forward. It seemed like an eternity, and I felt every eye in the room watching my every movement. Sweat, sneaking like a snake, slithered down my forehead, wetting the ends of my hair that had fallen out of the bun. I stumbled, when the hem of my dress got caught on my shoe. I began to panic, wishing I had a way out of all of this. I didn’t. So I went forward.

Twenty feet from her majesties, I was supposed to curtsy. I felt too weak. So I stood there. Waiting. And waiting. When the King finally realized that I wasn’t going to curtsy he exclaimed.

"Do you think yourself better, Mistress, than the ruling family of your country?" The eldest prince snickered. I shot him a deadly glance, before answering King Edward.

"No, my lord, I don’t." I managed to say, looking directly into his dark eyes. I stood there again, in silence.

"Well, girl, aren’t you going to curtsy?" The Queen asked finally in a mocking tone.

I wanted to say "no". No! I wouldn’t curtsy. I couldn’t. I felt so awful, so weak, so scared. I nodded and did my best to curtsy. My ankles wobbled, as I sunk into a pitifully low curtsy, the proper one for the royal family. I tried to balance myself, but was unable. I felt to the floor, my bottom hitting the stone floor with a thud. My hair fell out of the bun, the lily was left on the ground. The prince, Darien was his name, snickered again. I looked at him, angrily, about to cry.

With all the courage I could muster, I stood up, flattening my gown and looked at the Queen, waiting for her to test me. I waited. And waited. The crowd was silent. It did not come.

"My lady?" A whisper came out of my mouth. "My lady?" I said, louder that time.

"Yes?" She said, in an I-am-holier-than-thou tone, which stuck me as odd, for she was the Queen that I had adored and respected.

"Aren’t you going to ask me some questions?" I asked politely, feeling slightly better. The Queen smiled, and it was not kindly. It was animosity.

"Yes, my dear." She smiled at me again. "Of course! My old mind wonders sometimes." She paused for a moment, making me think she had forgotten me again. "Oh, yes. Child, what is your name?"

My name? Why did she want to know my name? The herald had already announced it just moments before, although it felt like ages ago. Nevertheless, I replied, "Cosette of Barrie, daughter of Lord Richard, governing the land of Barrie and heir of Rockland." I said, perfectly reciting the titles.

"Let that be remembered by you all." Said the Queen, talking to the audience. "This unworthy girl, Cosette has humiliated herself and the Barrie family, she is unworthy to be at court. Therefore, any member of the Barrie Family is forbidden at court during the rule of my lord, King Edward." She announced and nodded her head, giving my leave. When I turned around, she added. "Oh, Cosette. I don’t expect to see you at the dinner or the dance." A dinner and dance were supposed to be part of a girls’ presentation to the court. I had been uninvited. It took all my willpower to go through a side entrance to the gardens. I sat down on the bench and cried. Cried I did. I had made a fool of myself! My family! I couldn’t ever go to court again. My father couldn’t, either. Even worse, was the fact that my little sisters couldn’t be presented at court. They would never be able to have the life that noblewomen should have. My family was out of favor with the royal family because of me! Me! I cried, a lot.

In between a break between the heavy sobs of my weeping, I heard someone moving in the garden. Looking up, I saw a handsome dark-haired boy, slightly older than me. When he saw me, he exclaimed happily.

"I have been looking for you!" Surprised, I said nothing. He came toward me and was holding something in his hand. "Here!" He said and placed a lily, the lily that had been in my hair, onto my lap. "Here!" He cried again, snickering. "This is what you call a hair-ornament, you wretch of a girl. You act worse than my serving girls, and your clothing is worse than there’s!" He taunted, and I now recognized him. He was Darien, the Crown Prince of Harren, who had laughed at me during my presentation. He was a fool. I had anger welled up inside of me, and he had not helped one bit. My gloved hand flexed once, before slapping his tanned face.

"I hate you!" I cried. "I hate you and your family!" I ran away. He stood there, stunned.

Aslynne, can you believe it? What I have done today? First, I humiliate myself in front of all the important nobles and the royal family. Then, I prevented my sisters from ever going to court and having the life of a proper noblewoman. Then, I slapped the Crown Prince! I can’t believe it! I can’t believe it. It has been such an awful day. Father, he tried to act happy on our ride home. He said "Everyone makes mistakes and it will be all right." But I know better. He was disappointed. I could tell when he came back late tonight from the tavern, incredibly drunk. I feel awful, Aslynne. The lives of my family and I are ruined forever.

Cosette