Sadie's POV

    I smiled and waved to the massive crowd, the Festival of Light was always my favorite day of the year. My mother and father rode horses ahead of me and the twins rode behind me. It was one of the few days that we, the royal family, could be among our people. It was also the anniversary of my parents first meeting. The Mandolines were my father's people and my mother's I knew little about. All she'd ever told me was that her and her cousin were from a faraway place, and they had accents to prove it. I'd made up my mind to press her for more details today, but that would have to wait until after the festival. My mother was hosting my coming out ball in a few days and I needed to know who I was.      England. That's what she had called the place she and Charlotte had come from. They'd fallen through a portal from another dimension. She'd told me all about her childhood an her early days in Mandolina. My only reaction was surprise. I could hardly picture my mother as a rebellious teenager in another dimension. I walked quickly down the hall to the dining room, already late to breakfast because I'd spent half the morning thinking.

    "Good morning Sadie," my father called from the end of the table. He was always stately, but loving and kind. King Stefan the Great was loved dearly by all.

    "Good morning father, everyone," I replied. I took a seat next to Quentin and helped myself to food.

    "Morning Sadie, get lost on your way here?" Quentin asked jokingly.

    I laughed, "No, I just slept late." Quentin was my cousin and best friend, he was a little over a year younger, but we'd always been close. This morning I was struck once again by his being a perfect combination of Uncle Mason and Aunt Emma. He had Aunt Emma's green eyes and Uncle Mason's face and stature, and their raven hair. Their dark hair sharply contrasted the auburn hair of my father, brother and I, and my mother and sisters bronze hair. Grandmother didn't often join us for breakfast, shed been growing more and more delicate as she aged.

    I elbowed Quentin and whispered, "Want to go riding today?"

    My mother had heard me, "Sadie, don't forget you have your final fitting for your ball gown today." I glanced sadly at Quentin who eyed me pityingly. Lena and Henry, the inseparable twins, were deep in conversation about their plans for the day, and I grew more and more jealous as I listened. I sat silently until we were finally excused.

    Quentin grabbed my arm as we exited the dining room, "Do you want me to read to you while you are fitted?"

    I beamed, "That is so kind Quentin, I'd love it!"

    "Great, I'll get a book from the library and meet you in your room." He sat down in my armchair just before I stepped out from the dressing curtain. The gown was beautiful, pale pink satin with a strapless heart-shaped neckline. It was skintight to my waist and then flared out gradualy until it reached the ground.

    Quentin gasped when he saw me and I blushed, "That terrible?" "No, of course not! You look beautiful dear cousin!"

    "Thank you," I replied as the seamstress helped me onto the platform in front of my large mirror.

    The seamstress set to work and after a few minutes I noticed my cousin still staring, "Quentin, aren't you going to read to me?" He stammered and quickly opened the novel that sat in his lap. Truthfully, I was pleased by his reaction, my breasts and hips had blossomed recently an I'd been feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. I stared intently at my reflection, I was sort of pretty. My auburn waves were elbow-length and my big chocolatey eyes and button nose were cute. I was slender, but with curves, just like my mother and my father always said I had the perfect height: average.