I watched as my father cut through the red ribbon that surrounded
the library. The library was a tall stone structure with two large pillars
around the entrance way. A small set of stairs led to the big oak door.
When opened the library looked alive, people crawling over books and
reaching high to get books on shelves half their size. This library held so
much knowledge just waiting to be learned.

\u201cThis library is for all who will enjoy it. Treat it as you will but
enjoy it as it is.\u201d The crowd cheered at his words. Thousands of men and
women, and children gathered around us as my father, also known as
the king of Crystal Lake, and I stood and watched the happy people.

A smile appeared on my fathers face as his eyes scanned the
crowd, my father was a tall man. He had a small stomach but not
enough to be noticed when he stood the way he did now. He never wore
his fancy red cape that the seamstresses made him. It was made with
blue velvet fabric the rarest of kind, but no one ever pushed him to wear
it, except for me.

His hair was cut short above his ears and longer at the top of his
head. It was grey in the back and edged forward \u2018til it reached around his
face. It wasn\u2019t thick on his lip and chin like so many others you see. It
was cut short but still showed nicely.

\u201cEnjoy the festival!\u201d With that he took my hand and walked me to
the carriage. I scrambled to the corner of the carriage, my favorite spot in
the small moving space. My father sat across from me as the carriage
jolted forward. My father leaned forward and placed his hands to his
temples.

\u201cI am fine my dearest. No worries please, I get enough of that from
your mother. I just have a lot on my mind.\u201d There was a knock on the
carriage door as my father sat up straight and the door swung open.
Titanious Marious Metacom stuck his head through the opening. He was
a shorter man and a little fat around the belly. His brown hair covered
his entire head but shortened at his forehead and the base of his neck.
His head was a little too big for his body, but people, like my father,
admired him for it. It made him seem smart in a way, but I knew better.

\u201cSplendid! The people love the new library. It is a wonderful
addition to the east town, and it also lets the people mix a little.\u201d My
father looked out the window as I watched Titanious. He looked at my
father with a disgusted look on his face, the same look he gave the

common people or commoners as he so rudely put it. His attention
switched to me, as if he just noticed I was in the same carriage.
Something glinted in his eyes that I didn\u2019t recognize but it scared me just
as much.

like a lady more often.\u201d A creepy grin appeared on his face.
\u201cAye you really think so?\u201d
\u201cAye, I do.\u201d
\u201cAnd you should dress like the few slime balls that roam around

the streets because that\u2019s the only place you will fit around here if you keep looking at me that way.\u201d I broke eye contact with him and looked out the window as my father and Titanious glanced at each other.

\u201cAye that she does.\u201d He continued to stare at me with surprise and
anger filling his eyes. If we were alone he probably would have raised his
hand to me, but thankfully we were not. I would pay for my behavior
later if he ever caught me alone, but now I wanted to enjoy the festival.

I watched the people as they crowded the streets and walked to the town square where the festival was being held. As we pulled up hundreds of people stood and watched as the carriage bounced and halted in the square. Titanious got out of the carriage and held his hand up for me as an announcer called my name and title.

\u201cLittle Lady Selida Kinsut.\u201d I hated the way they announced me.
The \u2018Little Lady\u2019 got on my nerves all the time. Why couldn\u2019t they just call
me Selida or something else. My concentration was broken when
Titanious gripped my hand tightly. He glared at me, eyes burning with
fury and that glint I had seen before. He led me down the stairs and bent
his head, his lips next to my ear. The crowd awed.

\u201cWe will finish that conversation later!\u201d His voice was a low harsh
whisper that sent chills down my spine. Terror flooded through my
bones, my anger and fear rose through my blood and came to the
surface.

\u201cNo, I\u2019ll tell you now. Leave me alone or there will be
consequences.\u201d I tugged my hand out of his grasp and finished my walk
to the podium by myself. I sat down as the people cheered while my
father emerged from the carriage. He walked slowly to the podium. When
he reached the top of the podium, he turned to the people and sat.

smiled at the crowed while talking through his teeth.
\u201cThat argument in the carriage.\u201d
\u201cArgument? I thought it was a little spat not an argument.\u201d
\u201cHe thought he offended me, after I snapped at him.\u201d My father

\u201cAye, father that was all.\u201d He continued to look at me, I turned
toward him. \u201cThat was all.\u201d I placed a reassuring hand on his. He then
smiled and looked back at the crowd.

\u201cYou made it this way, Father.\u201d A grin appeared on his face from
my words. We watched as the people danced, drank and played their
games. Later in the after noon father was to give his speech to ensure the
people that he was here to stay. He stood glanced at me as I nodded
approval, then he walked to the center of the square as people huddled
around to here his words. They loved him and so did I.

My mind left his face and his words as someone gripped my arm
and ripped me out of my chair and carried me behind the podium. I
struggled.

\u201cI told you before, I already finished it. Now go do what you\u2019re
supposed to.\u201d I walked by him but he stopped me by grabbing my arm. I
tried to tug my arm away from his grasp but he tightened it. \u201cWhat in the
hell!\u201d

grinned then inched his face closer to mine.
\u201cNot until we finish that conversation.\u201d
\u201cWe have finished wh-\u201d
\u201cNo we have not! So shut up!\u201d
\u201cTitanious Marious let me go now!\u201d I tried to push with my other

hand, to get his to let go. He looked at me astonished, I never called him
that Titanious Marious I found it utterly ridiculous to use his long name.
\u201cSelida!\u201d My fathers voice broke through the over excited crowd
and tension between me and Titanious. Titanious dropped my arm and

around the platform.
\u201cThere you are what seems to be the problem?\u201d
\u201cNothing sir. Selida wanted to leave by herself and I stopped her.\u201d I