"Oh, Calista! Oh my goodness! You're finally awake!" Says the lady next to me.

I groan. "Umm. Who are you?"

"Oh goodness. The doctor did say you would have trouble... remembering..." she says shaking her head, "I am your mother!"

"Oh.."

"Here you have to clean yourself." She starts to help me out of bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My...what is this considered? Auburn hair... strawberry blonde?  Ok.. a light red. My light red hair is damp and soaking my shirt. I look in the mirror having no recollection of ever seeing this face. My now deep blue eyes stare at me. Wait the woman before ... she looks nothing like me! I mean I look nothing like her! Her hair was black and with deep chocolate eyes. Once I finish I walk out, with a light blue dress waiting for me on the bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The house is quiet. The silent type. Where there's no one and there's no noise at all. I peek my head through the kitchen door, to find a plate of food. I gobble it up in starvation. Magically another plate appears, I'm to full to even bother. As I continue to explore the house I find that it is actually not a small house but a very very big one. 

I hear a creak behind me. I swirl around. There's a tiny beige cat peering at me. I turn around deciding it's not worth my time. 

I find a door, that leads to a garden. The garden is... not very garden like. Everything seems very unkept. As if not to be touched for years on. I walk over to the only thing that seems to be preserved in some kind of good shape, a fountain. The fountain has not water in it what so ever but it seems magical.. if-

"Hello." My thoughts are interrupted. I turn around, swearing that I remember that I saw no one around here. 

It's.. the cat.

"How are you?" Says the little beige cat. 

I open my mouth horrified I'd say something to offend the cat. I close my mouth.

"You know the normal thing to do in your new body is to pretend you know me,ok?"

"I- uh.. oh."

"Anyways, I was sent to come fetch you like some dog. Your mother, the lady with the black hair, has asked you to come immediately. So hurry along." Waving a paw at me urgently I walk cautiously over to the cat.

"Oh come on! I am not going to murder you with my fluffiness!"

I roll my eyes. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My mother is sitting in front of the Fire. Her eyes closed. I don't know if I would startle her if I say something. 

"Oh, Calista." She says suddenly, eyes still closed. "How can I explain?" She opens her eyes to peer into mine. She pats the seat next to her. I obey. 

"You see... our kingdom- Clemont is... you see not... we don't have many allies okay? So one day the kingdoms around us.. they attacked.. and many... people were killed or kidnapped.. mostly women. So when the crown prince... the crown prince needs a wife. With the lack of women, that is hard. So the king, King Devan the III, has invited every.. eligible girl to the castle for some kind of ga- contest for the princes hand..us being of the higher class we were chosen first so..." she lost words.

"Mother, that doesn't sound bad at all! Why the tears?" As if she suddenly realized she was crying, she wipes them away. "The castle is very dangerous, Calista... there... many attacks... rumors that it will be attacked. Especially at a valuable time like this where a lot of people will be gathered." She wipes shot away. "Calista, honey. I don't want to put you in danger! Your illne- you just lost your memory."

"Mom what's this illness you keep not telling me about?"

"It's nothing! Your cur-" she covers her head with her hands. "Calista... please another day.."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 The room they gave me is.. extravagant, it is gorgeous. Not fit for someone like me. My closet is empty. My bed, wonderfully made. The dresser drawers are all empty. And the bath tub, big enough to be a pool. There's also a balcony, but it's locked, and I can't move the curtains to reveal the outside either. This doesn't feel like home, but honestly I don't know where home is..- Suddenly I feel tired. Like I haven't rested for days. I tumble over to the bed. I fight to stay conscious but in the end, sleep wins.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When I wake up, it seems all of a sudden, like a force pulling me awake. I look around not seeing anything new, so I just go to the bathroom, where there is a towel and a toothbrush with toothpaste waiting for me. 

When I walk out of the bathroom I find an outfit on the dresser with a note. My eyes narrow. Is this sorcery? They better not be kidding with me. I look in the closet suspicious, but I find nothing. I eye the outfit and put it on. The white dress fits perfectly on me. Simple and plain but still beautiful. It's skirt trails all the way to my toes, allowing me to walk freely with out pulling it up. The waist of the skirt hasthat hang lose. There's also a little daisy crown. I plop it on my head. Surprisingly it fits nice and snug as well. I plop down on the seat in front of the dresser to read the note.

Calista Maureen Eberly is wanted at the throne room in 5 minutes.

As if magical the 5 turns into a 4, telling me there is four minutes left. This magic trick doesn't shock me no more. I look at the mirror, not to find my messy bed ragged hair anymore. It seems my hair has been combed. And someone or something, not sure at this point anymore, has curled it and applied some lip tint on me. Odd. But honestly ever since I've woken up things have been odd. I look down at the paper, '1 MINUTE!', it practically screams at me. I rush out the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Already 2 minutes late, I open the throne room door, everyone turns to stare at me. Not sure what to do. I pause at the door.  The door, seeming to have its own mind, starts to close. I flinch and move out of its way. 

"Ahh. Here's the daisy. One way to make yourself even more noticeable huh?" I look up the king? Is speaking to me. 

Pulling myself together I curtsy, somehow not embarrassing myself more. "So sorry, your Majesty." I say as sincerely as possible.

"No worries, take a seat." He says quite causally.

I look over, ah, yes everyone is seated, except me. Then I look closely again. Everyone's in seats toghether. Blond girls with rose crowns sit together. Across from them, the dark and black haired girls with Lilly crowns sit  together  .  The brunettes with their lavender crowns sit . I with my silly daisy crown and my stupid red hair sit by myself. Not only being late.. but now sitting by myself.