Seven sisters (2010)- full story

(the story is not suitable for under the age of 12, potentially disturbing / depressing parts)
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CHAPTER I

 Ah, another day is over, I hardly managed to finish everything! However, I found time to go to the bookstore and bought a book that I intended to buy. As soon as I arrived home, I immediately started reading.

 The book was called ,,Princesses of the Floral Kingdom" and on her first page there were seven beautiful princesses. Their names were beautiful too: Seli, Beta, Ella, Sophie, Emily, Dafny and Leyla. Reading the book I realized that I was like the youngest sister, Princess Leyla, and I liked her light blue victorian-style dress, her long brown wavy hair and a light blue ribbon in her hair.

 I read till late evening, and then I fell asleep with the book in my hands.

 It was morning when I woke up on a big soft mattress covered with blue silk... Wait, this is not my room! This is Leyla's room, I read it yesterday in the story! There were more surprises - I wore a dress like her and my hair, instead of being connected in two braids, was let down and tied with a ribbon around my head.

 "Impossible" - I thought - "She's a character from a story, this can not be real!" Then I noticed Leyla in the mirror, who called me: "Hey, who are you? How did you get there?" Me: "I do not know ... This is like some magic, nothing is clear to me! How do I get home? ! " Leyla: "Slowly, do not panic, Dafny will help you. Anyway, I always wanted to see the real world. Now, you have to go downstairs so others don't suspect anything. You say this is your room? (She takes the book) Did you read it? " Me:" Yes, but I did not get to read it all. " Leyla: "Anyway, it'll be a guide to how my sisters and I behave. Do you have any advice for me?" I (confused): "Well... I have to go to school today and, I would say, that would be all. My social life is on an low level. " Leyla: "Great, then I'm going to get ready and you hurry up for a breakfast."

 Completly messed up, I got out of the room. I looked out of the window and was delighted with the beautiful garden that was in front of the castle. The colorful flowers opened their buds and the birds were twitting on the branches, while the big fountain babbled in the central part of the garden. I got down long stairs and then a kind woman followed me to the dining room where the king, queen and Leyla's sister were waiting for me. Queen: "You're late again, darling." Emily: "Classics. It took her two hours to wake up."

Emily is a "grumpy one"of the family although, at first glance, is the most tender princess with her pink dress with a big bow, long gloves, a bow in hair and jewelry. She has a blond, slightly curly hair of medium length. Personification of sarcasm , Emily does not miss the opportunity to complain about anything that bothered her, even if it was to someone's harm.

 Seli: "Let it go, everyone can sleep a bit more sometimes. That happened to me last week, remember?"

 Seli is the most optimistic and funniest sister. She wears a green dress with bretelles that are crossing each other at the front, has long black hair connected in a braid and loves her plants.

 Sophie: "It was nothing scary, I watered plants then, you would do the same for me. (Laughs) "

 Sophie is Seli's best friend and the closest sister, loves music and singing. She is dressed in a white dress, wears long white gloves, her hair is brown and straight.

 Beta: "Come on, sit next to Dafny and get a breakfast."
 
 Beta is the oldest sister. She has a huge collection of books in her library. She wears a red dress of wide sleeves and in her short black straight hair has a red ribbon.

 Dafny (to me): "We have to talk afterwards, it's important."

 Dafny is the sorceress and the most peaceful person in the castle. Her dress is purple, with a yellow belt around her waist and two stars above it. Her hair looks like a Leyla's but with purple ribbon. Unlike other sisters, Dafny also has purple cape falling down her back.

 After breakfast, we went out to the yard. I went to the tap to take a sip of water and then I noticed Ella sitting on the bench and drawing something. I wanted to come to her but Dafny stopped me with the words: "Let her go now, Doctor gave her the therapy and she is better at the moment. After what happened two days ago we had a little more control over her; she certainly wants a solitude now. "

 Ella is, regardless of being dressed in a dress of yellow and orange, which are the most cheerful of all colors, the princess who suffers from depression. Her long, blond hair falls over her hazel eyes that show the inner void that has breaking her inside. The king and the queen did not want to give up on her and send her to a harsh mental institution, but they left her in the castle with the control of the doctor. Ella likes to paint and at least a little easing her suffering. However, from time to time her condition is rapidly getting worse and then she tries to take her own life.

 Dafny looked at me as I drank water from the tap and said, "I have to find a way to get my sister back here." As soon as she said that, the last sip of water got stuck in my throat and I started to cough. After coughing ended I asked: "Which sister? They are all here ..." Dafny: "No, Leyla is not here, at least you know that." Me (surprised): "How did you find out? Am I so bad in this? Others have not discovered anything! " Dafny: "Calm down, you're good. I'm guilty of your exchange, so I know. Your copy of the book is the original, the one that belongs to us, and we have a copy set up. So I wanted to replace the books, not you and Leyla. Do not worry, I'll act to you like sister until this is resolved. "Me:" Okay, even Leyla said she wants to stay a bit in my world. " Dafny: "Okay, in that case I would like to welcome you here."

CHAPTER II

 During this time, Leyla's was at school. She spoke to some of whom I knew, with my classmates, and nobody suspected anything or noticed the difference. She saw some girls who were irritating me and she talked to them as if we were in good relations since forever. They, of course, got completly confused because of this move, but that was not me. I would never have done such a stupid thing.

 It was not even bad for me in her place- I was a princess, had wonderful sisters (except Emily who non-stop complains), they served me ... Both Leyla and I were seventeen. Through the mirrors we agreed to stay until one of us wants to go back to her world. There was not a hurry neither from my side, nor her

.

 Evening, I went outside in the garden, to take a walk. In front of the big fountain stood Ella. Me: "Hello ... What are you doing?" Ella (scared): "Nothing, really ... (gets nervous) I just ... walked. " Me: "Well, I'm glad that everything is fine. (I move from her and I see her still standing and looking at the water) Ella, do you want me to call someone else or ..." Ella (look at me) : "There is no need. I can do it by myself." I: "What can you do by yourself?" Ella: "Nothing. I'm going to sleep." (Breathe in and out) Tomorrow is a big day. " Me: "What is tomorrow, some birthday or celebration? ..." Ella (going away): "This castle will lose its the biggest mockery ( breathe in and out again). From tomorrow, happiness will prevail in this castle. " Me (confused): "All right ... Good night, Ella."

 It's time to sleep. I'm on that beautiful soft bed and then I slowly sink into a dream ... About eleven o'clock in the evening I heard a scream from the hallway. I went to see what was going on and the other sisters were hurrying to find something or someone. Beta (approaches me): "Did you see Ella?" Me: "I did near six o'clock PM ... "Sophie:" Did she mention anything? "Me:" She just said she was walking and she mentioned a celebration tomorrow ... Something about the happiness in this castle and that castle will get rid of the mockery ... I did not understand her. " Dafny (frightened): "She talked about herself! You should have told me right after it, Ella might kill herself!" Me: "Oh, I did not know ..." Beta (panic): "Where to look for ?! "Me:" She was next to that fountain in the yard when I saw her. " Seli: "Let's go there quickly!"

 Behind the fountain, the guard held the Ella in his arms, unconscious.Beta: "Oh, we're late!" Guard: "The princess is alive, but I barely brought her to life. She tried to drown in the fountain,luckily I went at the right time to get her out. " Seli: "Thanks to Heaven!" Sophie: "We must prevent this from happening again." Me: "Why did this happen to Ella? Did she have any problem before?" Dafny: "She became such when she was twelve years old, it just happened. Maybe she got broken by the optimism and the positive energy that is in the kingdom, I don't know. She just does not feel better, it's like this for years ... As much as she struggles with herself, she eventually loses it. She has almost died a several times and we got advisory on her. "

 The guard, who was new on duty, took the princess into the room. He put her in bed, silently crying for her. Beta (entering the room): "Is everything all right?" Guard: " Yes, breathing normalized ... I'm going now. (Going out)"

 In a few days it was suposed to organize a ball in the castle, so all the sisters did something: Sophie and Seli went to the tailors to take the dresses, Emily went for jewelery, Dafny went for food, Beta and Ella decorated the castle, and I will have to ... invite guests! But I do not know anyone! Yet, luckily, Dafny returned quickly and helped me.

We wrote invitations to some royal families, dukes, as well as some more wealthy people. We rejoiced when we finished , there were even a hundred of the guests! We sent them and waited for that day to come.

 Preparations for ball began at noon. To be able to put make up the way I'm used to I needed Leyla's help. Me (looking for Leyla in the mirror): "Hey, can you pull out a little black purse from the cabinet?" Leyla (takes it): "And what now?" Me: "Put it on the book." After she did that, the purse came to me. Me: "Thank you!"

 I put on a new blue glamorous dress, put jewelry on, made a bun and put a tiara on it. I'm wearing make-up with a shade of blue and silver and a lipstick with blackberry colour. Dafny (when I came out): "You look beautiful!" Me(seeing that she does not wear a formal dress): "Why did not you dress for a ball?" Dafny: "Do you think we have written as many invitations to the dukes, princes, and so on, in vain? We wrote invitations for wealthy families and many of them have young men for marriage. We are seven girls, so you can guess what is the cause of the ball."Me: "Marriage?!" I'm still young to marry! " Dafny: "Calm down, you're the last one on the list, you're still a minor. But I'm not. So I have to go, I do not want to lose the power that I've been developing for years because of the marriage." She went away from the castle and the rest of us went to the big hall.

 My "sisters" were also beautiful, but only Sophie and Seli were happy. Beta immediately, not interested in ball, took the book and read, Emily sat and occasionally said a sarcastic sentence, I leaned close to Beta and pretended not to notice the princes around us, Seli and Sophie danced and Ella sat down. She did not want to come to the ball, such festivities make her feel worse.

She walked out of the hall and went out, wanting to escape from all of those unknown faces.

 The guard stopped her,the one who saved her, he did not wear his uniform this time so she did not recognize him. Guard: "Where are you going, Princess? I can not let you go." Ella: "I have to leave before I do something bad ..." Guard: "Come on, I'll take you to a peaceful place. My name is Ed." Ella:" I am Ella. " Ed: "I know." (Going to the garden where music was quiet.) Is it good enough here? "Ella:" Yes, it's better. The music is quiet and calms me. I do not know you, but I will admit to you- I'm afraid of this. I'm afraid of this life, I'm scared of life in this castle ... I have the feeling that I'm just a burden to the king and the queen because of what I've become. I want to feel how it looks like to be free, not to be prisoned by these chains around my feet. " Ed: "A fragrant yellow flower radiates with its appearance even when it withers- it represents the sun, the source of life, and we need the sun even when it's hiding behind the clouds. The clouds can hide the sun, but it will shine and continue to shine till the end time. "Ella:" It's beautiful. Thank you for cheered me up a little. " Ed: "One of your smiles is worth more than all of the diamonds in the whole kingdom. Do you want to dance?" Ella: "Yes, I could stay here for a while."

 Seli danced all night and talked to a prince from a distant region, who was fascinated by her beautiful smile. I soon went into the room and fell asleep there, waiting for a new day.

Chapter III

 After a few days Emily went to her cousin Emmi ​​who acted similarly as her, that was the only person she was happy to be with. Emily covered her temper by wearing pink dresses and Emmi wore gray dresses because she loved gray. From the same ancestor they inherited the blonde color of the hair. Together they walked through the kingdom, attracting the attention of the young men who both of them always turned down.

 One morning, after breakfast, we went out to ride horses. At once, Ella's hazel eyes stared at the top of the fortress. She climbed down from the horse and began to climb up the stairs. We were afraid that she might go up to jump from the fortress , so we went after her.

Ella comes to the top, Ed was there. Ella: "You are the guard in our castle ?!" Ed: "I'm sorry, Princess, I did not want to disappoint you, I just wanted to cheer you up ... Since when I pulled you out of the water, since I first saw your beautiful face, I think of you ... "Ella:" No, I'm not disappointed, I'm just surprised. You saved me? (He nodded) Thank you. Several days ago, for the first time in my life, I felt alive while I was dancing with you (she came closer to him and embraced him) I thought I would never see you again. "

 We all remained in wonder and saw how Ella, who had tried to commit a suicide a few days ago, now huggs a man whom we have not seen before.

 Emily returned home to annoy us again,I mean, that ... Forget, I have nothing positive to add about her from this perspective.

 Seli's prince, John, came and proposed her! Meanwhile Ed also proposed Ella, so the king and the queen were thrilled with the development of the event and decided to hold another ball.

 This time our future brides did not have to work on the preparation of the ball, but they could come there if they wanted to. Emily was going for clothes, me for food, Sophie invited guests, Dafny decorated the room and Beta called the string quartet. Dafny was absent again. We had even more beautiful dresses covered with pearls and silver tiaras glittered on our heads.

That evening Beta found the prince of her life, his name was Von and he was decisitive to take Beta for a wife.

 Dafny came to me and said softly: "I did not want to worry you, but I have bad news. In our kingdom the law is that princesses of the ruling family must be engaged till the majority of the youngest daughter ... It brings problems both to you and me. Leyla is born two days before you, which means that you will have to switch with her quickly. "Me:" Wait, wait ... you're messing up with me, don't you? " Dafny: "Ask who you want. That law was brought three hundred years ago, but then there were other conditions ... After all, I do not want to marry, I want to become a fifth degree magician and that can only be achieved if I am not married. "Me:" I will ask the king to spare us. " Dafny: "Good luck, but I do not think he will accept it."

 The next day in the kingdom came prince who felt in love with Sophie during the ball,so he proposed her. The king refused my request with excuse that it was my duty and the obligation of the other princesses, so I began to worry and I asked Leyla to come back. She told me to stay a little longer, but she promised me she would fix everything and that I don't have to worry.

CHAPTER IV

 Daybreak. I could not sleep peacefully so I went out into the garden where Emily was before me. She was crying. I said, "Grumpy, what happened?" That "grumpy" accidentally got out from my mouth, but instead of insult , I got the answer: "For the first time in my life, I feel as I have no control over something. Such a terrible feeling, I do not know how Ella could handle this all these years. I want to get out of here, as far away from an unknown man they gonna bring me as my fiance ... I will not be someone's slave, I want my freedom! Leyla, you know I do not ask for help, but please help me. Please, help me!"

 All day this "Please, help me!" repeated in my head. Dafny said she had an idea that might succees and I went back to the mirror for Leyla. Me:"When will you come here?" Leyla: "Tomorrow night." Me: "Leyla, they will bring fiances tomorrow! There is no time!" Leyla: "But I need tomorrow's day!" Me (furiously): "I hope you know what you are doing."

 The next day, the whole family that remained in the castle, except Dafny, waited for the fiances in front of the castle. Dafny appeared from nowhere, made a cloud and said to me and Emily, "Come on, jump in, we have to go!" Me: "I have to stay to switch myself with ... you know already. " Emily: "What are you talking about?" Me: "Nothing ..." Dafny: "All right. Good luck!" (They leave before the King and the Queen's eyes)

 Although it was difficult for her to leave my world, Leyla was still responsible and agreed to switch bodies with me again. At midnight we took books, put them on mirrors and found ourselves in our bodies again. As much as I was worried about what was going on in my world, I still worried about her. How did she solve that thing?

 In her long blue dress she went down the high stairs in the hallway. It was unusual that all sisters left, it was so unusually quiet as if she was not in her house! King (coming): "Daughter, do not leave me too! All your sisters have gone, some to their fiancés and Emily and Dafny escaped yesterday! The queen and I will die, we can not bear this silence!" (Kneel before Leyla) Leyla (help him get up): "I'll bring them back on condition that you allow Emily and me to marry when and if we want to and that Dafny can stay single and continue to be a wizard." King: "Yes, we will change laws, we will arrange everything, just bring your sisters home!"

 She first brought Seli back (together with a fiancé) into the kingdom and then Sophie came after her. Beta came with pleasure and Ella barely agreed to come back. Leyla went to search for Dafny and Emily. She suggested they could be at a hidden place like a forest or a lake ... Lake. It is associated with a legend that the swans on it are actually wizards that at night take a human form and perform magic. They are surely there!

 On the blue surface of the lake white swans were swimming, only one was pinkish colors. ,,Emily!"-Leyla shouted to the swan. Swan turned into Emily. She could not believe that "grumpy" is no longer as much grumpy as before! Given that all the swans were far from them they could not find Dafny so they had to wait for the night. In the evening, one by one wizard appeared on the lake and then they saw Dafny, who immediately levitated up to them. Leyla told them that the king would accept their conditions and that they could return, which they gladly did that evening.

 Leyla was declared queen and everyone agreed with it. Near that castle six more castles were built in the colors of the princess: white, pink, green, purple, yellow and red, and the castle in which they lived before were painted in a light blue color and given to Leyla. They lived together harmoniously and happily ever after ... Wait, you have not heard what happened with me yet!

CHAPTER V  

 I got up from my less comfortable, but still good  bed. After preparing for school I went outside so my father would drop me down to school but there was another car, I would say it was worth as three of our old cars! If he didn't call me out of it I would think that only one of the neighbors parked badly. Me (to father): "From whom did you borrow this car?" He (laughs): "You told me to buy a ticket, that's still a discussion topic on my job ... Everyone wants you for a daughter,you are magnet for luck. " Me (confused): "Okay, I guess ..."

 Surprises were not over, even when I went to school- everyone greeted me, my friends praised my appearance (we are friends, but they didn't praise me before), and then, like a cream on a cake, the girls who were laughing at me were nice to me. Well, Leyla, I don't know what you did to these people, but it's getting a bit creepy.

 Since I was not here nearly a month, I looked at my grades. "You're kidding, you must be kidding, professor! If you did not mistakenly write all these fives* in my column?" - I asked with my eyes wide open. (in my country 5 is equal to A in America,4 is B and so go on) Professor: "Your progress is remarkable-you were the most active in classes, you did everything right on the tests was great on the classes ... I'm amazed."

 It was clear to me that the magic involved it's fingers in this, I just did not know how this would affect the later development of the event. Luckily, I was looking to justify the trust that others had in me and I realized that, in fact, I was the only one who can create my own reality. I kept the book about Floral Kingdom. The original was transferred to Leyla and the copy remained with me, which was the best, because it is never known who could go but me in their world. Still... I must admit that I miss Princesses.

 Two years later: I found a way to go to the kingdom, it was only necessary that someone from their world switch with me. This time, it was Emily. I made an indigo dress since Leyla told me to choose my own color, so I chose indigo as a shade of blue, and the princesses liked it very much.

 They offered me to be a princess but I refused, with the words that my world is too far from their and the title of the princess would not mean a lot here. I was an eighth sister, one of them, and it was even more worth than anything they gave me. I taught how to live with so many different people and to understand each one of them. It was an invaluable experience that is not forgotten, something that have very helped later and made me a better person.

P.S.: Leyla had a lot to explain to their sisters about me and what was happening in the meantime and I had to explain to my father that I was just an ordinary girl, not an incredibly lucky person and to explain to him that it actually was Leyla. But it doesn't matter, everything turned out fine!

End 16.2.2017. 15:15 afternoon (original completed on May 26, 2010, four days before graduation)
Suzana Ristic Suza
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Discussion

This is the first story (and, if you ask me, the last one) that I wrote for the third time. The second was fine, but some things could have been changed or improved. The idea for the story came from a single drawing on which were the princesses with the king and the queen, with Leyla (who had no name at that time, it was just the idea) that came to them late. The basic idea came to life even before, when I draw a sisters in front of the youngest sister, who was hurrying to arrive  and the shepherd watched her distantly and admired her. The final look and names of the princess were given in the third drawing - they were beautiful and I also asked for nice names for them. In the beginning Seli was Sali, and Ella was Eli, but In time the first option sounded better. You can see the similarities with "Year Seasons": The eldest sister wears a red dress and has black hair; -the youngest one is brunette and wears a blue dress; -the middle sister has blonde hair and a pink dress; The queen and king chooses husbands for daughters (here they organize ball and bring fiances for the three remaining daughters); in "YS" is the Golden, and here the Floral Kingdom; -the castles are built for all the princesses and they live in the same kingdom. This was not done intentionally, it simply happened to be similar 😮

I had a totally different idea for the story- at first narrator was not there, then I put it in the form of a character. I am a writer, but the narrator's image is not strictly done to represent me, she is just a character like everyone else.I am character in some later stories.

In all three combinations, even for the first time I wrote the story in just a few pages and stopped because it was not complete since the beginning (in the same notebook as the "Palace in the Desert", 2009), I had a scene with Ella. In the first version she was found outside the court and, after Emily's sarcastic sentence, she said that she was "crazy because she had to be up on sky long ago ..." (in our region, unfortunately, anyone who has a mental disorder or mood disorder is called crazy  and then I used that word unconscious that I already have a lot of symptoms of depression and anxiety and that I have to look for help until it's too late. I would really love that people know more about the mental health of the nation, to learn that it's not normal to only smile to cover problem and to believe it will get better just like that- such things can only get worse.) In the second part Ella was found near the river, without consciousness, but there were no suicide attempts. After one of the future stories where I had a conversation in the story with her I realized how important Ed was for her and her psyche, I added a bit of the part where they talked and where he was saving her from drowning. While writing the second version, I had a mild depression, but I was not aware of it because I thought it was normal and now I saw it what's wrong with her description because I've gone through this for years.

In the ,,Short Stories Collection" there is a story "The Hobby for Emily", in which there are some more information about the characters of this story. I would only regret that there are no more scenes with the princesses, I was afraid that this would made the story too confusing, but sometimes I like to leave "open" places for shorter scenes and dialogues, I do not like too much details if they do not already have a significant role in the story.

See you in the next story! 😊🤗