The day of departure comes quickly

The shock and suspicion of their parents is quickly overcome by the realization that this the opportunity of all opportunities for their girls. After a lifetime of hardship, favor was finally smiling on their adoptive daughters.

The two weeks of preparation flew by, and at last the day came for the girls to depart on their journey.

“I feel as if I am leaving home for good,” confided Tam.

“I know how you feel,” said Dunea, helping her secure the last of her bags onto the carriage. “I know we will be back here in just a few days, and while I will be glad to be back home with my family, it will seem like an incredible let-down to return to our ordinary lives.”

“Do you think we will? After all, someone has a reason to send us the invitations. What if this is all to be the start of our new lives?” asked Tam.

“I try not to think about that too much,” answered Dunea. “I don’t know how I feel about it, and I don’t want to get my hopes up — or worry too much.”

Tam takes her friends hands in her own. “Whatever the future holds, we’ll face it together.”

The girls had been so busy with their preparations that they had yet to talk about that moment at the dance, when they looked in each other’s eyes. Several times each started to say something to the other, only to stop at the last second. Now, two weeks later, they both began to wonder if it really happened, and if it did, what it might mean for them.

Their driver helped them put the last of their bags in the carriage. With the money given to them, there was enough for the girls to hire a driver and carriage to take them to Central City. Their parents were initially concerned about allowing them to go all that way by themselves, but finally relented.

The girls gave tearful goodbyes to their families, and as they boarded the carriage for their adventure, Dunea found herself looking around, half-expecting to see Caeden. Tam sensed her friend’s thoughts and squeezed her hand. “I’m sure he would be here if he could.”

The carriage wheels begin to roll, and the girls take one last look at their families as they wave. Then, with excitement and apprehension, they set their eyes forward, taking it all in.

“What if I say something stupid at the Festival — or don’t know what to say at all?” asks Dunea. “I’ll probably be the only Drow there; you would be better off going by yourself, and —“

Tam places a finger on Dunea’s lips. “That’s enough of that kind of talk. Someone thinks we are both worthy of this high honor, and you’re not going to talk yourself out of a chance to be a princess — if only for one night.”

Dunea opens her mouth to respond, when the carriage suddenly stops. The girls look to see what is going on. The only thing on the road in front of them is a horse with a lone rider. The rider’s appearance is blocked by a large cloak.

“What is happening?” Tam asks their driver.

“Just a change of drivers, Ma’am,” comes the reply as he dismounts and approaches the horseman.

“Change of drivers?” exclaims Dunea. “Do you know anything about that?”

Tam’s face answers that question as she looks questioningly out the window. The rider of the horse dismounts, exchanges a few words with the carriage driver, and then produces a small bag from somewhere within the cloak. They shake hands, and the carriage driver mounts the horse and rides off.

The girls exchange looks of confusion and fear as the cloaked figure approaches the carriage.