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“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who loved to dance. She spun circles around the other maidens her age, and each treated her with spite and contempt, for they were jealous of her skill. Soon, the only place she could dance with no hateful stares was her own bedroom.
“Then, one night, as she twirled around the stones in her room, she realised with joy that they lit up. So, the Princess danced from one stone to the next, and on the twelfth one she twirled three times…and a secret door opened!
“She walked through a golden light to a magic land, with trees of silver and gold, and flowers decorated with jewels. Across the shimmering lake was a gold pavilion. The Princess danced and danced to her heart’s content. Here, she was happy. Here, she could be free.
“She wanted to stay forever, but alas, it could not be. For, after the third night, the Princess found she could no longer return. She was heartbroken…
“…until, she realised she had brought back some of the magic with her! It was hers to keep…
“…forever.” The Queen Isabella smiled down at her eldest daughter, Ashlyn, who had just turned five that day. “What do you think of the story, my darling?”
Ashlyn frowned, like any other toddler did. “It…was sad, mother. Why couldn’t the Princess go back? It’s just not fair.”
“I’m afraid life can be unfair sometimes. But if you always keep a strong and faithful heart, then you’ll find you can never go astray. Do you understand?”
Ashlyn nodded with as much understanding as she could manage. From such a young age she knew she was to be Queen one day, and that it was a heavy burden to bear.
Queen Isabella opened her arms and Ashlyn climbed into them, the two settling under the covers of the king size bed. Ashlyn’s mother sighed under the weight of her growing stomach, although she knew it was nothing she couldn’t handle.
“Do you think it will be another girl, mother?” her daughter asked
“You know what? I think it will!” Isabella laughed, a sound that tinkled like fairy bells. “Although I bet your father is praying for a boy.”
Ashlyn giggled. Six girls was certainly a lot. She wondered how it would be with a seventh.
“What do you think we should name her? Georgina?”
“No…”
“Alright…perhaps, Gretel?”
“Like the little girl in Courtney’s fairytale book?”
“Oh, I suppose you’re right…we couldn’t have a Gretel with no Hansel.”
The two sat for a moment in deep thought, before Ashlyn spoke up by saying, “I like the name ‘Genevieve.’”
The Queen clapped her hands together joyously. “Oh, my darling, that’s perfect! You really are good at this, aren’t you? ‘Genevieve’…it’s perfect! That will be your new sisters name, okay?”
“Okay, Mum.”
~
“Mother…?” The now 17-year old Ashlyn stepped into the Queen’s chambers tentatively. She paled at the very sight of her. The Queen was no longer the ball of light that all knew her to be. She looked…weak and tired. Her skin was as white as a ghost and her hands trembled as she invited her eldest daughter in.
“Ashlyn…come, come…let’s think of names for the triplets, why don’t we?” The Queen smiled with as much strength as she could, doing her best to keep up the facade. Ashlyn felt a tear fall down her cheek as she approached the bed. It just wasn’t right. After all these years, her Mother had never faltered, had never struggled. But these triplets were really taking it out of her.
Ashlyn wouldn’t allow herself to think of what could happen when they were born. The strain, the pain…the great effort it took..
“Mother…you should be resting…”
“No, no. Not yet. Please, Ashlyn…please humour me. Just like we always do, yes? Come on, what should we name the eldest? I’ve always liked Jasmine, you know. Or Janessa.”
“Uh…Janessa. That’s a lovely name, Mother, now please would you get some-“
“Ashlyn, sweetheart, we still have two to go! What about the middle triplet? We need a ‘K’.
Ashlyn sat at her mothers side, the tears slowly tracking down her face.
“Katherine, perhaps?”
“Oh yes! Kathleen! It’s perfect.”
“Uh…yes, Kathleen. Of course.” Ashlyn ignored the mistake and took her mothers hand gently in her own. It seemed so cold, like…like she was almost gone.
“Now, Ashlyn…the youngest.”
Ashlyn held back a choking sob. It was hard to believe there was going to BE a youngest. There was always one more sister, it’s just how it worked…but after the triplets came, there may never be anymore.
‘This…this will be the most important one, you know?” The Queen murmured, her eyes fluttering gently. “She must have a special name. Something beautiful. Go on, Ashlyn, you pick it.”
“But…”
“Oh please, I insist. Go on, my darling.”
Ashlyn let the tears flow freely now, and she sobbed loudly. Her mothers trembling hand lifted to wipe the tears away, but it fell limp on the bed, the effort being too much. Ashlyn curled up by her mothers side and cried harder than she ever had. Weeks of her sisters asking when their mother would be back, weeks of trying to hide the truth of how bad her condition was finally flooded out. Isabella put a hand on her daughters shaking shoulders and cooed softly.
“Please don’t go…please don’t leave.” She cried out, throwing her arms around her mothers neck. The Queen smiled softly and with a finger tilted her daughters chin upwards.
“You will make a fine Queen one day, my dearest. Not only because you are the bravest and kindest girl, but because you will have eleven siblings to back you up. Promise me…promise you will always care for and protect you sisters. Make sure they live good lives. Keep music and dance in your souls always.”
“We will…I promise.”
“Please take good care of your father too, my dear. Do not let his heart turn grey.”
“I promise, Mother.”
“Very well. Now…what shall we name the youngest?”
~
“Your Highness?”
Ashlyn jerked as she was pulled back from her memories to the present. In her arms was a tiny baby, sleeping soundly. Janessa had been so quiet this whole time, it was almost worrying. But the Nurse had assured her she was in good health.
“My apologies…what did you say?” She asked the Nurse, whom she hadn’t heard walk in. She was holding a birth certificate.
“She asked you what we were naming the youngest.” Blair spoke up, from where she was holding tiny baby Kathleen. The second-eldest looked exhausted, but still held the baby tightly in her arms.
Ashlyn looked down at the youngest triplet swaddled in Courtney’s arms. Small tufts of blonde hair fell over her forehead. She tentatively glanced up at the door to the other room, where there had previously been cries of pain. Now, only the wracked sobs of her father could be heard from inside that sad, sad room.
Ashlyn summed up all her strength, holding closer in her arms tiny Janessa.
“Lacey. Her name is to be Lacey.”