Her guest room was beautiful. Soft blues and creams. 2851 felt out of place.

After a fitful night’s sleep, a new bed no matter how soft and luxurious was still something to get used to.

She rose with the sun, patting her egg beside her before tucking the blankets around it and getting out of bed to do her stretches and practice her abilities.

A knock at the guest room door had her opening it to nearly be run over with activity. Several maids and the Lady Arud swept into the room carting a rolling rack behind filled with an array of clothes ranging from soft blues to dark indigos, creams to silvers.

“Ah, you are awake. Excellent.” Lady Arud clapped her hands and the maids stood straight at attention awaiting her next order. “Let's get the young maiden ready for the day, shall we?”

The maids closed in taking 2851 by each arm and led her into an adjourning room. With their encouragement, she took off her clothes after they’d filled the basin tub with steaming water. She winced stepping inside and curling her knees toward her chest.

“Let them do their work, little one.”

2851 didn’t remember ever being called such, but a warm sort of feeling spread through her limbs.

When she got out of the warm bath after she was attended to by the maids. They helped dry her hair and body, before ushering her back into the main bedroom. It was then she noticed the different dresses were different sizes when Lady Arud held up a dress to her under-clothed body before finding one that brought a smile to both their faces.

Puffed sky blue sleeves with lace boarding the edges of the elbow length sleeves, threw rows of blue bows decorated the front with ruching around the collar, and a pleated skirt in stripes of cream and blue with an over-skirt that brushed the ground ever so slightly after 2851 put it on.

“It’s too pretty.”

“It is fitting.” Lady Arud tilted 2851’s chin up, “You are deserving, dear one.”

After 2851 was dressed in a dress that felt soft and swishy. Something so different from what she’d warn in the past a smile alighted her features.

“Come along, we have much to do today.”

2851 followed Lady Arud who brought her to the dining room but they were the only ones there.

“Today I shall teach you how to dine like a lady.”

Lady Arud was strict but never failed to offer compliments when 2851 accomplished the tasks she was set ahead to do. Although there were so many rules to follow just to eat, 2851 still enjoyed the food. It was something to be enjoyed something she hadn’t known was possible having lived mostly off rations that came in tightly wrapped silver packages since before she could remember.

In the afternoon they were joined by Mireille Arud, the elder daughter of Lady Arud. Mireille was to debut among the nobility in the next coming months and 2851 couldn’t help but wonder at how she also seemed to float across the floor with every step she made. She wondered if she would move like that one day.

She hadn’t even realized she had spoken aloud when Lady Arud answered, “One day you shall.”

The confidence the lady had in her warmed 2851 from within.

At lunch and dinner, the Baron was jovial like the first time she met him. Always respectful of her space but always polite. 2851 slowly began to believe living in the Barony’s estate might not be bad after all.

One night on the eve of when she would tell the Baron of her decision to stay or go, she turned to ALICE like she always had since she was young.

‘ALICE what do you think?’

[YOU WILL BE WELL MAINTAINED AT THIS LOCATION.]

‘Will I reach my purpose here? Will I be useful?’

[YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LIVES OF THOSE OF THE BARONY ONE DAY. THEY WOULD BE GLAD OF YOUR DECISION.]

‘Yes, I suppose. Will I be able to find my happily ever after?’

The story ALICE had told her had lingered in her mind. The story of the lady who would later become Empress of this world.

[IF NOT, IT WILL TRULY BE A NEW EXPERIENCE.]

‘A new experience.’ 2851 curled around her egg. Perhaps that would be worth the dive into such a new life.

The Baron grinned as 2851 stood before him the following morning.

“You’ve made your decision.”

“I would like to stay.”

“Wonderful. First things first, we must give you a name.”

Her eyes widened, she knew that it would come if she chose to stay but him saying it made it all the more real.

“A name.” Her vision blurred.

“Oh, you are crying.”

“Crying?” 2851 touched her cheeks and realized her eyes were leaking, she sniffled. Leaking was never allowed in her past. Leaking led to being weak, and weak ones didn’t survive. But once she started she couldn’t stop, a stuffy feeling clouded her chest and a choked sound came from her throat. Her sobs drowned out the sounds of the door being knocked on and opening but the hurried steps and the arms surrounding her holding her tightly to them were not lost.

The smell of something flowery like the gardens of the estate flooded 2851’s system.

“What did you say to make her cry so?” Lady Arud’s voice chided the Baron from above 2851’s head.

“I only told her we’d give her a name.”

Hands on her cheeks had 2851 gazing down into sunset eyes as Lady Arud knelt before her.

“What’s wrong, dear one?”

“I…” 2851 swallowed and rubbed her wet cheeks clearing her throat that felt clogged. “I never thought I’d get a name.”

Through the parting of her fingers while her hands covered her face she saw Lady Arud and the Baron pass each other concerned looks.

A clearing of a throat was heard before a heavy hand pet the top of her head before lifting away and she felt someone kneel to her side by Lady Arud.

“Would you like to choose your name?”

2851 swallowed and her hands fell from her features, her gaze fixed upon the ice blue of the Baron’s. “Could we pick it together?”

The name they ended up picking was Rhea, meaning “stream”.

The Baron pat her head as she looked at her name written in the Ipheion family registry. The Aruds and the Baron standing around the room as the event took place.

“Let this small stream become a raging river one day.” The Baron exclaimed.

“Well, perhaps not raging.” Alden Arud spoke with a smile.

While 2851 looked down at the name and smiled,
‘ALICE I have a name. I’m no longer 2851. I am Rhea Ipheion!’

[A NEW NAME FOR A NEW BEGINNING, WELL FITTING, RHEA.]