Lunch At The Orphanage

As they reached the doors Emma came bounding down the hallway leaping into her brothers arms as she giggles.

"Big brother it's raining outside, can we play in the rain?" her tone light and soft as she smiles up at them.

"Not right now, it's time for lunch." Alex explained tapping on her nose.

She giggled "Ok," as they giggled Diana began heading towards the shut window and opening it "I'll go get the horses somewhere dry so they don't get sick." She explained jumping through the opening just as she was shutting the window Alex called out. "There's a door you know." He teased as the window clicked shut.

"I'll prepare some spare clothes," Ms Rose informed them as she headed in the opposite direction.

"Emma you go ahead and eat I'm going to wait for Diana."

"Ok big brother," the young princess hopped into the dinnong room shitting the large chestnut door behind her.

With an amused smile still pulling at his lips the young prince walked towards the front door. Meanwhile outside where the wind was blowing ferociously the young girl runs as rain pours around her. Coming to a stop infront of two majestic horses of opposing shades one white as snow the other black as night.

"It's ok you two," Diana coaxes as she unties their reins "run to shelter nearby and wait until you hear us call."

As she speaks her final word the two majestic steeds galloped off into the trees. Diana's ashen grey top sticking to her, as her strands of her soaked silver hair stick to her face. Rain drops decorating her long, black eyelashes.

Turning around, she walked towards the orphanage door, it creaking open as she walks inside and closing it gently behind her.

"Ms Rose set out some spare clothes for you," Alex explained as they walk down the corridor the towel he draped around her shoulders keeping in a bit of warmth. "There just in there, we'll all be in the dining room." Before she could reply he turned on his heel and headed away from her.

The door shutting with a click behind her Diana peeled off her wet clothes and hung them up; as she unplatted her hair and dried it off. Drying off she reujusted the bands holding her daggers around her carf's.

Unfolding the orchid dress she pulled it on, it brushing just past her feet, the sleeves ending in V shapes just above her middle finger. The front having a v-neck that ends just before her chest, with thin white fur lacing the v and the bottom of the dress. Pulling it tight with the ribbon at the back before slipping into her violet heels making the dress just cover her feet.

Diana's long, silky, silver hair fluttering around her waste; as her piercing blue eyes scan her image in the nearby mirror. "It's a little big," she mused as she changed her belt over with a periwinkle one, sliding her swords onto each side as she tightened the clasp. Letting it hang idely to one side. "but it'll do."

Walking down the whole her heels clicking against the stone floor, outside the dining hall she could see Alex waiting.

"Ready to go inside?" Alex asked but as he turned to look at her hos face turned slightly crimson. "You look..."

"Overdressed?" she cut in causing Alex to chuckle.

"I guess you could say that," pushing the door open he led her over to Emma and Ms Rose

"Wow big sis you look like a princess!" Emma beamed causing Diana to giggle.

"Thank you," she replied as she slipped into her seat.

"I hope it fits alright, it might be a little big. It was mine when I was in my twenties," Ms Rose explained.

"No, it fits just fine and its magnificent Ms Rose," Diana complimented.

"I think the children might agree with you," Alex pointed out as Diana took a bite of her scone causing them to all look over at the whispering children. "I think that they like you big sis!" Emma cheered between bites.

Before anyone could reply Diana felt a tug on her dress where a little girl she had never met before now stood hugging a toy bear close to her chest as her frindge fulls over her face.

"Hi there," Diana smiled down at the young girl who couldn't be any older then four or five.

"H-hi," the little girl stumbled over her words "I-I was wondering a-are you the knight S-Spe?"

"Yes, I am," Diana confirmed as she brushed the shy girls chocolate brown hair out of her face. Without another word the girl ran off back to her seat.

"Don't mind her, she's a very shy girl." Ms Rose explained "She always has been and any attempt to bring her out of her shell just seems to cause her to move further away."

"How sad," Emma said from beside her brother.

"Your right it is sad," Diana replied.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked seeing her downcast expression.

"I'm fine," she mused as she took another bite of her scone.

After lunch had finished almost all the children ran up to Alex and Diana asking question after question. As the children asked ,however, Diana noticed the shy, little girl sneak out of the hall.

"Alex, can you handle things here?" she asked.

"Sure, is everything ok?"

"Yes, I just need to do something." With that she excused herself her dress brushing around her as she walked out the dining hall and dow the hallway.

"What's she up to this time?" Alex thought allowed before he was faced with another wave of questions.

Meanwhile, down in the hallways Diana had found the little girl sitting on her bed.

"Hi there," Diana said opening the door causing the small child to jump and crawl back on the bed. "I didn't mean to scare you, my name is Diana, may I come in?" the only reply was a small nod as Diana sat down on the end of the bed.

"Whats your name?" Diana asked pulling out a sewing kit from under the bed.

"A-Anne,"

"That's a beautiful name, well Anne can I fix your teddy?"

"Will it hurt him?" she asked moving a little closer.

"No, he won't feel a thing."

"O-ok," slowly she handed the bear over to Diana and watched as she stitched the tear along his stomach. "Your really g-good at th-that."

"Thank you, it's been a while though I've always been so busy training. There, all done," with that she handed the bear back.

"W-wow you fixed him!" she beamed as she gave Diana a tight hug "Thank you."

"Your very welcome," Diana stroked her head silently as the small girl fell asleep, Diana tucked her under the covers and closed the door.

"I wondered where you had disappeared to," Alex said from beside her "that was kind of you."

"You think so?" Diana asked as they walked idly along the corridors stopping to look outside one of the windows.

"It sounds to me like you don't want to believe that what you did was kind," Alex suggested.

"Maybe,"

"Well we're heading back as the reins died down and we don't want to be to late getting home, I don't want another lecture from my parents."

His last words made Diana chuckle "Thank you for this."

"Do my ears deceive me or are you actually saying thank you?" He joked "Well Emma is waiting by the door and Ms Rose is there too," without having to wait for Diana's reply they headed towards the door to see the four children as well as Emma and Ms Rose.

"Bye Diana," the four said squashing her in a tight embrace "come back soon."

"I will," she promised before they ran down the corridor.

"You can wear these home," Ms Rose said handing them each a cloak and helping put Emma's on. "I'll bring your clothes to the palace once there dry and please keep the dress I have no use for it."

"I-" Diana started but Ms Rose cut in.

"I insist it's the least I can do to thank you for all you've done."

"But there's no need to-"

"She'll be happy to keep it," Alex cut in and with their final farewells they headed home to the palace.