⇎CHAPTER TWO

||long live||

" long live all the mountains we moved,i had the time of my life fighting dragons with you"

" long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shone just for me and you "

***

THE NEXT MORNING IS LIKE ANY OTHER for Olivia, still, she always makes the best of every day since it could always be her last. As she makes her way downstairs, she finds her family up already and breakfast on the table.

She knows it's too early for everyone to be talking since everyone is still fairly tired from traveling yesterday, so she just grabs toast and oatmeal, eating it quietly.

Grace is the first one to speak. She sets her coffee mug down and turns to Olivia. "We're inviting the neighbors over for lunch today."

Olivia raises her head and smiles. "I wonder if there's a child my age."

"I'm sure we'll find out when they come." She returns the smile. "I want you to make sure everything is put away. Make sure to put on something nice."

She nods her head vigorously. "Yes mother! Wouldn't want to make a bad first impression." Olivia runs to her room to put on her best dress. It's white and goes to her knees. The tall neckline is all lace and there are small ruffles just below it.

As much as Olivia likes the dress she figures it could use something colorful so she takes a pink ribbon and ties it around her waist. She then proceeds to brush through her unruly hair and tie it with a ribbon as well.

A couple hours later and the neighbors are due to arrive any minute now. Olivia helps her mother with the tea kettle and she places bagels on the table while Isaac watches for the guests.

"They're here." He calls out and Grace stands up quickly, smoothing down her dress. Moving over to Olivia she brushes the hair out of her face and answers the door.

"Hello, welcome." She speaks with a bright smile on her lips. An older man is the first to step in, his wife, Olivia assumes, following and then a small redhead.

"Hello, i'm Marilla, this is my brother Matthew, and our little Anne." The woman introduces.

"I'm Grace, this is my husband Charles, our son Isaac, and our daughter Olivia." Olivia's mother responds and Olivia is the first one to step up, giving each of them hugs instead of shaking their hands.

She can tell she took them by surprise but they move past it and Grace gives each of them a hug as well, the boys just shaking hands.

"Please do sit down." Charles says to them and they follow his instructions.

The seven of them take their seats, Anne sitting next to Olivia and begin to say grace. Isaac passes around the pastries and the potatoes.

Olivia helps Anne pour her tea and sneaks an extra bread roll, passing it to her.

"So where are you folks from?" Matthew asks.

"France originally, but we recently moved from Wisconsin." Olivia's mother answers.

"Is it much different?" Questions Marilla.

"Not really from Wisconsin but sort of from France." Olivia butts in, taking a big bite out of her bread.

"Manners Olivia." Grace scolds and she mumbles an apology.

The rest of the lunch goes on normally and Grace lets Anne and Olivia go outside to get to know each other better.

"So you're an orphan?" Olivia asks Anne. Anne had just told Olivia how she was fairly new to town and how she'd come to love it there.

"That is correct. I'm thankful I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have met Matthew and Marilla." Anne sighs, running her hand along a tree as they pass by it. "Are you excited for school Olivia?"

"Please, call me Ollie." Olivia tells Anne.

"Ollie, I like it."

"To answer your question, yes, I'm very excited." Olivia answers. "I hope to meet many new people. Don't you love meeting new people?"

"I do! I've only met one other girl and her name is Diana. She'll be at school with us." Anne nods.

"Two down, the rest of the town to go." Olivia jokes and Anne lets out a small chuckle.

"So, do you like playing pretend?" Anne asks the brunette and she breaks out into a grin.

"Do I? I love to." Olivia twirls and unwraps her ribbon from her dress, putting it around her shoulders like a shawl. "I, Queen Victoria, announce my official proclamation for you to be the next queen of the forest."

"I, princess Cordelia, accept your wonderful announcement." Anne says as she brings her shawl over her head. The two burst out into a fit of giggles as they run around the forest, having the best time that two girls could have.

At the end of the day Anne had to go back home but she made olivia promise to visit the next day, which her mother agreed to. Olivia finds herself counting down the minutes until she gets to see her friend again.

"Olivia Dior Fontaine if you do not stop sitting there staring at that clock and come help me with the dishes, you won't go." Grace calls to her child and Olivia bounces to her feet, putting the dirty plates from supper into the sink.

"So what do you need for your first day at school?" Grace asks her and Olivia thinks about it.

"I think Anne said I need a chalkboard, chalk, and these two reading books that I can't remember." Olivia responds, taking a rag and washing the plates while her mother pumps the water.

"I'm sure you'll need something to carry it with. We can use one of your fathers old belts and I'll go out and buy you a basket for your lunch." Grace says.

"That would be absolutely lovely mother." Olivia sighs in content.

"Will you promise me to work hard on your studies and not let yourself get distracted?"

Olivia scoffs. "When do I get distracted?" Grace gives her an incredulous look.

"Is that a serious question?" She asks her daughter. "In all seriousness please don't let anyone like boys get in the way of your studies."

"Trust me mother, I have no interest in boys"

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