I woke up really early today. It's his birthday. Dad's birthday. Every year on this day since we lost him I wake up at 4 in the morning and go up to our attic and look out. Not just the sky but also the lights of the palace, its beauty. It's one of the few times I like living here. I can understand why Dad loved waking me up so much on my birthday at 4:30 in the morning when it's still dark, to see the lights of the palace from above and the sky just before it's completely lit up by the sun and the stars disappear. It was wonderful! So in his honor, every year on his birthday I wake up at this time and do what we would do together, alone now. I may do it with my husband or my children at some point, but until I find the right person I will be alone this day. He always gave me my gift here. As soon as the moon started to disappear and the sun started to appear, he would give me my gift. The reason? Because I was his little moon. I've always felt a connection to the moon. I can't explain it, but it's my favorite part of the night sky.
Everyone's starting to wake up now that the sun is up and I have to go back to my room before Mom wakes up.
I hear my phone ring and I know immediately it's Lucy. Every year on this day she calls me when she wakes up because she knows I'm awake and what I'm doing. She's the only one who knows. I haven't even told Emmanuel or George. I think I should answer her before she hangs up. "Good morning Lucy," I greeted her when I answered. "Happy birthday to your dad, Emily! Are you still in the attic?" I heard her ask on the other end of the phone. "Yes. I lost track of time because I was writing in my diary and watching the palace's lights go out. What are you doing?" "You know, the usual. I'm bothering my brother before he wakes up because it's his birthday in a week and you know what that means!" "The week of torture" "You know me very well! Oh, George and Emmanuel are calling us. Wait. I'll add them to the call" "You girls need to stop waking up so early" "I'm with George on this one" "Good morning to you too Emmanuel" "And George" Lucy said. I think she likes George but I'm not sure. He definitely likes her though. "How come you boys are up so early today?" "Why Emily? When aren't we up early? I don't get it" "Haha, very funny George. Come on, say it now" "We wanted to wish you a happy birthday for your dad while it's still early, so that we can be among the first this year" Emmanuel said. "Thanks for the thought" "What are best friends for?" George said and made us all laugh. He couldn't help but laugh too. "Well, we'll have to talk when you get here because I have some work to do, so, see you later. Bye" and I got off the call. It was very sweet of them to wake up early so they could say happy birthday for my dad. That's why they're my best friends!
It's time for me to start my work too. Each of us has our own responsibilities. Mom prepares things for the reception with the staff, Lily every year makes a speech about Dad and how lucky she feels that in a short time she will rule the same country that he ruled. Peter will talk to the guests and try to look nice so that he can find a girlfriend, and I will prepare Dad's favorite things and what we will do at the party that he would like to do if he was here. Lucy, Emmanuel and George have royal blood, they are simply not in any royal family, nor are they related to us. Well, not exactly. Lucy is my very distant cousin and that's a good thing because she is my favorite person, along with Emmanuel. I met him first. He was my first friend, the first child who wasn't afraid to be my friend because of my family, my first love. I know how it sounds, but everyone has their own childhood crush, so Emmanuel was mine. Anyway, all three of them come with their families to the reception every year and are generally at our palace almost every day. They live very close. The aristocrats and the more distant members of our family live near the palace.
"Emilia. It's time for the rehearsal of the program, come to the great hall" "I'm coming mom" She always calls me Emilia. Like she calls Lily Elizabeth. Great! It's time. Mom woke up, so did Lily, and Peter, Peter will probably sleep for another two hours, I bet. I go down the stairs and head to the hall where the reception will be held and I wonder, would Dad like how things turned out? What is the country like and what we have become like, his children and his wife? I don't know.