"Caroline, your bed is at the back. Each of us has a cup to drink out of. And the keg is full! I like the way the closets turned out. And the built in drawers are so nice. Hey I have some new stuff in my drawers! New ribbons, brush, comb, scarves and new bangle set too. Here are some earrings. " Noreene spoke as she pulled out the drawers.

Caroline quietly went to her corner and put her belongings away. She then sat down on her bed. Everything looked bright and clean and smelled so new.

"So, you guys have to go to a wedding? Hetuis, that sounds boring," Jacquelyn commented as she stretched out on the bed.

"You will be there as well. You will be part of the dancers. The dances that you have learned today will be the ones that you will be performing in the village square tomorrow. Father will be watching closely and he knows every move and step of all the dances. After all he went through all of the dances and more than what we do now days. He will do the giving of the Brides dance." Noreene spoke as she took off her shoes and put them on the floor of the closet.

"Ughhhhh," Jacquelyn moaned in response. This'll teach her not to open her fat mouth before getting confirmation on anything. Weddings happened occasionally in the town, and everyone was obligated to come. They dragged on for hours, just listening to the Snaketongue clergyman ramble forever and ever about "Bound in blood forever" and "In sickness and health".

"The only good thing is that Father paid for a very quick wedding service so it will only take two hours and that means that everyone must be ready when the time comes for them to be onstage. You will be doing two dances at the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end of the wedding. I am the attendant to Olivia. I will be dancing 7 dances total plus getting her food and wine." Noreene laid down on the bed. It felt very good to lie there and closed her eyes.

"Perhaps it would be helpful to mention I was only in class for one day," Jacquelyn complained. "Also, I was only taught one dance so far."

"You will get up and learn the second one before the wedding starts and when you are not dancing, you will be learning the other ones with the other young ones. It doesn't matter if you had one or twenty....." Noreene spoke calmly.

"Well, I suppose it's a big day for the both of us tomorrow," Jacquelyn finished with a grin, stretching out on her bed. It was so warm, so comfortable, just lying there she felt the irresistible urge to just fall asleep.

"Yeah..... I just wish that I could change my life though...do something different like ......" Noreene stifled a yawn the spoke in a sleepy voice.
"Hey, Jacquelyn, what would you do if you could do anything that you wanted to?"

"What I would do? That's tough. I've always done what I wanted to do. But maybe . . ." Jacquelyn trailed off, wondering. Horse Riding? Tiger Hunting? Diving off a tall cliff into the sea? ". . . I suppose it would be as it has always been. I like my life. Actually, maybe with more horse riding. I wouldn't mind that."

"But there is always someone you have to answer to sometime or another...... I like riding horses too. But I want to be able to go where I want and not have to do the dumb chores. And not watching the younger children. Maybe be allowed to do crafts so I have a lot of things to sell...... We better get to sleep." Noreene spoke after she yawned once more.

Jacquelyn genuinely tried to listen to what Noreene was saying, but she was tired, and the sentence was so long with so many pauses, she dropped off near the end.

Bright and early the next morning.....

"Girls! Get up and dressed! It will be time to dance our way to breakfast! Here are your dresses and jewelry, new shoes, and who knows what all mother bought." Sean knocked on the door and shoved 3 long boxes inside the wagon.

"Caroline wake up... Jacquelyn you too...... We have fifteen minutes to get ready...... Caroline, your dress is yellow and orange..... Here is your box, Jacquelyn. I'll help you after I finished with Caroline....." Noreene spoke as she
helped a sleepy Caroline with her dressing.

Jacquelyn looked at the box for a few seconds, lightly shook it (hearing rattling inside), and with a little force, pried open the box. Inside was a garish dress strewn with sequins and semiprecious stones. It would be very difficult to dance in this.

Quickly Noreene opened her box then sat down heavily on the bed.

"No wonder my box was so heavy.....' she whispered as she pulled out a dress laden with tinkling bells....

"Wouldn't the skirt bit be impossible to raise, with all that lead on it?" Jacquelyn criticized the dress that Noreene pulled out.

"It is a traditional dress for calling everyone to the wedding. I know the dance but never in my life did I think that I would have such an honor...... It might be heavy but I am going to wear it! It is my favorite color and 250 jingly bells will not stop me." Noreene declared firmly.
"But you will be leading our family junior dancing?!"

"Leading? I doubt it . . ." Jacquelyn pondered. Will uncle make her lead? Wouldn't someone else be much more qualified? She had hoped she would be stuck in the back somewhere, so she wouldn't have everyone looking at her when she made a complete fool of herself.

"We will have to see what father says but I gotta get dress. Could you check and make sure that Caroline has everything on if you are dressed, please." Noreene spoke as she began changing clothes, leaving the jingling bell dress for last.

Noreene did her best to dress with care for she had dreamed of this day for the last two years. She also knew that this would be one of her dresses for her treasure box. Rarely has these dresses ever been passed down to someone else nor were they made very often. That meant that she, Noreene, was considered one of the upcoming adults in her caravan.

Before long, mother came to the door, knocked and walked inside to see what was going on.
"Caroline.... you are ready to go. Jacquelyn..... you are ready to go.....Noreene..... you look beautiful, dear. Come along my dears for it is time to line up."

Mother led the girls out and to father for inspection.

"Alright now girls. Noreene is leading the wedding entrance. Caroline, you will be dancing for the brides and it will be the swan dance. Jacquelyn, you will represent the family. Normally you would be the first in the line but you don't know the dance yet. I am having you follow Belinda who is excellent at the dancing contests since she was tiny. Follow her movements two beats behind her. Each line will be two beats behind the other so it will be a bit different this time.

Belinda, take Jacquelyn and set her up with the moves. We are using the simple version of the grand entrance. Form 3 lines of 5 formation. Let's move, folks!" Sean spoke and clapped his hands sharply.

Jacquelyn obediently got in line behind the girl she was directed to, Belinde or something. She tried to follow the steps, but it was all so fast and she suspected she was making a fool of herself. She certainly hoped Berlindi or something was blocking most people's line of sight to her.