Welcome to Gaia! ::

Giulia loved school. Giulia loved playing with new friends and chatting to her teacher, she loved visiting the school library and staring at the bright books, flopping down on the chairs and staring at the words, trying to make sense of them. Picking out stories to get mama and Aidan to read with her, stories about seals, and princesses, and magic! But today, Giulia was going to get to go to the public library! She'd gotten the okay- Aidan had to stay after school, and so Nanny had dropped her at the entrance, with the promise to be back in an hour.

Giulia pranced into the library in her rainbow sneakers, blonde curls bouncing and swinging. She had an hour to spend prancing through the Children's Room! That was practically forever! She would be able to hang out in the nook, and she would be able to find a good princess book- or books on seals! Princess seals? Prince Seals? Or maybe she'd find a book on ballerina!

She'd been here a few times before, with Jada and Aidan, but normally they went to the main branch. The opportunity to be able to explore and poke around? Brilliant!

Giulia almost tripped over her feet as she scampered into the Children's Room, staring around with big eyes. So. Many. Books! And the CASTLE! And so many colors, and beanbags, and- this was going to be so fun! She clasped short-fingered, tiny hands together, staring with big blue eyes.

Where was a princess to begin?

The sound of a voice grabbed Giulia's attention, and she clasped her rainbow-nailed hands together, beaming in the voice's general direction until she focused on the pretty lady. "Good afternoon!" she chirruped cheerfully, bouncing her way across the floor, stomping hard to ensure her shoes lit up. Her curls flailed behind her, her backpack thumping with the items inside.

"I'm Giulia, Miss Emily! And I'm here to look for books!" Because what else did you come to a library for! "Books on anything. I like Seals, and Princesses, and Magic, and Unicorns, and Puppies! but mostly Seals. Do you know any books on magical seals? I mean, the non-magical seals are awesome! I love seals! But if there are any books on magical seals that are also princesses? With Tiaras, and evil wizards, and fluffy dresses! I mean, they have one about a SWAN princess, and swans just are NOT as cool as seals."

The Miss Emily considered Giulia's request, and the six-year-old shifted from foot to foot, big blue eyes drifting to the colors and the castle and the- oh. OH. She wanted to sit in the castle. She bounced from foot to foot more eagerly.

"Oh, would you please?" Giulia skipped happily, her curls bouncing. "Thank you, Miss Emily!" and with that, she fled to the princess section, remembering not to run in the library, but practically skipping in her glee. Princess books! She would bring some home, and make everyone read them with her. Cook would be making brownies and macaroni tonight- it was Tuesday! Maybe they would have company again, for reading!

Dropping to her knees, Giulia stared at the spines of the books, considering them. Then she grabbed a book with a knight in armor on the cover, and a princess. It couldn't' be that terrible. Far off places, daring sword fights- a prince, in disguise? Maybe?!

She curled happily in the castle-nook with her library book, looking over the pictures, first, and then the words. It was slow-going without anyone there, but Giulia was pleased with the story. It was about a knight- and a princess! But this princess was the knight! what a surprise! A lovely, independent princess~ Ah! Violetta was a brave little princess, always trying her best. Giulia wanted to be like her!

Miss Emily returning got the blue-eyed child's attention, and she scrambled from her seat. "AH!" she cried, and then slapped her hands over her mouth, remembering you had to shhhhh in a library. She held out her hand for the book, eyes big and glistening with excitement. And an entire series on- "She looks like me?!" Giulia spun on a tiny circle, giggling with excitement.

Oh, this was the best day! So awesome! There was only, maybe, one better day, like, ever. "Can I see the book, Miss Emily?" she asked politely, bouncing from one brightly-blinking shoe to the other, "Oh, please, please?" she was still holding the other book, but maybe she could read them both at the same time? Or take one home to read with Jada and Aidan!

Yay! Giulia chased after the librarian on tiny feet as they made their way to the computer, her tiny-fingered hand twisting in her own sweater. "A few days?" it was a tragedy! A few days could be like.... next week! Her expression was dramatic, and hopefully sad to the appropriate levels. It was always important to show appropriate emotion.

The picture of the cartoonish blonde and the seal amused the child to no end. The little princess' seal probably wasn't properly magic. But Miss Emily would call the house and make sure everyone knew, Princess Giulia got to read the best book before all of the others. There was no doubt in her mind.

"I'm not a secret princess!" Giulia wrinkled up her nose. "It's no secret." she giggled, amused, and then bright blue eyes flared again. There was a whole SERIES? "I will definitely read it first," Giulia agreed. The other books didn't have to make sense for Giulia to love her seal.

Maybe there was one on polar bears... "Miss Emily, what are the library hours?"

Giulia nodded in response to Miss Emily's promise.
"I believe you," she chirped. She tried valiantly to smooth away her distress- it wasn't Miss Emily's fault the mail was slow.

Giulia giggled loudly as Miss Emily said she would make sure everyone knew Giulia was a princess. "That would be good if you could," she wriggled her legs, looking cheeky.

The library was open until 8... Giulia couldn't get there before 4... So slowly, she counted the time she could come. 4 to 5...6...7...8. That was 4 fingers, so it would be 4 hours or less she could come to the library every day? But "It will be good," she agreed. "I have to get picked up before 8 because 9 is my bedtime and I have to have family time and do my homework, and some days I have to go ride my pony."

Pony? Miss Emily asked, and Giulia gave a soft sigh. "Technically Lady Luck, she isn't a pony, but pony is a good term everyone understands. Lady was my sister's girl pony, and now she has a stal-yum, but I can't ride on him, so I get to ride on Lady." it was a short explanation for the various trials involved in Giulia begging for a horse but not being allowed to have one until she could prove she was responsible.

But Jada wasn't responsible either! Giulia wanted a puppy! Still! And she still wasn't good enough for a puppy and UGH.

Parents- or Jadas- were the worst!!

"I would love to pick out some books! I want books with strong little girls who get to be the boss of their own land and have pets." Giulia's eyes lit on the bag, and her inhale was sharp; delighted.

"That bag has a princess," she whispered, and her eyes were shining as she looked up at Miss Emily. "I can keep the bag until the books are all read?" she tried to confirm. "What if another little girl needs a bag?"