Dear Diary: 6 years ago

October 15 - Tomorrow is my birthday and I'll be eighteen. Mother is introducing me to my future husband and I'm so excited. I've seen his portrait and he is quite dashing. I have been hearing the staff talk all week about everything they have had to do to make sure the house is spotless. Apparently the normal clean isn't good enough. Sometimes I wonder if even dust is afraid to come into the house. I've been told that if everything goes according to plan, I'll be married by my twenty-first birthday. Three years doesn't seem very long. At least, not when you are looking at the eighteen before it. My new maid, Serif, came just to teach me how to interact with other nobles. She was the maid for one of the other noble families when their daughter was coming out. So she knows all of the rules. And mother has told me she will be calling relatives to come tutor me. I have a lot of work to do. Somehow, I haven't learned anything in the last eighteen years. Even though I feel like I know a whole lot. But that's fine. I want to be the very best wife I can be. And make Mother and Father proud. Mother called me in to a special meeting to tell me all of this and to introduce me to my new maid. Mother said I need to stop talking so much and that a perfect wife keeps her tongue firmly in her mouth. And she told me that once I'm married I won't be allowed to dance anymore, as it isn't appropriate for married ladies to show so much emotion. I'm writing all of this down so I can come back and read it, and remember. I don't want to make any mistakes. I have to be perfect.
 
I also got my first true assignment from the Priestess today!! I have four patients that are mine to oversee and I am determined to do a good job. She told me that they are all chronic cases and so while I will not be able to cure them, I can make them comfortable. And she showed me how. I have medicines to make and even my own space in the workroom. I have never felt so adult before in my life. I was thinking for my birthday I would ask mother if I could plant some medicinal herbs in one of the lower gardens, where she wouldn't have to see them. Then I could have better access. I even prayed about it. And this seems to be the very best path.
 
I hope my brother is coming home for my birthday tomorrow. I miss him a lot. He's been away on business for the past several months. I want to ask where he is but when I do mother reminds me it's unbecoming of a young lady to ask so many questions. He used to talk with me when I was nervous or worried and always made it better. I don't know why I'm so nervous about tomorrow. I've been waiting to meet my husband since I was eight. And even I can't break up an arranged marriage, mother said so.