It's Heavy

The twilight of dawn had barely crept up upon Prasinos Castle, as Asterid stood still, Sky and what felt like a legion of maids swarmed around her. A ceremonial gown was slowly being assembled on her. Glad that she had already bathed before the commencement of putting on her clothing, Asterid fought a yawn with a wince, as a needle stuck her, somehow, through the miles of cloth already layered on her.

Sky murmured an apology and directed her to lift her arms. Asterid managed lifting them three quarters to straight from her shoulders. "If one could move better in this, they'd make for a nice set of armor. And if their foes didn't have needles."

"Stop moving so much, Highness, we still have to work on the bodice." Sky threatened with her needle again.

"I'm not moving, merely speaking."

"Then stop it."

"As much as I'd love the excuse not to speak the whole time I'm wearing this, I will need to."

"And you will, just not now!" Sky poked with the needle.

"Ngh." Asterid submitted to her fate.

As the sun started to show itself over the treetops, Asterid made her way to the throne room in a steady and stately manner, the only way she could move bedeck in her princessly formal attire. Which it certainly was. A brocaded and embroidered high necked dress of light green, silvery lace accents, and a rainbow colored sash representing the colors of the forest and the seasons draped from her left shoulder to her right hip. Matching green gloves with silver buttons up to her mid arms hid her otherwise exposed skin. The bustle and hoop of beneath her dress held up the huge amount of fabric from the floor and made it look like she was gliding through the corridors. Her hair was once again in a chignon, though no loops this time, decorated with a comb with emerald and pearl flowers. Atop her head was a simple silver circlet. Asterids eyes showed more green than gray today, and her face was smoothed of any expression as she made her way, past servants, then nobles, to her place just below the throne dias to the right of the long carpet runner splitting the room. She was next to her grandmother and in front of her uncle, giving a small curtsy and nod to each respectively before turning to the throne, standing back straight and head level.

The diocesans of the four major faiths stood to the right of the throne, where her father would sit, each holding the crown of the heir to the realm. The crown was golden and beset with various jewels in all colors, looking like the end of a rainbow sitting on a red velvet cushion. Calmly waiting, their age, if not their profession, giving them proclivity towards patience.

Asterid listened to the low murmurings of the nobles she had passed grew and then quieted as they settled into the hall. She didn't allow herself to be distracted and continued to gaze at her father's throne. At some unknown moment, certain conditions were met and the Grand Chamberlain Feldspar Liesegang climbed up two steps towards the throne and looked out to those congregated. Wearing his most formal and imposing wig, together with his station's elaborate ceremonial robes, Liesegang looked like this moment was what he lived for. His deep heavy voice seemed to oppose his appearance of a fine and dainty gentleman, "His Royal Majesty King Adamas Bidasar, Sovereign of Nanshilin, Protector of the Cartazonos Forest, Potentate of the Rompot Mountains, and the King of Stone and Green!"

Asterid watched as her father appeared as if from nowhere, but she knew from a nearby chamber behind the throne, to nod his greetings as everyone either bowed or curtsied their obedience. She noticed her father looked no more comfortable in his full robes, an emerald jeweled green doublet, dark green breeches, and a heavy dark brown bear pelt mantle, than she did her hers. Not to even mention the six hundred year old silver crown, far from light despite its simple appearance, a complete contrast to the one soon to be Rosidae's. He took his seat and geastured, a vague waving motion, to the priests and Liesegang. Once more his voice vibrated out, "His Majesty calls before him, Princess Rosidae Actinolite Bidasar!"

Asterid heard the large main doors of the throne hall open with a dull resounding thud, then the even footsteps of her sister walking. Asterid continued to face her father, her heart beating faster as she heard Rosidae getting closer. Soon, out of the corner of her eye and soon within her field of vision, Rosidae reached the dias and curtsied low, staying so, "I, Princess Rosidae Actinolite Bidasar, answers his call!" She looked resplendent in a dark green dress, similar to Asterid's in style, she did not wear a sash, a circlet, or a jewels in her hair and managed to outshine all those who did.

Feeling a sense of pride for her sister, Asterid watched her father stand up and walk forward to the edge of the stairs with the priests. Liesegang moved to the side of the stairs surreptitiously. Adamas drew forth the full power of a king behind his words, "Princess Rosidae Actinolite Bidasar, daughter of Nanshilin, friend of the Cartazonos Forest, climber of the Rompot Mountains, and citizen of Stone and Green, have you the people and families of our kingdom in your heart? Have you the strength and will to give your life for their lives and well being? Have you the foresight and clarity to see the way past greed and violence?" Adamas paused, looking down at this daughter, taking a breath. The hall was silent. All eyes were on the two. "If you do, rise and come forward."

Rosidae rose slowly from her curtsy, eyes burning a vibrant green. "I do." Her voice rang through the hall like a bell, clean and pure. No hesitation or fragility were in her steps as she climbed the stairs to their father, who made way for her to stand with him on the dias.

"Then kneel before the people and gods and swear it." Adamas faced Rosidae and pointed out to their audience. The priests stood just behind the two, calmly still waiting for their part to come.

Rosidae curtsied low again, towards all those in the hall this time, instead of Adamas. "I swear to give my love, life, will, and future to the land and people of Nanshilin."

"Then with the blessings of the gods," the priests sang out together and brought over to Adamas the crown.

Adamas continued, picking up the crown with both hands, "And the blessings of the people," he placed the crown upon Rosidae's head. "Rise as Crown Princess Aktis Bidasar, Future of Nanshilin, Compeer of the Cartazonos Forest, Varappeur of the Rompot Mountains, and Reeve of Stone and Green."

Liesegang called out once more as Rosidae, now Atkis, stood once more, as Adamas returned to sit upon the throne. "All hail Crown Princess Atkis!"

The hall rumbled as everyone paid obedience, from the priests, Liesegang, Asterid, and everyone, "Hail Crown Princess Atkis!"

Asterid spent the time from after the ceremony till dinner getting changed out of her clothes to a far more comfortable ball gown. Her dress was scoop necked with a white lace fringe, and the best part, it didn't have a hoop and bustle. The fabric was a sparkling silver, white embroidered leaves accentuated her bodice, and along her white gloves brought out the color of the small diamonds shining in the net covering her hair. Sky had braided it up into a crown, a small river of hair crimped to fall artistically down in waves to tickle the back of her neck.

She sighed as Sky went over her appearance again. "I'm so hungry, why was there so little for lunch?"

Sky brushed an imagined bit of dust from the skirt of her dress, "So you don't burst any seems."

"I'll have too much space in the seems before I burst them today!" Asterid frowned. "Though dinner will at least be somewhat filling. It's just that I'll work it all off in with the dancing I'll have to do after."

Sky nodded and cleaned up her tools and the various things she needed to beautify her princess. "I'll have a small meal waiting for you when you get back." She looked at the grandmother clock visible through the door of bedroom in the sitting room. "You should probably make your way to the Yellow Salon."

Asterid sighed again, "Yes, the neverending hostess duties await me. Those waiting for dinner to start are sure to be starved of royal attention enough that even I would do."

Asterid smiled to the room as she was introduced by Liesegang's younger subordinate, enmasse, to those already within. With a quick scan, as she walked forward, she saw that most of those present were men, the women who were, with no daughters of marriageable age or eager to make an early effort of working the crowd. One of the larger groups chatting had her uncle in it, made up of familiar and foreign nobles, young and old. Slowly making her way towards him, she stopped at smaller groups and graciously and quietly accepted praise for her sister's ascension and pretty compliments on her appearance.

When she finally made it to her uncle's side, something like fifty more nobles and her grandmother had been introduced and welcomed into the the growing crowd in the salon. Quercus was now talking quietly with a finely dressed young man in a dark blue jacket and breeches. Quercus was in a similarly styled outfit but, like most of the nobles from their kingdom, in green. Though they were both the same height, just above average, Quercus had the filled out and militarily strengthened body of a grown man, just reaching the end of his peak years.

Quercus noticed her approach and in stopping their conversation, both men watched her join them. Asterid smiled her professional princess smile, "Greetings Uncle. It has gotten quite crowded in here, so much to I have to believe only my sister and father have not joined us yet." She studied the younger man. With dark brown hair and kind amber eyes making his somewhat stern face less imposing, he gave Asterid a small smile. Quercus introduced him. "My talking companion here is His Highness Prince Heikka Teikoku of the Indivedic Empire. Prince Heikka, this is my niece, Princess Asterid Agate Bidasar."

They gave small courtesies to each other. Asterid quietly, "Greetings, Prince Heikka."

His voice came to her ears low and warm, and Asterid felt a strange feeling, of foreboding? "Salutations as well, Princess Asterid." He moved to include her in their conversation, seeming to close out everyone else in the room. Asterid's heart gave a stuttering thump, and she worked hard to keep an introspective frown from her face. "I do believe this is our first time meeting, though I have seen you walking by, surrounded by others as you showed them your castle's gardens, in these past few days."

Quercus didn't seem to notice anything off with Asterid's behaviour and laughed quietly, "A tour of the gardens? Seems like you managed to get some fresh air regularly despite the odds Asterid."

She lowered her eyes and kept a small smile on her face, keeping the image of her grandmother's exasperated expression in mind, to help her keep calm. "With how beautiful the spring weather has been, and the hard work of our gardeners, how could we keep its beauty from our guests?" Her smile grew a bit more, "It would be greedy to not share it."

Heikka grinned, "I feel a like I missed out, not having you for my guide during my stay. Your castle is definitely far more lush and warm than my grandfather's."

Quercus gave a shake of his head, "I still don't understand why you have so soon after arriving."

Asterid looked to Heikka, "Your departure is soon?"

"Sadly my grandfather wants my presence within a fortnight. I've been on the road visiting our neighboring nations for the past year for him." He gave a shrug, "If I could, I wouldn't deny myself seeing all the beauties that your castle provides."

"King Adamas Bidasar! Crown Princess Atkis Bidasar!" Everyone turned to the entrance of the salon. Asterid watched as her family moved into the room. As the room grew more lively with their entrance, Asterid turned back to their conversation. She saw a wry smile on her uncle's face and how Heikka's gaze seemed to have zeroed in on her sister, now moving separately from her father.

She sighed, to herself in her mind, her expression and manner unchanged. "Prince Heikka, if you'll excuse me? I have to go speak with my grandmother, I just realized I have something I need to speak with her about."

Heikka brought his gaze to Asterid, blinked and smiled, "Of course, don't mind me Princess. Though could I perchance beg a dance of you first, before everyone else does?"

Quercus chimed in, "Smart idea that, I'll have to do the same!"

Asterid obliged in giving her dancing card, already filled by some of the nobles she passed by earlier, to the gentlemen. Heikka gave Quercus precedent, and then filled his name in. Asterid saw he put himself for the set just after her uncle's, midway through the list. She closed the card, curtsied and departed the group, heading to her grandmother.

After reaching her grandmother, the gong marking start of dinner resounded. She watched as Heikka escorted her sister to the dinning hall.

After what seemed like an eternity eating and conversing to Asterid, was the start of the ball, and the inevitable procurement of sore feet as the night wore on. Sadly, as a princess, Asterid didn't have a single dance without a partner. As she stood from her seat, the first of her dance partners came towards her.

Fourteen dances done, and deposited back with her grandmother, Asterid quietly and secretly lifted her left foot, a casualty of her tenth dance partner, an elderly gentleman who misstepped and made a direct hit upon her toes. She sipped at the lemonade her grandmother had ordered for her, as she rested before the next dance began. Luckily this one was her uncle's. Asterid watched as Atkis, gaily laughing, was brought to them by what many of the ladies of their kingdom considered to be the handsomest of the younger bachelors they had. Atkis easily matched and exceeded his looks in a shimmering gold ball gown, rainbow of jewels on her bodice and gold gloves, each button a different colored gem, and a neckline that was shaped like the bottom of a heart, that, if not for the saving grace of a cream colored lace, would show quite a bit more than what Magnaphyta or Adamas would approve. That combined with her new crown sitting atop her elegantly styled auburn hair, gave her an almost unapproachable beauty. After her escort bowed and left, Atkis surreptitiously stretched, and asked Asterid, "Who's next on your card? Prince Heikka is next for me."

Asterid gave a slow blink, "Uncle, then I dance with Prince Heikka as well."

"Oh, he planned that rather well! But damn-"

Magnaphyta interjected sternly, "Rosidae-"

"Sorry grandmother! And it's Atkis now. But, no fair! I'd want to dance with uncle as well! A welcome reprieve from avidly energetic men."

"As if I could get on your card so easily, with so many falling over themselves to dance with you." Quercus joined them, handing a flute of champagne to Magnaphyta. "And once I've danced with your sister I'll have met my quota of five dances for the evening."

"It is quite unfair of aunt to restrict your dances when she's the one who can't make it to a ball."

"Well, her not being able to is partially my fault, and I don't find the exercise all to fun without her either." Quercus smiled, happy in his thoughts of his wife.

Magnaphyta sipped from her fresh drink, "I find it amazing your wife was able to healthily give birth to another child after her last one. Your youngest son is what, fifteen now?"

Asterid happily asked, "Yes, how are our aunt and new cousin doing?"

Quercus happily filled passed the time sharing stories and the beauty and cuteness of his wife and daughter, named Alice Minimum Kelloggii. Mostly because Quercus felt she was a miniature version of his wife, and she wanted to name her daughter Alice, for her own mother, who passed on two years ago.

About a minute before the next set, Asterid noticed Heikka approach them. He bowed and as Quercus stopped his happy ramble, "I'm here to escort Princess Atkis for our dance." He smiled and held out his hand to Atkis. She smiled and graciously gave him her hand and, giving respect to Magnaphyta beforehand, they walked for their spot on the floor.

Asterid and Quercus followed suit, and Asterid spent the dance with a partner who not only could dance, but didn't mind carrying the whole of the conversation between them. Not that she did not join in, as the topic of his family was an easy and happy one for her to enjoy. Touching on the subject that, because of his studies, her oldest cousin, at nineteen, kept him from today's events as he was abroad at a college in Stochasta. Throughout their dance, by focusing on their talk, Asterid avoided looking at her sister and the Indivedic prince. Knowing that their easy elegance and smiles with each other would somehow through her equilibrium off.

By the end of their dance, Quercus and Asterid were back at Magnaphyta's side. Where they ended up conversing as they watched Heikka and Atkis talk to each other just far enough away from them that, in the full and loud ballroom, they could not be heard. Asterid watched, as they traded smiles and words, till Atkis' next partner came to fetch her and Heikka walked towards her.

"Shall we?" Heikka now held out his hand to her. And Asterid, now, after wrestling the strange feelings she had recently gained into submission, smiled and easily put her hand in his. Once more giving farewell to her grandmother, and Quercus, she joined the floor with Heikka.

The start of their dance was strangely quiet, though not awkward. Atkis' laugh broke their silence, and, as they danced, they both glanced at her.

"Your sister is very beautiful." Then, with a quiet start, her turned toward her, "Though you are just as beautiful." And smiled.

Asterid cocked an eyebrow, an easy smile on her face, "But in a much quieter and plain way."

He gave a sheepish acknowledgement to his faux pas. "Though I, with your enjoyment of nature, can't imagine you feeling anything short of pride and love to your sister."

Her smile turned into a quiet and happy one. "You imagine right. So many men, and women, can't even comprehend how little I care about how she, as they say, overshadows me. My sister is a very loving and extremely astute. There is very little that I wouldn't put up with from her."

Heikka smiled back, and they finished their dance in companionable silence.

Thus, with a very easy and, surprisingly calm dance with the only prince at the ball behind her, Asterid went through the rest of her dances with ease and aplomb. Getting to her rooms and late night repast just past the changing of the days, she fell into a slumber of the exhausted and contented.