The Third Chapter

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Today is my birthday. Maybe if I go back to sleep it'll go away as fast as the sun on a winter day. I turn over, trying to fall asleep again. The sun shining bright onto my face causes my eyes to open. Now I definitely know I won't be able to go back to sleep. I check my clock to see what time it is. 10:30. Mother would never let me sleep for that long, 8:00 would be the latest on a regular day.

Lehzen, my handmaiden, enters.

"Your highness," Lehzen smiles, "You're finally awake. We expected an earlier time, so I need you to come with me to get you ready for the ball." She finishes.

We walk to Lehzens chambers, where she asked the chamberlains, laundresses, and her own personal attendants to help.

"Rose and Mildred, go get the dress from the closet. Eleanor, Augusta, and Delia, you guys grab the creams and makeup. And Adeline, you watch her Highnesses face, neck, and hair. We need her ready in 5 hours!"

Lehzen snaps. I didn't know she could be so domineering. The women scramble as they grab everything needed, whether it's outside or not. I guess Lehzen hasn't been so quick tempered and rough with anybody. Especially as my handmaiden.

"What do you even plan on doing, Lehzen?" I wonder, shaken.

"Don't worry, we're going to make it natural. You don't need much, anyways." She smiles, reassuring me and delicately moving my hair away from my face.

"Okay, but please don't make me ghastly pale, please." I say, making us both chuckle.

I watch myself transform in the mirror as my look changes from blanched to glowing and plump with colour. My eyelashes dark and noticable, the eyeshadow illuminating the hue of my irises, my lips stained red and blush making me look flushed in a blossom way. I look lovely.

Eleanor and Augusta instantly grab my hair and soon as they finish my makeup. Pulling and curling until it becomes a neat, crimped updo. Rose and Mildred enter the room with my light lilac dress. For once mother chose something so, so, so right. It fluttered with its many layers of glazed gauze, tulle, lace, and chintz fabrics. They then take out the petticoat and corset.

"We're bringing your waist down to 15 inches, your Highness." Lehzen calmly speaks,

"Excuse me?" I raise my voice. There was no way my waist would go down that many inches and fit in that dress properly.

"Joking, your Highness." She grins playfully.

"But," Lehzen starts as I sigh, waiting for the bad news.

"We are going to have to bring your waist down to 17.5 inches at most if you want to fit into your beautiful, handmade dress." She finishes as I seethe my teeth. Her clear emphasis on handmade and beautiful means it probably hurt mothers already pretty deep pockets.

"Fine," I reply,

"But if I feel one vital organ switch places with another, you owe me a cleared schedule one of these days."

I add, making sure Lehzen knew I was serious.

I walk slowly to the ballroom, hoping not to slip or trip in my 2 inch heels. It's not a lot for some women, but when you've worn heels only a few times in life, the muscle memory fades. My crown sitting on the top of my head desperately trying to stay still. I stop and place it in a more secure way, trying not to let any hairs stray away from this painful updo. I feel like an honest mess, but I'm restraining from looking into mirrors because I'd rather not know something is out of place.

I start walking again, fidgeting with the amber necklace I bought when I was in the town with Aldwin. I couldn't feel every single detail since my silk gloves created a barrier between the necklace and my clammy fingers.

I approach the door as the guards instantly open it dramatically and slowly. I squint as the bright room hits my face through the crack, letting my hand go from the necklace to my stomach. I calm myself down as the room solidifies itself in my vision and clasp my hands together at my stomach.

I blankly stare at the steps, keeping my head leveled with my back. My worry grows as my next mission is to go through the plenty of steps I have to go down in a huge dress and heels that I don't like wearing just yet.

"--Her Royal Highness!" The Master of Ceremonies announces. Didn't even notice he called my name. I breathe out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I start slowly going down the stairs, watching everybody in their masquerade masks look at me, probably hoping I embarrass myself completely and fall. I get to the bottom as everybody applauses me like I'm some kind of child that finished their first puzzle without help. I see the crowd part as my I notice my mother in her emerald green satin dress and sparkly mask comes to me with open arms.

"My dear," She exclaims,

"I was worried you weren't going to come." She whispers into my ear whilst kissing my cheeks. She turns around to the guests, both arms up. She looks like Moses trying to part the sea of crowd again, but clearly failed.

"Now," Mother starts,

"May the festivities begin!" She yells.

"Hello, dear." Uncle Edward says, smiling.

"Hello, Uncle Edward." I reply, lightly hugging him as he struggles to hug back, red wine in his hand.

"What a party, hmm?" He inquires.

"I'm surprised your mother put such a wonderful gathering together for you, given your relationship with her." He clears his throat, almost choking.

"I'm just as surprised," Evangeline says, approaching us with Beatrice.

"Has mother caught you yet, Beatrice? How did she even let you get in?" I wonder, noticing her eyes darting around the room, making sure mother wasn't near us.

"I asked the Master of Ceremonies to announce me a different name when I went before Evangeline. But, I'm also trying to avoid mum as well." Beatrice scoffs. I don't blame her, sometimes our Catholic beliefs become a lot to handle.

"Well, if you keep following me and mother finds us guess who's fault is that?" Evangeline chuckles, probably knowing mother would look for her sometime during the ball. Beatrice's eyes almost pop out of her head as she realizes her mistake and leaves to find one of her friends.

Everybody goes silent as the quartets music becomes louder, letting us know it's time for waltzing. Uncle Edward links his arm with mine, placing his wine down on a table nearby. He takes me near the middle where you can see everybody around you and then begins leading me through the song.

"So, are you excited?" Uncle Ed asks,

"Why would I be? And for what?" I question back at him, seeing a glint in his eyes make him change emotions the slightest bit.

"I heard apparently they're fixing up the garden for you for your 18th." I can tell he was distracting from something else, but I've never heard of anything such as this.

"What? Since when?" I wonder, a bit of excitement showing through.

"Just a little arrangement I had your mother agree with, since she's just kept the gardeners keep those damned flowers alive for a whole year now." He chuckles,

"You mean by agreeing you got mother a bit tipsy, I'm assuming?" I laugh back.

"Maybe," Uncle Edward winks through the eye hole of his mask.

The song comes to its halfway point as we have to switch partners. I twirl to the next person until I can feel his suit jacket grazing my gloves. My vision focuses back on a bright suit of bronze gold and tan colours matched up almost professionally. I look up to find a gold, half-face mask. The eyes of this mysterious amber skinned man are ones I've seen before, but where? I try to think and ponder as he interrupts my thought by making conversation.

"Lilac. My, what a beautiful colour." He mentions,

"Thank you," I reply, still blanking out on where both this mans eyes and voice comes from, searching deep in my mind.

"Lilacs grow in my country, but they will never compare to the purple almost the rest of the world has." He laughs in amusement.

"They're my father's favourite," I answer, digging up the memories of this man slowly as we spin and twirl with grace. This guy is better than my tutor!

"Is it? Where is your father on this lovely night?" He inquires,

"He's... not with us." I gently smile, letting him know that he doesn't have to feel bad.

"Well, I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure he was a great King." He smiles back.

The topic of Dad finally dug out the memory I was searching for. The memory floods into my mind as his dripping wet hair slowly inches to my face while he whispers into my ear words I'd never be able to forget:

'I'm the most courteous guy you'll ever meet in this polluted world.'

I gasp as soon as mother shushed the quartet and clinked her glass with a fork to get everybody's attention to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a very important announcement to make." She declares. I restrain myself to the point where not slapping this dimwit I was dancing with seemed almost impossible.

"As you know, today is my youngest daughters 18th birthday," Mother continues, finding me in the crowd. People around me applaud once again.

"And, you also knew these past few years I've been known to find my precious daughters an amazing husband when they're 20-" She says. I could feel her fake smile from here since Henri wasn't a husband she'd ideally have for one of her daughters now. I don't even know why she's rambling about her "precious" daughters arranged marriages.

"This year, I've decided to make it a bit different-" She drags. Goodness, woman. Just spit out the news! I can see the perverted man next to me smiling with glee. Why?

"And right here, right now. I'm announcing the engagement of Prince Khalid of Jodhpur and my youngest daughter!" She exclaims as many gasp and then in full silence as they notice the pure shock on my face. Am I going to faint? Yell in anger? Storm off?

It was so quiet I could hear Uncle Edward and Evangelines little conversation,

"I'm going to fake an epileptic seizure." Edward whispers.

"You're not epileptic, Edward." Evangeline says in a hushed tone.

"That's why I'm going to fake it." He snaps back, making Eve glare at him.

Then, total silence.

Mother pulls me, Eve, Uncle Ed, and Khalid to a side room and has her handmaiden not let anyone in.

I instantly lash out in anger and slap Khalid in his horrid, smiley face. They all gasp as Khalid has confusion written all over his face.

"What was that for?" He calmly questions,

"Oh, nothing. Just pervertedly touching my face like you'd do with all the maids you have done that to in India!" I yell, seeing his mouth gape open in realization to who I am.

"You did what?" Mother and Eve said in unison.

"N-no." Khalid gestures for them to calm down.

"I thought she was a maid. A-a-and she MADE me believe it. She wasn't wearing her crown and was just wearing a simple dress and-"

"That gives you NO excuse to touch her face!" Eve yells at him, ready to slap him like I did.

Uncle Edward puts his arm in front of her, creating a barrier between her and Khalid.

"It doesn't matter! They've met already and you can't stop their marriage if Lehzen has everything packed up and ready to ship your sister to India!" Edward reasons, calming Eve down completely.

Mother sighs, causing silence.

"You and Khalid can sleep in your Father's chambers while Lehzen and I prepare for your leave. You can wish Margaret and her son goodbye tonight as well." She finishes. My blood is boiling with anger to the point I feel like breaking into a million pieces. I turn towards Khalid, disgust twisting my face, and slap him hard one last time before leaving to my room.

"Hey!-" Mother shouts as I take off my shoes and run away from the hell of it all.

I get to my door and pull at the gold plated handle, locked as tight as it could be. I find Lehzen and glare at her.

"I can't believe you would help my mother pack my stuff." I say, not looking at her and tears swelling up in my eyes.

"All of your suitcases are in the King's chambers, your Highness." Lehzen replies, her voice monotone. I scoff and start running towards Dad's room, tears now streaming down my face. I approach the familiar gold doors once again and get let in. I instantly scramble to the bathroom and wash off the horrid, smeared makeup my crying has ruined. Then, I start pulling my updo apart until it's all down again. I have one of Lehzens attendants help me get out of this stupid dress and slip on my nightgown. I excuse her and get in the bed, crying myself to sleep.

I slightly wake up to the sound of the doors opening again as the light from the hallway fills the bed. I watch as  the figure comes toward me as I hide under the blanket. I hear rustling and I poke my head out to look, still tired to not know what's happening around me. The figure seemed to grab a pillow and a blanket from one of the cabinets and set it up on floor. It then gets back to pure quiet as I slip off into rem once again.

꧁(¯'·.¸¸.-> ~~~~~♡~~~~~ <-.¸¸.·´¯)꧂

Hello, Reader! It's currently 2 AM and I'm sorry if anything in this story seems rushed. If you'd like, please put some feedback in the comments and make sure to vote! It helps with more people reading this story because I've put a lot of work and researching into this and it would be such an accomplishment to even have 100 reads :)

Thank you so much for reading this far and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Yours Truly ~ Author