But It's Pretty
*Ana*
"Naska!The laces are still too tight." I snap, turning back on her standing behind me. "Can't you loosen them some more?"
"I'm trying," Naska retorts, rolling her pale red eyes back at me. "It's just your stomach's just gotten all puffy." And she makes a note to poke the side with her finger.
"It makes it hard to do that."
"Puffy?" Have I gained weight? I look over myself but don't see it, my stomach let alone my height is still the same.
It's why I can still fit in the old dresses. I know but maybe that means I'll have a growth spurt soon? I do hope so.
If I were just to grow another foot or so, that would be…
My cry interrupts my thoughts as Naska gives the laces another hard yank with all her might, pushing all the air out of my lungs in a painful rush.
"Naska!" I swing back, breathing hard as if desperate to steal back the air in a pained wine.
"You are still pulling too hard" I cry again. "Can't you try to" But Naska isn't regarding me at all, her pale eyes seeming to stare off at the laces, unfocused. Before she moves to bite her lower lip.
"...Lord Mykhol just needs to…" Naska mumbles, chewing on the flesh. "...He will…"
"Naska?" My question has her look up, blinking after me, suddenly remembering I am here.
"Oh…yeah." Naska frowns, letting go to start undoing the laces from the bottom, to give up more room.
"Sorry." She grumbles, seeming to focus on her task again. But just as she does, the wayward look comes back making her grip slack again.
"Is…something wrong this morning?" I ask watching her. "You seem distracted." Was there something going on? I look after her, hoping she will be forthcoming.
But of course not. Naska just shakes her head, scuffing through her fangs.
"No." Naska curts, before going back for the strings to try again, pulling them up, and instantly forcing my spine to straighten painfully with a sharp gasp.
"Naska!" I am still gasping as she yanks one more time, before feeling the pull lessen as Naska ties the strings into a knot and-
"Got it." Naska declares, stepping back and wiping the sweat off her brow she's worked up. "You're good."
"I-Thank you-" My sigh of relief is cut short as the knock has us both glancing towards the door.
"Someone here?" I ask but Naska is already back on her feet, and rushing for the door with an eager look.
"Finally!" Naska exclaims, tearing open the door with a burst of energy I've never seen her use with me before, and turns up her lips to grin with all her fangs.
"Lord Mykhol, Welcome-" And just as quickly, Naska's excitement dies on her face as she blinks at the space before her eyebrows push in with clear confusion.
"Huh?"
"Down here," The voice chirps, having Naska slowly tilt her head down, lips pursing.
"You…are…?"
"Is Ana dressed yet?" The young voice quirks again. "Is she ready?"
"Uh…yeah." Naska's voice trails off before shifting her eyes back up the hall. "Your Empress, it's.." Naska sighs frowning before going on flatly. "Prince Nicoli for you."
"Oh?"Nicoli lifts an eyebrow to her a little shocked, but quickly forgets her, turning his attention back to me. "Morning Ana!"
"Good morning!" I step down from the chair to quickly come over and greet him.
"You look …" I stop to glance over at Nicoli dressed in a flowy white shirt with black pants, all thin and airy for the heat. A good choice.
"Good, I know." Nicoli finishes, before turning to look me over. "You dressed in the Dawny style again?" He quirks his brow in question.
"Yes, I did." I agree, eager to see his reaction. Nicoli seemed to like it when I dressed like this last time. "Do I… look okay?"
"Yes!" Nicoli quickly nods his head, his sapphire eyes rolling over the puffed sleeves. "It makes you look…regal."
"Regal?" At that, I have to laugh. "I am an Empress." Of course, I look regal. And I laugh again, shaking my head at him. "Such a silly thing to say."
"Well, you do." Nicoli shrugs, shifting his curls from the part in the middle. "You ready?"
"Almost," I turn to the last part of my wardrobe. In a swift motion, I have the shawl on, hair tucked inside, and deftly work to click the golden chains into place.
"There," I go, turning back. "Now we can-"
"Why did you cover it up again?" Nicoli interrupts, a frown growing on his face. "It's pretty."
"That…" But before I can even think of any answer, I hear it. Naska's not-so-quiet snark behind me.
"You kidding me?"
"Hmm?" Nicoli looks up, curiously, but Naska just moves to cough into her hand, before smoothing out her plain gown of cotton. She pretends to be interested in the window but I can still see the smirk on her face.
A smirk which is more than enough to make me return to the last clasp the gold chains.
"Thank you, Nicoli." I return, hearing the claw click closed, before lowering my arms, taking one quick look over in the mirror to see all my hair hidden before turning back to him.
"But I plan to wear it." I go on. "It…makes people comfortable when I do".
"Comfortable?" Nicoli bulks, a quick look of confusion as he darts his eyes back at the shawl again with a frown. "That's…weird." He goes, at last, shaking his head before starting up again. "Well, whatever," Nicoli shrugs, "Come! I don't want to miss the cake!"
"Cake?" What? But I don't get to finish as Nicoli quickly takes me by the wrist and pulls us out into the hall.
"Yeah, cake." Nicoli goes again, "There should be plenty of it at the party." And he makes to follow down the hall to turn the corner before coming to an abrupt stop.
"Nicoli?" I barely catch myself at the last moment, almost making me knock into him. "Why did you suddenly-"
"Good morning, Ana."
"Cousin," I lift my head in some surprise to find Mykhol. He's standing before us, dressed in another Nochten gown. His hair combed back and pinned with golden clamps, to help show off his gold earrings.
"I was just…"Mykhol starts up again before his eyes land on Nicoli's hand around my wrist for a moment. "About to get you…"
"Oh, that," Yes, of course, he would, I realize with a sinking feeling. How could I be so thoughtless?
"Yes, brother…he showed up unexpectedly this morning," I explain with a nod to Nicoli. "He's…"
"Going to take you, I gather," Mykhol answers.
"Uh, yes…" I trail off, again feeling guilty for forgetting. "I should have sent word to you that …" But Mykhol is already shifting his gaze to Nicoli now.
" Prince Nicoli," Mykhol moves to bend at the waist before slowly pulling up to regard him with that courtly smile of his. "Good morning,"
"Morning." Nicoli returns but his hand tightens a little around my wrist.
"Come on, Ana. We don't want to be late." Nicoli goes suddenly, keeping his eyes ahead, pulling past Mykhol.
"Nicoli, hold on…" But Nicoli doesn't hear, pulling me faster around Mykhol. Determined to get down to the party. But not before I notice the stare he throws back at him, almost…weary.
Does… Nicoli and Mykhol not get along? I wonder briefly, noting the odd behavior but just as quickly I'm distracted again as I suddenly become aware of two things.
One is how bright it is outside, as we step out the French doors to the patio. The sun, not quite as extreme as in Nochten, is still quite hot, making me feel a drop of sweat fall down the back of my neck as we turn to descend the stairs before I can hear the second part.
Voices, I can hear many voices below.
That's...a lot of girls. I realize, darting my eyes over to the tables set up on the grass. The tables are full of girls Nicoli's age. All sitting in their pastel dresses and little hats chatting and sipping tea.
"Look!" A sudden ripple of excitement seems to run across the lawn before girls turn their heads up to peer over.
"He's here!" Someone rushes to another.
"Prince Nicoli!" Another calls out and eagerly sits up in her chair just as many others start to pull and tug at their clothes as if to get ready.
"But who's…?"The question falls as many turn, finally looking from Nicoli to find me. Their smiles pause as they blink after me.
"Her eyes…are red?" Someone points out.
"She's a vampire."
"A vampire?" Someone finishes before the whole party falls silent. Their eyes just blinked after me as if not sure how to react quite yet. So they only stare. They just stare after me just like the day when…
"They think of us as only monsters." Mykhol's words echo in the back of my mind before I shudder, suddenly unable to move another step as I'm frozen in fear. Frozen and suddenly transported back to that awful day five years ago.
Where I'm on the floor of the courtroom crying. I'm crying on and on but no one helps me. They just watch on as Father…as Nicoli…as Nicoli…
"Ana?"
"Ah, oh!." I gasp, forgetting myself as I suddenly find sapphire eyes watching me. "I was..I…"
"Are you…?" But Nicoli never finishes the question, as if just looking at my face makes him his mind. Instead, he shifts down to take my hand.
"Come on, Ana," Nicoli reassures gently. "Let's get some cake."
"Cake…?" I repeat distantly, almost not understanding before I feel his fingertips graze mine. He weaves them through mine before giving me a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah, I'm starving," Nicoli says again, making a pointed look down at the desserts on the tables. "Let's go eat."
"I…okay." But words fail me and in the end, I only nod, finding his hand gently nudging me a step down and then another before we are both at the bottom.
"Come on, this way." Nicoli goes, turning to direct us to the tables. But just as I think everything will be better, finding comfort in his hand, I realize where he's headed.
Nicoli is heading for the main table. The one where Stepmother resides in a puffy white dress, a large giant girl with green eyes sitting to her left. While to her right is…
"Father,"
"Ana?" Nicoi turns back again just as I step back. "What's wrong?" He asks, giving my hand a gentle tug. "Come on, let's go eat."
"I…" I have to swallow a moment before managing to nod. I take a breath to calm myself and force my feet to move again, as it feels suddenly hard to keep enough air in.
We are…Father is… I can't help but glance back up at the table with trepidation. Sure enough, to find sapphire eyes looking after me, waiting, watching.
I…you can do this. I steal a breath.
You can…do this. I go again, curling sweaty fingers tighter around Nicoli's, trying to focus on his hand in mine.
Because that is the very reason I did this. Because his hand is in mine. And that is only because I…
I can do this. I go once more, stealing a shaky breath, and hold it in, as Nicoli continues to drag me closer to the table, and closer to Father's waiting sapphire eyes.