The Eternal Queen

Chapter 31: Ardele

We are dismissed, and the next group of guests go into the throne room. The peasants assigned to our group lead us all to our two rooms. There are many different kingdoms and empires here for the ball this evening and are all assigned two rooms each. One for the men, and the other for the women.

Ushered into our rooms, the women start to get ready. We have about four hours to get cleaned and dressed up, the servants assigned to our rooms are happily braiding hair and such. I settle down into the corner with my bags.

I have a dress that Nora made me, and I am excited to wear it. The letter she sent me included a large package, and I am glad that she gifted with a ballgown. Without it, I would not have known what to wear. In the letter, she wrote about how business is booming, and that I need to visit her soon. Her and I are both quite busy these days, so unfortunately our free time never aligns.

I pull out the gold ball gown, and I grin. This is so her. With the poofy sleeves that tapers down at the wrist, and the elegantly scooped neckline, I can see her wearing this way better than myself. The skirt is thick with many layers, golden fabric upon golden fabric. She has also gifted me gold strings that match with my gown to put in my hair. The whole assemble is lovely.

There are tiny changing stalls with thin borders to give some privacy. I move to the shower stalls first. Washing the dirt and grit off my body after the few days, I massage my scalp, letting the hot water stream down on me. I turn off water, before wiping myself dry. In a towel, I bring my clothing into a changing stall. 

Grabbing some lotion, I moisturize my skin, before slipping on the gown. In the back there is a simple zipper, instead of intricate buttons for a change. Thank goodness. I smooth out the skirt, adjusting some areas.

My hair is still wet, and I comb out the tangles in it. As I wait for my hair to dry, I sit on the padded bench by the window with a book in hand. I need to catch up on some medicinal reading. Some time have passed, and the women have mellowed out.

There are an array of beautiful ball gowns in the room, ranging from all sorts of colors and textures. I place down the heavy book and move to fix my hair before we leave. I braid a crown around my head, weaving the golden strings, but leaving half of my hair down in waves.

Rae, a Valkyrie is dressed up in a beautiful white sash looking gown, the silk pooling at her feet. Her wings are tucked closed to her body, and scowl marring her pretty face, when the servants poke and prod her. A human servant spots me looking at them and tuts at me when she sees that I have not finished with getting ready myself. Averting my eyes, so that they do not spot my inward laughter, I return my attention to the tiny pocket mirror propped on the window frame. I have heard that she is a very strong warrior and I cannot wait to see her fight in battle. She also a war general of Arcana.

Dabbing my finger into a small pot of crushed up red roses, I carefully apply it to my damp lips, studying Clara, a vampiress noble, from across the room. I am not one to do makeup or splurge on products that are deemed necessary by society.

Clara sends me an amused smile, and she picks up a black looking pen. I do the same and watch her as she lines her eyes. Her downturned eyes are lined with a black wing, making her grey eyes pop. Bringing the black tipped ink to my eye, I squint as I attempt to make the same shape. Clara moves to sit next to me on the bench, laughing.

"Let me clean that up."

I give her an embarrassed nod, and she quickly fixes the liner for me. She uses her sleeve to taper the ends, making them look sharper. Clara continues to add more products to my face. A little face powder and color to cheeks.

She finishes the whole ordeal in a couple minutes, and she picks up the mirror and brings it to my face. My dark green eyes are accentuated, making them look smoldering. The liner also makes my lashes appear more lush. My complexion still looks natural with a rosy glow.

I give her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Clara."

She squeezes my shoulder. "Of course. You look stunning, Ardele. Might as well snatch a man while you are at it."

I roll my eyes, while a blush creeps up my neck. I would never. Could never. A husband is not a priority at the moment. The servants are now frantically scrambling, and I spot many people outside the hall. Night has fallen, but it is not time for the ball quiet yet. But considering the amount of noise outside in the hall, I am sure the celebration has started early.

The servants push us out the room, and we meet out with the rest of our group, the men, out in the hall. The men are dressed impeccably, their suits tasteful. Most have their hair fashionably slicked back.

With everyone in the hallway, we pair up to walk into the ballroom. I browse the area, noting the only person missing. The crown prince is nowhere to be seen. Daniel suddenly links his arm through mine, shaking me teasingly.

"You look dashing, darling."

I hum. "I am sure you say that to all ladies."

Nathen snickers beside me and a few other men. Clara, whose arm is linked through Nathen's, smacks him. Laughing good-naturedly with them all, I face Daniel again.

He gasps theatrically before grinning widely. "Nay. Only you."

Patting his arm, I laugh again. "Continue to dream. It suits you."