𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ✯ 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑒 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄

'You,' Rosaleen answered before she could stop herself. 'I do think you would make a great king.'

'I─ ehm, wait? Really?' Peter asked, a cheeky grin immediately tugging at the corners of his lips, and this time it was her time to stammer something incoherently. Rosaleen quickly rushed inside her tent before he could see the blush appearing on her cheeks. She could hear him chuckle from behind the fabric but then it grew softer as he went into his tent as well.

Rosaleen took a deep breath, composing herself, but when she tried running a hand through her tousled hair, she quickly stopped as painful pangs accompanied her movements. She walked towards the standing mirror and noticed how her usual natural waves had turned into actual curls from the whole ordeal she had been through.

'Great,' she muttered, but she spun around when the flap of the tent moved and two naiads appeared in the opening. Their blue hair cascaded down their backs, almost touching the ground, and their white skin shone like starlight while their blue dresses flowed around their bodies in a most elegant manner. One of them carried a bowl with warm water while the other had a purple dress in her hands.

'My lady,' the two spoke in unison and their melodic voices could send anyone in trance if they chose to do so. 'We are here to help you to get ready for the feast.'

'Oh.' Rosaleen stared at the beautiful naiads. 'Thank you, but I don't think that would be─,' her voice faded away when the shortest of the two put the wooden bowl on a standard and gestured at Rosaleen to be silent, pressing her finger against her own lips.

'It would be our honour, my lady. Truly,' she said, and Rosaleen gave in as the other naiad spread the dress over one of the beds. The skirt had many, almost translucent, layers in different hues of purple while between the first and second layer, some actual purple flowers were sewn on a lavender coloured lace. The upper part of the dress, in the same lavender as the lace, would go tightly around her chest while some embroidered flowers decorated her waist. Rosaleen wondered how it would look on her, but first, the naiads helped her clean up. They washed her face and hair, carefully brushing it to get the long strands untangled, and though Rosaleen felt a bit odd at first to just sit there, she soon enjoyed it. She felt herself becoming less and less tense after the otherworldly adventures that had been thrown her way, and when the naiads had helped her in her new dress, she felt like a whole different person.

The naiads smiled in satisfaction as Rosaleen twirled in front of the mirror, the many layers of her skirt billowing out around her like the petals of a blooming flower. Her dress had a high collar and partly covered her shoulders as well, yet it had no sleeves but with the winter's cold that was long gone, she didn't think she would miss them.

'You look beautiful, my lady,' the shortest naiad said, and Rosaleen smiled.

'Thank you for your help. . .' She stopped when she realised she didn't know their names.

'Saffira and Daphne,' the naiad introduced them with a small curtsy.

Rosaleen thanked them fully and the naiads walked out of the tent, leaving her alone once again. She observed her own reflection one last time, admiring the beautiful dress that fit her perfectly, but then she decided to get out of the tent as well. She didn't exactly know how long it had taken her to get ready, but it had to be at least an hour. Maybe even longer. She glanced back at the twin swords laying in their sheaths on her bed, wondering if she should strap them on; it seemed a bit inappropriate as she was about to attend a feast but in a way, she also felt too vulnerable without them ─ even though she hadn't had the weapons for very long yet. She bit on her lip thoughtfully and then strapped them onto her back. After all, the purple hilts fit the colour of her dress.