From Protector To Lady

From Protector To Lady Chapter 20

"That is the only thing keeping me from running from this place and going back home," I said, my chest tightening at the thought of my family, I missed them so.

"Yes, well...I will be leaving now. I will see you at the ball," he spoke before turning and walking out of my chambers.

Did he not plan on seeing me before three days time? It seemed as if though I was always running into him somewhere when he was present in the palace. Perhaps he would do his best to avoid me as I planned on doing to him. I had absolutely no desire to see him. Thinking back now on how I foolishly thought I had actual feelings for the man, I get angry. What if the king thought we had feelings for each other and thought he was doing us a favor?

I shook my head, clearing my mind of the troublesome thoughts. Lifting myself from the ground I looked around my chambers, assessing the damage I had done. Sighing, I decided to leave the mess for the morning; I would take care of it after what I hoped to be a decent night's sleep.

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I sighed and groaned as Rose plucked a hair from my eyebrows. I had already been washed and thoroughly scrubbed from head to toe and I swore Rose had extra vigor in her muscles this afternoon.

"Is this really necessary?!" I squawked, glaring at the stout woman.

"I was specifically told to take care of every single aspect...you are being presented as the betrothed of a new coming Duke who is going to be introduced tonight. It is going to cause quite the excitement, many people will be congratulating you. The king instructed that I make you as presentable as possible," she retorted.

"You cannot be serious. The way you are going at it, you obviously have intentions of plucking me like a forest chicken," I grumbled, crossing my arms in front of my chest, forcing her back and hindering her ability to get at my face.

"Fine, fine! I was finished with them anyways," she huffed. "Now let's get you dressed."

I sighed loudly, not attempting to hide my frustration. Today was a special occasion, meaning I will have layer, upon layer stacked underneath my dress. There will be undergarments, petticoats, slips, and then finally an overly exquisite gown.

Minutes later Rose re-entered my chamber from the closet, holding a heap of deep royal blue silk. The color was enchanting. I watched as she dropped the dress on the bed and walked back into the closet, coming back into the room minutes later with a pile of white fabric, the undergarments.

It took several minutes for all of the undergarments and layers to be placed before she began squeezing the air out of my lungs with a corset, tying the strings as tight as she could possibly muster.

"There, I can finally put the gown on, oh you're going to look wonderful!" she hummed, clapping her hands together.

"Yes, now that I look thoroughly nothing like myself," I replied.

"Oh nonsense. You look quite like yourself, just, a little more primped, that is all," Rose said as she helped me slip into the gown, pulling it up above to my chest. The dress itself was a sleeveless corset top. How convenient that the dress should lace up as well, further restricting any chance that the corset laces themselves should loosen.

"It looks fabulous," she said, her face gleaming with joy as she looked at me, her face bright. "You had better remove that foul look from your face, girl, or the king will not be pleased. Besides, you are about to become a married woman to a Duke, you could not have had much better luck."