They Were Expecting A Lady, Instead They Met Me (Part II)

Chapter Twenty Three

            My helpers sat me down at my dresser and started working on my hair, which had grown freakishly long. They ended up braiding it around my head so I looked a bit like a crown before placing my tiara against the top of it. I sent them out of the room as I stepped into the dress. In truth I was embarrassed because I was getting kind of fat, and I didn’t want them to find out. My stomach had a small bump on it. I had a sneaky feeling that it was probably… well…

            A tumor.

            The dress, thankfully, concealed the bump and I called the girls back in to help lace it up at the back. As a vampire I didn’t wear makeup because my facial features were naturally enhanced. So, all in all, I was ready in an hour tops. The maids left me to myself after warning me not to ruin my hair or dress. I took the time to open up my computer and Googled my symptoms.

            Bloating in the stomach, nausea, strange food cravings… The most common diagnosis was something I forced myself to ignore, and I clicked on the second most likely disease: A parasitic worm that was slowly eating away at my brain.

            It made sense. It would obviously explain all the strange mood swings I’ve been having as well.

            “Emi? It’s time to go!” Mia banged against my door. I closed my laptop just as she walked in. “Oh! You’re ready?”

            “I have been for a while.” I smiled at her and stood up calmly, though on the inside I was freaking out majorly. “We going down?”

            “Yep! We’re all here!” She pointed to the door and I saw Char and Kai standing there talking excitedly. “Kai wants to hurry up and see Ryanlow!”

            “He’s her fiancée, right?” I asked as we walked out of my room.

            “Mhmm, they’re getting married in three months.”

            We chatted happily as we walked down the stairs only to see the other princesses already mingling with a group of handsome men. The dukes were all diverse in their colorings and race- there was even one with blue skin! A tall guy instantly approached Kai with even more multi-colored hair than her! While she only had four colors, this guy was a freaking rainbow! I want my hair like that so bad!

            “Kailia,” he said in a deep voice, “it’s been too long.”

            And just like that, they started making out like crazy rabbits. Obviously the random guy was Crown Prince Ryanlow, and he’d missed her. A lot. I couldn’t help but feel a little bit jealous because she got to see her lover, while mine was who-knows-where. Mia nudged me to keep moving forward before giving me a sympathetic smile. I realized that she was probably in the exact same situation as me, and linked arms with her because of that kinship.

            “Ah, Emiliana,” a familiar voice greeted, “I see you’ve made friends during your stay here.”

            “Madeleine,” I replied with an awkward smile. “How is everything at home?”

            “Rough. I see you’ve changed during your stay here. You have become more ladylike.” My manners classes came back full force as I instinctively began to guide her to the Banquet Hall.

“I guess you could say that.” The headmistress was instantly there to steal the queen away from me with a humble smile.

            “Your Majesty, it’s a pleasure to have you here in our academy! You have not visited since you attended here yourself!” She swept into a low curtsey