The Flames That Bind Us (Daughter of Fire #1)

✔Chapter Thirty Three: A Party for The Princess

The dress that lay on my bed was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen.

Lysa had it delivered to my room when I got back from training. She said she was done with it for the princess' birthday celebration tomorrow. These past weeks, every servant in place had been running around in a frenzy for the planning, with Lysa hot on their tails helping and giving instructions.

I didn't even know how she had the time to make this dress, but according to my knowledge, she had made one for Lis, Ayana, and Queen Adria and her wife.

The gown was made of tulle, soft, and almost transparent when reaching the lower half. The skirt had a long split at the side, and the neckline was plunging to nearly the midriff. But what made it truly mesmerizing was the color.

Just like flames, it drifted from the deepest shades to the faintest from top to bottom. And it had tiny red and gold stones sewn to the bodice, sparkling and catching light. They almost resembled tiny sparks, and although the dress looked sleeveless, there was a very thin layer of skin-colored fabric that only had those glittering stones.

"She certainly outdone herself," Luxus commented, tracing his paw over the small matching jacket made especially for him.

I smiled to myself, warmth filling my chest. She didn't have to make one for Luxus and me, but she did anyway. I have to remember to thank her when I see her.

I hung the dress over the mirror, careful not to mess or tear off any of the stones, then headed to the bathroom for a bath.

When I woke up the next day, still groggy from sleep, I realized I had slept in, and it was way past twelve in the afternoon. But before I could so much as get up, the doors to my bedroom sprung open. I expected the maid that usually brought breakfast, but since the half-eaten tray was already on the table, it wasn't her that barged in.

Lysa and her two assistants stormed into the room as if they had a mission set in mind.

"Rise and shine," she clapped her hands. "We have much to do!"

"It's still early, Lysa." I groaned, covering my head with the pillow.

I should have known she was likely to come.

She marched towards me and snatched the pillow right off. "We barely have time. Now, up you go!"

"Why don't you go help the princess?" I complained, finding the softness of the mattress underneath me much too irresistible.

She squinted at me, those bright pink eyebrows furrowed. "Lis can handle herself just fine. It's you that I need to work on."

She was probably right. I knew next to nothing on how to apply make-up. But I was too comfortable to get up. "Just five minutes more, please," I mumbled, closing my eyes.

Lysa was apparently having none of it and pulled the blankets off, kicking them to the ground. I grumbled, suddenly aware of every joint that ached from work and training -and my time with the king.

Though I certainly was happy that he wasn't sleeping beside me for Lysa to come and witness.

"Get moving."

I didn't need to be told twice, and she wasn't going to, so I forced my body to rise, huffing at having been forced to this. I practically limped to the bathroom but was glad she didn't follow.

Lysa had prepared some type of skin liniment that she claimed would purify my skin and make it so clean it would almost glow. She also handed me a hair wash that she insisted would soften my hair and even add volume to the color.

She had placed them all on the rim of the tub, allowing me the privacy to bathe myself.

I had to admit; the skin cream had a pleasant scent that I hadn't smelled before, as well as the hair wash. And when I scrubbed it against my body, I could immediately feel the new softness. It even seemed to smooth the areas around my scars, for they didn't feel as calloused as before.