Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty-Four: Ariadne

Ariadne POV

I apologized but knew that an hour in Harriet's time was about ten minutes in mine, and I usually preferred to be early. Then I hurried to the dressing room with Harriet on my heels the whole way up, and the minute we walked in Harriet made my two usual maids and two other maids, get to work immediately. They started by sitting me in a chair next to the counter with a bucket of water, where they started cleaning my hair. After Harriet was satisfied that they were doing a good enough job, she left to go get my new dress. And as my maids continued to wash my hair I thought one of them looked a little like Simeon. Which made me realize that I didn't even know their names.

"What's your name?" I asked one of my usual maids who was holding the soap.

She looked at me, eyebrows raised, then snickered to which I looked at her confused.

"Sorry, she's a bit skeptical. I'm Grace!" Grace, who was cleaning out and cutting my nails, answered.

"Grace! It's not proper!" The soap maid said.

"She did address us first, so I believe it is proper Allison," Grace answered.

Elizabeth and Margaret finished cleaning my hair while Allison and Grace cleaned my fingernails, all in silence. However, after a few minutes of this, we continued talking and laughing. All except Allison that is.

My thoughts were interrupted when a bustling Harriet came through the door with my wonderful gown in her calloused hands.

"Hurry up girls, we need to make sure our Princess looks absolutely perfect for this evening, it is a special one!" She said as she laid out my dress and began giving my new friends orders, which they followed with preciseness.

A minute later and my hair was in a loose bun; I knew it would not stay in this particular style, it was just to keep my hair out of the way when we put the elaborate gown on. I knew from experience that it hurt to get your hair caught in the back of your corset.

"Stand on this stool, here, Ariadne," Harriet directed and I obeyed.

Upon stepping on the stool, my maids continued to undress me until I was standing in just my pantalets and corset. They then proceeded to put on the crinoline (the hoop skirt) that fit a little too tight for comfort around my waist. Then they tightened my corset so tight I was sure it would break each time I took a breath. After that, they slipped an underskirt over the crinoline and straightened it, then began to slowly slip my gown over my head. I didn't breathe until after it was on because even though I knew it was tougher than it looked, I was afraid it would rip or snag for sure if I moved an inch.

They then continued to fix little wrinkles and folds in the magnificent material, to give the dress the full effect it deserved. They then helped me off the stool, that now seemed a lot taller than it had been just minutes before, and they took me back over by the counter. But this time to a small chair that was made so you still sit on it with a big dress on.

"Finish her hair. Elizabeth, isn't that your specialty? And feel free to take all the time you need, you have lots of it," Harriet said then walked out, leaving me with four glee-filled maids pouring over my hair, wondering what style to try.

After about 15 minutes of trying to decide, they determined they better get going and just try something. They started with a loose up-do and hand curled some pieces to see if they would like it. I knew because they constantly were chatting about it. I didn't mind that they were not talking to me directly, it was just nice to have some company.

"Well... It's pretty, but let's try some other styles too!" Elizabeth said and they took out the current hairstyle and started another one I wasn't too fond of. Then they did another bun but thought it was too plain for such a magnificent dress. The fourth and final hairdo was a half-up one and they curled the hairs that hung down. We had to wait for the metal sticks to warm up in the embers of a fire for a while though, so I talked to my maids.

"Where were you born?" I asked.

"I was born in Tillimina, and I get to go visit my family on the next full moon!" Grace replied enthusiastically.

"I was born and raised here, in Glendowin," Elizabeth answered. "As was Margaret, we're sisters."

"Really?" I looked back and forth at the both of them and saw a strong resemblance, I wondered why I hadn't noticed it before.

"Yes," Margaret answered smiling shyly at her sister.

"And where are you from?" I asked Allison.

"I don't know," she said bitterly, looking into the fire.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said.

"I don't need your pity, I've managed just fine on my own."

"I do not doubt that. You seem very capable and self-sufficient."

Allison looked at me suspiciously then turned her gaze back to the fire. "Looks like the hot sticks are ready."

I sighed as they brought me back to the small chair where they started curling the hairs that hung down. And as they were situating the last of my hairs, I got up the courage to ask them the question on my mind.

"Do you know what's so special about tonight? I've tried asking Harriet, but she keeps avoiding the question."

All four maids stopped what they were doing and I could imagine them all looking at each other wondering what to tell me.

"You don't know?" Allison asked and I slowly shook my head.

After another minute, Grace broke the stunned silence. "Someone is here to call on you."
My eyebrows furrowed, "Why wasn't I told?"

They all shrugged and continued fixing my hair, trying to make it look perfect.

"Get me Harriet," I said. "Please." And Margaret, who wasn't doing anything at the moment, left immediately.

After what felt like an hour of sitting in silence, with an occasional comment on how I looked, Harriet came in looking flustered. "What is this about?"

"Why couldn't you tell me I had a gentleman suitor?" I asked, and she just stared at me in shock.

"Yes, you do. But how did you-"

"You had to know I'd figure out eventually. Why did you not want me to know?"

"It doesn't matter," she said trying to end the conversation.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Well... He wanted it to be a surprise."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you. I will at least let that surprise you."

I stared at her for a few minutes, but to no avail: she wouldn't break. When I finally looked away Harriet left the room, and as she did, I went through all the men that would tell Harriet to keep a secret from me. Not many men would think to ask her, or they were too scared, or too prideful.
"Now go have fun," Grace said.

I smiled. "Thank you, I will."

After lunch, time was going by painfully slow. To get my mind off everything I decided to knit; something I had not done since my mother died. It took a minute to find a comfortable position with my huge gown, but I finally found the perfect position and started knitting a scarf. I was in the middle of undoing a stitch when a loud knock sounded at the door and I nearly fell off my chair in surprise.

I quickly overcame my shock, smoothed out my gown and opened the door to reveal Grace standing there with a cheerful smile on her lovely face. Without a word, she and Allison fixed my dress so it looked perfect again and then they each took one of my arms and led me through the hall and down the stairs where a handsome man dressed in a very nice black suit stood waiting.

Prince Wilson. 

Ooooh what do you think so far???