"Rise and shine Ana!"
I groan, pulling my pillow over my head to hide my face. My hair was plastered to my cheek and partly in my mouth in a very unattractive manner.
I feel the delicate fingers of my mother slowly pry back to pillow, and I peak up at her with a sleepy yawn. "Today it the big day!" She reminds me as my maids pull open the curtains to let in the early morning sunshine.
I sit up, rubbing my finger through my very curly, very tangled, mane of hair. As I yawn a second time, I raise my eyebrows towards my mother in annoyance. Did she have to wake me up so early?
Not to my surprise, Mother was already dress and ready for today. Her beautiful blue ball gown fit the curve of her body in all the right places. Its strapless top snug and secure lead to a slim silky fabric that had a golden trim along the heart shaped neckline. Slowly, the deep aqua lead to soft shades of pastel blues by the trail of the dress.
Her long red hair were already tamed, (I get my unruly curls from her) and pulled back into a braid that was laid flat against her head in a beautiful swirl. Curly pieces hung down in elegant ringlets around her shoulders and her golden crown gleamed on her head.
I rub at my eyes, blinking to look up at the maids around my mother whispering fashion ideas for my look of the day. "How are you already dressed?" I ask groggily. "The sun hasn't even fully made its way over the mountains." It's true, looking out the window only half of the sun is visible over the peak of the mountains in the far distance.
My mother and my three maids chuckle kindly at my sleepy statement. "Because..." My mother begins, gingerly taking my hand and leading me off the bed.
She and the maids glance from my uncontrollable curls to my un-manicured toes. "This will take a long time," she finishes with a smirk.
***
I am fully awake after a large bucket of chilling water is pored over my head. "I-it's s-so cold!" I say through chattering teeth.
"It's better for your hair and skin," responds my head ladies maid, Paisley. She brushes a strand of dark hair away from her face and pours another bucket of ice water onto my head.
When I step out, freezing and soaking wet, I put my silk robe on and walk back into my bedroom. As I walk, Paisley twists up my damp hair in a clip off my neck.
Mother, Margaret, and another maid named Sarah, were standing in a circle admiring the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.
It was made of a beautiful red silk, as dark and mesmerizing as the color of blood. Far past the necessary ankle length the dress would certainly drag behind me in a graceful sweep of silky fabric. The sleeves stopped at my elbows, but hang long on the back side in a tradition style used for occasions such as these. The neckline is modest but fashionable, dipping in a low heart shape.
Like my mother's, it was lined with golden thread. Among the skirts of the dress, layers of dark aqua fabric blended into the red, creating a swirl of colors mended by the gold lining.
The dress was in the colors of the Five Kingdom's flag.
"Mother..." I say in a stunned whisper, putting a hand on the shoulder of the beautiful dress. "It's beautiful..."
Mother smiles. "You like it?" She asks, glancing excitedly at my maids who waited enthusiastically for my approval.
I stare at her with an open mouth. "Like it? I'm speechless!" I hug her and all of my maids, telling each of them a thank you through my excited bounces. Sara begins to tell me of how much work was put into the dress, describing the late nights Paisley spent lining it with golden thread and how long Margaret took finding the perfect shade of red. I thank them continually for their hard work.
Slipping out of my comfortable robe, I take Mother's hand as Paisley helps me step into the dress. I wait patiently as the three women pull of the layers of the dress with practiced precision. The soft fabric slipped smoothly onto my body and fit so perfectly I almost wondered if there was something wrong with it that I was missing. It was too perfect to be real.
Sara takes her time carefully tightening the corset until I squeak out a meek request to allow me some breathing ability. Then I sit as comfortably as I can on the edge of my bed and let Sarah and Paisley begin taming my hair while my mother and Margaret start to apply makeup.
"When will they arrive?" I ask my mother as she puts on my powder.
Mother smiles sadly, her eyes glancing away from her work to look towards me. "They will be accounted for at nine o'clock," she replied, and I could tell she was trying to hide the disapproval in her voice.
It is only in private places like this that Mother shows her hesitance towards the contest. Despite going through it herself at my age, she has never liked the idea of me getting betrothed at sixteen and I was glad that even though she could do nothing she was on my side.
It's hard for me to image Mother in my position when she was my age, waiting anxiously for my father and the other princes to arrive. They don't talk much about their contest, but they were so perfect together nobody doubted the effectiveness of the trials.
"Remember," my mother starts. "You will have to have lunch with each prince throughout the contest."
I restrain a groan of annoyance. I had forgotten about that. The princes will be staying with us for four weeks. In that time I am required to have lunch with each of them to better familiarize myself to their separate personalities.
Mother begins to apply my dark eyeliner. "You must give them a chance, Anastasia."
At this, I glance up. Whenever Mother uses my full name I know she is serious.
"I didn't want to get married when I was your age," she admits, sitting back and clasping her hands in her lap. She has never told me this before.
"Then I met your father." I watch the happy smile form to her lips as she shakes her head in disbelief. "It truly was love at first sight." Mother takes my hands in hers. "I hope above all else you find that too," she whispers fiercely, squeezing my hands in comfort. I notice for the first time that tears threaten to fall from her clear blue eyes.
I nod, trying not to let my own eyes water as well. Mother kisses my forehead, lingering for only a second then pulling away. Her smile was tight and loving. I wish I had the time to tell her how much I love her and I hope I can become an amazing Queen just as she has, but instead my voice didn't work and I showed her a small smile instead. Somehow I know she knew what I couldn't say.
"One final touch," she announces, says reviling a tube of dark red lipstick. I sit as still as possible as the smooth surface of the makeup touches my lips and glides over their surface with the dark red color.
After a few very long seconds of anticipation, Mother pulls away and nods. "Done," Mother says with a satisfied smile. She reaches out and grabs my hands, helping me off my bed and guiding me to the tall full length mirror in the corner of my room.
When I catch my reflection in the mirror, I smile.
The red dress fits me perfectly, making my waist look smaller and my height taller due to the many waves of fabric and heals beneath the dress. The makeup was flawless. The eyeliner, not to much or too little, allowed the green flakes in my eyes to pop. My hair was allowed more curl than it usually is. The tight ringlets bounced only a little above my waist, and the front locks were pulled back in delicate twist that effectively kept my hair away from my face.
My tiara, the cherry on top, sparkled in the early morning light. It's priceless jewels glittered multicolors and completed the dress.
I looked beautiful.
I put my hands on my hips. "You did have a lot of work to do," I said with a mischievous smile. My mother and the maids laugh, congratulating each other for a job well done.
"It was worth it dear!" Margaret replies.
"Yes, you look beautiful, love!" Says Paisley.
Love.
I suddenly remember the handsome thief I had met in the shadows of the night and the way he called me his love. A casual term. Something he threw about as if it held little importance.
Will he be here? Will he come to watch the ceremony?
I shake my head to myself. This is ridiculous! He doesn't care about me. All he wants is the money I will give him.
Nothing more.
When I stop paying he will stop coming. He will be gone. I turn to the open window, staring up at the sun to distract my thoughts. According to its position in the sky nine o'clock was approaching quickly.
My stomach tosses uneasily, and I wonder if their is any way we can reschedule and do this all again in a month.
Mother must suspect my nervousness, because she comes up beside me calmly and places a hand on my shoulder. "You look stunning, my dear. Now, let's get you down to the throne room," she says softly.
The princes will each have the opportunity to grandly make an entrance with their family and band of political allies. They will introduce themselves, perhaps give me a meaningless complement and maybe a gift, then stand to the side and glare at the other princes who they will be competing against for my hand in marriage. I will keep a smile on my face, regard them with distant politeness, and as soon as the ceremony is over, I will sneak out to see Magiano for my first meeting with him.
I take a deep breath, closing my eyes as I allow my head to clear.
Let's get this over with.
A/N: My italics are now fixed so I am going through my stories to fix where I had used bold instead but if you see any bold feel free to comment and I will go back and fix it!!