Adiva Rasan unhappily watched her mother and Aunts discuss the details of her upcoming nuptials, which she wanted to stop at any cost. The last plan hadn't gone like she had planned. She had thought one attack would be enough to collapse this whole treaty. Oh how naive! She had forgotten that this treaty had stood the test of time and trial for centuries. She had to attack the opposition now, she thought and narrowed her eyes. What could she do to set them off? She racked her brains for some much needed plans and came up null. She sighed as she leaned back on her chair and worried her lip in irritation.
"How is this?" Her mother questioned her, as a girl modelled a wedding gown for her benefit. She shook her head in a negative. There would be no wedding anyways, if she had her way and she would... have her way that is.
Some of the ladies of her family had come to shop for the wedding. They were in a famous boutique, searching for a wedding gown for the bride and till now she had rejected atleast fifteen of them, without even glancing at them once. Her sullen face was affecting everyone's mood and everyone sat deflated on their chairs. They were watching her with thinly veiled anger.
The most frustrated of the lot was the girl who had been modelling the fifteen gowns for the past two hours. She had been prodded and paraded and turned in every way. She had been made to stand and sit and then asked to smile as she turned this way and that. Her hair had been twisted and turned into up-dos. She was now on the verge of tears. But most importantly, her hands were itching to kill the bride to be. She had heard about the princess of the Rasans, the one who was about to get married the very next month. She had heard about her carefree nature and 'I don't care' attitude. But this? This was beyond words. That girl hadn't spared her a glance, since she entered with the first gown. She had just shook her head when her mother had asked her opinion. And all the gowns she had modeled after that had met with the same fate, even though the rest of the ladies had done all the experimenting on her.
At the beginning of the whole fiasco, her day had been going fantastic, but then she had to jump at the chance of modelling for the Rasans. Who wouldn't? They were akin to royalty after all. But now if someone would have asked her to repeat the process for them ever again, she would just run for the hills. So would all the girls who worked there. They had witnessed the whole frustrating two hours of her life, and were now throwing her piteous looks. When their looks had turned from envy to pity, she didn't know. Maybe on the fourth gown. Adiva Rasan had gone on to reject the most beautiful masterpieces of their famous boutique. Anyone with a shred of common sense could see that she was in total disagreement with the wedding and the peace treaty. Oh how she wished she could bring this face of the Rasans in front of the adoring public. Her dull eyes suddenly lit up with that thought. Maybe she could... just to take revenge from this heartless ice queen. She sighed as she put on the sixteenth gown and readied herself for the same procedure before stepping out.
Ziera Rasan took one look at her moody daughter and knew instantly that there was another rejection coming her way. She bit her lips in disapproval and a tint of humor danced in her eyes, before it was snuffed out by the look that the attendant wore along with the Zariaro Panini gown. The attendant was looking haggard by then, even though her appearance looked quite put together. Her eyes were screaming murder as she watched Adiva, who was carelessly studying her nails. Ziera caught the attendant's eye and smiled placatingly. She was met with a blank look that screamed of exaggerated politeness. Ziera bit back a chuckle.
"Can you please give us a moment?" She requested all the attendants, who smiled at them. Their smiles though were strained to the point of pain. They bowed and withdrew from the Rasans. Ziera's eyes turned fierce as she turned towards her daughter. She quite enjoyed her fireball's rebellion but right now the Rasan reputation of centuries was at stake due to one irritated girl. "Adiva Rasan!" She hissed angrily. Her daughter turned towards her with raised eyebrows, her face screaming of feigned innocence.
"Yes? Mother?" Came a prompt reply.
"Can you please not throw away our reputation on streets or rather on the floors of this esteemed boutique, by being so passive in the preparations of your own wedding and by not showing the least of bit interest in your surroundings? And!" She barked again raising her index finger, when fire burned in Adiva's eyes and she was about to respond. "By being so disrespectful to the people who are trying their very best to please you?" Ziera was very upset. "Try showing some respect to them and try swallowing this truth without looking so constipated, that you are going to be married to Mirsab Furaat with or without your will! Try to keep your problems within the walls of our home and do not publicize it outside. If the Furaats come to know of this, God knows what trouble will ensue."
The Aunts agreed whole heartedly along with some cousins, including Hera who she had pulled along forcefully. They were tired and wanted to finish this visit from hell as soon as they could. She watched her mother with wide eyes and smiled. Her mother had given her a brilliant idea. Her mother was taken aback and watched her with a surprised look on her face.
"You are right Mother! That was very ungracious of me. I just need a moment to myself and then I will be back. You guys can continue to pick the gowns and as soon as I return from the loo I will look at them properly... Okay?" She smiled at them and then without waiting for a response, sauntered towards the area that was supposed to be the loo, leaving behind a whole group of disgruntled ladies. Adiva Rasan had just accepted her mistake. The world might be collapsing soon.
•••
The attendant's name was Daisy. She was a well mannered girl from a middle class family. She was a student but had to work part time in the boutique because she had to pay for her studies herself. And also because her family had too many people and too less money to look after all of them. This job had been a god sent for her as she had needed it the most right then and she had accepted it without a second though. The money that was given to her was quite a lot and also the people that actually came there were very prestigious and well mannered. Sometimes they also tipped handsomely. But today was the first time she was regretting the job. She wiped her tears away as she bit her lips and flushed the toilet and exited the cubicle, before standing in front of the mirror. She wiped her tears hastily and fished out the emergency kit from her locker on the side and redid her make up. The door to the loo was pulled open and her friend slash colleague entered it. She rushed towards Daisy with raised arms and enveloped her in a comforting bear hug.
"I am so sorry Daisy. You got stuck with the annoying Princess. I wish I could just wring her neckfor you, but that would land me in jail and I do not want to go to prison. I am so sorry!" She said sincerely. Daisy gave her a watery chuckle and shook her head.
"I totally understand and appreciate this kind gesture." Daisy told her sweetly.
"That girl thinks she is the Queen of all things moving. Such arrogance? I hate her!" Melvin, her friend, told her angrily. Daisy nodded defeatedly.
"I wouldn't have minded if she had actually paid attention and showed some interest in the gowns. That would have reasonable. Adiva Rasan on the other hand totally doesn't want to say yes to any of the gowns. Infact... I am sure she want to reject this wedding altogether. And yet she sit there in disinterest, shaking her head in negative without even looking at the gown once!" Daisy ranted. "I wish I could throw her out of the boutique and see her as she fall on the street outside."
"Amen to that sister. If you want a hand I can totally lend you an imaginary one." Melvin replied. Daisy laughed again.
"It's okay Melvin. I will be fine. The day will pass and along with that the arrogant princess will get out of here too!" Daisy said cheerfully and Melvin nodded.
"Yup!" Melvin replied. "So come out soon and please don't cry." She patted Daisy's shoulder encouragingly.
"I won't." Daisy replied easily and waved Melvin out of the loo.
As soon as the door to the loo closed, a cubicle on the far corner opened and Daisy widened her eyes. Her face further paled when Adiva exited the stall with a cold smile on her beautiful face.
•••
Adiva smiled at her mother as she sat down on her chair. Her mother furrowed her brows at her but let it slide and gestured to an attendant who nodded and went towards the dressing rooms with all the chosen gowns.
The rest of the day passed quite easily, with Adiva choosing a simple, grey colored gown with an empire silhouette. She had decided to pair it with a grey cape, that flowed behind her in a long train. The gown was simple with some pearls and diamonds studded near the neckline and the waist. The rest of it was purely shimmering net that had been paired with Naian satin.
The gown cost a fortune but the ladies breathed a sigh of relief as they all billed their purchases pairing it with handsome tips and made a hasty exit from the boutique leaving the attendants and the owner herself relieved inside, except for one timid girl who hastily redressed in her own clothes. She had caught the smirk Adiva Rasan had thrown her way on her exit. Oh how she wished today had never happened. She hid her mortified face in her hands and burst into tears.
Daisy wiped her tears soon though and gulped nervously as her hands shivered. She had to do it soon or else the Diva might just cause her to lose everything dear to her like she had been promised.