KATHRYN'S POV
"I'm sorry, milady. This will hurt a bit," the maid apologised before literally pulling the strings of my corset. Oh my God! I thought I was about to die just then.
"Is this necessary?" I asked while they proceed to pull another string. Can I even breathe in this?
"Yes. This is the crucial part. Fashion is pain after all," noble life sucks big time.
"Do I have to wear this every time I'm attending an official event?" The maids chuckled.
"Not really. But because your wedding just around the corner, we thought you might want some help," my wedding? Did they just roast me? I squinted my eyes while looking at them through the mirror.
"Critics can be vicious, milady. We remembered when They commented on Princess Madeline's wedding dress. It was the talk for weeks. But knowing the princess, she just doesn't care. But her majesty thought you might care. That is why as your attending maid, we want to avoid that even happening." That's determination.
But honestly, this will be the death of me.
"Please have a seat so we can finally finish your makeup and hair," again?! At this point, I just follow whatever they want me to do. Getting ready for this ball is exhausting. After what it feels like an hour or so, finally, it's done.
"Help me up, please," I offered them both of my hands before they pulled me up from the seat.
"How are you feeling, milady? It's not that bad, right?" I try to even my breathing while ignoring the fact that this corset is squeezing the life out of me.
"How do noblewoman even wear this kind of torture device like it's nothing?" I asked while making my way towards the door.
"The trick to wearing a corset is to imagine that it's not even there," they smile as they open the door for me. I walk out and just try to think about something else. I thought everything will go smoothly from this point on but I was wrong.
"What's wrong, milady?" I look down the stairs before facing them.
"I don't think I can walk down this stairs gracefully," I whispered. They both chuckled.
"Oh don't be that way. You can and you shall," they took the first step and while I am struggling to follow suit.
"Kathryn?" I was so glad hearing Alvia's voice behind me.
"Help me, please! It's my first time wearing this torture device and I don't know how to walk down the stairs," her face tells me that she has no idea what I'm talking about. But before that, let's talk about her attire. Damn!
I know I have only been seeing her wearing suits but somehow the way she presents herself today makes my heart flutter for some reason. Alvia's chuckling sound made me realised she's laughing at me.
"Real mature, Alvia. Real mature," I ignored her as she laughs away and tries to walk down the stairs again.
"Are you mad at me?" She asked. Before I could take another step, suddenly I feel Alvia wrapped her arms around my back before picking me up bridal style and walks down the stairs with me in her arms.
"Well, would you look at that. Our little show gained a lot of media attention," she whispered as she smiles for the camera. When we arrived at the foot of the stairs, let me down before offering her arms for me to hold.
"I've been waiting for this moment to show you around. Now I finally can parade around with my beautiful future wife," I blushed in a deep shade of red.
"Finally you guys show up. Are you okay?" Duchess Abella, Kennedy's wife asked me when she saw how red I've become.
"I'm okay," she smiles.
"Is it okay if I borrow her for a few moments, Alvia? I would like to introduce her to my friends," her friends? This won't end well. This never ends well.
"Of course. But please ... thank care of her," Abella grabbed me by the wrist and lead me towards a group of noblewomen.
"Girls, I would like to introduce you to the future empress of Gralia," they all stop whatever they were doing and face me before curtsies. I feel so out of place. This has a much different feeling when the maids doing it. They are an esteemed noblewoman who achieved something in their life.
As for me. I just got lucky that the emperor chooses me to be his bride.
"The infamous Duchess Kathryn Park. I've been hearing so much about you. And it is an honour to be in your presence, my duchess," they did?
"I hope it's nothing bad," they laugh. But I was being serious.
"The rumours were right. You're funny." I am? While they were talking about God knows what, I glance back at Alvia who's in the presence of Gralia's important figure. She seems bored but she still keeps her award-winning smile nevertheless.
"Miss him already?" One of Abella's friend gained my attention.
"What? No. I was just looking around. This is my first time in a royal ball after all," their expressions changes.
"Oh my. We almost forgot that you weren't born into a nobility family as we do. You brought yourself so well in front of us that we almost had no idea that you were once a maid," is that suppose to be a compliment?
"Now, I suggest you don't say that in front of the emperor. He's quite sensitive when it comes to people talking about his bride like that," I turned to Abella and smiled.
"No. It's okay. I like that because that way I wouldn't forget the roots I came from. To live in this overwhelming situation, I need someone to remind me that I was once a normal person living a normal life without worrying anyone commented on my everyday life," they all smiled.
"Oh, we would be such good friends. I love the way you think, Duchess Kathryn," they actually approved of my ideology.
Well, at least I manage to make friends.
***
"Thank you for the dance, my duchess. I can see why our Emperor sees you befitting to be the next empress of this empire," the duke bows before excusing himself. Where did he get all that nonsense after just having a dance with me?
Even I don't see myself befitting to be the empress.
"May I, my duchess?" Another duke offers his hand to me. I curtsy and let him lead me to the dance floor. He smiled when he placed his hand on my waist while the other in his. I lost count of how many times I let these noblemen swirl me around on the very floor.
"You have such lovely eyes, my lady. I almost feel jealous of Alvia for marrying such a beautiful woman like yourself," I hate having this kind of small talks. I have to pretend I enjoyed it.
"I'm sure your wife wouldn't be pleased if she heard that," I smiled. The duke laughs.
"Oh let her be. She only married me because our parents want us to be together. Yes we have been married for almost 30 years and yes she blessed me with six successful and amazing children I couldn't even ask for but sometimes a man needs a different kind of sight. Don't you think?" I feel his hands getting lower by the second.
"Oh don't give me that look. I'm sure you let the emperor did whatever he wants to you. What's wrong with me doing the same thing?" I ... I want to scream. His hands are directly somewhere it shouldn't be. But I don't want to ruin this ball and ruin Alvia's image.
"Relax, my little raven. If you follow what I say, no one has to know. And you should never make a scene because I'm sure you don't want to make Gralia's most important merchant be your future husband enemy, right?" He is ... blackmailing me.
I try to look around as subtle as I can be but no one seems to notice how uncomfortable I am. Why can't they see how perverted he is towards me? I mean his hand on directly on my ass for Heaven sake!
The duke gave me a sly smirk before grabbing my behind. I almost yelp when he does it again. Please! Somebody, please help me! Please!
Suddenly a hand appeared and shove the duke by the face away from me. I felt a hand wrapped around my wrist as the person twirls me towards its body. When I look up, Alvia was scowling at the duke who's now on the floor.
"What have you done to your future empress, my fiancée?!" Alvia's voiced thundered. The music stops and the people who were dancing before all wondering what had happened.
"I was doing nothing, my emperor. It was your fiancée who came at me, seducing me to do her bidding. I am the victim here, your grace," the duke keeps his head low. He's lying! That's not what happened. Alvia's hands on my shoulder tighten.
"You expect me to believe that? How dare you speak ill of my fiancée! You scoundrel!" Alvia's voice thundered yet again. This time the former emperor together with his wife went to our side to know what exactly happened.
I want to speak up, but my voice ... it's gone. My mind keeps on repeating the words that he told me earlier. I don't want Alvia to be in trouble because of this.
"The duke is at fault, your highness. The duchess never even seduce the man. He was being handsy it made the duchess uncomfortable. He even goes to the extent of threatening the duchess that if she makes a scene, he'll do anything to trouble you," a maid speaks up.
Even though her hands were shaking from nervousness and fear of being disrespectful, she didn't care and continue to speak up unlike me who holding on Alvia's coat for dear life.
I am embarrassed because this is not who I am. Why am I so afraid to speak up? Is it because I am in front of all these nobility? Or because I feel so out place?
"How dare you lie to my face, Duke Bartholomew! Your judgement will be determined by the members of the council and myself! To do something inappropriate in my vicinity and to my future wife, that's too much! TOO MUCH! Guards! Bring him to his cellar!" I watched as the guards grabbed the duke by the arm and drag him away from the ballroom.
Alvia keeps his hands on my shoulder while scowling at the other guests.
"Let this be a lesson for those who have an ill intention to my future wife. I won't keep an eye close just because you don't see what I see in her. Enjoy your night," Alvia said and lead me out from the ballroom.
"Is it wise to just leave like that?" I asked as we went into her room.
"My parents will handle it. I can't believe that I almost let something bad happened to you again. Kathryn, if something like that ever happens again, just scream for help. You don't have to worry about what will happen to me. I really worried about you because I love you," I sat on the edge of her bed while she kneels in front of me.
She proceeds to take off my heels and place it somewhere on the floor.
"I shall call your attending maid to help you to take off the dress," she stood up and went to the door. I am hopeless. I was never this weak when it comes to man being a man.
Well, this is not a place for me to be my old self anymore. Anything that I do will reflect on Alvia. But, what if it involves my dignity? Should I just continue to keep my mouth shut or be as brave as the maid who helped me earlier?
I need to figure out how should I personate my image as their empress. I swear that I will not let anyone look down on me ever again. That's my promise.