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Isabella Victoria
I walk out of the pool, my robe sticking to my skin. Theodosia hands me a new, dry robe. I quickly slip it on letting the wet robe fall to the floor. Eliza gestures for me to sit on the chair in front of her. I sit and watch Theodosia wring out the wet robe and then run off into the dressing chamber with the old robe. Eliza grabs a brush from the small side table next to her and begins to get all of the snarls out of my hair. Every so often Anna hands Eliza a towel and she wrings the water from my hair. Theodosia rushes out of the dressing chamber and the bathing chamber, into the bedroom, and disappears to the left. The firm, steady hand brushing my hair works efficiently. Detangling my hair and drying it as much as possible before pulling it up into a neat bun on the base of my neck.
Theodosia rushes back into the room, Anna following her. They both carry mountains of clothing, boxes of jewelry and a hatbox. They enter the dressing room and begin to hang everything up or set it on the shelf. I walk into the dressing room. Eliza closely following me. Anna hands me undergarment and tells me to get dressed. I quickly get dressed and then hand her the robe. Theodosia tells me to step into a chemise, she pulls it over and then has me step into a hooped petticoat, with the soft hoop frame hidden under the puffiness, then she pulls it over my body. Then Theodosia wraps my corset around me and begins to tighten the laces. When she is finished, Theodoisa and Anna begin to pull the dark purple gown they chose over my body. When it's fully over my body they begin to button the 33 small buttons running down my back. Then she takes a pearl necklace and clasps it around my neck.
When they are finished Eliza wraps a towel over my shoulders and unbinds my hair from its bun. Then she grabs the hairbrush from her pocket and quickly brushes my hair again. Then she takes the bottom half of my hair and ties up into a bun. Then she pins it in place with cut obsidian and pearl hairpins. When she finishes pinning the bun into place she creates fifteen small braids out of the top half of my hair. Then, she takes the fifteen braids and artfully layers them over the bun, pinning them into place with the same hairpins. A knock sounds at the door. Anna leaves the dressing chamber to answer the door. Eliza scolds me for a moment for turning my head and continues adding obsidian and pearl hairpins to my hair. Anna walks back into the room. "Finish up Eliza. The footman is here to take Isabella to the first dinner with the king and the other contestants."
"I'm almost done Anna. Can you hand me the circlet on the table with the cut black obsidian gemstones dripping down onto the forehead."
Anna picks the circlet up off the table and hands it to Eliza. Eliza holds it gently in her hands, she steadily places it onto my head. Then she takes the hairpins from her apron pocket and begins to pin the circlet to my hair. When she is finished she adjusts the black obsidian gems. "I am finished, my lady."
"Thank you Eliza."
I stand up, smooth my dark purple dress down and leave the dressing chamber, the bathing chamber, and my bedroom. When I reach the door I take a deep breath and open it. Brodie stands on the other side. I walk over the threshold and follow him down the hall. We walk through the hall of windows. I look out the windows and see the stars hanging from the sky above the castle.
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When we reach the dinner hall, two palace guards open the large double doors. I walk through the doorway and see many contestants, lords, ministers, and servants gathering in the open space. King Edward is nowhere to be seen. "Where is the king?"
"I've been waiting here since six o'clock."
"He's not late."
"What on Earth do you mean?"
"The dinner starts at seven."
"Then what time is it if you're so wise, Lady Anna?"
"Lady Angelica, I must correct you I am a duchess. I am Duchess Anna Deucht. Not a lady such as yourself."
"How dare you!?"
"Lady Angelica. There is another royal I must speak with."
"What time is it?"
"Where is my husband?"
"Watch your step!"
"Move!"
"Don't step on my foot!"
"I want to dance with the king."
"Her dress is so out of fashion."
"Where is the king?"
"Can someone tell me when the king will get here?"
"Where are you from?"
"Here for the king?"
"Pity, I'm looking for a wife."
"Can someone bring me a goblet of wine?"
"My daughter is so unreasonable."
"Where is my nephew!?"
"Why hasn't the king gotten here yet?"
"Look at her dress!"
"I need to know the name of her dressmaker."
"Where is my wine!?"
"My husband hates me!"
"My wife can't have a son!"
When the king enters the room he takes his seat at the head of the table and all of the servants begin to place name cards at all of the seats around the table. When they are finished, servants begin to find people and bring them to their seats. A few lords call out to other lords or their wives telling them where their name card has been placed. When everyone is seated, gossip and conversation begins to flow around the table. "Did you hear? His Majesty talked to the girl in purple..."
"Which one?"
"The one next to Princesa Lucia de Leon."
"Continue."
"He talked to her for the longest out of all the contestants."
"Wasn't she wearing a circlet and a silver dress earlier?"
"Yes."
"Look at her, she's just a lady. She's probably trying to gain status."
"Look at the woman of the right of the king."
"She's wearing yellow."
"Horrible color with her pale skin."
"I cannot believe that the lords are flirting with the other contestants."
"My husband has been keeping a mistress!"
"You never knew?"
"No!"
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The wife is always the last to know."
"I heard one contestant will be going back home tonight."
"No."
"If this really is a competition, we need to get rid of the lowlife here."
The servants bring out bowls and large silver bowls filled with soup. Another set of servants bring out pitchers of wine. They begin to refill our goblets, starting with King Edward. The group of servants that brought out the soup bowls begin to ladle soup into our bowls. I look down the table and see the Dauphine Isabel sitting next to the king. After the king takes a bite of soup the rest of us begin to eat.
"Excuse me?"
I turn to my right. The Princesa Lucia de Leon, Princesa of Safire is sitting next to me.
"Good evening Your Highness."
"Is it that obvious that I'm the Princesa?"
"With the crown, yes."
"Your crown is equally beautiful... I'm sorry I do not mean to be rude. What is your name?"
"Isabella. Lady Isabella Parr."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Isabella."
"As it is to meet you Princesa Lucia."
"What brings you to the palace?"
"The competition."
"I see. Luckily I am not competing for the king's heart against you, or I fear I would lose."
"You flatter me Princesa. Why are you in Asura if it is not to win the king's heart?"
"I have already tried to win his heart. I am here to create a new peace treaty and help him weed out the women not worthy of being his queen."
"I am sure many of them fear you. For they do not know that you are not their competition."
"Ah. But, they will have to fear the hidden beauty."
She smiles coyly and laughs softly. "My friend. We will have to work on your skill in plotting."
"Plotting!?"
"Querida, no se preocupe. Sólo tiene que ser el depredador más inteligente."
"I am to be a predator?"
"Would you rather be the prey?"
"No."
"You must have a plan to capture His Most Royal and Esteemed Majesty's heart."
"I..."
"But I must say, what you are doing now is quite smart. Beautiful, elegant, smart, and soon to be silver tongued Lady in the background. He will notice you because no one else does. You are the subject of some gossipers sitting near the king."
I swallow my bite of soup and think. "You think being silver tongued will help?"
"It always does pequeña belleza."
"How do you know that?"
"I know that because I know His Most Royal Majesty King Edward. I lived in this palace with him and the late Queen Alexandrina for a year."
The servants come and take our bowls of soup from us. The group of servants with the wine come through and refill any empty or half empty goblets. A group opens up a ginormous dumbwaiter and takes trays filled with plates of mutton and salads of boiled carrots, radishes, cabbage, and leaks, dressed with olive oil. We all wait for the king to take a bite of food. He continues his conversation with Lord Henry Patterson before cutting a section of him mutton off and taking a bite. The rest of us begin eating and continue our conversations or starting a new one. Across from me and two seats to the right Lady Elizabeth Hefford strikes up a conversation with Lord John Marcheford. "Lord John, you must tell me about you latest trip to Alashite."
"Well it was very hot. The sun is unforgiving there. But, along the banks of the Lazul river everything is balanced."
"How were the people and the culture?"
"The people were very welcoming. But there was much cruelty in the country because of their last war."
"Oh, how tragic."
"Yes, it is quite tragic. But we have happier things to discuss. What do you think of Ordet palace so far?"
"Lord John, I have been here before. I am Ausrian. Unlike half of the women here."
"All of the women here are equal in their chance of winning His Most Royal and Esteemed Majesty, King Edward."
"John..."
"Lord John."
"Of course. Lord John. Let us speak bluntly. A woman from Asura is much more likely to win an Asurian King. Why? Because she knows what this country needs. A Safian woman does not. A Imonian woman does not. No woman knows what this country needs but an Asuri woman."
"You have made a strong point Lady Hefford, in normal circumstances you would have an advantage... but, His Majesty is only choosing a woman he loves. As of now you have no advantage."
The servants come back through and take away the plates of mutton and salad. The servants bearing wine pass over the table again, filling the empty and half empty goblets. The dumbwaiter doors are opened again and the servants carry out trays with small plates filled with breads and sauces. They set out plates in front of us and King Edwards rips a chunk of bread off and dips it into one of the sauces in front of him. The rest of us begin ripping our bread apart and dipping it into the sauces. Again the dumbwaiter opens and the servants walk around setting plates of raspberry tarts, drizzled in chocolate at each place.
<><><>
When the king is finished eating he wipes his mouth and hands, pushes his chair back, and stands up. "Thank you for joining me for dinner. I will see you all tomorrow for breakfast."
He leaves the room. Everyone begins to stand up after he leaves. I walk over to the servants and ask if I could have three tarts. They wrap five tarts in a clean napkin and bid me a good night. I quickly say goodbye to the Princesa Lucia de Leon and look for a footman. As I am looking someone taps my shoulder. I turn around. "Brodie! I was looking for you. Unfortunately, I do not yet know my way around the palace."
"I am at your service My Lady."
"Thank you."
"Follow me."
I follow him through the halls. After a while we end up in the hall of windows. I stop for a moment looking out the window, up at the sky. When I resume walking, Brodie is waiting at the end of the hall.
<><><>
When we reach my rooms, I offer him one of the tarts and he takes it gratefully. I knock on the door. Eliza opens the door. "Why do I smell chocolate?"
"You need to let me inside to find out."
She steps aside and I walk into the room. I set the napkin filled with tarts on the table in the middle of the circle of couches and chairs. Eliza runs to get Anna and Theodosia. When they return they sit on the couch across from me. I unwrap the tarts and give one to each of them. "You are too kind miss."
"And you need to eat."
"We ate dinner while you were eating."
"Alright."
"Thank you miss."
"How was the dinner?"
"It was alright. The food was wonderful, I spoke with Princesa Lucia, Princesa of Safire for some time. She is a wonderful conversationalist."
"Is she competing for the king's hand?"
"No. She said she is glad she did not receive an invitation."
"Is she going to help you?"
"She is going to advise me, and teach me further ways to deal with the court. I do believe she will also be able to help me figure out how to navigate the palace."
"You must be becoming friends."
"I hope so."
A/N: Thank you for reading. The competition is starting!!!! and gossip is flowing. please hit the star at the bottom of the screen to vote. all my love -M