With that honor no one can ask me to leave ever. In fact, my status will be greatly improved and I can then move into the crown prince’s east wing, a much more opulent prospect than where I am now though it’s nowhere near lacking.
It’s just that I’ve grown used to this place, to the grandeur of my surroundings and most of all to the statement it sends to everyone looking on. I know enough about my doomed parents to know that had they still been alive my home wouldn’t have been half as good; how could it be? this is the grand palace, the most beautifully luxurious palace in all the kingdoms.
My spirits were way up by the time I sat down before the mirror to get my hair dressed and my face painted to enhance my already beautiful face. Once everything was done I turned my face this way and that to make sure nothing was out of place. Satisfied with what I saw, I stepped into the golden silk gown Drusilla held waiting for me.
It was a little bit much for the evening, but I needed Lucien to see what he was missing. I wanted even more to show up that fairy with her loose flying hair decorated with flowers. Our women only groom their hair with jewels and it’s hardly ever worn down like a child’s the way she’d worn hers that day. Too bad I’m not allowed to wear a crown.
My mind went to the official crown of the crown princess consort. That beautiful diadem made with every gem in all the kingdoms set in the rarest of gold. I’ve longed for it my whole life and now it belongs to someone else. This is why she must pay; for taking everything that is rightfully mine.
NATALIA
“No!” I shook my head at the fourth gown Lucien held up for my perusal. We’d just come back from the bathing pool which I learned was for his personal use, which only made things go from zero to sixty in seconds, I do love making love in warm, swirling water.
Now I’m lying across the bed all but boneless from the workout Lucien gave my poor passion flower; and just an hour before his parents are due here. I finally nodded when he chose a dark green silken robe over a gossamer gown of the palest cloud colored silk.
He moved to the door to call the servants to help me get dressed and I stopped him. “No, you do it.”
“But I have to get ready myself.” What a whiner.
“So?” I stretched and showed him some leg and heard no more argument out of him. I still owe him for tricking me earlier.
He helped me into my clothes which now that I think of it might not have been a very good idea. The number of times he stopped to touch, feel, sniff, I could’ve been dressed ten times already.
I finally said enough and sent him packing. “Let Millicent finish it, you’re horrible.” It’s only when he walked away laughing that I realized he’d done it again, he’d tricked me; he’s getting way too good at that.
He went off elsewhere to get dressed and Millicent stepped into the room to finish what he’d started. By the time we sat down to do my hair I barely had enough time left. “I want to wear it up.” I lifted the hair from my neck and heard her hiss seconds before she was on the floor with her head bowed low enough to touch the ground.
I looked down at her confused. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Your royal highness!” Huh? What’s going on? I looked around expecting to find someone else in the room with us but nope, it was just me.
“Get up, what’re you doing?”
“Didn’t the crown prince tell you?”
“Tell me what? And why are you staring at me like that?” She came forward to finish my hair and I could feel the heavy change in the air.
For the past few days her and I were more like pals than master and servant, but I got the feeling that those days of me joining my arm with hers were done; I just don’t know why. “The mark, the royal crest, it’s on you. Only the truest mate of the crown prince and the sky monarch will be lucky enough to have it appear.”
“Don’t everyone have this when they mate with one of your kind?” She shook her head furiously but I did notice there was a look of adoration with a hint of smugness on her face. I got the gist of things when she went on to explain.
“Just because you were chosen for the crown prince there was no guarantee that the mark would’ve shown up. Had that been the case there would always be the possibility that he had another mate out there somewhere, and it may have made it easy for others not to accept you. But since you have the mark no one would dare.”
I was a bit confused by her explanation but I followed along close enough. It didn’t make sense though that he hadn’t told me and I guess no one of the few people I’d ran into had seen it because my hair was usually down in my favorite style.
I’d been so distracted by my thoughts I hadn’t noticed that she was through putting my hair up in this amazing style of twists and turns that was ever so elegant. But I did notice what looked like gems instead of flowers.
“What are those?” I watched as she put the flowery gems in place. It looked like flowers and butterflies but instead of the real flora I usually groom my hair with, these were made of gems the size of robin’s eggs. It was just stunningly beautiful.
Just then Lucien came back into the room carrying a box in his hands. He was once again dressed in the robes of the royal family, but this one was of a dark-dark green, as if he were trying to match me; so cute. “Here, put this one.”
“He opened the box to reveal a tiara made of the clearest diamonds I’ve ever seen anywhere. In the center was a natural pearl surrounded by rubies and on each side two more surrounded by emeralds.
“Whoa!”
‘This is not your official crown but it’s the one you will wear for occasions like these. Later, after the ceremony there will be someone to show you the ten crowns you will be wearing, each one serves a different purpose.”
He moved behind me and placed the tiara on my head himself before dropping his hands to my shoulders. Next he slipped two chandelier style diamond earrings in my ears, obviously made to match the tiara and for the first time I felt like the princess he likes to call me.
“Let’s go love they will be here any minute.” I stood to my feet not quite ready to look away from the vision in the mirror. His finger played over the mark on my neck and he smiled. I was about to ask him about what Millicent had said but then we heard the announcement of his parents’ announcement through the door.
And then his face fell and he got a crease in his brow when it was announced that they were joined by someone else. Without seeing who that someone was I already knew. And whereas my fairy would’ve begged off with a sudden headache or some other ailment that cannot be proved or disproved, my nymph slipped her arm through his with a smile and started towards the door.
Natalia
“Help my parents to the table and tell them we’ll be there shortly.” I turned to him after he sent the servant off on that little errand.
“Something wrong?” I made sure my head was void of all thought as he looked down at me as if he had something to say.
In the end he just shook his head and took my hand in his “No, everything’s fine let’s go.” Junior was lying dormant or asleep for once and not spying. I’ve found lately that he does that a lot. When his dad is around, except for those times the two of them are having one of their gab fests, he stays very quiet. But once his dad is gone he’s all ears and eyes, almost as if they’re taking turns watching over me.