Worry
POV: Alexandra
My mother told me that the attire to wear around the fairies was quite different from our normal formal attire that we would usually have to wear at Royal receptions. She said that she had prepared something for Jess and me to wear so we wouldn’t have to worry about the attire, hair, or makeup. She said the fae had a particular aesthetic that they preferred and since my mother had once been an envoy to the Seely Realm, she knew exactly what to do. I was nervous about it nonetheless since she had told us the customs of the King’s court that it would be something vulgar. Then I would come to my senses since she said that the Queen’s court was all about refinery and etiquette. These mixed feelings bubbled up since the announcement arrived from Lucien and until today when we were about to get ready to attend the reception. Added to all of this was the fact that Derek came back and told us of Loki’s plans to kidnap me very soon. It was vague information but if he had contacts in the Seely Realm, it was likely that he would be there at this reception and would take me away from my friends and family. Knowing this information, I should hate him for taking me away but I didn’t. Sadly, it was the effect of the curse that kept me from being mad at him.
My mother came into my room as I was sitting at my vanity staring at my tired face. A result of having tossed and turned all night with worry about what would happen at this reception. She shook her head and sighed, “I guess I am going to have to work miracles with your makeup today.” She set down the makeup kit in front of me, “I think this calls for a cold compress. You have a lot of puffiness on your face.” I sighed, “Sorry, Mother. I didn’t sleep well last night.” She stroked my face, “I think it is understandable that you would have trouble sleeping. You’re worried about doing the right things today and on top of that now you have to worry about Loki showing up and kidnapping you. Your father and I didn’t have much luck sleeping either. We stayed up most of the night talking about how we could prevent your abduction and the only thing we could think of was not to let you be alone.” She walked over to the door and called out for Dana. When Dana appeared she had instructed her to bring a cold compress for my eyes and to see if there was a potion somewhere that would take away the tiredness from my face. She walked back into the room and sighed, “I think we should have asked Dorothea for a potion to help you sleep last night. It might have saved us a little bit of trouble trying to find a way to make you look less tired and it isn’t like we can cover your face in heavy powder and concealer either. The fae in the Queen’s court are minimalists when it comes to makeup, they believe in merely enhancing one's beauty.”
A short while later, Dana came in with a cold compress and a bottle. She smiled at my mother, “We had a little of the concealing potion left from the last time we needed it. I am not sure if it will be enough but at least we can get rid of some of the tired look on her face.” I was beginning to wonder if I looked worse than I thought I did with my mother and now Dana saying how it was going to be really hard to get rid of how I looked. I started to sulk and my mother giggled at the sight, “I haven’t seen you sulk that much since you were a very little girl. Now lean your head back so we can put the compress on you.” Dana cleared her throat, “Pardon me, Your Grace. Wouldn’t it be easier for Her Grace to lie down on the bed? It might be better on her neck.” My mother nodded then pointed at the bed so I rose from my seat, saluted her and laid down then closed my eyes. I felt the compress press down on my face and I jumped at how cold it was. My mother's voice came from over me, “Now just lay there for about fifteen minutes and I will come back and apply the potion.”
I must’ve fallen asleep because I felt my mother shaking my shoulder, “Xan, time to get up to get ready.” I stood up from the bed and nodded. She smiled at me, “It looks like the compress and your short nap was enough to get rid of that tired look on your face.” She led me to the wardrobe where a light green chiffon dress with spaghetti straps was hanging up. The dress was adorned with small yellow flowers from the bottom of the left spaghetti strap and ascended down to the right hip where a yellow rose sat. The small white flowers continued to ascend down to the back at the left foot. My mother touched the white rose, “The language of flowers is a very sacred thing amongst the fae. I chose to have the two dresses to be adorned with at least one white rose. This symbolizes purity, this will let the fae know that your candidacy as Queen is valid and demands respect from them. You will also bring each envoy a single yellow rose, it is very important the first time you meet the fae. They will see this as a high honor coming from a potential future Queen. I don’t believe all of the candidates will know this.” Jess walked into the room wearing a light yellow chiffon dress with a white rose at the center of her chest. She was wearing minimal makeup. Just a little ivory eyeshadow and pink lip gloss. She was also wearing light yellow elbow-length gloves. She was wearing her hair in a simple ponytail and a white rose where the hair tie was.
My mother took the dress off the hanger while I took my clothing off so that I could slip the dress on. Dana handed me a strapless bra so I walked into the bathroom to put it on to avoid embarrassment. When I emerged from the bathroom my mother was holding the dress. She slipped it over my head and adjusted the straps to make sure everything was in its place. She was a perfectionist so no stone was ever left unturned. She led me over to the vanity where she placed sand-colored eyeshadow on my eyelid and berry tinted lip gloss. She signaled for Dana to grab the large box in her room and she nodded. A few minutes later Dana brought forth a large box. My mother placed it on my bed and pulled out light green gloves. She slipped them onto my hands. Luckily since Dorothea was able to help me suppress my Aphrodite ability, I didn’t have to wear the bracelet any longer. She pulled my hair back into a long braid and adorned the braid with the same small white flowers from my dress and a white rose at the bottom of the braid. Since the actions that we needed to take to get ready were complete, the four of us emerged from my room. Dana stood at the top of the stairs and watched us descend down the stairs where my father, my grandfather, and Derek were all waiting. Each one was wearing a pastel-colored suit. My grandfather wore light blue, my father wore the same light green my mother and I were wearing and Derek was wearing a lavender-colored suit. No doubt, my mother had prepared all of the outfits that each of us wore. She left no detail out from any of those who she stepped out with. Mother very much cared about other people’s opinions so she took care to ensure no one thought ill of her family and anyone with her.
We all emerged from the house and into the carriage. Thankfully, my father’s estate had a larger carriage that could seat the six of us. We sat all in silence as the ride went along and as we pulled up to the castle, my mother did another check on all of us. She handed Jess and me two yellow roses. She smiled, “Make sure you remember the greeting I taught you and make sure you hand the yellow rose to each envoy after you have completed the first part of the greeting before you back away.” We each took out of the carriage in order of societal rank. Jess was first, then my grandfather, Derek chose to go before me and helped me down from the carriage. My father stepped down after me so that he could help my mother down. We all waited for them before we each went inside. Jess was escorted by Derek while I was escorted by my grandfather and my father escorted my mother. We were to go to the throne room first and then the reception hall. We walked into the throne room where we were announced and ushered to the side of the room to await our chance to greet the envoys. I looked up at the dais where Lucien sat on the center throne, his mother to the left and his brother to the right. I was searching for the envoy but they were nowhere to be found. My mother leaned and whispered to me, “They will arrive last so that all that are to meet them can take in their glory. Fae are very vain and often arrogant.” After the last candidate and her family entered the throne room, it was announced that the envoys had arrived. Two women emerged from the doors wearing lavender gowns made of chiffon but they weren’t adorned with anything. They wore white chiffon capes and small golden crowns. A gasp went up in the room and Lucien looked taken aback at the sight of the two women. My mother leaned in and whispered to Jess and me, “I cannot believe the Queen has sent her own two daughters. Princesses of the Seely Realm.”
