Chapter 21

“Good morning,” the dressmaker cleared his throat, standing in front of the bed in the princess room, looking at the princess and the servant sleeping.

Iris sat up, erected, “good morning.” Iris looked over at the princess, snoring away, thinking, ‘does my body really snore?’

“It is not what it looks like,” Iris said, getting out of bed.

“And what does it look like?” the dressmaker asked.

“Um, well,” Iris stumbled over her words, tucking at the princess.

“Go away,” the princess objected in-between slumber.

“Iris, wake up!” Iris shouted at the princess feeling awkward shouting at herself.

The princess jumped up, “huh?”

The princess looked at Iris and then at the man holding a dress and then back at Iris. She jumped out of bed and kneeled, “my apologies, princess.”

“Go find something to wear,” Iris ordered.

“You are very lenient,” the dressmaker remarked.

“We grew up together and she is practically my sister,” Iris said, firm and convincing.

“I don’t remember seeing her around before,” the dressmaker stated.

‘Oh no, he must be Princess Cerena’s family’s former dressmaker,’ Iris gulped air, not knowing how to fix the situation.

“It was before your time. The King and Queen send me away to train to be a lady in waiting for two years,” Princess Cerena said, walking back into the room, “I found this in my room, next door.”

“Good, so why did you not put it on?” Iris asked, relieved.

“I will get dressed after getting you dressed for your big day,” Princess Cerena smiled.

“Very well then, let's see if this fits,” the dressmaker said, looking at the two of them, suspicious.

The dressmaker unwrapped a beautiful white dress with lace trimmings from a cloth and both Iris and Princess Cerena exclaimed.

“It is exactly how you always described your wedding dress!” Princess Cerena said, reaching out to touch the

delegate dress.

“It is not for you to touch!” The dressmaker slapped her hand away.

“You did a fine job,” Iris said, remembering the dress she woke up in as Princess Cerena.

“Second time a charm,” the dressmaker remarked.

“You may leave us so that I can help her into the dress,” Princess Cerena said.

“Is your hands clean?” The dressmaker asked, not really wanting servant hands to touch his masterpiece.

“Just give me the damn the dress,” Princess Cerena said.

“Just because I treat you as my kin does not give you the right to speak to others in the manner that you do,” Iris said, putting the princess in her place.

Princess Cerena held her tongue until the dressmaker was out of the room.

“Talk to me like that again and I will punish you,” Princess Cerena said.

“You seem to forget in whose body you are,” Iris snorted, taking her nightgown off.

Just as Iris was in the dress the bedroom doors flung open, “good morning, bride to be.”

“Good morning princess Marchelle,” Iris curtsied.

Marchelle looked at the slave, waiting for her to bend her knee.

“Please accept my apologies, my lady in waiting has forgotten her place in society,” Iris said, looking at Princess Cerena.

“Sorry,” Princess Cerena said and curtsied.

“Stay in your curtsy,” Marchelle ordered.

“Not you princess, the bloody slave,” Marchelle said, walking over.

“Now let’s have a look at you,” Marchelle said, inspecting the dress.

“The hairdresser is outside, ready to do your hair, see you in the garden; future sister-in-law,” Marchelle said, giving Iris a kiss on her cheek before leaving.

“I cannot stand that woman. You should not trust her for a moment,” Princess Cerena said, standing out of her curtsy.

“And you should try and remember who you are now,” Iris said, before sitting down on a chair, “I can’t believe this is really happening.”

“Rather you than me,” Princess Cerena said, relieved.

“So, you will rather be a slave and risk being even a bed slave than to marry King Evander?” Iris questioned.

“Has he been kind to you? He claims he loves me, yet he treats me, well you the way he does?” Princess Cerena asked, making her case.

Both of them look at the door when the knock came.

“Come in,” Iris said.

“Must be the hairdresser,” Princess Cerena stated.

“Good morning,” the hairdresser said, shutting the door behind her.

“Lisa!” Princess Cerena flung herself into the hairdresser’s arms.

“Cerena? It worked?” Lisa embraced her, tears filling her eyes.

“It did!” Princess Cerena said, happy.

“Sorry about your parents,” Lisa said, still embracing her.

“King Evander will pay soon enough,” Princess Cerena vowed.

“Thank you for your sacrifice,” Lisa turned to Iris.

“Sacrifice? I was tricked,” Iris exclaimed.

“You are complaining? You get to live a life of luxury and royalty now,” the hairdressers snorted, tucking at Iris’s hair.

“And rape,” Iris snapped back.

“Small price to pay,” Princess Cerena said, sitting on the bed.

“You are getting married to a king and tonight is the coronation to swear you in as queen, you should be grateful for the opportunity and besides no one forced you to make the wish, right?” Lisa asked, doing Iris’s hair.

“Enjoy it while it last because as soon as the king is dead, I am taking my body back,” Princess Cerena said, getting comfortable on the bed.

“You don’t deserve this kingdom,” Iris said in a soft tone with a blank expression on her face.

Lisa slapped her through her face, “you are still just a servant so watch how you speak to her!”

“The last time I checked I am princess Cerena Valentine, now get out!” Iris spat.

Lisa looked over at Princess Cerena.

“Both of you get out!” Iris demanded.

“Being in my body is clearly going to her head,” Princess Cerena chuckled as she got off the bed and left with Lisa.

“I missed you so much!” Princess Cerena said, grabbing Lisa by her hand and pulling her into the next room when she noticed that there were no guards around.

“It feels like cheating, kissing you in this body,” Lisa said after kissing the princess.

“Just close your eyes,” the princess advises before showering Lisa with kisses.

Iris was relieved to be alone for a moment and caught her own reflection in the mirror. ‘I am getting use to this exterior,’ she thought, admiring the dress, touching the sweetheart neckline that had pearls arranged on lace trimming that ran over her shoulders.

‘These hands are so beautiful and elegant,’ Iris looked at the hands that were not hers.

A knock on the door pulled her attention from her reflection, “come in.”

“It is time,” Marchelle said.

Iris followed Marchelle and when they arrived in the gardens Iris wondered if this wedding will be legit since it is not happening in a church.

In the distance, her eyes fell on the priest that is standing inside a structure that looked like a church, a dollhouse church.

King Evander was already at the altar, dressed in his finest.

“I will go first and when the wedding march start then you will start,” Marchelle said, looking at the princess through the veil that was hanging over her face.

One of the orchestra musicians started to string a tune for Marchelle to walk on and from where King Evander was standing, he could see the resentment and hate on her face.

Marchelle took her place to the side and the Orchestra all joined in and started to play the wedding march. Iris stood frozen in place, unable to move a foot forward, her tears hidden under her veil.

After a while, the orchestra stopped and looked at the king. King Evander took a deep breath and stomped over to the princess, “do I need to remind you of your subjects and their full bellies? It could change in a blink of an eye.”

King Evander held his hand out to her, and Iris took it. The orchestra started to play again, and Iris walked down the aisle with King Evander.

After exchanging vows, they enjoyed a feast, followed by the coronation that made the princess a queen.

Iris waved at the subjects below from the balcony before King Evander took her to his bedroom. The priest blessed the bed and waited for both of them to be stripped down to nothing but their undergarments. Both of them climbed into the bed and the priest blessed them before leaving.

“Finally,” King Evander said, and turned to face the princess and placed his finger on her chin, followed by turning her face so that he can see her eyes.

Iris had her hands folded over her chest and wondered, ‘how am I going to get him to be gentle or should I just cry and let him finish? How long will it take for him to grow bored and leave me to my room?’

King Evander leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips. Iris relaxed a bit and tried to take part, hoping he won't turn into his former monstrous behavior.

King Evander wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. Iris placed her hands to the side of his face and drew all her will to master her skill of making him believe that she wants him.

She landed a kiss on his one eye and then his other before looking at him again. King Evander wondered if it was some sort of ritual thing. Iris pulled his undergarment shirt over his head and gave him another kiss.