Chapter 3 Iysabelle

I wake up gasping, hoping that I am in my room, under my scratchy blanket with my little sister next to me, but no, the coverlet is the finest silk and there is a canopy above me that would never have been anywhere near my room at home.

Then everything hits me like a log. The king he found me. I was in the palace. I need to get out of here, I’ll get killed in this court of ruthless Fae.

There’s a knock on the door and then a maid comes bustling in. “Hello, Miss. I am Katerina, your personal maid, but you may call me Kat. I brought you some food and am supposed to help you get dressed for court.”

“Thank you for being so courteous, Kat, but I can get ready on my own. Thank you for the food, you can set it on the table.” I pull the curtains back and gasp. The whole world is covered in a sparkling white. I smile and turn to Kat, “It snowed! But it’s the middle of October, how is it snowing?”

“Miss, we aren’t humans. We can have it be summer one day and the middle of winter the next. The king wanted snow, so the entire capital is now covered with it.” I stiffen. I know that Kat isn’t trying to make me feel insignificant but it just reminds me that the Fae aren’t like me. Even with my affinity for magic, I wouldn’t stand a chance against any of these ethereal beings.

Kat starts unlacing my nightgown. I protest, “Kat, you do know I can unlace my own nightgown, right? I have been doing it since I was four.”

“Yes, I know that, Miss, but I am obligated to ad your maid. I’m supposed to make your stay here as painless as possible. So please let me help.”

I want to say that the only way my stay would be painless would be if I could leave, but I know that Katerina can’t control that. Instead I just let her dress me and nibble on a piece of toast that was brought with breakfast. I flinch as Katerina laces up the corset. “Well, that’s definitely different from at home.” I joke.

She smiles, “Corsets, in my opinion are impractical. They make it impossible to breathe and are extremely uncomfortable.”

I laugh. “I one hundred percent agree. Though I suppose I can’t skip out on the corset, can I?” Kat shakes her head, her shoulders heaving with silent laughter.

Finally she pulls the dress over my head. It’s a delicate ice blue that shines like the snow. It has silver roses embroidered at the bodice and hem. The dress has a halter neckline and a furred capelt shawl is draped across my shoulders for warmth. Icy blue gloves adorn my hands with silver roses as cuff fasteners. As I gaze at myself in the mirror, Kat gets started on doing my hair. She twists my mahogany tresses into an elaborate braid and she sets a crystalline rose circlet on my brow. The flowers look like the most delicate of aquamarine and diamond, the base being entirely twisted silver. I find myself wondering, why roses. What was so special about them that made it important that I wear them?

“Kat, why are roses so prominent in my outfit? Why the rose circlet and cuffs and even the dress?” I turn around to face her but she’s already heading over to the vanity. I follow her over and she sits me down and starts to do my makeup, not answering my questions till she’s done.

Kat pulls out a pair of white heeled lace up mid-shin boots. She kneels down and starts lacing my feet into them. When she’s done she stands up and pulls me with her. We walk over to the floor length mirror and then she responds to my earlier question. “His Majesty chose roses because he thought of you like a rose. Everything that you will own while you’re here will bear your symbol, the rose. Now look in the mirror and ask yourself, do you see that small town girl or do you see someone destined for greatness?”

I am certain the girl in the mirror isn’t me. She looks ethereal, like one of the Fae. Kat somehow made my skin look like powdered diamonds, I glitter like snow. Starting at my left temple and working its way down my jaw isthe thorns and stems of a rose. She painted my lips the color of a rose not fully in its prime. Red but with enough of a hint of pink to look innocent and feminine while letting me look dangerous.

“Did I do a good job?” Kat asks. All I can do is nod dumbly. I’m too in awe of her work to do anything else. “Good, because you have only fifteen minutes to get down to the Grand Hall, that’s where all courtly meetings are held and as you are to be the bride of his majesty, you have to meet the court. Now follow me.”

I follow Kat down winding halls and into a courtyard only to enter another building on the other side. “Kat, are you purposely trying to make me lose the way or is this really the fastest route?”

Kat glances back at me, “This is the only route to the Grand Hall currently. The other routes are under renovation so we have to go through the courtyard. Ah, this is it.” She points to a door at the end of the hall. I walk to it with apprehension. I am not sure what will happen when I enter. The guards nod at me and smile at Kat. She has made me walk the last 300 feet on my own and I’m nervous. The doors to the Grand Hall open and I step inside. I look around and then make eye contact with the king. There’s a thud and I realize the doors have closed behind me, leaving me an the mercy of these Fae.

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