"But I'm going to go as a badger." Rhea, already confused at being included in Eliandra's party preparations, didn't understanded why she and Mauna were suddenly trying to change her costume. Yet Eliandra had a firm grip on her upper arm so Rhea had little choice but to enter the opulent suite with the girls.
"Who wants to be a plain badger when you can be an important historical figure?" Mauna turned a carefully guileless face toward her new rival, whom she had searched out for the last week. Mauna had taken to dragging Rhea along to football games, laughing as they ran side-by-side in fun and good spirits. Lord Rone had hosted the girl at lunches and teas, surprised at his daughter's new friend but hungry for another connection to Prince Eleas. Mauna even went to the trouble of apologizing for Lan's oafish behavior, pleading with Rhea to give her a chance to earn her trust. Daring to believe Mauna at face value, Rhea quickly warmed to the idea of a peer with which to talk.
"Every Narnian knows of the snow queen." Mauna continued. "Her Majesty, Queen Lucy has told me stories of the olden times. And I hear that King Edmund is particularly interested in that period. Not to mention, the dress that Eliandra had made is gorgeous, it would be a shame to let it go to waste."
Rhea was drawn to the gown of heather gray hanging from the top edge of a wardrobe to keep it from trailing on the floor. Feathers and white oak leaves covered the bodice before swishing up in a graceful curve above the left shoulder. "If Edmund is so fond of the stories, shouldn't one of you attend as this queen?" Being in the presence of Eliandra's beauty and Mauna's energy, reminded the girl that she was a distant third in the race for Ned's affections, if she was even in the running.
Eliandra laughed, "Don't be stupid! She is described as colorless as snow, even with makeup my hair will shine like wildfire and Mauna is entirely too dark. We can easily camouflage you with a paste of flour and chalk, it will hide your skin and blondeness completely. Aret of Daulin was going to wear the gown but she has a head cold, you are about the same size and we have just enough time to get you ready. King Edmund and even the High King will be expecting someone to show up at the masquerade as a snow queen. Let it be a Terebinthian, even if it has to be you."
Eliandra's feigned irritation at letting the her cousin have the best costume sealed Rhea's fate. The opputunity to have all eyes on herself nearly overwhelmed Rhea, she was never considered glamourous. That a pair of those eyes would be Edmund's made her heart flutter and heat rise to her cheeks. Mauna and Eliandra exchanged a dark look behind the girl's back as the blush took over her face along with a smile. "Well, if they're expecting someone to play the part, I would be glad to."
As the others changed into their costumes, Rhea learned to walk in the stacked shoes that would afford her extra height. Clomping around in the heavy footwear to get used to being tall, Rhea saw the transformation of Eliandra into the brown and red of an oaken dryad in autumn and Mauna into the blue and green of an ocean water sprite. In a pestle, Libav mixed flour, chalk and water into a paste. Having Rhea perch on a high stool, the handmaiden smeared the paste on the girl's face and shoulders. A thin crust of white blotted out Rhea's features, an eerie mask of second skin hiding all. Libav took the blonde hair, twisting it into braids and bunches, threading it through a wire mesh until a crown of spikes formed upon Rhea's head. More flour and chalk was added to her hair, lightening the bright yellow to the color of pale winter sunshine. Finally, Libav cut a dark red cherry in half, smearing the juice around and over Rhea's mouth to create a stain.
It took all three girls to push and pull Rhea into the ornate gown, its saving grace being the silk cords and strong stitching of the bodice that held the girl erect even as she felt faint from lack of breath. Taking a few steps back, Eliandra, Mauna and Libav stood with their mouths open, shaken by the overall effect of dress and make-up. Mauna began to doubt the plan, Rhea was a beautiful horror. Libav thought the transformation extreme and wished she could speak against her master, she would personally help Rhea become a badger if only they would let her.
"May I see?" No matter how she twisted, Rhea couldn't see the entire effect of the costume. Eliandra shook Libav from her thoughts and ordered the servant to fetch a looking-glass for the towering girl.
Taking the mirror, Rhea gasped at the terror reflected. Only her warm brown eyes let her know it was her reflection and not a monster staring back at her with a great red gash for a mouth. After the inital glance, Rhea could only look out of the corner of her eye at the mirror. Distancing her mind from the image, she admired Libav's skill with her hair, the clever weave of braids really did form an impressive crown even if it was deadened by chalk.
"I'm rather gruesome aren't I? Is this really what their old Narnian queen looked like?"
Always ready with an answer, Eliandra took the mirror away. "You are the very picture of the stories, Rhea. When you enter the party, remember to stand tall. The queen was a proud and powerful woman. Now, I have just the thing to finish the look." The autumnal beauty went to fetch one last accessory. A thin, short staff with a cruel shard of quartz affixed to one end. "Here, a ruler needs a sceptre, don't you think, Mauna?"
The Granhim girl had been quiet since they had secured Rhea into the dress, now staring at the terrible creature in front of her, she jumped at Eliandra's address. Thankfully, Mauna was saved from having to respond by Libav.
"There was really such a person? The stories are true? About how the kings and queens came to rule Narnia, about the 100 year winter and the wit-"
"Libav! We hardly have time for stories now." Turning her back on the young girl who had nearly given up the game, Eliandra shored up her victim to make sure her plan would bear fruit. "You look wonderful, don't worry about looking fierce. The queen was a strong warrior and long-standing ruler, they need to be fierce. Anyways, I heard that a number of our soldiers are attending as Minotaurs, by comparison you'll be positively tame." Her speech came with a bracing smile that Rhea mirrored.
Libav brought a dark cloak to cover the gray costume, complete with an over-large hood to hide Rhea's face until the reveal within the party. A final look at their own costumes, Mauna pushing her doubts down until her stomach began to churn, the trio went to join the festivities.