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"Makeovers" for Nicole and Elvira, and some Nat afterwards!
…
Before Nicole quite knew what was going on, she had arrived at the palace, been given a rushed tour, ad her picture taken and was currently perched at one of the many vanity tables, and had met her maids, Ashley, Karen, and Shiloh. Every inch of exposed skin had been cleaned and covered with lotions and products.
"Now it's time for the fun part." Ashley told her. "Your hair. We want you to create your own identity, different from every girl here, including your sister. Who do you want to be when you show yourself to Illea?" Ashley finished. "I can go talk to Lady Natalia's maids to see what she's doing if that helps?"
"That would be great." Nicole said, studying her reflection in the mirror. She had been exactly like Nat for so long, she wondered if her identity had gotten mixed up. Who was she? A girl who had never been in love, who worked constantly on becoming a ballerina, even though she was a Four and it was basically impossible? She hadn't been chosen for herself, no, she had been chosen to represent Yukon. Nicole realized she would have to show the prince and Illea that she was so much more than that.
Ashley returned just after her self-discovery, telling her that Nat had gone fairly natural, and had straightened her hair. That was the biggest change.
"I know what I want to be." She told her maids. "I don't just want to be 'one of the twins' or the girl they chose to represent Yukon. I want to be different, and I want to stick out. I want to fall in love, but I also want to live my dream." She didn't tell them more than that. Karen wrinkled her brow.
"So some kind of princess-ly girly girl meets girl-you-won't-forget-and-you'll-be-sorry-if-you-do?" She said.
"Exactly. How did you know?" Nicole asked.
"It's our job." Shiloh added. "So any particulars?"
"Keep the curls, but I want bangs. And dye. I want to go a few shades darker, and get lighter highlights. Makeup can be dramatic."
"Well, let's get started, then!" Karen squealed. She draped a cape over Nicole, and spun her around to wash her hair. Twenty minutes later, Nicole's hair was washed, conditioned, sprayed with all sorts of hydrating stuff, and trimmed. While Karen worked on the bangs and the dye, Ashley and Shiloh worked on her nails. Hot pink on her finger nails, and gold on her toes. That took another twenty minutes. Finally, Karen finished rolling her hair up in foil things.
"Okay, the color has to set, but we'll do your makeup in the meantime. Ready?" She beamed excitedly. Nicole nodded.
"Let's do it!" She couldn't wait to see herself. Karen spun her around in the chair so she couldn't see herself in the mirror, and the girls set to work. They applied a lightweight liquid foundation, and set it with powder. They dusted blush on her cheeks. Next, Ashley used liquid black eyeliner for a dramatic look. Shiloh applied a thick coat of mascara, and a light silvery eye shadow, just for some glitter. Ashley finished of the look with a dark red lipstick. Then Karen finished Nicole's hair. She un-wrapped the foil, and covered it with a spray, before combing it out and blow-drying it. She used the curling iron to bring a little more definition to Nicole's new 'do, and brushed her bangs to one side.
When they were finished, Nicole could hardly believe what she looked like. For once, she didn't look Nat. She looked like herself. The once dark chestnut colored curls had been transformed to a much darker shade bordering on brunette, but the golden brown streaks kept it lighter. She never knew how beautiful you could look with so much makeup on.
"I-I.." Suddenly at a loss for words, Nicole could only stutter.
"You hate it?" Shiloh's face fell.
"No! No, I love it! I'm speechless." Nicole said quickly. Ashley, Karen and Shiloh beamed.
"Then, I guess it's time for you to pick your signature scent!" Shiloh said excitedly. She held out a tray sporting glass bottles with colored liquid inside. Nicole read a few of the, thinking of what she wanted. Cinnamon, chocolate chip cookies ,coconut, cotton candy. She smelled the cookie one but it didn't really smell like much, so she put it back. She finally made it to the T's. Tea Rose, Tibetan Spice, Tiger Lily, Tropical Passion Fruit. Nicole picked up Tea Rose and smelled it. It was like a rose but with a smell that reminded her of being at home on rainy days. It wasn't just rose, either. It had a little something extra.
"This one." She said. Her maids covered her with an ample spray.
"Are you ready to get dressed, then?" Ashley asked.
"Yes!" Nicole cheered, grinning. "I can't wait!" Her maids took her to the dressing area, and scurried off to find shoes, a dress, and accessories. Nicole looked around, looking for someone to talk to. She noticed a girl with layered shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes sitting on a nearby couch, who waved at Nicole, beckoning her over.
"I'm so bored." The blonde said. "My maids put me in this dress ten minutes ago, and have been looking for accessories ever since."
"Well, I like your dress." Nicole said. The girl had on a coral pink knee length dress with straps, and a ruched waist. It was simple, but pretty.
"Thanks. I'm Autumn, by the way. Autumn Hunter."
"It's nice to meet you." Nicole said. "I'm Nicole Roslyn."
"Oh, one of the twins? I didn't recognize you." Autumn said.
"Well then my makeover idea worked." Nicole said with a smile. "I love your hair cut."
"I just got it done…you're a Four, right?"
"Yes."
"I'm a Six. I used to be a Two, though." Autumn said bluntly. She didn't beat around the bush. She seemed almost needing to tell Nicole that.
"Really? What happened?" Nicole asked.
"After my mom died, my dad, well… I ran away. I work as a maid now, but I needed the money, so I entered. And lo and behold, I got in!" Autumn said. She ran her fingers through her hair. Nicole glanced down, and noticed Autumn was barefoot. Also, her left big toe sported a blister. A shock of recognition shot through Nicole. It was weird, though, to get excited over a blister. But Nicole had sported many of those over the years.
"What are you looking at?" Autumn asked.
"Oh, um, you have a blister on your toe." Nicole said, realizing how dumb that sounded.
"Yeah. It's from my pointe shoes. I was a dancer before I ran away. I still practice, but I'll never be able to be professional."
Nicole felt herself breaking into a smile. This girl had just echoed her thoughts exactly. In a random moment of sporadic thought, she pulled off one of the flats she had worn at home, revealing a matching blister of her own.
"I'm a dancer too!" Nicole could barely contain her excitement.
"Are you serious?" Autumn smiled, revealing dimples. "You're joking! I thought everyone here would be stuck up snotty pampered Twos. But you're a Four. And you dance."
"You're a Six." Nicole elbowed her gently. Before the girls could say anything else, Shiloh returned with a dress for Nicole. Nicole looked at Autumn.
"Find me later. I can't wait to talk to you again." She beamed at her new found friend. Autumn nodded excitedly, and Nicole followed Shiloh to a dressing room.
She slipped into the dress. It definitely wasn't something she would have worn before, but this was about being the new her. It was strapless, and more revealing than Nicole was comfortable with. The bodice was bubble-gum pink, with a sweetheart neckline. A beaded sash led to a black tulle skirt.
"Well?" Shiloh asked.
"I think it's perfect." Nicole said. Ashley brought her a pair of tall black stilettos, and Nicole slipped them on. Karen handed her pair of large dangly earrings, and a matching necklace. Both had an art-deco feel to them. Nicole liked them at once.
As she studied herself in the mirror, she only had one thought. Prince Ethan, here I come. Watch out.
…
Elvira frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She was at the palace. Great. She furrowed her brow, and glanced back at her maids. They had their attention focused on the girl in the station next to Elvira, who was currently red-faced, orange-haired, and screaming fit to make the dead.
"My hair! What have you done to my hair!" She screamed.
Elvira stifled a laugh. She recognized this pre-Madonna as Mackenzie Parker, the girl on the news, every night. The only noticeable difference was instead of having nice summery strawberry blonde hair, it was more of a burnt orange. Her maids were quick to apologize, but Mackenzie would not be consoled. Elvira cleared her throat, and her maids shifted their attention back to their own charge.
"Sorry, Lady Elvira." One of them, she was pretty sure her name was Gina, said. "We'll get started, if your ready." Gina said. Elvira nodded. The maid's makeover ideas sounded a little scary. Although Elvira had requested an edgy stand-out image, Sophia, who was supposedly in charge of all this-had already instructed Gina to give her extensions. After being announced, Elvira had been instructed to return home, much to the satisfaction of her father. She had also been instructed to stop exercising, to make her muscles look more feminine.
As Gina and the other maids, Carolina and Alberta, began washing her short existing hair and adding the extensions, Elvira zoned out thinking about the day. The send off had been boring. Her dad kept saying how proud he was of her, and even Mom had called. Gerda had texted her with a scathing message about how awful she was, but no word from Alabaster, her brother. The plane ride had been significantly more interesting. She had spent most of the time talking to Erin Rusk, a cadet at the Illean Military Academy. Like Elvira, Erin had been instructed to stop exercising. Elvira wondered if she was getting extensions too. All the other girls here had longer hair than pixie cuts, except them. Erin had seemed bored and lackadaisical about the whole thing. The other passengers, Lilly Gaston, a brunette, and Ruby Larson, a red-head, had said little. She only knew they were both Fives. Elvira heaved a boerd sigh and settled in for her beautifying.
The extensions took forever. Elvira was bored out of her mind. Erin, Lilly, and Ruby had finished their makeovers fifteen minutes ago and had left with Juniella Alonzo, Autumn Hunter, and Nicole Rosalyn for a tour of the palace. Elvira sighed boredly, and watched as four new girls walked by her to their stations. She had been trying to memorize their names, and she recognized Dorianne Davenport, Summer Lee, Alana Harowski, and Elly Olsen.
"Did you hear about the Sevens they let in?" Elvira strained her ears, listening to her maid's gossiping. She thought it was Carolina, but couldn't be sure.
"I heard Audra Jepson works at a nightclub! Imagine letting her in-a slut!" Gina responded.
"And Taylor Hollister-she's a professional escort." Carolina whispered.
"What does that mean?" Alberta piped up.
"Professional prostitute, no doubt." Carolina told her. "And that Lissa Dove is a burlesque dancer."
"Which one is she?" Gina asked.
"That one." Elvira could imagine Carolina was pointing. She scanned the rows, remembering these maids were only Sixes. She located Lissa, who looked nothing like a burlesque dancer. She was trying on a poufy pink tea length dress, and all but jumping up and down in delight. Elvira smirked.
"Are the extensions done?" She asked, starling her maids out of their gossip.
"Almost, miss." Gina said. "It takes a long time."
Elvira sighed. She would rather be anywhere but here. It was all so dumb! She glanced over at Mackenzie, who was examining her hair in the mirror.
"It's not what I wanted, but I guess that's all you capable of." She snapped to her maids. "I'm requesting new ones to Sophia-who don't mess up your hair dye!" She got up, and stormed off, her somewhat strawberry blonde hair again flying behind her. The three girls looked pretty relieved and Elvira couldn't blame them. She crossed and uncrossed her ankles, and studied her toe nail polish. Her leather boots sat unused her chair, so the polish could dry-Alberta had done it while the other two worked on her extensions. The polish, like on her hands, was black. She wasn't the most natural person when it came to things like this-thanks to her mom living in Spain most of her life.
"Miss, we're done." Gina's reminder startled her out of her thoughts. "We're moving onto your makeup."
"Finally." Elvira moaned in mock distress. "Make it dark and intimidating."
"Yes, Lady Elvira." Gina curtsied, not questioning her choices. Soon, they were covering her eyelids with black liquid eyeliner and a black eye shadow, sweeping in silver. Carolina brushed on a lot of mascara, and Alberta finished with a coat of deep dark red lipstick.
"We're done." Gina repeated, and spun Elvira's chair around so she could see herself.
Elvira hadn't expected this. She had expected herself with longer hair, and little extra makeup. Not this, though. Her dark hair lay just past her shoulders, in loose gentle curls. They had left her pixie cut somewhat intact, only now she had bangs, given volume with a curling iron. Her light blue eyes were nearly swallowed by the dark makeup but, it only emphasized them. It certainly wasn't a Barbie Doll look, but to Elvira, it was perfect.
"I love it!" She surprised herself by practically squealing.
"You do?" Alberta asked. Elvira nodded vigorously. Her maids broke into a shared grin.
"Oh, I'm so glad!" Gina clapped her hands together. Carolina smirked.
"You look so much better than that Sirena Mastrano." Carolina muttered. Elvira didn't ask what that meant, but she assumed Carolina had a personal vendetta against one of Sirena's maids. Gina offered her a large wooden box, with a collection of perfume bottles, to choose her signature scent. Elvira chose one called "Dark Pine". It held the scent of pine needles, but also a deep, woodsy tone. It was mysterious and intriguing.
Her maids doused her wrists in it, and took her to a couch by the temporary dressing rooms and parted ways to find her ensemble.
Several minutes later, Elvira was a whole lot more excited about then the Selection than earlier. She had on a black avant garde dress, made of some cool velvety fabric. It was fitted closely, and had a high neckline and short, tight sleeves. The bottom of mid thigh length skirt flared out slightly, in a somewhat geometrical design. She had a tall pair of black platform heels, pushing her 5'7 frame to 6'0. A pair of silver earrings that looked almost like needles hung from her ears, and she wore a thin silver chain around her neck.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
…
Nat and Cora walked down the hall at the end of their group, side by side. They had completed their tour of the main floor, and had just gotten the second to begin dropping the girls off at their rooms. Nat was more than ready to get to her room and relax for a few hours before getting changed for dinner. Although it was kind of fun to get all dressed up and cute, Nat wasn't really looking forward to changing two or three times a day. Still, she had had fun with Cora. The blonde didn't seem very talkative at first, but as the tour had progressed, she had begun to open up more and more. Sirena hadn't said much, walking in between Nat and Cora and Felicity and Adele. Cora had told Nat all about her experiences as a vet, and it had been fascinating, especially the stories about treating horses. It made Nat miss her just-launching career even more, but she tried to push Ben from her mind.
"Lady Felicity, here's your room. Your maids are waiting. Dinner is promptly at seven. You won't meet the royal family until tomorrow, so don't worry. Still, please wear the appropriate garments. Your maids will know more." Sophia said, motioning Felicity to her room. Felicity gave Adele a quick squeeze, and waved briefly to the other three before slipping into her room. Sirena's room was several doors down, followed by Adele's. The hallway was seemingly endless, a stoic guard occasionally posted. Door after door spanned out in front of them, occasionally broken by a small sitting area pocketed by a cluster of windows.
"Lady Cora, you're room is here." Sophia interrupted Nat's thoughts. "Lady Natalia, here is yours." Sophia pointed to the room across the way. Cora and Nat grinned at each other.
"Where is Nicole's room?" Nat asked.
"It's down at the other end. It was assigned randomly." Sophia said, tucking a strand of dark hair back into her prim bun. "You're things are already in your rooms. If the décor is unsuitable, just tell your maids." She told them the other things she had told Adele and Felicity, and left them in the hallway.
"I'll see you at dinner!" Nat said. "But I'm dying to see my room!"
"Me too." Cora said, her cheeks creasing into cute dimples. "See ya!" She waved, and turned towards her door. Nat did likewise, and turned her knob, and pushed open the door. She could hardly believe her eyes. The room was huge, first of all. Besides the small foyer that sported a single armchair and a small table opened with a doorway on the left into the bedroom. It was shaped more rectangle than square, the a large, canopied bed on one long wall, and beside table on either side with a lamp that was probably worth more than her whole apartment back home. The opposite long wall was lined completely with storybook windows on the top half, the glass sparkling in the late afternoon sun. Nat left the foyer, and stepped further into the bedroom, her heels clicking loudly on the polished marble floors. A plush cream rug kept the area under the bed warm, as well as the sitting area on the far wall, a shorter one. It was complete with a spotless cream colored sofa, and two matching armchairs, and an ivory coffee table. A vase of light pink and cream roses sat on the coffee table, as well as the expansive desk facing the windows. The prominent color in the room was either cream, or a very pale pink. Nat squeezed her eyes shut, and then opened them. Yup, the room was still here. Maybe change some of the pink for a light turquoise, and it would be perfect.
"Lady Natalia? Is the room to your liking?" Someone said behind her. Nat turned, to see her maids, Bonnie, Velma, and Daphne behind her.
"Oh my gosh, yes! It's like nothing I've ever seen before."
"Would you like to change anything?" Daphne asked.
"Um, I guess so. Maybe everything that's this light pink color make a light turquoise." Nat said, picking up one of the extraneous throw pillows, just one of many on the bed.
"Have you seen the bathroom and closet?" Bonnie's grin rivaled Nat's own.
"Show me!" Nat cried. Bonnie swung her arm to yet another small transition room on the shorter side of the room. On the left, it opened to a massive closet, complete with gold filigreed wallpapering, and a black marble floor. Nat walked softly in, almost afraid to break the room. She looked up, spying a black and gold chandelier. She turned back to Bonnie and the others, pointing stupidly to the chandelier.
"There's a chandelier in my closet." She pointed out. "A freaking chandelier. In. My. Closet." Her maids laughed at her shock.
"Have you seen what else?" Velma said teasingly, taking a hanger from one of tons in one section, showing off a to-die-for black evening gown studded with silver. Nat could hardly believe her eyes as she looked around the room, actually noticing the normal closet things, now that her initial chandelier shell-shock was over. Stuff was everywhere. Little built ins housed gorgeous evening gowns, ball gowns, cocktail dresses, day dresses, shoes, jewelry, cardigans and all the accessories a girl could ask for.
"Is this all for me?" Nat asked, throwing her arms out as if to encompass it all.
"Yes, of course! Who else would it be for?" Daphne said.
"Well, Nic and I share almost everything…." Nat admitted.
"Come with me, Lady Nat. I think you'll like the bathroom just as much." Bonnie spoke slyly. She motioned back out to the little transition room, and into the black and white bathroom on the other side. It was huge too, with black marble flooring, and a whale of a bathtub that could only be called a Jacuzzi and maybe a hot tub, in pristine white porcelain. There was a sink, and place like in the Woman's Room earlier to get her makeup and hair done, and, of course, a loo. The toilet paper was even fancy. But, however, the best part was definitely the chandelier, suspended above the bathtub, as well as the miniature ones suspended above the sink area. Despite the marble floors, the room seemed warm. Nat suddenly felt super overwhelmed. And exhausted. The time difference was probably messing her up, and all the excitement. Nat really wanted to go find her sister, but as she followed her maids back to the bedroom area, the gigantic bed looked way too inviting. She knew Nicole would want to talk, but she suddenly could hardly hold her head up.
"What time is dinner again?" She asked.
"It's at seven. You have a little less than two hours." Daphne said. "Would you like to get some rest?"
Nat tried to stifle a jaw-stretching yawn. "You read my mind." She admitted.
"We'll come back in about an hour to help you get ready." Bonnie said.
"Get some rest!" Velma added. Nat's maid's left quietly, and she plopped down on the bed, sinking several inches down. She reached down, and unhooked the clasp on her heels. She kicked them off, and lay down on top of the blankets. She didn't want to wrinkle her dress, and the room was optimal temperature anyway. She shut her eyes, and felt herself fall asleep, in seconds.
…
-Shades