The day of the gala seemed to come much sooner than expected for Juvia's liking. Out of everyone attending that night, she was the most nervous because she had never been to social gathering that was non-religious themed nor had she worn anything other than her typical uniform. She had never worn make-up, she didn't even know how to put it on, as for her hair she had never done much with it due to it being covered by a veil most of the time. She wasn't sure how in the world she could possibly pass for a beautiful young woman of high society. She didn't even own jewelry save for her cross necklace.
In her bedroom, she gazed down at the gown Erza had given her. It was an ivory colored, Edwardian style, with exquisite beading, and a pearl belt. The back of the dress was opened which she thought to be too revealing but she couldn't afford to be too modest tonight. Next to the gown was a pair of white opera gloves and expensive dress shoes. It was all very lovely and she couldn't deny the appeal to wear them but she just wasn't sure if she was the right person to wear it. She had never thought of herself as particularly attractive even if she did get herself dolled up.
Knock-knock!
"Come in."
The door opened and in walked Lucy already to go. Her gown was sea foam green that was sleeveless with gold trim, a flowing skirt, and an intricate bodice that resembled a peacock's feathers. She too wore opera gloves but they were gold colored to match the trim of her dress. Her blonde hair was style into a swept up high bun while her face had been painted with perfect make-up. For jewelry she wore a gold chain and chrysoprase earrings that dangled. Juvia couldn't help but think that Lucy looked like royalty when she was dressed that way.
"How come your not ready yet?" Lucy asked her. "We leave in an hour and a half."
"I'm sorry I'm just really nervous about tonight and...And..."
"And what?"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"I promise."
"I don't know how to do my hair or my make-up."
"What do you mean you don't know how?"
"I mean I don't know how. I never learned. I know it's humiliating for a woman my age but beauty isn't really a subject they teach you in the Vatican. Also vanity is a sin."
"Juvia you do know that there's a difference between being vain and wanting to look nice?"
"Yes...But." Juvia turned to look at her reflection in the vanity mirror. "If you want me to be completely truthful I don't think I'm...I'm all that pretty."
"Oh Juvia." Lucy gave her gentle hug. "You are pretty. You're more than pretty."
"Lying is a sin too."
"I'm not lying. You know when we were kids I was kind of jealous of you."
"Me? Why me? You were the prettiest girl in Magnolia. All our peers said so."
"But the adults thought you were prettier because you were always so kind and Christian. You didn't use money for clothes or make up or jewelry, you used it for charity. For years I would hear say adults why can't my daughter be as unspoiled and selfless as her?"
"Your father never said that, did he?"
"No but it would make him so made when others would remark about you rather than me. And you know what else I was jealous of? I was jealous that your beauty came naturally while I had to work on mine."
"I thought you were lovely even without the make up and the fancy hairstyles. Your mother did too if I remember correctly."
"Thanks but not everyone else felt that way."
"At least you can use make-up and put your hair into those elegant styles. I can't do either."
"Well lucky for you I happen to be very good at teaching." Lucy picked up Juvia's gown from the bed. "Here I'll help you get dressed, do your make-up, fix your hair, the whole process."
Lucy assisted Juvia in situating herself into her gown then sat her on the chair of the vanity and proceeded to do her hair. She curled her blue locks and pinned some of them up into an Edwardian hairstyle with the rest of her hair being left at her neck to fall over her shoulder. For her make up she used vanilla brightening powder and rose rouge. When all was said and done she brought forth a mirror for her friend to see the results.
"What do you think?"
"Oh Lucy." Juvia smiled unable to comprehend how she looked. "I almost look beautiful. Thank you."
She embraced her to express her gratitude.
"Anything for a friend." Lucy responded with a hug as well.
"I guess I'm ready now."
"Not yet. Something's missing." She said pointing to Juvia's bear neck.
"I'll just wear my cross."
"No. You need something more elegant. I'll go ask Erza if she has any jewelry we can borrow."
Erza told Lucy that she was welcome to anything in her private safe. That's where all jewelry in her department and house hold was kept. It was quite a sight for Lucy. Gold, silver, gemstones, that were more grand than anything her father and suitors had ever given her. She wondered which one would suit Juvia. That's when she noticed a medium sized black box sitting alone on a shelf. Opening the box she found what she thought to be the perfect necklace for her.
An old mine-cut and rose-cut diamond and silver foliate bail, suspended from a circular-cut diamond flame motif set with a pear-shaped ruby, spaced by a pear-shaped ruby and natural pearl link, to the two-strand necklace, comprising fifty-six natural pearls and four cultured pearls, intersected by eight circular-cut diamond and cushion-cut ruby flame motif plaques, mounted in platinum and gold. The color and the material and the design seemed to match Juvia to a T. Lucy brought that necklace right back into Juvia's room where she clasped it around the bluentte's neck.
"I don't know if I should be wearing this." Juvia said.
"You don't like it?" Lucy asked.
"No it's gorgeous but I have a feeling that I shouldn't wear this. That it's not mine to wear."
"I talked to Erza. She said that we're welcome to wear anything in her safe."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Alright." She examined the necklace from her reflection in the looking glass. "It came from Spain right?"
"What?"
"The necklace. It originated from Spain didn't it? Around the 1500's?"
"I don't know. I mean it does look old but I don't know the origins. Do you?"
"I...I feel like I do...Weird. I've never seen this necklace before but I'm almost certain that I know exactly where it came from."
Juvia put her gloved hand over the pendent of the necklace and suddenly she heard something. Two voices in the back of her head that made her feel as if she was somewhere else.
"Oh my goodness it's beautiful. You know they say it was worn by the queen of Spain herself. A true paragon of the church."
"It probably costs a hell of a fortune."
"Watch your tongue. You're not supposed to curse."
"I heard that's not entirely valid. Anyway since when have you ever been interested in jewelry?"
"No. It's not important but...I don't know I guess sometimes I can't help but want what other regular women want. Makes me sound very materialistic doesn't it?"
"Not to me. Never to me. And you know...If...If...If you'd like...I...I...I could buy it for you."
"Oh no. No don't do that. It's awfully sweet of you to have that thought but I wouldn't want anyone to spend anything on me. I'm not worth it."
"You're worth everything to me."
"Juvia?"
The voices stopped and her head cleared when she heard her friend called her.
"Juvia are you alright?" Lucy asked concerned. "You spaced out there for a minute."
"Did I?" Juvia blinked. "I...I...Sorry I guess I was just nervous again or something...Um are we ready to go now?"
"Yeah. Let's go downstairs. That's where the guys are waiting."
"Okay."
They left the bedroom and downstairs they went.