When Azeka woke up, Alanna was waiting for her.
"Good. You've finally awoken." She said. She stood from the chair she had been sitting in, and walked over to a folding screen where a blue dress hung. Azeka blinked tiredly in reply. She made to sit up, but as she did so, her head reeled, and she paused and held her head, groaning.
"Oh, bloody hell," she mumbled. Alanna walked back over, carrying the blue dress.
"Here. Take those clothes off; I'll help you get into this."
"Why?" Azeka asked, naturally defiant. "I like these clothes. Dresses suck."
Alanna grinned. "I agree, but you certainly can't be presented to their majesties in that."
"And exactly why am I being 'presented?'"
"Because Jon and Thayet would like to meet their eldest daughter."
"D-daughter?" Azeka squeaked. It was just like an old fantasy she had had when she was younger. That she was really the daughter of some wealthy king and queen, and that sometime they would come and get her…She had thought of it often during those lonely days in the orphanage. But the dream had diminished as she grew older; still, there had always been a vague hope.
"You-you mean that – that I'm a…a…" She couldn't say it. It would end up being only a dream. There was no way. It would just end up in utter disappointment if she said it.
"A princess? Yes, you are." Azeka's mouth fell open as the older woman finished her sentence.
"No-no way," she said.
"Of course you are." She pulled the dress down from the screen, beckoning Azeka.
"Come on; I'll help you get this on; doubtless you've never worn one." Azeka smiled uncharacteristically.
"Nadda. I haven't ever worn a dress. So, Hazzah; this'll be the first." Sighing, she stood, and walked slowly to the screen, taking careful steps; she was still dizzy as hell. Alanna motioned for her to take off her shirt and pants. Turning her back to Azeka, Alanna waited. Finally, Azeka made a small sound, signaling Alanna to hand her the first piece of the dress. Alanna handed her the corset, helping her to put it on. After a few muttered curses from both women, the corset was on tightly, and Alanna helped with the skirts and bodice. When Azeka was finally dressed, the effect was stunning. The bodice was a dark blue, with velvet sleeves to match. The skirts were a shade or two lighter, and blended perfectly. Alanna handed her a pair of black slipper-shoes, which Azeka slipped on. Gently, Alanna guided Azeka over to a dresser lined with cosmetics. Sitting her down, Alanna took a brush and began to pull it through the younger woman's silky black hair. Taking various clips, she pulled Azeka's unruly locks back one by one. When she was done, the princess's hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, with small tresses coming down the fall across her eyes and cheeks. Picking up one of the jars, Alanna stuck a small brush inside, and brought it to Azeka's lips. She brushed a shade of red onto the younger girl's lips, accenting her pale skin. She brushed a dab of color across her cheeks and eyes also; only a little, as it was considered vulgar for a child to wear so much face paint.
When Alanna stepped away, she turned Azeka around to look at her. Reaching out a hand, she gently touched Azeka's right ear.
"What are all these for? Why do you have so many?" Azeka had three holes pierced in her ear, with another two in her left.
"Because I felt like having my ear waited down," she said, annoyed. Alanna scowled at her. Azeka sighed. "I got them like this because it looked cool." From the bottom whole, a Japanese symbol for strength dangled. The middle one had a diamond, and the top had a piece of sapphire. The other ear had a jade earring, and a ruby.
"Well, they're a bit strange; but it'll look fine. Come, look in the mirror." Taking Azeka's hand, Alanna pulled her up and turned her around to look into the mirror. Azeka couldn't help but smile. She had never worn a dress, or much makeup; even she had to admit, it definitely helped her appearance.
Alanna glanced at the time candle.
"Gods, we'd better get moving; it won't do to present you to their Majesties late." She smiled, and started toward the door. She turned back when she realized Azeka didn't follow. She made an impatient gesture. Azeka didn't take the hint.
"You – you're serious," she said slowly.
"Of course I am," the Lioness said crossly. "Why by the gods would I lie?"
"How should I know? It's happened often enough." And indeed, it had. All through her life she had been fooled and deceived. Why would this case be any different?
Alanna softened a bit, and came to stand in front of Azeka.
"I'm not lying to you. If this turns out wrong; if you are not Jon and Thayet's daughter, then you'll be given the choice to stay here, or to go back to where you came from. But, is you are the princess; you'll have a home here. You'll have a family. Brothers, sisters; two parents."
"And what if I say I had a family where I came from?" She asked.
Alanna gave her a 'you're-not-fooling-me' look. "Numair told me about the place you lived in. An orphanage. For those who don't have a family." A look of anger struck Azeka's face. She opened her mouth to protest, but Alanna waved a hand and continued.
"He's positive – positive – that you are the eldest child of the current Conte line. Jon and Thayet; they've searched all of Tortall, all of Carthak, Scanra, Tusaine, Siran; there isn't a land we know of that hasn't been searched! When Numair found your world; it was like he had been able to rekindle the flame of their hope. They had nearly given up; but Numair thought he sensed you in your world; it wasn't to long until he found you." She glanced again at the time candle. "And now we're making them wait longer to meet you. Come on." She held out a hand, waiting. Azeka hesitated a moment, then took the offered hand. Alanna smiled, and led her to the receiving room.
"Good. You've finally awoken." She said. She stood from the chair she had been sitting in, and walked over to a folding screen where a blue dress hung. Azeka blinked tiredly in reply. She made to sit up, but as she did so, her head reeled, and she paused and held her head, groaning.
"Oh, bloody hell," she mumbled. Alanna walked back over, carrying the blue dress.
"Here. Take those clothes off; I'll help you get into this."
"Why?" Azeka asked, naturally defiant. "I like these clothes. Dresses suck."
Alanna grinned. "I agree, but you certainly can't be presented to their majesties in that."
"And exactly why am I being 'presented?'"
"Because Jon and Thayet would like to meet their eldest daughter."
"D-daughter?" Azeka squeaked. It was just like an old fantasy she had had when she was younger. That she was really the daughter of some wealthy king and queen, and that sometime they would come and get her…She had thought of it often during those lonely days in the orphanage. But the dream had diminished as she grew older; still, there had always been a vague hope.
"You-you mean that – that I'm a…a…" She couldn't say it. It would end up being only a dream. There was no way. It would just end up in utter disappointment if she said it.
"A princess? Yes, you are." Azeka's mouth fell open as the older woman finished her sentence.
"No-no way," she said.
"Of course you are." She pulled the dress down from the screen, beckoning Azeka.
"Come on; I'll help you get this on; doubtless you've never worn one." Azeka smiled uncharacteristically.
"Nadda. I haven't ever worn a dress. So, Hazzah; this'll be the first." Sighing, she stood, and walked slowly to the screen, taking careful steps; she was still dizzy as hell. Alanna motioned for her to take off her shirt and pants. Turning her back to Azeka, Alanna waited. Finally, Azeka made a small sound, signaling Alanna to hand her the first piece of the dress. Alanna handed her the corset, helping her to put it on. After a few muttered curses from both women, the corset was on tightly, and Alanna helped with the skirts and bodice. When Azeka was finally dressed, the effect was stunning. The bodice was a dark blue, with velvet sleeves to match. The skirts were a shade or two lighter, and blended perfectly. Alanna handed her a pair of black slipper-shoes, which Azeka slipped on. Gently, Alanna guided Azeka over to a dresser lined with cosmetics. Sitting her down, Alanna took a brush and began to pull it through the younger woman's silky black hair. Taking various clips, she pulled Azeka's unruly locks back one by one. When she was done, the princess's hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, with small tresses coming down the fall across her eyes and cheeks. Picking up one of the jars, Alanna stuck a small brush inside, and brought it to Azeka's lips. She brushed a shade of red onto the younger girl's lips, accenting her pale skin. She brushed a dab of color across her cheeks and eyes also; only a little, as it was considered vulgar for a child to wear so much face paint.
When Alanna stepped away, she turned Azeka around to look at her. Reaching out a hand, she gently touched Azeka's right ear.
"What are all these for? Why do you have so many?" Azeka had three holes pierced in her ear, with another two in her left.
"Because I felt like having my ear waited down," she said, annoyed. Alanna scowled at her. Azeka sighed. "I got them like this because it looked cool." From the bottom whole, a Japanese symbol for strength dangled. The middle one had a diamond, and the top had a piece of sapphire. The other ear had a jade earring, and a ruby.
"Well, they're a bit strange; but it'll look fine. Come, look in the mirror." Taking Azeka's hand, Alanna pulled her up and turned her around to look into the mirror. Azeka couldn't help but smile. She had never worn a dress, or much makeup; even she had to admit, it definitely helped her appearance.
Alanna glanced at the time candle.
"Gods, we'd better get moving; it won't do to present you to their Majesties late." She smiled, and started toward the door. She turned back when she realized Azeka didn't follow. She made an impatient gesture. Azeka didn't take the hint.
"You – you're serious," she said slowly.
"Of course I am," the Lioness said crossly. "Why by the gods would I lie?"
"How should I know? It's happened often enough." And indeed, it had. All through her life she had been fooled and deceived. Why would this case be any different?
Alanna softened a bit, and came to stand in front of Azeka.
"I'm not lying to you. If this turns out wrong; if you are not Jon and Thayet's daughter, then you'll be given the choice to stay here, or to go back to where you came from. But, is you are the princess; you'll have a home here. You'll have a family. Brothers, sisters; two parents."
"And what if I say I had a family where I came from?" She asked.
Alanna gave her a 'you're-not-fooling-me' look. "Numair told me about the place you lived in. An orphanage. For those who don't have a family." A look of anger struck Azeka's face. She opened her mouth to protest, but Alanna waved a hand and continued.
"He's positive – positive – that you are the eldest child of the current Conte line. Jon and Thayet; they've searched all of Tortall, all of Carthak, Scanra, Tusaine, Siran; there isn't a land we know of that hasn't been searched! When Numair found your world; it was like he had been able to rekindle the flame of their hope. They had nearly given up; but Numair thought he sensed you in your world; it wasn't to long until he found you." She glanced again at the time candle. "And now we're making them wait longer to meet you. Come on." She held out a hand, waiting. Azeka hesitated a moment, then took the offered hand. Alanna smiled, and led her to the receiving room.