AN: I'M A BAD PERSON! I'm so sorry this took so long to get up, I took a
three week vacation and didn't get to write much on it so that's why there
were delays. I'm sorry I meant to get to the smooches in this chapter but I
felt like it took long enough to get this up anyway so I promise there will
be many smooches in the next one!!! I'm hoping to make it to 150 reviews
but that could just be a pipe dream but REVIEW ANYWAY PLEASE!!! I LOVE
FEEDBACK!!!!!!!!
Chapter 10- Preparations
You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mind.
--The Bealtes (I'm So Tired)
The morning of the big day dawned clear and beautiful and I should know because I had been roused at the ungodly hour of seven by my sister and all her chattering friends. "What ever happened to beauty sleep?" I wondered a loud rubbing sleep from my dropping eyes as we ate our light breakfast.
"Don't eat to much Lorelei or you'll never fit into your dress." Violet cautioned me as I reached for a roll. I guess that was sound advise I thought as I picked carefully at my roll. The latest Kyrian fashion involved impossibly small waists and over the last month anything Kyrian had instantly become fashionable.
"Speaking of her dress." Another friend whose name I didn't know added. "You never did tell us what her dress looks like Harmony."
Her friends didn't like me and treated me with disdain commonly heaped on little sisters. But that didn't mean they didn't want to hear about my dress, any dress was interesting. And they knew better then to ask me about it, this time I had actually seen my dress but wouldn't have been able to remember who designed it, or the name of the style.
I liked my dress though, it was a dark red with a narrow waist and a flaring skirt. It was cut low enough in the front to make me slightly uncomfortable but telling Harmony she could get me whatever dress she wanted had gotten me out of a whole afternoon's planning.
My father when he had gotten the news that there would be a little under a dozen of my sisters friends over to get ready for a ball all day had fled to his best friends house for the day. Leaving the house to us with only the lose instruction that he wanted it to be in the same place when he got back. So my day was spent wandering in and out of rooms with only partially dressed young women and if they hadn't been wanting to do things like pluck my eyebrows I might have believed I had slipped off into some sort of surreal male fantasy world.
But finally after long hours of beautification and even longer hours of waiting I was ready. I had spent most of the day in my undergarments but now (surprisingly right on schedule) Harmony was helping me into my gown. I stepped into the cool satiny inside of my gown and pulled the short, blood red sleeves over my arms and she began to adjust the laces as I grabbed her bedpost to provide some resistance.
"Inhale as I pull." She instructed me. "Now I'm going to pull the laces tight and then tie them off. In just a second I'm going to get into my gown can you do the same for me?" She asked.
I nodded and inhaled as she tightened my bodice. The effect, even without the matching gloves and shoes (I didn't see why they had to be so high as you couldn't even see them under my dress, but according to Harmony it helped me hold myself in the correct manor) was nice. She had left my curls down to spill over my shoulders and in a random act of extreme generosity let me wear mothers old pearls. Harmony knew what she was doing and I felt comfortable, giddy even in my own skin. And despite my foreboding feeling that I might get my heart broken in the course of the evening to come there were butterflies rattling my stomach.
My sisters' gown was a dark forest green that her eyes absorbed well. And when I pulled it tight around her already slender waist I realized that it bunched up at the top to make her breasts appear larger. I thought she looked nice as she surveyed herself in the mirror but she was frowning.
"Violet." She called summoning her friend who had been applying her make up in the room next to hers. "What's missing?" She whined. "I know there's something missing."
"I think you need a necklace." Violet said after a moment's inspection. "I thought if you didn't wear one it would make the dress look elegant and simple, like you'd barely tried but it needs something extra."
They considered this for a few moments while I sat playing with one of the curls in my hair. "Lorelei let me borrow your locket won't you?" She asked looking up from the vanity.
"Sure let me got get it for you." I agreed. I wouldn't need it tonight and a few good points with Harmony never hurt.
I made my way into the dark quiet of my room and sat down for a moment on my bed to enjoy the respite from the chatter and people. I had just cleared my thoughts and was searching through my case of jewelry when a pebble hit my window.
Mathew was standing in my backyard looking amused with a handful of pebbles in his hand. "Come down fair lady and let me sweep you away to the ball." He said in a falsely pompous voice.
"You're early Mathew and totally off your rocker if you think me capable or willing of climbing down in this dress and shoes. Give me a moment to tell my sister I'm leaving and wait for me at the front door like a civilized being." I called down. "And I wouldn't suggest going in if I were you goofball, there are around a dozen young women in here who could and would make you rue the day you were born if you were to burst in on them while they were changing."
"I shall be waiting for you my dove." He said sweeping me his finest bow.
The goof. I went back, delivered my necklace to Harmony and met Mathew on my porch. "Alex is going to have a heart failure when he sees you." Mathew informed me with a smirk, momentarily slipping out of his charade as a pompous noble.
"And just where is Alex?" I asked choosing to ignore his blatant hint that I should confess my feelings to our friend.
"Prince Alexander was unavoidably detained by a lovely young woman by the name of Miss Crystalline who requested his services to escort her to the ball." He said.
A red hot flash of jealously twisted in my stomach but I made an effort not to change my expression and think I succeeded. "I don't believe I've met her, who is she?" I asked.
"Is that jealousy I detect in your eyes mademoiselle?" He teased.
"Yes it is Mathew now really who is she?" I pleaded.
He laughed loudly. "Why she's his twelve year old sister." I blushed, feeling very foolish, of course he had told me about Crystal, the one who wrote him.
"Don't worry about it." Mathew snickered but then more seriously. "Love makes you crazy doesn't it?"
I nodded. "I suppose so, I suppose so."
"Well come on lovely, you've got a ball to charm and I've got a plate of food with my name on it." He said offering me his arm.
"No time to waste huh Mathew?" I said sarcastically.
"Not a moment." He grinned.
Alex hadn't meant to drift off, just to rest his eyes for a few moments, but the bed had been so soft and it was so peaceful he couldn't help himself. He was awakened by a loud rapping noise against his door. He sat up quickly and shook the sleep from his mind. "Come in." He called.
It was Ethan DeLac. "Did I wake you Your Highness?" Ethan asked.
"Yes and thank you, I needed to get ready for the ball anyway." Alex had rarely spoken to Ethan before tonight, he had been polite enough on the off occasion they had met but never what he would have considered a friend. "Oh it's just Alex please." Alex insisted.
"You honor me Alex."
"The honor is all mine you are assured." Alex said politely. "But you don't mind if I freshen up while we talk do you?"
"Oh no go right ahead." Ethan said. Several moments of long silence lapsed after that and just as Alex was going to ask what the intent of Ethan's visit was the other man spoke. "I've noticed the way you act around Lorelei." He stated bluntly.
Alex looked up from where he was washing his face in the basin left out for just that purpose. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're speaking of." Alex said as evenly as he could.
Ethan sighed. "Alex, I'm not trying to hurt you here but I've noticed how you act when you're around her." Alex nodded. "And I just wanted to warn you that your feeling aren't reciprocated."
Alex felt numb but his mouth was on autopilot. "Well my thanks to you." He told Ethan.
"I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you but I just didn't want you to humiliate yourself." Ethan said, sounding sincere.
"No it's fine, I'm glad you said it." He told the older man. "Well I guess I'll see you at the ball then?" It was a polite but obvious dismissal.
Ethan bowed himself out, leaving Alex to his self doubt and preparations for the ball.
Alex silently cursed himself for feeling so let down by what Ethan had said. After all it had only confirmed what Alex already knew but it still hurt to hear. It hardly seemed fair: in his privileged life Alex had wanted very little but now that he wanted something so desperately life denied him that.
AN: Well I hope you guys like this one. I love all you who reviewed! You guys rock and so here are my comments back to you.
((Cheler))- I'm glad you enjoy my story and something is going to happen I swear to god, just wait for the next chapter!! Thanks and tell me what you thought about this chappie please!! ((Fearless-sweap-gurl))- I'd tell you where I got my name but it would give away a lot about my identity but it's also out of a book. Anyway yes it is time for them to admit their love and I it will happen in the next chapter!! ((clarylissa))- Yes Mathew is a fun character to write because he's just such a sweetie, glad you like my story please tell me what you think of this chap ((Beckar))- I'm so glad you like my writing style and I swear there will be a romantic scene in the next chapter!!! ((Alqualyne))- You're review was one of my favorites I have to say. I guess Lei had just kept a secret way to long and was scared that it would now get off. And I don't think all the evil people look bad, Ethan who in my mind is the most deceptive and evil character is really quiet attractive. But Harmony and Violet look bad mainly because that's the way they look in my imagination I guess. But seriously I really loved your review it kept me on my toes, I wasn't really clear about a lot of things so thanks for catching me on a few. ((sonchika))- I'm glad you like my story please tell me what you think of this chapter ((The Dark Rose of Insanity))- I'm glad you like my story, I'm so sorry your life sucks and I'm glad I could help with this fic I promise to end the suspense ASAP ((Charmgirl))- I'm so glad you like my characters and I am SO sorry that this took so long I am such a bad person ((TallemeraRane))- I swear to god I will end the suspense in the next chapter! Thanks for waiting ((Al))- So glad you like it ((melissa))-Gosh, you really know how to flatter a girl don't you? Thanks so much and I am so glad you like my story. I'm working on chapter 11and I swear I'll put the romantic dialogue in, please tell me what you think some more I love your reviews, they're very good for my self esteem and vanity ((alli)- glad you like the fic tell me what you think of this chap ((Clearbrook))- glad you liked it, tell me what you think of this post ((ally))-I'm a romantic as well so I know where you're coming from. I don't know if I have the skills to be a writer but I'll certainly try to make you happy by adding romance in the next chapter! ((heavengurl899))- Thanks, I'm glad you like it, tell me what you think of this chapter ((RoyalNovelists))- Thanks I hope you liked this chapter ((alli))- thanks glad you like it ((Gothamin)) I'm glad you like my story, I'll write more soon (( tuimoftheeast))- glad you like my story!
Chapter 10- Preparations
You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
For a little peace of mind.
--The Bealtes (I'm So Tired)
The morning of the big day dawned clear and beautiful and I should know because I had been roused at the ungodly hour of seven by my sister and all her chattering friends. "What ever happened to beauty sleep?" I wondered a loud rubbing sleep from my dropping eyes as we ate our light breakfast.
"Don't eat to much Lorelei or you'll never fit into your dress." Violet cautioned me as I reached for a roll. I guess that was sound advise I thought as I picked carefully at my roll. The latest Kyrian fashion involved impossibly small waists and over the last month anything Kyrian had instantly become fashionable.
"Speaking of her dress." Another friend whose name I didn't know added. "You never did tell us what her dress looks like Harmony."
Her friends didn't like me and treated me with disdain commonly heaped on little sisters. But that didn't mean they didn't want to hear about my dress, any dress was interesting. And they knew better then to ask me about it, this time I had actually seen my dress but wouldn't have been able to remember who designed it, or the name of the style.
I liked my dress though, it was a dark red with a narrow waist and a flaring skirt. It was cut low enough in the front to make me slightly uncomfortable but telling Harmony she could get me whatever dress she wanted had gotten me out of a whole afternoon's planning.
My father when he had gotten the news that there would be a little under a dozen of my sisters friends over to get ready for a ball all day had fled to his best friends house for the day. Leaving the house to us with only the lose instruction that he wanted it to be in the same place when he got back. So my day was spent wandering in and out of rooms with only partially dressed young women and if they hadn't been wanting to do things like pluck my eyebrows I might have believed I had slipped off into some sort of surreal male fantasy world.
But finally after long hours of beautification and even longer hours of waiting I was ready. I had spent most of the day in my undergarments but now (surprisingly right on schedule) Harmony was helping me into my gown. I stepped into the cool satiny inside of my gown and pulled the short, blood red sleeves over my arms and she began to adjust the laces as I grabbed her bedpost to provide some resistance.
"Inhale as I pull." She instructed me. "Now I'm going to pull the laces tight and then tie them off. In just a second I'm going to get into my gown can you do the same for me?" She asked.
I nodded and inhaled as she tightened my bodice. The effect, even without the matching gloves and shoes (I didn't see why they had to be so high as you couldn't even see them under my dress, but according to Harmony it helped me hold myself in the correct manor) was nice. She had left my curls down to spill over my shoulders and in a random act of extreme generosity let me wear mothers old pearls. Harmony knew what she was doing and I felt comfortable, giddy even in my own skin. And despite my foreboding feeling that I might get my heart broken in the course of the evening to come there were butterflies rattling my stomach.
My sisters' gown was a dark forest green that her eyes absorbed well. And when I pulled it tight around her already slender waist I realized that it bunched up at the top to make her breasts appear larger. I thought she looked nice as she surveyed herself in the mirror but she was frowning.
"Violet." She called summoning her friend who had been applying her make up in the room next to hers. "What's missing?" She whined. "I know there's something missing."
"I think you need a necklace." Violet said after a moment's inspection. "I thought if you didn't wear one it would make the dress look elegant and simple, like you'd barely tried but it needs something extra."
They considered this for a few moments while I sat playing with one of the curls in my hair. "Lorelei let me borrow your locket won't you?" She asked looking up from the vanity.
"Sure let me got get it for you." I agreed. I wouldn't need it tonight and a few good points with Harmony never hurt.
I made my way into the dark quiet of my room and sat down for a moment on my bed to enjoy the respite from the chatter and people. I had just cleared my thoughts and was searching through my case of jewelry when a pebble hit my window.
Mathew was standing in my backyard looking amused with a handful of pebbles in his hand. "Come down fair lady and let me sweep you away to the ball." He said in a falsely pompous voice.
"You're early Mathew and totally off your rocker if you think me capable or willing of climbing down in this dress and shoes. Give me a moment to tell my sister I'm leaving and wait for me at the front door like a civilized being." I called down. "And I wouldn't suggest going in if I were you goofball, there are around a dozen young women in here who could and would make you rue the day you were born if you were to burst in on them while they were changing."
"I shall be waiting for you my dove." He said sweeping me his finest bow.
The goof. I went back, delivered my necklace to Harmony and met Mathew on my porch. "Alex is going to have a heart failure when he sees you." Mathew informed me with a smirk, momentarily slipping out of his charade as a pompous noble.
"And just where is Alex?" I asked choosing to ignore his blatant hint that I should confess my feelings to our friend.
"Prince Alexander was unavoidably detained by a lovely young woman by the name of Miss Crystalline who requested his services to escort her to the ball." He said.
A red hot flash of jealously twisted in my stomach but I made an effort not to change my expression and think I succeeded. "I don't believe I've met her, who is she?" I asked.
"Is that jealousy I detect in your eyes mademoiselle?" He teased.
"Yes it is Mathew now really who is she?" I pleaded.
He laughed loudly. "Why she's his twelve year old sister." I blushed, feeling very foolish, of course he had told me about Crystal, the one who wrote him.
"Don't worry about it." Mathew snickered but then more seriously. "Love makes you crazy doesn't it?"
I nodded. "I suppose so, I suppose so."
"Well come on lovely, you've got a ball to charm and I've got a plate of food with my name on it." He said offering me his arm.
"No time to waste huh Mathew?" I said sarcastically.
"Not a moment." He grinned.
Alex hadn't meant to drift off, just to rest his eyes for a few moments, but the bed had been so soft and it was so peaceful he couldn't help himself. He was awakened by a loud rapping noise against his door. He sat up quickly and shook the sleep from his mind. "Come in." He called.
It was Ethan DeLac. "Did I wake you Your Highness?" Ethan asked.
"Yes and thank you, I needed to get ready for the ball anyway." Alex had rarely spoken to Ethan before tonight, he had been polite enough on the off occasion they had met but never what he would have considered a friend. "Oh it's just Alex please." Alex insisted.
"You honor me Alex."
"The honor is all mine you are assured." Alex said politely. "But you don't mind if I freshen up while we talk do you?"
"Oh no go right ahead." Ethan said. Several moments of long silence lapsed after that and just as Alex was going to ask what the intent of Ethan's visit was the other man spoke. "I've noticed the way you act around Lorelei." He stated bluntly.
Alex looked up from where he was washing his face in the basin left out for just that purpose. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're speaking of." Alex said as evenly as he could.
Ethan sighed. "Alex, I'm not trying to hurt you here but I've noticed how you act when you're around her." Alex nodded. "And I just wanted to warn you that your feeling aren't reciprocated."
Alex felt numb but his mouth was on autopilot. "Well my thanks to you." He told Ethan.
"I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you but I just didn't want you to humiliate yourself." Ethan said, sounding sincere.
"No it's fine, I'm glad you said it." He told the older man. "Well I guess I'll see you at the ball then?" It was a polite but obvious dismissal.
Ethan bowed himself out, leaving Alex to his self doubt and preparations for the ball.
Alex silently cursed himself for feeling so let down by what Ethan had said. After all it had only confirmed what Alex already knew but it still hurt to hear. It hardly seemed fair: in his privileged life Alex had wanted very little but now that he wanted something so desperately life denied him that.
AN: Well I hope you guys like this one. I love all you who reviewed! You guys rock and so here are my comments back to you.
((Cheler))- I'm glad you enjoy my story and something is going to happen I swear to god, just wait for the next chapter!! Thanks and tell me what you thought about this chappie please!! ((Fearless-sweap-gurl))- I'd tell you where I got my name but it would give away a lot about my identity but it's also out of a book. Anyway yes it is time for them to admit their love and I it will happen in the next chapter!! ((clarylissa))- Yes Mathew is a fun character to write because he's just such a sweetie, glad you like my story please tell me what you think of this chap ((Beckar))- I'm so glad you like my writing style and I swear there will be a romantic scene in the next chapter!!! ((Alqualyne))- You're review was one of my favorites I have to say. I guess Lei had just kept a secret way to long and was scared that it would now get off. And I don't think all the evil people look bad, Ethan who in my mind is the most deceptive and evil character is really quiet attractive. But Harmony and Violet look bad mainly because that's the way they look in my imagination I guess. But seriously I really loved your review it kept me on my toes, I wasn't really clear about a lot of things so thanks for catching me on a few. ((sonchika))- I'm glad you like my story please tell me what you think of this chapter ((The Dark Rose of Insanity))- I'm glad you like my story, I'm so sorry your life sucks and I'm glad I could help with this fic I promise to end the suspense ASAP ((Charmgirl))- I'm so glad you like my characters and I am SO sorry that this took so long I am such a bad person ((TallemeraRane))- I swear to god I will end the suspense in the next chapter! Thanks for waiting ((Al))- So glad you like it ((melissa))-Gosh, you really know how to flatter a girl don't you? Thanks so much and I am so glad you like my story. I'm working on chapter 11and I swear I'll put the romantic dialogue in, please tell me what you think some more I love your reviews, they're very good for my self esteem and vanity ((alli)- glad you like the fic tell me what you think of this chap ((Clearbrook))- glad you liked it, tell me what you think of this post ((ally))-I'm a romantic as well so I know where you're coming from. I don't know if I have the skills to be a writer but I'll certainly try to make you happy by adding romance in the next chapter! ((heavengurl899))- Thanks, I'm glad you like it, tell me what you think of this chapter ((RoyalNovelists))- Thanks I hope you liked this chapter ((alli))- thanks glad you like it ((Gothamin)) I'm glad you like my story, I'll write more soon (( tuimoftheeast))- glad you like my story!