A/N: Thanks to all those who have reviewed!!! It's what keeps me both
writing and posting. :-)
Does anyone know how to get bold, italics, underlined, different fonts and
sizes, cream backgrounds (I've seen those on several fics, and I love them
--- it makes reading so much easier on the eyes) etc.? If so, PLEASE let me
know in a review. (So I can italicize PLEASE instead of putting in Caps.
LOL.) Merci!Gracias! Tak! etc... (I am seriously hoping I spelled those
right...)
"What about this one?" asked Anya, spinning around, a pink gown swirling around her.
"No, your hair has too much of a red tint in it. You shouldn't wear such a bright pink." Sylvia said. Anya sighed and set the gown back down on a large chest beside her.
"What about this one?" asked Sylvia, pulling a lacy blue gown out of the chest's depths. "This would look very nice on you."
"No, there's too much lace." Anya said distainfully, looking at the gown. "I want something a little more sensible-looking than that."
"SENSIBLE for a BALL GOWN?" said Cinderella. She was shaking her head as though she found Anya to be a hopeless case. "Really."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting something without much fluff to it." interceded Sylvia. She must have realized the same thing I did: this could turn into a full scale war if these two got to arguing about it. "I personally want something a little fancier than my ordinary wear, so a little lace is fine with me. But that doesn't mean Anya can't wear something pretty, but without much fluff to it." she continued. "Here, Cinderella, what about this one?" she added, holding up an elaborate many- skirted pastel yellow gown, with pink embroidery around the neckline and all over the outer skirt. Cinderella sniffed.
"Too plain."
* * * * *
Eventually they all found gowns. Sylvia agreed instantly to the one her mother had had in mind, a dark green gown, embroidered in gold. It had a square neckline with a gold trim around it, gold embroidery around the hem of the flowing sleeves and the bottom of the dress, and the cut and flow of the gown enhanced Sylvia's height and slenderness. Cinderella had (after examining every gown in the chest) decided on a fluffy dress, light pink, with a poufy, sparkly sheer overskirt, and elaborate embroidery on the bodice, and poufy sleeves of the same material as the overskirt. For Anya, a dark blue dress, with silver embroidery on the bodice and lower skirt, a beautiful and fluff-free gown. And for Lydia, a beautiful shimmery periwinkle dress that swirled with her slightest movement.
All the dresses would have to be taken in or the hemlines brought up. None of them would fit properly otherwise, particularly Cinderella's and Anya's. Lydia set them straight away to unpicking the dresses where they would need adjusting, then helped them begin to pin the waists or hems to the appropriate size. It was likely to take a while, so I left. I would check on them again in a while. For now though, I was going to head to the palace, and see if I could get a glimpse into Prince Charming's take on this whole thing.
* * * * *
The prince was in his office when I arrived at the palace, along with his old counselor, Ferdinand. I was lucky --- the prince's office had a large window where I could hover undetected, and see inside the room quite well. After slipping my X-tra-Ear into my ear, I turned invisible and quickly found the prince, as I had purchased a small searching device a few days before. So far it was very useful.
"I want all the stops pulled out." the prince was saying in a regal tone. "I want everybody to see what a fine country I have. Particularly if they don't live in it." he added thoughtfully. "I want the drapes in the ballroom replaced --- the ones we have now really don't look good in that room --- and if there's anything that needs more gold leaf, use it. I want rose bushes out on the balcony, it will give such a nice atmospheric smell, don't you think?" The prince didn't wait for a reply, and kept talking. "The chandeliers will all need to be dusted and any missing crystals replaced, we'll need all the silverware polished, maybe get a new set of dishes. Cream, I think, with a gold border. Finest china, of course."
"Yes, sir." wheezed Ferdinand dutifully. The prince continued. "We will, of course, need some of the sleeping chambers prepared for guests, some of the princesses and their entourages will need lodging, and it's only appropriate that I should provide that. Make sure they're all aired out, they get new bedding, that sort of thing."
"Yes, sir." said Ferdinand again.
"Can you think of anything else that will need special attention?" Prince Charming asked.
"Food, sire. What do you have in mind for refreshments?"
"Something RICH. You know, expensive pastries, fine champagnes and wines, that sort of thing."
"Very well sir. Anything else?"
"No, I think that's it. I'll trust you to make any changes that need to be made, arranging the ordering, assigning the rooms, and so on."
"Thank you sir."
"You're welcome." the prince said graciously. I rolled my eyes.
"So, sir, I am wondering... how exactly are you planning on finding the perfect maiden to wed in one night? Surely you cannot speak to them all, least of all find whichever one whose company you prefer, from short conversations."
"I plan on observing the ladies. I shall only speak to the most beautiful ones, obviously. Then I shall decide, from those, which lady I like the most."
"You plan on selecting a wife based on her beauty first, then personality, is that correct?" Ferdinand asked, looking slightly skeptical.
"That is correct." said the prince, as if he were stating the obvious. Ferdinand nodded. "I see."
"That will be all, I think." said the prince in a businesslike tone. "You are dismissed."
Ferdinand shuffled out, and the prince turned to a paper on his desk, and began marking on it with a large white quill. I pulled out a pair of Optospecs out of my sash, and put them on. They looked like regular glasses, but they had far more uses. I tapped the bridge a few times. Every time I tapped, the view through the glasses zoomed in a bit more, until I could clearly read what the prince was marking so dutifully.
"ROYALTY LEISURE SURVEY" the heading read. I snorted, and read on.
"Please help us better serve you by filling out this survey. Mail to: Richer Royals, 169 Hopplekirk St., Grindle, Pipenn, 17593. Postage is prepaid.
"What is your favorite sport? ________________________
"What is your favorite way to spend money? __________________________
"Do you enjoy theatre? (circle one): Yes No
"If yes, what genre do you prefer? __________________________"
The survey seemed to go on for three sheets of parchment, both sides filled. I shook my head. The prince was filling this survey as if his kingdom's welfare depended on it. Jumping frog princes, this man was hopeless!
"What about this one?" asked Anya, spinning around, a pink gown swirling around her.
"No, your hair has too much of a red tint in it. You shouldn't wear such a bright pink." Sylvia said. Anya sighed and set the gown back down on a large chest beside her.
"What about this one?" asked Sylvia, pulling a lacy blue gown out of the chest's depths. "This would look very nice on you."
"No, there's too much lace." Anya said distainfully, looking at the gown. "I want something a little more sensible-looking than that."
"SENSIBLE for a BALL GOWN?" said Cinderella. She was shaking her head as though she found Anya to be a hopeless case. "Really."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting something without much fluff to it." interceded Sylvia. She must have realized the same thing I did: this could turn into a full scale war if these two got to arguing about it. "I personally want something a little fancier than my ordinary wear, so a little lace is fine with me. But that doesn't mean Anya can't wear something pretty, but without much fluff to it." she continued. "Here, Cinderella, what about this one?" she added, holding up an elaborate many- skirted pastel yellow gown, with pink embroidery around the neckline and all over the outer skirt. Cinderella sniffed.
"Too plain."
* * * * *
Eventually they all found gowns. Sylvia agreed instantly to the one her mother had had in mind, a dark green gown, embroidered in gold. It had a square neckline with a gold trim around it, gold embroidery around the hem of the flowing sleeves and the bottom of the dress, and the cut and flow of the gown enhanced Sylvia's height and slenderness. Cinderella had (after examining every gown in the chest) decided on a fluffy dress, light pink, with a poufy, sparkly sheer overskirt, and elaborate embroidery on the bodice, and poufy sleeves of the same material as the overskirt. For Anya, a dark blue dress, with silver embroidery on the bodice and lower skirt, a beautiful and fluff-free gown. And for Lydia, a beautiful shimmery periwinkle dress that swirled with her slightest movement.
All the dresses would have to be taken in or the hemlines brought up. None of them would fit properly otherwise, particularly Cinderella's and Anya's. Lydia set them straight away to unpicking the dresses where they would need adjusting, then helped them begin to pin the waists or hems to the appropriate size. It was likely to take a while, so I left. I would check on them again in a while. For now though, I was going to head to the palace, and see if I could get a glimpse into Prince Charming's take on this whole thing.
* * * * *
The prince was in his office when I arrived at the palace, along with his old counselor, Ferdinand. I was lucky --- the prince's office had a large window where I could hover undetected, and see inside the room quite well. After slipping my X-tra-Ear into my ear, I turned invisible and quickly found the prince, as I had purchased a small searching device a few days before. So far it was very useful.
"I want all the stops pulled out." the prince was saying in a regal tone. "I want everybody to see what a fine country I have. Particularly if they don't live in it." he added thoughtfully. "I want the drapes in the ballroom replaced --- the ones we have now really don't look good in that room --- and if there's anything that needs more gold leaf, use it. I want rose bushes out on the balcony, it will give such a nice atmospheric smell, don't you think?" The prince didn't wait for a reply, and kept talking. "The chandeliers will all need to be dusted and any missing crystals replaced, we'll need all the silverware polished, maybe get a new set of dishes. Cream, I think, with a gold border. Finest china, of course."
"Yes, sir." wheezed Ferdinand dutifully. The prince continued. "We will, of course, need some of the sleeping chambers prepared for guests, some of the princesses and their entourages will need lodging, and it's only appropriate that I should provide that. Make sure they're all aired out, they get new bedding, that sort of thing."
"Yes, sir." said Ferdinand again.
"Can you think of anything else that will need special attention?" Prince Charming asked.
"Food, sire. What do you have in mind for refreshments?"
"Something RICH. You know, expensive pastries, fine champagnes and wines, that sort of thing."
"Very well sir. Anything else?"
"No, I think that's it. I'll trust you to make any changes that need to be made, arranging the ordering, assigning the rooms, and so on."
"Thank you sir."
"You're welcome." the prince said graciously. I rolled my eyes.
"So, sir, I am wondering... how exactly are you planning on finding the perfect maiden to wed in one night? Surely you cannot speak to them all, least of all find whichever one whose company you prefer, from short conversations."
"I plan on observing the ladies. I shall only speak to the most beautiful ones, obviously. Then I shall decide, from those, which lady I like the most."
"You plan on selecting a wife based on her beauty first, then personality, is that correct?" Ferdinand asked, looking slightly skeptical.
"That is correct." said the prince, as if he were stating the obvious. Ferdinand nodded. "I see."
"That will be all, I think." said the prince in a businesslike tone. "You are dismissed."
Ferdinand shuffled out, and the prince turned to a paper on his desk, and began marking on it with a large white quill. I pulled out a pair of Optospecs out of my sash, and put them on. They looked like regular glasses, but they had far more uses. I tapped the bridge a few times. Every time I tapped, the view through the glasses zoomed in a bit more, until I could clearly read what the prince was marking so dutifully.
"ROYALTY LEISURE SURVEY" the heading read. I snorted, and read on.
"Please help us better serve you by filling out this survey. Mail to: Richer Royals, 169 Hopplekirk St., Grindle, Pipenn, 17593. Postage is prepaid.
"What is your favorite sport? ________________________
"What is your favorite way to spend money? __________________________
"Do you enjoy theatre? (circle one): Yes No
"If yes, what genre do you prefer? __________________________"
The survey seemed to go on for three sheets of parchment, both sides filled. I shook my head. The prince was filling this survey as if his kingdom's welfare depended on it. Jumping frog princes, this man was hopeless!