Jonathan of Tortall was very handsome when he tried, he had his father's eyes, his mother's lashes, a nose that was slim and shaped unlike either of his parent's noses and his teeth were perfectly white and straight.

However, his face formed a scowl as he threw open the door to his father's study "Father!"

"Jonathan, you're back finally!" The king smiled and got up from behind his desk.

"Don't even try that father! Uncle Gareth told me…" Jonathan's voice was laced with anger, and he glared at his father.

"No Jonathan, be reasonable." His father's voice was calm and soothing, but Jonathan had none of it.

"Be reasonable! I come back from a month long spree in Tusaine and you want to throw me a ball."

"So?"

"Father you're transparent, you're trying to set me up! So what is it this time? Am I going to accidentally bump into her and be amazed by her lack of intelligence and wit, or are you going to pick someone out for me, and make me stay with them the entire time. If I have to listen to mindless chatter for three hours straight I will…"

"Enough!" It was an order, and Jonathan dropped to a mild scowl.

"I am letting you go to the ball by yourself, take it at face value Jonathan. Remember this though, your mother and I aren't getting younger! We'd like to see our grandchildren before we reach the Dark Gods Realm…"

Jonathan opened his mouth to say something, but was silenced.

"Go to your rooms, or go to the stables, do not pester me Jonathan. I don't need this right now!" It was a clear command, and Jonathan could do nothing else but obey it, so he with a last glare, he turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him.

"Mithros give me patience to deal with him…" Roald muttered before returning to his desk.

That very afternoon a carriage rattled into the drive. Out came three ladies, all dressed in the finest wear possible. The youngest Josephine was tall and lanky, she was twice Alanna's size and often taunted her relentlessly about it. Her sister Delia was shorter, but she was incredibly vain, she wouldn't be able to walk by a pond without stopping by to look at her reflection for hours. The Madame, as Alanna was forced to call her, was rotund, her fingers as large as sausages, and her face ruddy and red.

The trio made their way into the large foyer, made of solely marble. All three stopped their chatter immediately when they noticed that Alanna wasn't there.

"Where is that girl?" Delia asked irritably.

"She's probably sleeping with that man, George? I heard she spends a lot of time with him…" Josephine nudged her sister slightly, smiling.

The Madame, fanned herself slightly, before shouting "ALANNA!" spittle flew from her mouth, "ALANNA, Lazy pig, come here and get your sister's coats!" She yelled.

Alanna ran from the attic, face flushed as she stood as still as a mouse, "Yes Madame," Alanna bit her tongue and took their coats as they flung it on her.

"Good for nothing girl, I'm not sure why we keep you?"

Alanna muttered, "I believe it's because you're living off my father's money."

"What was that WENCH!" The Madame turned on her.

"Nothing…" Alanna looked at her innocently.

"It better have been nothing, when you are finished wasting our time, you may go and sweep the floor now…and do hurry we don't have all day you know!" With that, she lifted her nose and waved her daughters into the sitting room.

Josephine stuck her tongue out as they left, and Delia smirked at her before turning on her heel and leaving.

Alanna went to collect a broom, as a knock rang on the door.

"ALANNA! GET THE DOOR!" The Madame hollered.

She did, opening to a footmen in crimson and gold, Tortall's colours.

"May I speak to the Madame of the house?" He asked in crisp tones, looking down on the servant girl.

"I am she…" Madame flew from the living room.

"Madame, I have been ordered to give this to you on behalf of the king, for every woman in your household." He handed her an envelope, bound with red wax and the Conte crest.

"Thank you."

"You are very welcome Madame, Good day." He called as he stiffly walked back to his horse and kicked it to get it started.

"GIRLS!" The Madame's voice was shrill and stretched as she screamed.

Josaine and Delia ran out from behind the doors, tripping on their own skirts.

"Mother…" They both looked anxiously at the letter.

"Open it!" Delia ordered obnoxiously.

"Mother…open it already!" Josaine whined.

"Girls, girls where are your manners? Alanna is a lady of the house, I say that she should open it." A sinister glint lit up the Madame face as she tossed the letter at Alanna, who caught it.

Slowly Alanna opened it, to find gold-embossed parchment and crimson ink.

"Well…" Delia was impatient.

"It says: his royal majesty is holding a ball in honor of the prince's return from Tusaine. Every eligible woman is allowed to attend…"

Delia squealed slightly, "Oh! Mother…we must go dress shopping! It's on the next full moon…that's…um…"

"It's tonight." Alanna substituted.

"I'll have no lip from you servant." Delia glared and then turned back to her mother, "It's tonight."

"We must hurry then…Alanna can you fix your sister's dresses, and finish your chores if you wish to go."

Alanna frowned slightly, "You're allowing me to go?"

"If you finish up your chores and find a suitable dress, I don't see why you shouldn't go. Then maybe his majesty will find you a nice husband and take you off our hands." The Madame rubbed her thick fingers together and smacked her lips slightly, "But you aren't getting any money from me to buy a dress, so you'd better hurry up and make one. Now girls, get your coats we're going out!" She called loftily to her daughters.

"She actually letting me go…" Alanna smiled to her cat.

Faithful, as she called him, was sitting on her bed preening himself. His coat was black as night and his eyes (which were similar to Alanna's own) were alert, even in his relaxed position.

Of course she is, so she can rub it in your face that her daughters have better dresses than you and are richer. Her cat went to licking his paws.

"I don't care, maybe I will find someone and I cane leave this place…" She smiled, dazed.

Then you should be making your dress…Her cat then hopped off and went to the kitchen for a treat.

Alanna, deciding that her cat was correct, went to the trunk in the corner, her mother's things. She dusted off the lid and opened it, slowly looking for something that she could use.

She went through several things, old books, a stack of letters written on crumbling papers, and at the bottom she saw it. Her mother's wedding dress, smiling she picked it up and twirled.

"This is perfect…now to just get it mended a little." She muttered setting to her work.

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-MK