Misha found herself kissing Van Helsing and crying with happiness in his arms, overwhelmed with joy and love for the man who she had just been told she could marry after all.
"Oh Misha" said Verona. "I am so happy for you"
"A wedding" said Aleera. "There will be balls and parties ever night, we will by her the most fabulous wedding and trousseau dress made of silk and satin, diamond and pearl"
"Oh yes" said Marishka. "We have so much to do, there are bridesmaids to arrange and a setting for the reception"
"We should announce this at the mascaraed ball on All Hallows Eve" said Olivia.
"Definitely" said Corinthia.
"But the ball is only two weeks away" said Verona. "We must go shopping for dresses and jewels"
The brides went into a frenzy of planing, preparation for the ball and shopping, Van Helsing had never seen so many dresses being bought, the house was being decorated, acrobats, circus stars and singers were being hired for the great event and all the guest were coming to stay from afar, from Transylvania, Spain, France and Grease. What was in reality only two weeks went by so slowly that it seemed like two months until one morning Misha woke up feeling that something spacial was going to happen to day and then, as she looked at the beautiful pink and orange and and lilac sun rise she remembered: Today was the day when her father would publicly announce that she was marrying Sir Gabriel Van Helsing and would shortly become Lady Van Helsing.
"Lady Van Helsing" she said allowed to the sealing. "No, Lady Misha Van Helsing or Misha Van Helsing or Misha and Gabriel, yes I like that, Misha and Gabriel"
With a lovely smile on her face she got up, washed and dressed: She pulled all the hair from above her ears back and fastened it in a lilac jeweled clasp, she slid on her normal clothes, a dress with little caped puff sleeves and muslin draping sleeves below that that came to a tight hem around her wrist, the neck came to a point between her breasts and a band of jewels marked both the waist and below her breasts, the bodice was jeweled and made of muslin like the rest of the dress.
"Yes" she said to herself as she looked at a cloudy almost invisible reflection in the mirror. "I really look lovely"
She went down stairs to find the house in a state of uproar, all her family on her fathers side were there and crying: "Oh Misha we are so happy for you, to be marring to such a fine young man as Gabriel is a great honor for our family"
"Alright calm down" called Dracula. "Go and amuse yourselves till it is time to get ready for the ball, it will be brilliant this year. Misha, private word with you if I may"
"Certainly, master" said Misha.
Dracula took Misha into a private room and indicated that she sit down, this she did.
"Misha, my darling" said Dracula. "Will I not persuade you to reconsider and marry Vincent instead?"
"Master, father" said Misha "I have told you that I love him, surely you would not see your daughter die of a broken heart or marry a man she could never be happy with?"
"No, no I would not but still..." said Dracula.
"Father, by telling me to marry Vincent you are sentencing me too that" said Misha. "I love Gabriel Van Helsing, why don't you put you differences aside? You were friends once"
"Because...oh hell, he killed me thats why" said Dracula
"But that is in the past, you effectively killed Anna" said Misha. "Even if she was given a new life by God"
"Oh, fine marry him" said Dracula. "If it will make my Misha happy then it will make me happy"
"Thank you master" said Misha, kissing and hugging him. "I promise we will make you proud"
"Right enough of that" said Dracula. "Now I suggest that you go and decide what you are going to wear to the ball and then get dressed and ready, we can't have our bride–too–be looking flustered"
Misha went to her room for a while to read and then, seeing as it was already two o'clock she went to the dressing room to get ready, there were so many dresses she could were in the main dressing room that all the women in the house shared though they all had their own private ones adjoining there bed chambers. The main dressing room was much bigger and more luxurious than the private ones, it was light and spacious, the walls were painted white and the floor was made of smooth honey golden wood, it was a circular room and in the very to of one of the towers, the roof was domed and in the center a white marble pillar went to the top of the roof and at the bottom of it, it was surrounded by a circular bench, one side of the room was covered in mirrors and another by a huge closet full of ball gowns and and glass cupboards full of priceless jewels.
She opened the closet, took a seat of the bench and contemplated the dresses, the were all different colours and cuts.
Soon she had been joined by the other brides and Anna, all intent on finding the exact gowns for the ball.
"Oh" said Marishka in an exasperated voice. "It has got to make a statement about me"
"Well" said Verona. "That oughtn't too be difficult, just get something with plenty of see-through places and a dangerously low neck line"
"Oh Verona, I don't just wear see-through stuff" said Marishka.
"Yes you do" said Verona. "See-through stuff and high heels"
"Hey girls, why don't we discuss what the bride-too-be is going to wear instead" said Aleera.
"Yes good idea" they agreed.
"So Misha, what are you going to wear?" said Verona. "You need too look lovely darling"
"How about white" said Misha cheekily. "To symbolise my virginity"
"You mean you have never slept with him?" said Marishka disbelievingly.
"Yes" said Misha.
"Child, you will never cease to amaze me, how do you manage to be so perfect?" said Aleera.
"Alright, change the subject, how about you wear this?" said Verona.
She was holding up a white satin dress, it sparkled and appeared to change colour, it had a corset style bodice, the neck line that would dip almost to her navel between her ample cleavage and at the back it plunged sharply, edged with sequins and sewn in an ornate design of roses and their leafs, the skirt flowed smoothly and had a elegant train.
"Ooh, naughty" said Misha as she slid into her corset and petticoat and put the dress on; it fitted perfectly to her slender form.
She walked over to the jewel cabinet and and took out a simple choker made of white Opals and a pair of Opal studs with a little chain of the stones hanging beneath it.
The others had dressed and were looking at there reflections in the mirrors: Verona was wearing a dark green velvet dress with billowing sleeves that came to a tight hem at her wrists, Marishka was wearing a gold silk dress with a high collar, it looked as though it had once been a tight collar and then somebody had just taken a knife and cut strait down the throat to the navel, the skirt flowed with splits down both sides so every time she moved her legs and high heeled shoes showed. Aleera wore a simple pink satin dress with off shoulder sleeves that billowed every time she walked and and a split down the left side of the skirt for affect. Anna wore black and Olivia and Corinthia chose less seductive dresses: they both wore full skirts and caped sleeves. Olivia wore lilac and Corinthia wore scarlet.
They put on their masks and made ready too go down it now being seven thirty and only having half an hour to go until the ball stared.