"I can't believe the Breezy Meadow delegates showed up early," Marianne grumbles as she sheds her tunic, throwing the garment on the desk.
Opening her wardrobe, Marianne stares at the available garments. She knows that her father would be severely disappointed, though not surprised, if she showed up in one of her tunics. Shocking that stuffy Queen Vesper and her subjects always has its perks but she isn't just a princess anymore and she really doesn't want to cause a disruption during her husband's first meeting with the Light Field's trading allies. Then again, the Breezy Meadow kingdom hasn't exactly been an ally that long.
The slutty dress of six months ago beckons her temptingly but Bog pulls out another less seductive dress before quickly shutting her wardrobe. She snickers as he hands the layered green and dark pink knee-length dress over to her. Seems her thoughts were showing on her face.
"Behave," Bog warns.
"Around Breezy Meadow subjects? Not likely," Marianne chuckles as her pixie handmaidens help her put on the sleeveless dress. "You've met the snobs in the Light Field but they're nothing compared to practically everyone in the Breezy Meadow. It's strange that they're early because they're always the last to show up and the first to leave."
"They could be curious about the new changes to our kingdoms and how it'll affect them," he suggests.
"That's possible," she muses. "After all, the last time any kingdom merged with another was before the great famine when the Fairy Kingdom merged with the Elf Kingdom to become a united Light Field. But it's a bit hard not to be suspicious when it comes to Queen Vesper."
"That's what your father said when we were discussing the upcoming trade meetings and my responsibilities as a representative of the Light Field as the crown prince," Bog mentions. "He warned me to keep an eye on my back if I was ever alone with one of the Breezy Meadow denizens."
"When did you and Dad talk?" Marianne questions.
"Last week, while you went with Dawn to pick up your new outfits from the seamstress," he answers, pointing to the dress she is wearing. "Speaking of your sister, why did it seem like you were trying to avoid her?"
"Because I was," she admits with a groan. "You remember how we were talking about the two kingdoms celebrating the same festival but how they differed? Starting two days from now at the Spring Ball, Dawn will be allowed to accept courting attempts and she won't leave me alone."
Marianne snickers at the groan emanating from her husband. He doesn't know the half of it. Sure, they've been having to deal with goblins that are coming of age too, the horny little creatures, but fairies know how to turn it up a notch. It isn't just the brazen flirting and flashing but the language could probably make even the unabashed goblins blush. It didn't matter that fairies were more conservative than goblins about the places where they have sex because most fairies have absolutely no shame during the Spring Festival.
Shaking the thought away, Marianne pulls her new crown from its resting place and allows her handmaidens to place it on her head. This one is so much better than her previous ones and it's thanks to the efforts of both kingdoms' craftsmen. It was the Dark Forest craftsmen who suggested the polished wood to withstand their queen's roughness, the intricate lines twisting and curling like a briar patch is far from delicate, and it was the Light Field craftsmen who suggested the gold wire that entwines around the light-colored wood, trapping the sparkling white and amber jewels with alluring filigree.
The pixies take a few more moments to flutter around her before turning their attention to their new charge. A new charge that is still getting used to them.
"Stop that! Shoo! Shoo! Marianne!" Bog groans in exasperation. "Could you please convince them that I don't need their help putting on my formal wear!"
She just laughs as the pixies quickly lace-up the light brown cords on the shoulders of the dark green sleeveless vest before hooking the brown cords on the lower front with their corresponding white stone buttons. They meticulously shine each of the white stones keeping the top front of the vest open and busy themselves to make sure the collar, armholes, and wing slots don't snag on his carapace.
Deciding to give the male a break from the fussing, Marianne shoos the pixies away from picking up his crown and places it on his brow herself. Like her father's crown, the broader band only has four amber jewels upon it, the ones in front and back being bigger than the two on the sides. Like her crown, Bog's crown is made from polished wood with intricate lines twisting and curling like a briar patch, the amber jewels being trapped by the work.
She had been shocked the first time she had seen the crown for the King of the Dark Forest. It had seemed a bit drab for a royal crown but Bog had explained that the crown was worn very little since it was the king's weapon that was the real symbol of the throne. Hence why his royal scepter was gold-overlayed and the crown was just light-colored wood.
Marianne sighs heavily and turns a heartbroken gaze to the place where her own weapon should be. It was a week after her battle with Cu-Sith that the goblin scouts came back with the terrible news. The poor creatures were more heartbroken at just trying to inform her of their find than she was when she held her broken sword after they handed it to her.
To make matters worse, the swordsmith that her father had commissioned her sword from couldn't make a new one for her for another week. She didn't want her to place the work she had already promised to do on hold just for her. Even borrowing a temporary sword from the armory couldn't work since they are all in use during the gathering of the kingdoms.
Bog's hand on her shoulder makes her look up and she smiles at his look of concern.
"Well, we better get going before Dawn's patience scatters like dandelion seeds," Marianne quips.