The two maids who helped me get ready made sure I looked lovelier than anything I could have achieved on my own. They pulled my hair away from my face with two braids and tied it all up in a smooth twist of a bun. They even let me wear a small pearl pin in my hair. Somehow the ties of my mask were also hidden in the braids of my hair. The maids were absolute geniuses when it came to hair. I told them as much and thanked them profusely. Dahlia, one of my maids, suggested that I wear one of Duchess Frow's pearl bracelets as well. I quickly declined the much too generous offer until I heard the Duchess herself yelling from her room that I couldn't look like some poor street child and to take the bracelet. Still I felt the gesture was too much. I would spend the entire night making sure that I did not lose the bracelet or the hairpin.

I was completely prepared to leave for the castle a full half hour before eight o'clock, the time the ball officially started. I called to Duchess Frow through the door to her room if I could perhaps go and meet my stepsisters now to go with them to the ball. I wanted to make sure I was actually in the carriage before they were so I wouldn't get left behind. The duchess shouted that I was to stay until she could inspect me herself. I impatiently waited as the hands of the clock slowly ticked away. At this rate, I could only hope that Giselle and Victoria were taking equally as long to get ready.

Finally, Duchess Frow came out of her room holding a large feathered mask attached to a stick that matched her frilly dress. She beckoned for me to turn around so she could see inspect my dress from all angles. "Well, this will do quite nicely. I was worried that Dahlia and Rosemary would not be able to make you look presentable enough in time, but it seems they have done a wonderful job anyway. You look pretty enough in that dress, and the mask is quite striking."

I knew that it was probably the closest thing to a compliment I would get from her so I curtsied and thanked her. She looked at the clock and shooed me from the room telling me I had to hurry so I wouldn't be late. I did as she said and hurried as much as I could to get to the carriage that I knew would be waiting in front of the inn.

I met Victoria and Giselle on the steps outside of the Gilded Leopard. They looked nonplussed when they heard me call out to them, but there were too many people around for them to actually do anything. Ours was not the only carriage that was waiting to take inn guests to the ball. I joined Victoria and Giselle as we went to ours. As beautiful as I felt in Duchess Frow's suite, standing next to Giselle and Victoria I felt less so. They were both dazzling in gowns that seemed to be made out of stars with the way they sparkled. The dresses were similar to each other but not exactly matching. Giselle's skirt was flared a bit more than Victoria's and where hers had a swooping neckline, Giselle's had long sleeves and a plunging back. Their masks were both made from thin silver wires that delicately swirled around their eyes. They did little to hide their identities, but when one looked as stunning as they did one would not want to mask anything. We climbed into our carriage and swayed a bit as it moved forward towards the castle.

The ride there was mostly silent while Giselle threw me dirty looks and Victoria gazed at herself in a small pocket mirror. Everyone few minutes Giselle would lean over to whisper something in her sister's ear. I was sure she was somehow putting me down. She was still horribly jealous of my relationship with the prince. Finally Victoria closed her mirror and had a whispered conversation with her sister.

"That is a lovely dress," Victoria said.

"It would be a pity if something were to happen to it," Giselle finished spitefully.

I did not know if they could see, but I glared at them from behind my mask. "I will make sure nothing happens to this dress. I won't let you ruin my night."

"Who said anything about us trying to ruin your night?" Victoria was smoothing her dress and not looking at me. It was almost as if she didn't consider me important enough to even talk to at all. "This is an important night for us too, why would we want to waste it trying to sabotage you?"

Giselle nodded, but it seemed like she did not fully agree. She gave her sister a suspicious look. "You are just lucky that old fat pig came to take you away to get ready for the ball. It is only the fact that her servants made you up that you even look presentable. You have no talents with anything other than rolling in the dirt."

I very nearly slapped her for her impertinent comment, but I had been made up beautifully and did not want to ruin it. Giselle was just goading me. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction, or that is what I told myself. I was trying to control my temper, but after hours being picked apart by the Duchess's friends I was not sure how much more I could take. If I could just ignore them for a few more minutes we would arrive at the palace and I would be rid of them.

I did not answer Giselle's last scathing remark so she stopped talking. With Victoria preening in her mirror and me unwilling to fight, Giselle crossed her arms and pouted the rest of the way to the palace. I looked out the window and watched the buildings pass much too slowly for my liking. I was excited for the ball and wanted to arrive at the palace immediately.

Through one street we had to slow to almost stopping because there were people celebrating in the street. It only delayed us a few minutes as the people moved out of our way fairly quickly. It seemed the city had come alive tonight. There was noise and music on every street and around every corner. People were everywhere laughing or eating one of the multiple items that were being sold from vendors. When I looked down some streets we passed, I could see bright colored lights and I wondered what they were for. There was an opera house with elegantly dressed patrons climbing the steps to go see a performance. There were children dancing around maypoles in one square while their parents watched and sometimes joined in the dance.

Once we neared the castle, I could see other carriages driving through the large stone yard on the other side of the gate. The carriages were lined up in wait to let their occupants out at the doors. The line looped around the court yard to exit again through the gate. Some people climbed out of their carriages before they were at the grand doors and walked across the courtyard instead of waiting. Everyone wore black and white with a mask. The white stone of the courtyard and the mostly black carriages added to the theme of the night. When our carriage stopped a few lengths away from the doors I decided to get out and walk the rest of the way. Giselle and Victoria said that they wanted to be helped out by the royal attendants and not walk like some servant. I rolled my eyes at their logic as I helped myself out of the carriage.

I reached the doors first as the carriage before theirs was hindered by a grossly large man who could barely exit through his carriage door. Despite my excitement for the ball, I did not want to enter alone so I waited for Giselle and Victoria. Entering with them would be better than entering alone. I was determined to get to the ball as fast as I could, but now standing on the steps I felt nervous. Eventually the attendants were able to get the man out of the carriage and he walked through the doors leaning heavily on a silver cane. Giselle and Victoria were the next to be helped out. Heads turned when they exited the carriage. Their dresses caught the light and made the pair sparkle. Even the attendants commented on how lovely they looked. They nodded to the men who helped them out of the carriage and glided to where I waited. They were basking in the attention they were getting and we had not even entered the castle yet.

We followed the line of people who were entering the castle through the large oak doors. A red carpet had been laid across the stones to usher people inside. The carpet was the only splash of color in an otherwise colorless scene. The elegant notes of a waltz drifted through the open door. I could see glimpses of men and women dressed in black and white with masks inside. Then Giselle, Victoria, and I entered and the full magnitude of the event hit me.

WE HAVE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE GREAT PHARYSS CELEBRATION! I don't know about you guys, but I'm excited. This is when things start happening and we get to meet more interesting characters and explore the personalities of characters already there.

Anyway, this will be the first of five balls followed by the royal wedding. In my opinion this is the most boring one of all five because they will only increase in excitement as the story progresses. I really love writing big ball scenes so this will be drawn out over a few chapters.