Hi lovelies! I apologize for being gone so long! I've been speed writing the next couple of chapters so you can read them ASAP. Without further ado, presenting chapter 31 of The Throne! (And tysm for over 570 views!)
Dawn -
The rest of the day is uneventful, and we all take dinner in our rooms since the dining room is being prepared for the Italians' visit tomorrow, alongside the ballroom, which we haven't been allowed in yet. Lilac, Violet and Iana are in the workroom, making the finishing touches on the dress I still know nothing about. They say Princess Ginevra is a very good friend to make because she's very influential. I don't know how to tell them that's the last thing I want to do because damn it, I already love them too. I miss Dusk and the others so much I even sent them plenty of blank paper so they don't have to worry about the expense of writing back. I know they probably haven't even gotten my letters yet, but my heart hurts every time I go to the mail room (which I've done three times since posting them) and hearing that there are no letters for me. It's thinking about Dusk that I fall asleep too, imagining the feeling of her body next to mine, warming my naturally cold skin.
-o-
I wake up to Iana shaking me awake.
"It's past noon, Miss!" she says urgently.
I sit, up rubbing my eyes.
"Why is that important?" I ask her, yawning.
"Didn't Miss Nadia tell you? The selected are supposed to be in the royal dining room at half past twelve to talk with the royal family about the Italians' visit!"
I slap my forehead, now moving faster.
"I wasn't there because I already speak Italian!" I exclaim.
Iana helps me into the bath and quickly washes me. No lavender this time.
"Lilac!" I hear her furiously yell as I sit on the edge of the bathtub, shivering in my wet robe.
Iana smiles apologetically, and I give her a weak thumbs-up. Lilac rushes in with a light purple day dress with the spaghetti straps I've come to favor and a pair of heels that match exactly. When I show up at the dining room, every head in the room swivels toward me. I curtsy, nervously tugging on a strand of hair that's come loose from my braided bun.
"You're late, Lady Dusk." Austin says.
A few of the girls giggle and whisper, but I ignore them.
"I apologize, Your Highness. I... didn't wake up on time." I say honestly.
The queen gives me a small smile.
"Honesty is appreciated, Lady Dusk. Please take your place among the others."
She gestures to the girls with a sweeping motion of her hand, and I walk to where Nina is standing. Her face is unreadable, which is an uncommon expression on her.
"Psst." I whisper. "What are you thinking?"
Her face is tight.
"I'm thinking the Italians are going to hate me because I can barely talk about the weather." she replies.
I shoulder bump her.
"You'll be fine. You have me, remember?" I whisper back.
A small smile crosses her face.
"Thank you." Nina squeezes my hand.
"As I was saying before Lady Dusk decided to grace us with her presence, the Italians have an excellent fashion sense. Though our clothing is different than what they wear in Italy, they will be wearing clothing in the Illéan fashion. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that you arrive in style." Austin lectures, looking pointedly at me.
I catch the glare his mother shoots him, resisting the urge to laugh. My maids were right to make me a specifically stylish dress. I hear one of the girls mutter: "And he tells us this the day they're coming?" Austin's head snaps to her.
"Please step forward, Lady Kiko, and share with us what you just whispered to Lady Hazel over there." Austin says rudely.
My jaw drops open. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Reluctantly trudging forward, Kiko, a brunette girl with big brown eyes and pale skin meekly curtsies in front of the royal family. I can tell the king is suppressing a smile, and the princesses are discreetly looking away, which the queen is doing as well.
"I- I was just..." Kiko trails off.
I step forward.
"With all due respect, Your Highness, you should've told us this before today. You can't seriously expect our already hard-working maids to make a whole new dress in just one day, so this information is literally useless to all but one of us." I tell him.
I hear a snicker in the princesses' direction, but when I look at them, it's impossible to tell which one it was. Austin's brow creases.
"Please elaborate, Lady Dusk." he says vexingly.
I throw my hands in the air in exasperation.
"What is there to elaborate, Your Highness?" I toss back at him.
Does he... does he roll his eyes?
"Lady Dusk is correct, Austin." Queen America says, placing a hand on his shoulder.
The moment she touches him, he steps back and bows his head. She does outrank him. He's only a prince. She's the queen of Illéa.
"Yes, Mother." he says.
We all pretend not to notice the interaction.
"Lady Dusk, if you would please stay behind? The rest of you may leave." the queen says.
Nina squeezes my hand before leaving, and finally, I'm left behind standing in front of the entire royal family. The queen smiles at me.
"Lady Dusk, I'm aware you already speak fluent Italian. Therefore your lateness is excused since you were not present when Nadia informed the other girls of our meeting here." she says.
King Maxon nods.
"And it was brave of you to speak up for..." He looks at the queen. Kiko. She mouths. "Lady Kiko." The king says.
I smile, and Queen America smiles back.
"That will be all, Lady Dusk. We'll see you tonight."
She dips her head, signaling me to leave. The confusion I feel as I walk back to the Day Wing is no new feeling to me.
-o-
The ball starts at 7 pm. The girls made me start getting ready at five even though that would give me two hours to get ready, which is a lot. Out of those two hours, I spend ten minutes sitting on the bed while Lilac gets the dress and Violet and Iana prep all the products they've deemed necessary.
While we wait, Iana sits me down in the chair and starts showing me pictures of hairstyles the Italians favor. I choose one with a side parting that leads into an intricate braid. When I doubtfully ask if she will be able, Iana scoffs and acts offended. Violet tells me she's one of the best at doing hair in the entire palace.
"I can't do your hair until Lilac gets back with the dress." Iana says woefully.
"I'm sure she'll be back any minute." Violet says.
"I don't understand why you guys are acting worried. We have plenty of time." I comment.
Violet and Iana look at each other, and I raise an eyebrow at them.
"Unless there's something you aren't telling me." I add.
They both shrug and Lilac bursts in with a large garment bag, saving them from confessing what they were hiding. I stand up.
"Is that the dress?" I ask, unable to hide my excitement.
Lilac nods, unzipping the bag with some difficulty. Iana moves to help her, and Violet pushes me back down into the chair. I smile at how she's getting more comfortable around me, even if she doesn't realize it yet.
-o-
When I'm finally in the dress and my makeup and hair is done, I stand from the chair and stretch my legs, groaning at how stiff they feel. Violet giggles at me and I give her a playful glare. When I see myself in the full length mirror, I gasp.
"You guys... this is beautiful." I tell them.
Violet clasps her hand together, and Lilac grabs them and jumps up and down.
"I seriously can't believe you guys made this."
Iana smiles shyly. The dress is black, just like the one from the Report, but this time it's in what I can only assume is an Italian style. It's got a high neckline and is sleeveless. A short slit runs up my leg and ends just above my knee, not showing too much skin. Lilac opens a smaller zipper on the garment bag and pulls out a beautiful pair of black gloves that transition from solid fabric to lace at my mid-forearms up to my elbows.I clap my hand over my mouth in awe.
"Did you make these?" I ask Violet.
She nods, her pride obvious.
"They're beautiful." I tell her.
It's the absolute truth. I slide them on, shivering at how soft they are against my cold skin. Unlike mine, Dusk's skin is always warm.
"What's the time?" I ask, stroking the braid that hangs over my right shoulder.
Iana gives me a warning look and I stop.
"Fifteen minutes until six, Miss."
I step into the short black heels that I wore on the Report. We all agreed they were suitable, and I've already gotten plenty of new things. Since the Italians favor lipstick, I've left my preferred gloss behind for a deep plum shade that accents the magenta eyeshadow. The whole effect is finished off with sweeping lines of white eyeliner and white mascara that matches my eyelashes. Lilac places black onyx gems into the places where the strands of my hair cross together to make the braid and uses a bit of metal on the ends of each one to secure it.
"They complement the silver in your hair so well!" she gushes.
I blush at the compliment and reach up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I stop when I remember there's no loose hair to grab.
"You're ready." Iana says.