I slipped the letter into the envelope after folding it. I had Lucien, my butler, deliver the message from a silver tray and he would have it forwarded to the French court. Lucien has been here since I was a child, he was poached by the Lumière. This was the reason my parents had to form an alliance with the Thanh to redress the imbalance. My sister was promised to the king's son and then had to travel to court. She had been lucky that Bleuciel and she had actually fallen in love. I was happy for her but it hurt when she left me, it's kind of weird, I don't have anyone to argue with anymore. My girlfriends, there were two of them, lived on the other side of the world, well, rather one was the Spanish king's princess and the other was a German princess. There was a knock at my door and I wondered who it was. I straightened up and put my hands in my lap, then I called out: "Come in!" The door swung open with a bang and the French designer Livian came towards me. We greeted each other in French. I was so perplexed to see him that I didn't know what to do and giggled. Chérie, it's so good to see you, I hear you're getting married soon," he warbled happily. I broke away from his embrace: "Who... I mean, how do you know?" "Your father wrote to me to show you the dresses for the ball, I already have sketches," he fished out of his cloak, "Unfortunately crumpled, it was so sudden, who is actually the lucky man, Mademoiselle?" I swallowed for a moment: "He doesn't exist, I'm not getting married and I'm only doing the ball thing to give my father peace of mind." I could see his disappointment, he had never been able to hide it, and he spread the designs out on the table. They were beautiful, in the style of baroque and rococo, my favourite epochs. "I like them very much," I tried to make conversation, "Especially the one with the lace." Livian laughed: "That's the wedding dress." I was silent, really?! I'll come by in the next few days and bring it to you, but as you know, haute couture takes time," he was already packing up and about to leave when I held his hand. Don't be angry with me, I think your designs are really good, I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon," I hoped to calm him down, I knew he was upset inside. We had known each other for ages and he wanted so much to design my wedding dress. It was questionable to me what everyone wanted me under the bonnet for. Livian disappeared quickly, his artistic spirit seemed to be awakened, he would also, he said, not leave again and go to his studio, but stay with us at court until the balls took place. I sighed deeply when he left, this ball story just wouldn't let me go, I didn't get any less of this strange feeling that something was going to change that I had no idea about, it gave me the shivers.
"Dinora, get up," a figure woke me up, it was my sister. Her little pigtails matched her bonnet and nightgown perfectly, when I turned around again, because it was night, she tugged and pulled at me. What do you want Faina, it's night", I also had little pigtails, but mine were not beautiful like those of my big sister. At 10, Fania was already tall enough to see over my bed, I was still too small. I thought it was stupid to be 8. There's someone in our room, Dinora, I'm scared," she squeaked. At some point I had taken on the role of the heavy star in stressful situations, and on top of that Fania was afraid of the dark and always imagined creatures, even when there were none. Nonsense sister, come to my bed, I'll protect you," I offered lovingly and opened the blanket for her. She didn't beg and crawled to me. I was still awake for a while when I saw someone sitting on my balcony, it was glowing. I got a little fright when it saw me, but it didn't rush towards me, it watched me. Why? Its eyes shimmered even more than its appearance. What was it? Faina was asleep, so I could get up with confidence, I have never been afraid in the dark, in fact I liked it more than the day in some cases. I carefully opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony: "Hello, I'm Dinora and you?" I thought it rude not to introduce myself. This Wessen didn't answer me, but made a big leap onto the parapet of the balcony.
I ran a little: "Wait, I didn't mean to scare you away, stop." It actually stopped and I was able to go to it. Its eyes shone like diamonds. It was a boy. He took my hand, it was so cold, as if I were touching marble. He brought it to my face. You are truly beautiful," he told me, and the next moment he jumped into the night. Why did I actually remember that? Well, maybe because the night was just like today, only now I was 19 years old and my sister wasn't there. I was lying in my bed and couldn't sleep, so I went out onto the balcony. Now, of course, I know that my encounter had to be just a dream. After all, I was very tired when Faina woke me up. It was a beautiful dream no question, who didn't like to hear that it was beautiful. I let my hair blow in the night wind and imagined what would have happened if I had seen him again. Maybe I would have loved him..., no, stop, this is all because of Father's distress. I leaned back against the railing and enjoyed the cool breeze that brushed through my blond hair.
I woke again at noon, my maids had already been there and brought me the breakfast tea, in my bathrobe I sat there and listened to all the gossip. The latest rumours at court, they were always very talkative, although as a princess I shouldn't really think anything of it, it is still a pleasure for me. Your mother has asked for an audience with Princess Dinora," Lucien told me. I nodded and five minutes later I invited her in. Mother was in her red robe, which she only wore for important state receptions or special occasions. I asked her for her reason for coming and she sat down with me, took my hands in hers and said: "We have a royal visitor, the French King and his family have arrived today as they wish to attend your ball." I was wide-eyed, if the French family is here, then surely my sister has travelled with them. "Give me 10 more minutes mother, I'll be right there!", I shouted as I jumped up and undressed behind the screen. I knew my mother was smiling because she thought I would be happy about the ball, but this is all about my sister. If she is here now, it also means that my telegram will not reach her. I was laced into my corset, it was the special one with the fish legs, not the cloth one I usually wore, but today I didn't care about the pain. After a number of overskirts and he familiar crinoline, I was finally dressed. I wore the necklace with the rubies, my black lace gloves and my dress of red brocade. My hairstyle would be pinned up into a simple topknot, as usual. I walked side by side with my mother down the corridors to the throne room. Di? Dear, I know I haven't told you often enough that I am proud of you, but I really am, I would have dared to stand up to my father, but those were different times too," she smirked slightly. It was rare but still happened that my mother opened up to me. She grew up in other hard times, but unfortunately I don't know more than that. She wears blonde hair just like me, my father and Fania are both brown haired. I have inherited my mother's looks, but my father's temperament. Fania the other way round. Although we do not resemble each other externally, we share the same blood. The Lumières and the Thanhs both came from the same noble family, I don't know which one exactly, but they split at some point and two new families were born. In the meantime, we are on good terms with the Thanhs, there used to be power struggles and wars, but since King Melchior has been regent, I have been able to put things right and we are even closer friends than before. We turned the corner and stood in front of the throne room. The doors were opened on both sides and with grace and grace we strode through to our family members. I recognised many faces of the French entourage. The King Sini, his wife and Queen Amazonita, his children Nyla, Bleuciel with my sister Faina and Livius, my first great love.