My father barges into my room first thing in the morning. Is barging into rooms a Villarreal family thing...? Or is it just a parent thing??? I'm not sure, but dad comes with with a tape and mannequin and another servant. I groan inwardly when I see the dress designs behind him.
"Dad... isn't that-"
"It's not too much for my darling dearest!"
Ah right. Only childs are spoiled... how fitting of myself.
I smile at my father. "Are they all...?"
"Detachable!" My father pulls on the rose on the waist and the dress falls to reveal a more formal outfit underneath. "AND!! AND!! CHECK OUT THIS DESIGN!"
My father clicks on the sun on another dress and the dress falls completely to the ground without the front part.
"Dad..." I tear up and fling myself at him. "DADDY YOU'RE THE BEST WAAAH!"
My dad catches me in his arms and I sob into my handkerchief. "You... you talented fashion designer beyond our time!"
My father pats my back affectionately and dismisses the servants from the room.
"Darling. I have plenty of dresses designed for your debutante. Pick whichever one you want." My father shows me the dresses one by one and holy shit they all look incredible-
I stare at them all for a second before my father shows me the last one.
"Darling this one was my personal favorite, but all of the dresses were designed so that you would look lovely in them even without that killer corset," My dad deadpans. Before my dad can show me the dress though, my mom barges into the room.
"HOW COULD YOU SHOW OUT DAUGHTER WHAT YOU DESIGNED FOR HER WITHOUT ME?!" yep. That's my mom for ya.
My dad immediately moves to console my mother lovingly. I- am I being fed dog food*??
"Oh darling Heliana... I would never... I just got excited," My dad consoles her.
My mother wipes her tears and smiles. "Sorry baby. I just wanted to see the dress your dad designed for you..."
"No worries mom," I smile. "Can you show me now dad?"
"Yes yes!"
My father unveils the last dress and it's a golden yellow dress that fades into a starry night. It's a high low skirt. It looks easy to move in, and though the skirt isn't
"Ok ok this one requires transformation magic to transform the skirt into pants, but it's such a lovely design!!" My father swoons. "You can even dance in this!"
I stare at the dress. I'm tempted to wear it down the stairs, and then transform it into a dukedom uniform with shifting magic. All heirs to the dukedom were granted that right after the first dance. I don't think grandmother wore the uniform though. Oh well.
Speaking of my grandma. "Mother, Father, is my grandmother attending?"
"Yes!" My mother springs up and hugs me. "My recluse of a mother is finally attending a family event!"
"I think she meant my mother darling," My dad laughs lightly.
Crystalia's paternal grandmother despised having to lead the family. All of her siblings had died early on in her life, and by the time that their father was handing down the dukedom, she was the only child of her 5 siblings still alive. Her husband pretty much ruled over the dukedom for her. Oh if she married a greedy man then I'm pretty sure shit would've gone down- oh and she was elated when her firstborn was a son. I have like 3 uncles or something.
"I don't think she's exactly happy that the next heir to the throne is a woman, but I'm sure she'll change her mind if she sees how wonderful of a head you'll be," My dad smiles.
"yeah!" My mother smiles. "I'm sure she'll come to accept you."
"I mean I don't care if she doesn't accept me," I shrug. "I'm just worried that I'll make an enemy of my own grandmother."
"She's still family," My dad smiles. "Ah! Go try on your dress! I'll bring in the dukedom uniform for you so that you can use your shadow arts on it. It should change into a style that you suits you the best"
"Thank you dad,"I smile, and I grab the dress to go change. It's easy to get in and out of, and it doesn't look hideous. ANd!! AND!! There's no corset!! wAAH!
I step out of the panel to change and I hear voices.
"Mother?"
"Crystalia!" Felix beams.
"Crystalia," Fred nods.
"Doesn't she look gorgeous?" My mother swoons.
"She does!" Felix agrees immediately. "Isn't she?"
I watch Felix jab Fred in the side with his elbow and Daisy pinch him in the back.
"Y-you look nice," Fred looks to the side with a red face.
"Wasn't that hard was it?" Felix whispers menacingly.
Daisy lets go and rushes up to me. "Lady Crystalia you look beautiful! I'm sure you'll attract even more eyes than the princes attending!"
"Princes?"
"AH, I forgot to tell you!" My mother opens the door for my father and my uniform.
"We invited the two princesses and prince Paris, Albert, Zachary, and Hades," my father hands me my uniform with a smile. "I heard they wanted to meet you before they married their favorite brother off."
I stumble and sigh. "Royals... I thought we were just going to invite my future fiancé and then call it a day,"
"Try on the uniform darling," my dad smiles.
"Is this the heir's outfit?" I stare at it. It's white, and it's plainer than I expected. Why does it look so different from the outfit my dad wears??
"It's an outfit that changes according to the person wearing it," My father smiles. "Each design is different."
I head to change behind the screen and the outfit doesn't react to my body.
"Why... I look like I'm wearing a plain white outfit-" I sigh.
Felix snorts and I throw an apple at him.
"It'll change officially when you are announced as the official heir to the dukedom," my dad smiles. "So none of us will know what it looks like until you walk down the set of stairs."
"So will I be entering in this outfit?"
"No," My dad shakes his head. "You'll be wearing the other outfit when you walk down the stairs for your debutante, and then you can transform into the junior duke's outfit once you take my hand on the final step. Think of it as a transition."
I nod slowly. "So the dress first?"
"Yes," My dad smiles. "I hope you'll bear with it."
I smile. "Speaking of which, how come you have to announce me as your heir? I thought it was customary to have the child of the current duke wield the title of junior duke?"
"That's the issue," My dad smiles. "Your uncle wants his son to become the junior duke and has been trying to gain forces behind my back. So far I've managed to cut them all down, but I cannot guarantee the safety of the debutante. On top of that, your grandmother wants a son to be the heir to the dukedom,"
"Old woman's getting roasted alive for trying to kick my daughter out of her rightful position," My mother clenches her fist and I swear I see a fire burning up behind her.
"Don't worry about the old lady," I sigh. "I'll snake my way in and ruin them. She's a bit too agile for her age... huh?"
I smirk. I've always wanted to try weeding out the trash in the house with my own bare hands.
*eating dog food: in China it's a slang for watching a couple be lovey dovey in front of you