Our normally peaceful and quiet manor has become something of a mess today. The many servants who usually keep themselves hidden are running around in a hasty manner. Assir was absent for brunch this morning and again at teatime. Only Von Mae has been near though he keeps his distance unless I explicitly ask for some form of confirmation or assistance. His friendly demeaner is quite reassuring though. "Von Mae," I call across the room.
"Yes, Miss Eve?" He answers cheerfully, so much like a puppy. Those ears of his might as well move around atop his head like one, but I know that isn't how his anatomy works. They're much like my own human ears in terms of function… just a lot larger.
"I think I am ready for my bath." I state gently as I place my only half-finished book on the table beside the lounge chair I've been sprawled across for the last two hours. The day has dragged on despite the hustle and bustle.
"I will go prepare the water then." Von Mae bows before exiting the room with obvious pep in his step.
Today is the day. I tell myself as I roll onto my backside and stretch out with all of my limbs. Today is the introduction ball, the day my life of leisure ends and the day I must converse and dance with and amongst a whole slew of people I have never met before. Public spaces and group activities have never been my cup of tea, but based on how Assir talked about this event, it didn't seem optional.
Von Mae sweeps into the room in the next second, ushering me toward my room with smiling eyes. I can tell he is enjoying every moment of the festivities today. The energy seems to soothe him, but maybe it is because he is on babysitting duty for a lazy girl while the rest of the staff is literally running around the manor like chickens with their heads removed.
When I enter my room, a familiar figure stands facing the window at the foot of my bed. Assir turns to face in my direction sporting a devilishly dashing grin. His hair is pulled taught into a neat bun atop his head with a gold decorated cuff holding it all together. He wears only a loose thin robe allowing me a peak at the moistened skin of his chest. "Eve, good afternoon!" He cheers, "I am currently in the middle of getting ready myself, but Von Mae announced you were to prepare for the ball now, correct?"
"Yes, I figured it is about time to begin the process." I have been putting it off long enough I suppose…
"Wonderful!" Assir laughed, no doubt seeing through my poorly made poker face. "Then, now is the perfect time to give you your gift." He gestured toward the door where three small creatures appeared, the last carrying a large white box decorated in a thick silk ribbon. The creatures were less than half the size of an average human. Each wore triangular veils covering the bottom halves of their faces. Their attire looked plain like that of a monk on Earth in neutral tones, but in the center of each of their foreheads rested a gem of various shape, size, and color, the only key factor in telling them apart from one another. They bowed in a curtsey before us, the one in the center holding the decorated box before her.
"Thank you, ladies." Assir said graciously as he took the box from the female creature in the center.
"It is our pleasure to assist a son of goddess. May her wishes come to fruition by our efforts." Said the center creature with a gem of emerald coloring embedded in her face.
Assir turned to look at me with the box in hand. "Please open it, my lady."
The grin never left his face as I pulled on the slick silk ribbon letting it fall to the floor silently. I lifted the lid of the unscathed white box cautiously, not a scratch or scuff in sight, to reveal the front bust of a deep crimson dress embellished with gold flecks of gemstones that captured and broke light in the most extravagant way. The bust set atop an endless pool of red tulle. How it all fit into one box was a miracle in and of itself. "Oh my…" I was speechless as much as the rest of the room.
Assir broke the silence with his chilling voice, "Do you like it?" His eyes stared into mine searching for his answer before I could even take breath to reply.
I managed a nod before peering back into the box, a sea of red and gold, like a treasure chest hidden in a field of roses. "It is absolutely stunning." I stated clearly.
"This is yours, Eve." He said assuring. "This dress was my mother's a time ago. I thought it best to gift it to the woman I will be attending the ball with tonight, but if I am honest, I am grateful that woman is you specifically, Eve."
I didn't know what weight this gesture had at the time, and for all my shock I was only able to mutter, "Thank you, Assir."
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The three female creatures took on the challenge of preparing me for the ball at the request of Assir. I was bathed, poked, prodded, brushed, scrubbed, and adub-adub-dubbed like a regular show pony for the next three hours or more. Not a spot on my body was missed and once the energy settled and the arduous work was complete it was time for the cherry to be placed perfectly on top, the dress. Surprisingly the dress fit like a glove, molding magic according to Von Mae who was the only one speaking any words to me the past few hours. Assir left before my bath began, to finish getting ready himself. The small women collectively pulled me toward the opposite end of the room where Von Mae stood facing the corner, doing his best to avoid looking at any of my exposure.
"You can turn around now, servant." One of the little women, the one with an orange stone the color of the sun, chitted at him while waving a dismissive hand towards her fellow helpers.
Without missing a moment, Von Mae spun around, instantly showering me in compliments. His eyes dazzled as he gaped at me, nearly filling with tears and it took actual effort to keep from laughing. Before long I was tugged into another area of the dressing room where a massive stone mirror unapologetically assumed the entire corner for its job. There, I saw what Von Mae had been crying over. The girl in the mirror was so close to me, yet she felt so far away. She felt more foreign, more unreal, to me than the food on this planet or the creatures with tails and enormous ears and crystals embedded in their skulls. Yet, somehow, a part of her felt familiar as well. Like we had met somewhere before, perhaps in a dream. I was certain I wouldn't have even looked this beautiful on my wedding day had I lived long enough to experience it.
The little women had worked tirelessly to pull my hair into an extravagant display atop my head. Almond curls hung in silky strands from the gold embellishments meticulously placed around the crown of my head, but, my neck, shoulders, and collarbones were bare showing off a clean pale skin with pinkened undertones. If I had any freckles there before, I have no doubt the little women scrubbed and picked them off of me with how rough and adamant they were. Likely, my skin looked more pinkened because of all that scrubbing. My face was flawless, unlike anything I had ever seen staring back at me in the mirror before. If I didn't know any better, I would say it looked like I didn't have any makeup on, but I am no fool. Plus, I was present for the hour-long makeup process. Every detail was well planned and executed perfectly. The woman in the mirror would be me for a night, and tonight I would play the part of a woman who always possessed this kind of beauty. I would be courteous, elegant, dazzling, and most of all I would be confident.
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Von Mae escorted me down the familiar hallway, the little women following close behind us in a neat line. He hopped with his every step, still regurgitating his praise and admiration. Unlike any other morning where his compliments had once seemed endless, I now know what endless really means. He was right though. I have never been more beautiful in my life. I look picturesque, like a famous painter's favorite muse, the one he festers feelings for secretly with his entire life.
Atop the rounded staircase, we came to a halt as Von Mae turned toward me wearing a massive grin on his face and extending a gentle hand, palm facing upward. I took his hand and followed his lead slowly, one step at a time. The ripples of crimson falling from my waist floated along each stair like delicate petals, light and airy. As we rounded the corner from halfway up the staircase, looking down my eyes met with violet intensity. Time stopped for a whole moment as we held each other's gaze, not daring to move. The language we speak between us is without words and is utterly titillating. Assir was the first to break the unceasing silence with the step of his dress shoe on the marble. He strode to me in his fine clothes of matching crimson and gold embellishments. The shape of his red satin shirt loose, but capable of leaving almost nothing to the imagination to what lies underneath. His collarbones were on full display as the neckline plunged into a deep v stopping just between the pectorals. Every cord of his throat remained visible under his warmed skin. His tight dark pants clung to him creating perfect contrast to the gold cuff holding his hair tight into the neat bun above his head. With his hair pulled back, I couldn't help but admire the sharpness of his facial features. He halted just a few steps below me before lowering to one knee and extending a large masculine hand. Von Mae guided my hand from his to Assir's with a reassuring yet disappointed tilt of his head.
"I am sure you must know, Eve, but your looks are staggering." Assir gaped as he brough himself upright. "You will be the source of sweet dreams if not, the nightmares, of everyone attending the ball tonight."
"You give me too much credit." I said as I felt the heat rising under the skin of my cheeks and tilted my face to watch the ground. You certainly will be the source of my own dreams and nightmares tonight… I thought to myself.
Before any more words could be exchanged, one of the little women cleared their throats. "Ahem" She said, gathering the whole room's attention toward her and her fellow creatures. "Dear son, the carriage has arrived in front." She curtseyed, her sky blue crystal reflecting on the floor below her as the other ladies mimicked her gesture. Their crystals took a clear shape in the reflection below.
"Ah, thank you for your assistance today, ladies." Assir turned towards the grand doorway, guiding me carefully from the stairs. Before our exit we turned to face the staff who had all gathered in the entryway and Assir said, "Thank you all for your great work today. We have many busy days ahead of us, no doubt, so I will advance in stating our appreciation of your efforts. I hope to continue working alongside such wonderful staff in the future." Each member of the staff answered in deep bows and three small curtseys.
In response I mustered my now practiced curtsey and a "Thank you all for your efforts today."
Assir held my hand all the way to the carriage before the driver opened the door for us. I faced down with the stairs that jutted from the doorway for a minute until Assir read my thoughts and lifted me by my waist into the carriage. We both pulled, pushed, and tucked the immense amount of red tulle into the tiny seating area prior to Assir's entrance and the driver's careful shutting of the door as to not catch any of the dress. The ride to the Introduction Ball would take an hour according to Von Mae who gave me a greatly detailed rundown of the timeline for tonight. First, we will exit the carriage where Assir will be able to stay by my side as a buffer for the workup period of the ball. During this time, he will introduce me to some guests he is already acquainted with and hopefully carry a majority of the conversation.
Then, the emperor and other important figures will be announced to enter the ballroom before calling each of the new women, including myself, and their sponsors to the floor one by one. After some words from the emperor and a proper curtsey, dancing will begin. Von Mae seems to believe I will be asked by many for a dance, but the first dance is to be with our sponsor to keep the ladies comfortable. Von Mae said that Assir should always be within a certain distance if I need him which is reassuring, but the rest of the ball should just be mingling, dancing, and for me, hiding in the corner by the snack table.
I grilled Von Mae for information throughout the day. I even 'researched' throughout this whole week about balls and such while reading romance novels. I specifically requested books with ball scenes in them and Von Mae didn't disappoint. He never does. In fact, we now regularly keep tiny fruits in the manor which vaguely taste like bananas though they look more like some kind of egg and have tiny pits inside. They curve the craving though.
Assir sat at the other side of the carriage seemingly looking out the opposite window from my own, but sometimes I noticed our eyes meet when I glanced over my shoulder into his direction. About fifteen minutes into the ride he mentioned some minor details involving the castle's layout, where the bathrooms were, and what kinds of snacks would be served. I appreciated his attempts at calming my nerves. It worked, a little bit. A brief time later his body language began to change only slightly. He started to look nervous himself.
"Nervous?" I asked, thinking I could return the favor to him.
"Is it that obvious?" he chuckled while picking at one of his fingers with the other hand, not bothering to meet my gaze.
"Just a little bit." I smiled back.
"Tonight, is my first ball." He let out a deep sigh, "So I guess you could say I am a little bit nervous. I became a sponsor not long before you arrived."
"Oh, am I your first lady then?" I asked curiously.
"No," He shook his head. "There was another lady in my care before you came." The energy of the room felt thick, but he continued regardless. "It isn't something I enjoy talking about, but we didn't make it to the ball."
Considering for a moment what I should say to that, I felt it best to reply with, "I see. Then we are both Introduction Ball virgins, huh?" He laughed hard, wiping a theoretical tear from his eye before placing his fingertips to his forehead. The energy immediately felt lighter, and I sighed in relief. I may not be a people person, but I know when someone is feeling distress, and I especially know how to use humor to diffuse it.
Not long after our conversation turned to topics of foods and art and the drama going on between characters in my most recent book, the carriage came to a slow stop. Assir only gave me a knowing glance and said, "I have one more surprise for you tonight, my lady." A mischievous grin spread from ear to ear.
"Oh dear! Whatever could you have to give me this time?" I exclaimed as equally dramatic as it was sarcastic.
Matching my theatrics impeccably, Assir slid to the tiny floor space between us. Leaning on both knees while reaching a hand into the inner breast of his shirt, he pulled out something small and shiny. Covered in tiny black jewels with gold lace dangling on either end, was a mask in the slender shape of a fox face. "Today's ball is a masquerade." He sang while reaching up and adhering the mask to my face. He then pulled from the other side of his jacket, a larger matching mask and tied the gold strands to dangle where his dark hair would normally fall down his back. We gave each other conscious stares from the cut-out holes of each of our masks, nodding to one another our cheers of encouragement, and then crawling from the safety of our tiny carriage together, hand in hand.