A voice inside Heidi's head screamed to her to drop the letter and leave. Heidi was intrigued by the note. She got more curious by the second and the text did nothing but make her even more inquisitive. What did it mean by; "to whom the letter had revealed itself"
She gulped a little and finally opened the note fully and began to read the words.
"Magical in all ways yet enchanted in no way. Four times and once shall it be used until it should be cleaned. A little spice and fountain water and it is good as new. I trust the gown to help you as it helped me"
If Heidi was shocked before, she was certainly dumbfounded now. The note seemed clear yet confusing.
"What gown was the note talking about?" Heidi thought. She gasped when she remembered the white gown the note fell from. She picked the gown as her fingers traced the seams.
Was the gown perhaps enchanted?
Heidi shook her head at the thought. The note clearly states the gown wasn't enchanted yet it also said it was magical in all ways.
She felt the gown again, it was smooth, strangely and perfectly smooth. She tried to decipher the words; four times and once probably meant five times.
Heidi was in this confusion when an idea suddenly popped into her head. "Wear it and find out"
Heidi looked around before carefully unzipping the gown. She took off her slave gown and put the gown on.
She walked towards the little mirror in the laundry room and was surprised to see herself. She looked beautiful as if the gown was made just for her. Heidi wondered how the gown worked. Was she supposed to whisper a magical word. Nothing was stated in the note.
Heidi sighed in frustration as she looked at herself. She smiled as she admired the gown and it's beauty. She remembered the gown lady Genevieve wore this morning and smiled mischievously.
"If only I could have exactly the same gown" Heidi thought in her mind.
What happened next was out of Heidi's explanation. The gown had suddenly transformed itself to the beige green gown lady Genevieve wore this morning. It had
the pearls and ruffles and all. Even her hair was not left out. It was perfectly styled and knotted with pins and all. She was suddenly wearing a silvery stilleto heel.
Heidi couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't recognize herself. She looked just like the noble ladies and young maidens. She looked extremely beautiful and adorable.
Heidi twirled around in the gown again and again. She wondered if it was a dream but the dizziness she felt after twirling severally told her otherwise.
Heidi smiled at her reflection but her smile dropped immediately as she heard the not quite distant footsteps coming towards the laundry room. Heidi didn't know what to do. How would she explain how a slave such as herself was suddenly wearing an extremely expensive beige gown with real pearls. Not to talk of her hair and heels.
"Heidi!" A voice called and Heidi froze as the voice was very near to the room.
"I wish I was wearing my slave gown right now" Heidi thought in despair. She had never been so desperate to wear the slave gown.
Almost immediately, the beige gown transformed into her slave gown and her hair was tied in the normal ponytail. Her heels had changed back to the sandals the slaves usually wore during working hours.
Heidi gasped, unsure whether to be happy or shocked.
"There you are" the owner of the voice said stepping into the laundry room. It was none other than miss Tyler who had given the bedsheets to her.
Miss Tyler's eyes fell on the soaked bedsheets, "you are yet to finish washing yet you stand in front of a mirror" she scolded lightly.
"Forgive my negligence, I'll finish it up very quickly" Heidi managed to say.
"It's ok, you younger slaves..." The older slave said and walked out of the laundry room.
Heidi wondered if her thoughts were the key to the gown. She could just think of any gown and the magical gown would do the rest. If that were so, she had to quickly remove the gown as her thoughts ran like running water. She had already used it two times and she had no idea how to clean it as she didn't understand the note.
She quickly changed into her own slave gown. As soon as she took off the gown, it transformed into the plain white gown. Heidi folded the gown and hid it at a corner of the room where no one would go for now. She quickly moved over to the bedsheets to avoid provoking miss Tyler.
As Heidi returned to her duties, a different conversation was unfolding in a secluded wing of the grand castle. Genevieve and Markus had gathered the council of elders and ministers concerning Viktor's return.
"I'm glad that everyone here honoured this meeting" Genevieve started her eyes sweeping through the room.
"I believe you all know the agenda for this meeting" she continued, "Viktor will be returning in two days time"
There were murmurings around as everyone began to talk at the same time.
"Order!" Markus said raising his voice a little and everywhere soon became calm.
"There will be no changes in the court proceedings and the tax rates must remain the same" Genevieve said looking at their faces.
"The prince will have no support from any of you. The only person who deserves your support is prince Markus over here" she paused to let her words sink before she continued, "Viktor might be the first prince but he is no crown prince and don't forget that he is cursed and illegitimate. You do not owe him your loyalty"
"This is wrong!" One of the council elders said standing up, "I refuse to be part of this treason"
"Ah! Minister thawne you seem to have little objections" Genevieve said with a smile.
"Prince Viktor is the first prince and the befitting crown prince. He has fought victoriously for bloodstone. He is the commander of the armed forces of Bloodstone and has contributed immensely to our growth. Prince Markus over here has done nothing but raise taxes" the minister said a little frustrated.
"Prince Markus over here has been mastering his essence and besides, Viktor had to be useful in one way or the other" Genevieve said calmly.
"I'm out of this, I'll share no part in the this uprising" Minister thawne said and made to leave.
He was cut short as Markus manipulated the water in their cups into an iced dagger using it to pin him to the wall.
"What is this insolence?! You will kill me too" the Minister asked in shock
"You misunderstand me minister, I was hoping for a quiet chat but you just won't stay put" Markus said with a sinister smile.
"Do whatever you want to do to me, I refuse to help you" the most Minister said.
Markus laughed, a laugh that sent chills down the elders spines.
"Who said anything about you, I heard your only daughter turned 15 two days ago" Markus said and continued, "the western region is lacking in number of slaves, maybe she could help out"
"Not my daughter!" The minister cried his voice trembling with fear.
"Ah!, Could you remind me of her name once again" Markus asked as if they were discussing about the weather.
"Forgive me prince Markus but please don't harm my daughter. I'll do whatever you want" Minister thawne begged.
Markus tsked, "I suppose we already have quite a good number of slaves and have no use for her"
Markus smiled and the iced dagger turned back to water and splashed on the ground.
"Good! I believe we have all reached an agreement" Markus said, "anyone who has a different opinion can leave"
None of the elders stood up or said a word in fear of what could happen.
Markus smiled in satisfaction. "Let's welcome my beloved elder brother with open arms and lots of love" he said sarcasm dripping out of his voice.
The meeting ended with fear and tension lingering in the air.