Royally Divine

Chapter 2

Night didn't come fast enough.

I left Silvi to settle, but she rang constantly for me. Every time I made it back to the servants quarters, my bell would ring beckoning me back up the castle. It was always over small things. Did her heels fit? Was the dress too tight? How should I say hello? Is the food good? It was like talking to Irissa at night. Silvi was sweet, but much too energetic.

When the time came to meet the Royals, she was practically bouncing off of the walls in attempts to calm herself. I gave her a nerve tonic, hoping it would settle some of that nervous energy. I had to coax her onto a stool, begging her to let me fix her hair and makeup. She finally obliged, realizing she was losing precious time. When she fell gracefully into the seat, I hesitated. She noticed immediately.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"Well..."

"You're wondering about my scar, aren't you?"

"Yes, Silvi. I wasn't sure if you wanted me to try and cover it, or..."

"No," she said sternly, the most forceful thing I had heard her say yet, "Leave it." She didn't go into a story about how she got it. She didn't say why she wanted it left. She didn't even get upset as I stared.

"Of course. It will make you stand out, anyways." She barked out a laugh, throwing her head back.

"You have no idea, sweet child. You have no idea." I prayed to the goddesses that I hadn't offended her.

I set to work, gently touching the soft skin on her face. I first tapped on the powder, my touch light since there were no mistakes to cover. I barely put a blush on her cheeks, giving her just a few taps of the brush. I swept a sparkly shadow over her eyelids, making her eyes glow as bright as the stars on her dress. I barely put any of that black liner on, scared to ruin her beauty. I flicked the black goo over her eyelashes, giving them an unnatural length. I tapped a sparkly substance over portions of her face, giving her an unearthly glow. To finish her look, I patted her lips with the cherry red gloss on my fingers. I stood back and nodded, satisfied with my work. Makeup was a luxury, something expensive and skillful. I was trained to use it, but I never did. So, to be out of practice, I think I did well.

"Natural yet picturesque," she purred in the mirror, "I love it." I had carefully avoided the scar, making sure none of my powder had touched it. But something in me stirred, pushing me to ask something crazy.

"Can I make your scar shine?" She stopped, staring at me through the mirror. Slowly, unsurely, she nodded. I gave a gentle smile, unsure myself. I wasn't sure what made me say it, what was making me be kind to a High Divine. I was... just doing it.

She sucked in a breath when the brush touched her face, closing her eyes. I brushed it down the length of her scar, dipping into the sparkles over and over again. I brushed over it until it, too, shined brighter than the stars on her dress, until it glittered in the light like diamonds. It was breathtaking. That hideous scar had turned beautiful. Somehow, her face was better like this. I could see the agreement in her eyes, the soft look as she watched her reflection. She nodded, not looking away.

"Thank you." She didn't tell me what she thought. She didn't need to. It was clear on her face, clear in the way she tilted her head to watch it dance in the light.

"Our princes will be lucky to have you," I said quietly, meaning every word. Her face, her skin, her body. How would someone not love her? How would someone not choose her?

"They might fight over me," she laughed with wide eyes.

"They won't have to," I said quietly. I was unsure of what the outside world was told, of what they knew of our Court. The twins were...close. Too close, some would say. Being so close made it easy to share.