Viata

Chapter XI: And Another Lord

 My crown for the evening came from the hands of a long dead queen by the name of Deianira. She lived what seems like forever ago and was renowned throughout the world for her ruthless ways of protecting her people. When another ship from a neighboring country sailed into our waters with even the slightest threat of opposition or the barest lack of kindness to our merchants she would send out a warship with a single message to send;

Do not threaten Viata.

My long dead great great great grandmother. I could tell by her painting that we have the same hair. Perhaps there's the same glint in our eyes. I, too, am angered by the threats to our people. I, too, wish to send warships.

My dress was nearly as unforgiving as Deianira. Long heaps of the palest champagne pink flowed from my heavily cinched in waist, allowing a sultry feeling that there is more to be seen under the large layers of beautiful fabric. Beads of pink pearl lined the front going up to a low neckline which allowed for the necklace to be shown with great pride. Large pearls separated with diamonds wrapping against my throat in a beautiful clutch. My hair was pinned up in a harsh style that made me look fully and totally put together but lacked the innocence of someone so young.

My ladies were finishing their own dressing soon so I waited for them in the hall with the past rulers of Viata. A long aisle of kings and queens dating back to the founding of our geat nation. Deianira looked down at me, her dress simple and flowing in a deep Viatan red. She dressed for her time but as she looked down on me with the blue eyes which managed to pass themselves to the face of my father a full three generations later and I could tell from the furious yearning reflected that she wished to be present, fighting once more for her country as she did in life.

"My lady," Natalia's soft voice interrupted my reverie. "You look stunning."

I looked at her, my simple but lovely lady.

Her dress was a beautifully pale lilac that made her skin look as if it had a golden flow. Her hair was not tied up in a traditional Viatan style but instead was pinned back with a headpiece which wrapped around the crown of her head and allowed strings of quartz to trickle through her dark hair, a beautiful white and lovely rose shining in torchlight against her raven locks. Her sleeves reached just past elbow length before going out into long bells that allowed for much more movement of her hands. But it was her darling face that was most lovely of all.

My dear Natalia with her plump cheeks flushed red from excitement. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she gazed upon my dress and the lashes framing them fluttered with an innocence unknown to this world yet. Her lips were placed perfectly open to display a gentle smile she had shown me so many times in the past. This girl was meant to make people happy. Let the world take kindness on her and those like her.

My beautiful Natalia would be dancing tonight. I smiled to her and took her hands in my own.

"You look stunning yourself, Natalia. This gown is truly a wonderful choice," I told her as I tucked a hair behind her ear.

She blushed deeply and took her hands back to brush away nonexistent dirt from her skirt.

I smiled once more before looking back to Deianira. Her expression which I had previously pictured to be yearning to help was now in shame for my use of my subject in my games with Kassandre. Natalia, too, had begun helping Avril with the papers.

I wished to offer her a suitor so she may leave court. Natalia is a beautiful person in the kind of way you only meet so few times in your life and does not deserve to be in this position. Her family would be at greatest risk if Kassandre were to do something in retaliation. They have little money for those at their status and can barely maintain their nobility as is. Natalia has seven brothers at home who have yet to begin to look for brides for themselves. Natalia must marry up to protect them and encourage others of high station to look kindly upon her siblings.