Finally Found

Chapter 34 - Emilia

After a month of frantic planning the ball just a few hours away from commencing. Everyone who was sent an invitation accepted, after the Council released the news of my pregnancy no one was going to miss out on the celebration. Madame Joanna was incredibly busy, happy but busy, with so many ladies wanting new dresses before the ball. It didn't give her much time to work but she still made time to prepare something special for me to wear and she promised to make one of her assistants, if not herself, available to come and alter dresses for me at any time.

Healer Fayeth has estimated that I'm perhaps half way through my second month of pregnancy and already I'm starting to show. She put it down to how small and slight I am but I like being able to tell that my baby is there and growing. Lilas seems to love seeing the small bump as well often resting his hand on it when we're sitting together or lying in bed.

The loose skirt of my dress for tonight doesn't particularly show or hide the bump which is perfect for me. I don't want people staring at me all night but at the same time I don't want to feel like I'm hiding something. Throughout the night people might catch glimpses of the bump, that'll hopefully be enough for them to satisfy their curiosity. And confirm the Council's statement.

Apparently there have been rumours in the city that I'm not pregnant and that it's all a lie developed by the Council. Some people believe that they have only done this to draw attention away from the war which they seem to convinced we're losing. In truth though, by our last reports, the army were perhaps a week away from the border but that was two weeks ago so they should be there by now. Lilas says that we should soon have confirmation of that, dragons are stationed at the border waiting to relay messages.

Lilas is getting ready for the ball in his room leaving me to prepare with Talindra's help in the shared bedroom. We'd had a light dinner before coming upstairs to get ready which for me started with a bath, being careful not to get my hair wet though as it'd take forever to dry. Once I climb out Talindra wraps me up in a towel before going to get my dress while I dry myself off.

Soon I'm being laced up into my dress then guided to sit down so that Talindra can try and tame my hair. As always I'm amazed at how she manages to braid my hair back into an elegant hair style that's completed by the addition of a diamond tiara. Compared to some of my other tiaras and crowns this one is relatively simple because the necklace I'm wearing is attention grabbing enough.

When my dress was finished and delivered a few days ago Lilas had presented the necklace to me. It seems Kor had made it before he left for war and after seeing the dress I'd be wearing Lilas thought that it'd be perfect for tonight. Kor had made a rare pink diamond the centre piece of the necklace and surrounded it with more diamonds suspended from a chain of more diamonds. With the number of diamonds it's a heavy necklace but I'm sure I can put up with it for one night.

With a final check and look in the mirror I'm deemed ready by Talindra for the ball. As the Council is technically hosting the ball they'll likely be at the garden already but I want to be there early too, after all the work and planning that I've done over the last month I don't want to miss anything. My ladies have all said that they'd be there early as well along with their mates and families, if they have any of course. I can't help feeling slightly sorry for Lady Tiana as she's here in the city alone, her father is with the army while her mother died years ago and her brother has stayed at their country estate. She's all alone here and as far as I know has no one to attend the ball with but Maryam told her that she'll have no shortage of people waiting to dance with her, Maryam promised to make sure of it. Tiana even admitted to hoping to meet her Soulmate tonight.

Going into the hallway I'm not surprised to find Lilas dressed and waiting for me there. He's wearing a magnificent set of light blue and silver robes complete with a silver crown, the same style as the one that all three of them have but just a different colour. Seeing me walk out he smiles gently at me walking over to join me.