Pretending to be a Guard

Part 2

Nell, Patri, Lo and I met at Carletta's door at exactly 3:00 pm, as asked. 
"You're here!" Carletta squeals, pulling us in. "Evidently, my mom and dad said yes! We're going to have so much fun!"
We sure do. Carletta has a huge room, full of clothes, and beauty products. 
"I want to do Eva first!" Carletta announces. 
"Oooh, I'm excited to see this. Can we pick out dresses?" Lo asks. Carletta beams.
"Useful questions! Whoop whoop! Feel free! I even asked the maids, Marcellina And Prala, to bring more dresses for a bigger selection!" 
"You are amazing," Patri says, rushing to pick out dresses, as Nell rolls her eyes and smiles, following her.
Nell is probably the least girly in our friend group.
I would say I'm in the middle. 
"Are you ready?" Carletta asked cheerily, sitting me down in front of her huge vanity, and picking up a hairbrush.
"Ready," I confirm, giving her a small smile, closing my eyes. 
After an indefinite amount of time, I am instructed to open them. 
I am speechless. Magic, that's what this is.
Magic, I tell you. 
My dull face was transformed into a glowing ray of beauty.
That sounds arrogant, but let me tell you.
Princess equals great resources. Great resources equal great makeup. 
Also a great skincare routine, which Carletta shares with us, because she's awesome that way and every way.
I have my curtain bangs framing my face, and my sort-of-curly hair is slicked back, and styled into a high braid ponytail. I have Feline eyeliner, with gold, sparkly eyeshadow, and a cute lip stain. Some blush was applied to my cheeks.
I look amazing, and no one can deny it.
Not even me.
We agree right after Carletta finishes with me that only Carletta can see our looks. It makes it difficult to move around, but it would be worth it, I'm sure.
Carletta starts to work on the others, as I check the dresses.
They are all beautiful, some a canary yellow, others a baby blue, but one catches my eye and makes my heart throb. 
It's a blush pink color, off-shoulder dress, with many layers on the bottom part, but a lighter pink for the top, with a lace pattern. 
Back in Silarien, I always wore pink or sandy dresses. However, another sign that my mother most probably has a sixth sense, on the day Silarien was seized, my mother made me wear running shoes, and comfortable clothing. Easy to run in.
No need to dwell on that now though.
I decide that I will pick the one that reminds me of home, which is the blush pink dress, and I have dangling pink rhinestone earrings, and a golden chain necklace. A few hours later, we all show each other our looks, once Carletta has officially approved.
Patri is wearing a sage green dress that has many patterned sequins, and has emerald jewelry. Her straight hair is in a high ponytail. We're the high ponytail buddies. 
Lo has her dirty blonde hair in a braided crown, and is wearing a wine red dress, with black laces on the top, and elegant black patterns on the bottom. She also has elbow length gloves that match her red theme, and ruby jewelry. I am loving it, obviously.
Nell has her curly, dark hair down, and has an ice blue dress, with frosty white lace on the skirt. She too has elbow length gloves that are the same ice blue, and sapphire jewelry.
We really have a color theme going on.
Carletta too has her hair down, and a bright, sunshine yellow dress, with amber jewelry, except she has a tiara. 
"We," Patri says firmly. "Look amazing." 
Carletta nods brightly. 
"To the ball!" She giggles, and we loop our arms together, talking and laughing the whole way to the ball.
As a guard, I had a dagger, and pants under my dress, just in case something went wrong. We always have to be prepared. 
The ballroom is a grand, golden room, with chandeliers, and pillars, and red carpets, and a stage where musicians play.
It's beautiful, needless to say. 
The music is gentle, soft. 
We are early, and so we pick up some punch and drink it together at one of the fancy tables, talking about random things, like best music, or our daily lives, and maybe a little bit of political things.
Of course, I don't mention anything about Silarius or Monirius.
As my backstory is that I'm half Silarien, which is both a lie and a truth, they most probably know I hate them. A lot.
"Oh, by the way, Eva," Carletta says hesitantly. 
"Yes?" I respond with a smile.
Suddenly, guests flood in, and I recognize one face. One face I truly hate. My smile drops, and my face darkens with hatred.
"That's what I wanted to tell you," Carletta winces. "My mother just sent me a text that the second born prince of Monirius would be joining the ball tonight."