A Dove's Tale

Chapter 106

"So, how's it going?" Theresa asked, moving up to walk beside me as we rounded the corner. I gave her a weary smile, too mentally exhausted from the afternoon to waste any thought on wondering why the hallway next to my room was empty when the palace was teeming with guests.

"Well enough, I guess. Most of the nobility are being very careful not to do or say anything that would offend Chevalier, just like you said, but they're also watching for me to make a mistake, just like Clavis and Nokto said." I sighed and added, "And the royalty don't care about offending Chevalier at all. It seems like they're testing me at every turn - especially Gilbert."

Theresa screwed her face up in a scowl. "He's still bothering you?"

I shook my head. "It's not that bad. Nothing I can't handle."

"Isn't that what you thought last time?"

I pursed my lips and turned back to Julius and Byron as Theresa unlocked my door. "If you two want to take a quick break, maybe get something to eat-"

"We won't be that long," Theresa interrupted me. "Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. And you know they're not leaving you unguarded."

"Well, maybe just one of you can go? And get something for whoever stays?" I tried again.

"We'll be fine, Princess Ivetta," Julius said, a rare smile cracking his stony facade.

"Come on," Theresa laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me into my room. "They'll get a break when you're dancing with Chevalier."

Funny how that one sentence filled me to bursting with energy.

"How do you know he'll dance with me?" I asked, shedding my gloves and kicking my shoes off as Theresa shut the door behind us. "You said he's never danced at a ball before."

"He's never had a reason to dance at a ball before," she replied, her green eyes sparkling. "How are your feet?"

"Tired, but they don't hurt. I should be fine to dance," I said, padding into the bathroom in my silk stockings. I stopped and stared at the toilet, sighing in frustration. "Theresa..."

"I'm on it," she said, untying the laces at my back.

"Thank you. I really don't understand why I had to get all dressed up first thing in the morning when the ball isn't until evening."

"Don't ask me," she said. "I can't make heads or tails of upper class rules. Let me know when you're ready."

She left the bathroom, and I stepped out of the dress.

"It's not just you, though," she called from the bedroom. "Every other noblewoman, queen, princess, and whatever else went through all the fuss this morning, too, and they're all freshening up before the ball right now, just like you are. I think you just need to touch up your lipstick and you'll be ready to go. You might even beat the princes to the ballroom."

"That was a long parade," I said, washing my hands. "You can come back in."

"They must have gone up and done every street in the city," Theresa agreed. "I'm so glad you didn't spill on this dress."

"Did you find something for that viscountess?" I asked, stepping back into the layers of green silk and gauze.

"A new dress, yes. A new man, no."

"I can't believe he spilled his wine on her."

"I can. He was drunk before he sat down at the banquet. Must've brought his own booze."

We moved out to the bedroom, where I sat at the vanity and Theresa looked over the beauty products the makeup ladies left behind, her fingers hovering over each tube, compact, and vial until she found the red lipstick. The rest of my makeup had held up well throughout the day, and the tight braids Yves wove into my hair were still in place, too.