Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 39

It was a loud pounding that had woken her up not one hour after she managed to fall asleep. Lydia and Ardon had stayed until the sun rays shined through her window. Suffice to say she had gotten very little sleep and so she is not in the mood for whatever it is they are dragging her out of bed for. "Are you up Princess Muriel?" A small meek looking maid peeks inside of her room before smiling brightly, ignoring the glare Elenora sends her way she steps forward "I have been ordered to get you ready for breakfast with the royal family. It is important you dress up." The girl explains before yanking her covers off and dragging her out of bed.

"Dress up? For breakfast? With my blood family?" Elenora shakes her head before burying herself under her covers once again. It is far too early for this and she had gotten far too little sleep. Since when does she dress up for the king anyways? Screw the king!

"Oh dear." The small maid whispers "It looks like I will need help with you." Elenora had barely any time to process what she said before she bellowed out "Girls!" Just like that the covers were yanked off once again only this time Elenora saw three more girls added to the mix.

"You are not going to eat with the former king and queen looking like that." One of them -the tall black haired girl that reminds her far too much of Cadence growls. The girl yanks her out of bed in a very rough manner before shoving her in the chair.

"Careful Rosanne! That is the princess you're yanking about." The small girl seethes, her eyes apologetic.

"I will start treating her like a princess when she starts acting like one." With that Rosanne starts combing through Elenora's tangled locks roughly before twisting them into a braided updo so tight Elenora's head starts to ache. Another girl is quick to do her makeup while the last heads towards her closet to pick out a dress. It is the small girl that gives the orders on what to do and it was barely four minutes before she was considered ready to go. Elenora hardly recognized her own face when the small girl showed Elenora her reflection in the vanity mirror. The dress Elenora wears is far fancier than Elenora feels necessary

"Why is it so important I look like this?" Elenora questions

"Not only is the king and queen going to be attending breakfast but the former king and queen as well. It is only on special occasions -NO!" The girl squeaks out the last bit around the time Elenora burns the dress off her. It falls to the ground in flames and ash. Elenora checks the closed door one last time just in case Rosanne steps in to check on them. Elenora pulls on a pair of pants and a shirt instead. It is not necessary to burn the heels but Elenora finds herself lighting them on fire as well. The small girl watches, her eyes widened as Elenora pulls on a pair of boots.

Elenora then wipes her face of any makeup they had forced on her before pulling the pins out of her hair and starting a much looser side braid. "Much better." Elenora offers to the vanity mirror before stepping out of the room. She comes face to face with the three maids that had done her up to look like she was going to some ball and smiles at Rosanne "I am not your doll to dress up Rosanne. You will find me unwilling to pretend I am." With that Elenora follows the scent of food. The doors are already closed which should mean Elenora is too late.

Elenora thanks the lord for her luck and swings around to leave instead. The tall double doors swing open before she makes it to the archway. "Come in Muriel. It is just the royal family so we can set formality behind us." Elenora turns to meet Zathrian's wide grin as he eyes her outfit "Not that you haven't already. Must have given your maids a heart attack!" The former king throws his head back in a deep laughter before gesturing for her to follow him in. Elenora does so rather reluctantly. Other than Prince Ardon, Elenora is the only one who is not dolled up.