Guard of Laughter

Chapter Sixteen

Queen Jade and Jingle woke up by the sound of maids pulling the curtains aside. Rays of sunlight beamed into the room, shining on both of their faces. They groaned, wanting to sleep in more, until one of the maids spoke up. "It's as already noon your royal grace. Just four hours until the ball." Jade sat up quickly, the movement momentarily gave her a headache. Jingle sat up slowly after her, glanced around, and then laid back down.

"Jingle get up!!" Her friend called, shaking her vigorously. "We must get ready! Ryan is going to pick you up so you have to look ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY FABULOUS!!" She exclaimed as she threw the covers off and leapt outta bed. "Please get us some breakfast, and you two, please help us get dressed." Jade spoke to the maids, who nodded in response.

Jingle got out of bed begrudgingly, but was soon to wake up as soon as the smell of food wafted into the queen's bedroom. Still in their frilly pajamas the two dined as the maid combed and styled their hair. Jingle's hair was braided with beauty flowers pinned into her hair, while Jade's was styled up, befitting of a queen, with pearls decorating it. When they were finished they proceeded to getting dressed. First they had to put the corsets on, Jingle's was looser than Jade's because she wasnt used to it and no one wanted her to feint. Then they slid the hoop on that would make their dresses poof out.

The whole processes took about three hours, including the time they applied some makeup on. But neither Jingle nor Jade wore too much of it. Soon they just sat down and talked so that the time would pass. "Did I hear you right this morning? Ryan is going to pick me up?" Jingle asked, heart racing at the thought of seeing him. She wondered what he looked like and how he would think about how she looked.

"Of course!" She smiled, clapping her hands together in a gesture of excitement. "I've arranged everything! He's gonna come get you here at four. Right on the dot!"

"How did you manage to do that?"

Instead of answering, the queen giggled as she stood. "Now, I must be on my way. As the queen I have to be there early to greet the guests." She said. Before Jingle could say anything else she was already out of the room.

Leaving her to fret by herself.

She was so nervous about going to the ball with Ryan, even though Jade did so much to prepare her for this.

But she was very excited too.

Before she knew it, there was a knock on the door.

Jingle held the front of her skirts as she rushed to it, not wanting to step on the hem as she scurried over. The young girl took in a deep breath before she opened the door.

There Ryan was, dressed elegantly in a fine light green suit with a gold trim. Her eyes lifted from his attire to his facs and their eyes met. His were wide, as if he saw something stunning, before he looked away and coughed slightly. "Good evening, Jingle." He said, cheeks flushed. Was he blushing?

"Good evening, Ryan." She responded, her voice coming out quieter than she expected it to.

"Are you ready?" He inquired, looking back down at her. She nodded and he held his arm out to her. She took it and they started walking down the hall together, slowly making their way to the ballroom. Jingle was quite disappointed that he said nothing about how she looked, despite having taken so long to get ready.

Breaking the silence, Sir Ryan spoke, "The Queen has taken quite the liking to you. She greatly wanted you to come to the ball, but was very aggravated at being unable to accompany you." Jingle realized that's how she got him to take her. Being the gentleman that he was, of course he would offer to take her. Jingle didn't want to waste this chance.