Aslem

Chapter 5 Getting Ready

They both stared at me in awe. Had what I've done been worse than I thought? Maybe they were just surprised that I stood up for myself.

"You think you have the option to choose who you will marry? Ha, you don't even get to choose what you want to wear. This marriage was arranged before you, Nicolo, and Olver were ever born. It's destined, you can't change it."

"My choice, or I leave."

My voice came across cold and harsh. I've never used this tone before. So much perseverance, so much authority. So much power.

"My dear you always were a stubborn one.... fine. As you wish, my dearest. You have a week."

His face was soft now, filled with care and sympathy, but his face quickly turned cold once more in preparing to speak again.

"Guards! Take her to her room in tower 3. Nicolo will be housed in tower 7. Arlette will wear the finest dresses and eat our finest food. After all, she's having dinner with Olver tonight."

I didn't argue, just simply nodded. Nicolos face on the other hand was pale. The color in his face, if any, was minute. The guards took our arms, now walking us how nobles would be escorted.

"Arlette..." Nicolos voice was shaky and hesitant.

"Yes, Nicolo?"

"Your not really going to consider marrying Olver, Right?"

This had caught me off guard. I mean I loved Nicolo, didn't I? But on the other hand i did want King Doran to keep me safe, i might have sacrifice my happiness for my safety.

"I.. I don't.." I was cut off as the guards leading us turned opposite direction. I walked in silence the rest of the way the only movement I made was my feet as we walked and my eyes occasionally when the murals caught my attention.

When i reached my room i stood staring in amazement. The walls were a light shade of pinkish white with white trim. There was a huge round bed with a pink spread over it with frills along the edges. I had a balcony, I couldn't see much from where I was standing but it looked like the view was over the kingdom.

"There are 7 dresses in you wardrobe. Pick one to wear to the dinner tonight. "

The guard was pointing to the mysterious door along one of the walls, that must be the closet. I ran over to it and flung the door open. He didn't lie there were exactly seven dresses in the closet. I turned around to speak to him again only to be greeted by an empty room and a closed door.

I grabbed a blue dress and pulled it out to examine it. It was a high low. The under slip was a royal blue and over it was the sheer slightly lighter high low part. The top was strapless and had a twisted wrap look, and was covered in beads. It was gorgeous, this was the dress i was going to wear tonight.

I threw it onto my bed and followed with it flopping onto the bed like a squashed spider. Did I really want to have dinner with Olver? Should I sabotage this dinner? I didn't know, and I was scared. Just his portrait left me breathless I couldn't even imagine what seeing him in person might actually do. Would I fall in love? Would I be digested? What if I did fall in love, then what happens to Niccolo?

I sighed and stood up and shimmied the dress on. The breast area was slightly tight, but thats okay I didn't think you could really tell. I walked over to the cream coloured vanity in the corner and sat down, gazing into the mirror. I looked hideous, I couldn't go to dinner looking like this, nu uh nope this was not going to happen.

I quickly began opening and shutting drawers pulling out all of their contents and placing them on top. After a crap ton of makeup, i finally found a brush. I brushed my hair so it was silky smooth and pulled it all over to one side and placed a sapphire clip to hold it. My makeup was easy silver to math the beads and then i was done.

Wait, when was this dinner even happening? I was hungry, but was it lunch or dinner time? My answer came with three swift knocks at my door. I ran over to my door and opened it.

"Oh Olver, I thought a guard was going to escort me."

I stumbled through words and was left breath taken. He was gorgeous. Exactly what I pictured he would look like from the picture in the mural. He help out his hand and I placed mine into his. Immediately I felt like a bolt of electricity had just shot through my body starting at his touch. He raised my hand and kissed it causing me to get a terrible case of butterflies.

"I find this to be more polite. You look gorgeous."

He grinned and his arm slide behind my back leading me in the direction of our dinner. Butterflies uproar, and I could tell I was going to have a tough decision. I heard my door shut, and I took my first step forward into the unknown future.