A Dragon's Mate

3

For the next week, I work vigorously on dresses for the ball, six of them including my own. The princesses hand maiden picks up the pink gown merely two days before the ball. Other girls quickly follow suit as I finish their gowns and fit them to each girl respectively. Finally on the morning before the ball the only one I have left is my own. It fits perfectly gliding across my skin like a silk dream.

That afternoon the princess entered my home with only a single knock as a warning. The scowl she wore as she stormed into my home quickly morphed into the most dazzling smile a human could possibly have as she caught sight of me.

"Oh Calista," she gasped a hand fluttering over her heart, "you look amazing!" She squealed and threw herself at me for an embrace. Laughing I return the favor.

"Thanks Ana," I smile stepping out of her arms to grab my shawl from one of the lounge chairs in the parlor. I stop in front of the largest mirror in my shop and pause to enjoy the view. My considerably plain face is framed by twin golden curls while the rest of my hair is partially pinned up to fall in a mass of curls down my back.

"One more thing," Ana steps up behind me and places an intricately woven silver tiara on my head, "it's a present since I am, more or less, forcing you into this." I tilt my head side to side, a singular white jewel glistens in the center of the tiara.

"Thank you, Ana, it's beautiful," I meet her gaze in the mirror. She holds up her own tiara made of gold but otherwise identical to my own and places it carefully on her own head.

"Let's go," she smiles at me and turns towards the door. I follow locking the door to my shop before climbing into her carriage. The princess chatters endlessly during the thankfully short ride to the castle. It's a beautiful place made of shimmering white stone sitting center stage on an island surrounded by water. Whether the now large lake was in the original plans for the castle is questionable. It's said that it started out as a simple moat but a large flood overtook the land and widened it considerably turning it into the lake it is today but that is where it stands shimmering in the failing sunlight as we cross the bridge between it and the town. The large iron gate open wide for the crowd for the ball. After passing through the gate we pass multitudes of carriages lined around the massive circular path before the castle bringing in the higher ups from around the country to seek the hand of the blond sitting opposite me. Ana scowls out the window at all the carriages as our own was waved down a side passage for the Princess's personal entrance. We are greeted by the Princess's two ladies in waiting, one a petite brunet and the other a lanky girl with black hair, who drag us along endless corridors through the castle to a medium sized room to wait for the ball to officially begin. I know the castle well enough to know that the opposite door leads directly to a balcony overlooking the entire ball room where we will be introduced. The princess insists that we be introduced together.

After a few minutes the smaller of the ladies in waiting peeks into the room announcing that it is our turn. Ana smiles brightly as she twines her arm with mine. I return her smile and we proceed through the door.

The king over did it with the decorations for this ball. Six enormous crystal chandeliers hang from the high ceiling lighting the large circular part of the room quite well. A twenty-piece band plays light hearted music from a slightly upraised stage to the left. As the room goes farther away from the balcony I stand on it becomes more rectangular and turns into more of a banquet hall the far wall being lined with tables upon tables of food. The tables scattered around the back half of the ball room each have a huge bouquet of exotic flowers from around the country.

"Princess Marriana Larose Fowlstorm and Miss Calista Lilan Mayhem," The royal announcers voice booms across the ballroom as we step to the top of the stairs.