A Wager Of The Heart

62. The Ball

:::Charity:::

It felt as though a whirlwind picked me up and rushed me through the day in a flurry of activity. It was time already for the dance, the ball, whatever. My last day in this retched place zoomed past in a surprisingly amusing way. Ursula was detained all day greeting guests and getting the last minute touches dealt with so we were not required to spend every minute in her company. I was allowed a quiet afternoon with Geri and Bastion, we ate each of our meals together and refused to allow anyone else into Geri's room.

Until about two hours ago when Edi burst through the door in excitement and claimed it was time for us to get ready so Bastion must leave. I was previously unaware that getting prim and proper for a ball required the assistance of so many but I was thankful for the help. I found out then that I knew little about being pampered and Edi enjoyed being a mother too much in this regard. 

I smiled secretly as she took charge and dictated not only the servants, who she kicked out, but me, Geri and Amelia. She did our hair and painted our faces with a miniscule amount of cosmetics. She helped each of us into our gowns and declared us the fairest in the land. 

I sat alone now, Geri disappeared with Edi and promised to return at any moment. I stood from the chair and walked tentatively toward the mirror. I still found my reflection unnerving, it looked nothing like me. The gown Edi brought to me earlier was a dove gray color and made of the finest silk. The sleeves cupped around my shoulder and disappeared, ending in what appeared to be trimmed silver. I had matching gloves that came up well passed my elbow. The gown was secured at my bust line with a hem of silver thread and hundreds of tiny pearls. The cloth of the skirt fell in abundance to my feet and the weight of it as I swirled was an oddly wonderful feeling. I swished back and forth and smiled as the lovely cloth followed me. 

Edi had taken my unruly hair and pinned it neatly in a twisted bun on the top of my head. I had a headband of gray silk with pearls and silver thread secured with more pins. Edi assured me that my hair would stay put but I could feel it straining against its confines and I knew if I swung my heard too hard or too quickly, my hair would tumble loose. 

The neckline of the dress was a square cut that, coupled with my retrained hair, exposed most of my shoulders and a good portion of my collar bone and top of my chest. It made me feel very naked, very exposed. According to Edi: 'a fine neck was a thing of beauty, to be admired and envied,' and yet all I felt was fear. My eyes drifted up my reflection from the pale expanse of skin to my face. Another foreign sight greeted me, I looked like a stranger. 

Edi highlighted my eyes with a faint line of charcoal and tinted my cheeks and mouth. I no longer looked gaunt and worn. Dark eyebrows created a fine arch over glowing silver eyes. The tint of my cheeks made my face seem finer and more sophisticated, my lips were full and curved in a smile despite my feelings. Now I looked vibrant and young. It was strange to see my face and find beauty, it felt wrong and it wasn't me. 

The door opened just as I raised my hand to wipe the offending substances from my face. I turned guiltily to my sister and she smiled, unaware of my turmoil. "I have just the thing for you." She stepped into the room and I was accosted with the sight of true beauty. Geri had a gown of identical design save for the color which was a light pink. We were the same save for the fact that she looked like herself. The cosmetics brought out the sparkle in her eyes and a glow in her skin. 

As she neared me, Geri held out her hand, on her fingers hung a delicate string of pearls. They were off-white and different sizes, it appeared very long. Instinctively I put my hand to my throat and fingered the chain of the locket. "It's beautiful," I admitted. 

Geri smiled and looked at her reflection before shrugging and focusing back on me. "Father just gave them to me, he claimed they were my mother's."