Southern Goddess.

Epilogue

Waking up was easy. Actually getting up.... That was the challenging part. Serena snuggled deeper into her large soft bed silk and fur sheets creating a soothing warmth all around her that she could stay in for days. The sound of her door slowly opening didn't alarm her or cause her to stir. Like always it was Marry, an older plump woman with slightly greying roots that from the time of Serena's birth has been charged with watching her.
"Good morning Lady Serena " light poured in from the large window on the right side of her room. Begrudgingly she sat upright looking around in disdain. She hated being up early and every day she was up early.
"What does Her Majesty have planned for me today" She asked with a snear that said she wasn't pleased. Marry just shook her head and smiled pulling the blankets away from the girl, and attempting to pull her from the bed.
" Come now darling you turn 17 in less than a week and you're still dropping around like you're 6. " Serena rolled her eyes. Moving from the comfort of her bed to stand before a large mirror that showed her full height and almost a foot on either side of her. To show whatever full silky, lacy, bouncy, gown they put her in today.
Long black hair fell in almost perfect rings around her face, smooth, dark carmel skin, slightly angled large brown eyes flecked with gold. Her nose was large but was still slightly upturned, and her high cheekbones making her face actually pleasantly attractive. To anyone except Her Majesty and most of the northern realm her northern realm. Serenas father his Majesty was southern, and it seemed she gained every last one of his traits over her mothers more delicate.
Marry reappeared from her time disappeared in the closet with a large emerald green dress. Studded in diamonds and Ruby's. She hated the color green. She always thought the bright cool tone drowned the warmth of her skin tone. Not to mention the powder her mother constantly made sure she wore that made her at least a shade lighter.
Warmth rippled across the room as Serena clenched her fist. If she had it her way the stupid dress would go up in fames along with the powder. Taking the dress she steps into it without any trace of elegance.  Mary lacing the fitted corset as tight as it would go just barely squeezing her small waist.  That was the only natural feature approved of.  Her wide hips wide squared shoulders and defined arms were not liked.
Grabbing up a thick brush Mary roughly pulled back her large mass of curls flattening then as close to her scalp as possible.  Tieing it back roughly she aranged it into a neat bun.  Clipping in long silver strings beaded with emerald and Ruby.  Brushing the powder evenly across her skin in a few small layers attempting to lighten it as much as possible.  Heat quickly rose to her face and she faught off the range to throw the stuff to the ground another wave of heat flowing through the room. 

Shaking her head a snarl placing itself on her lips she held up a small hand stopping Marry from applying the third layer. 
"When you were born you had the lightest pink skin. Your mother was ecstatic but every year since you've gone even farther from the image she wants.  Do you remember when she tried using creams to lighten your skin permanently?" the older woman raised thin eyebrows in a questioning manner. 
"It took nearly a month to rebuild my rooms and relentless badgering to get all the singed hairs off of mothers delicate head. " the memory made her smile softly.