Breathe

Chapter 7 - Graves

 Almost instantly, maids came rushing in, holding jewelry, dresses, hair supplies, and small stools. They closed the door and immediately started working. Stripping me of my clothes, they discarded them. Then, they draped various frilly dresses in front of my body. In unison, they shook their heads in disapproval at each one until finally, at the least frilly and non-pastel dress, they nodded in approval. They quickly dressed me and some made minor adjustments to the dress while the others worked on my hair and makeup.

Turning me around, some ladies began to smother me in fragrances and feathery brushes and pointed pens. Other ladies took my arms and pulled them away from my body to work on my nails.

While some worked on my nails and others on my face, there were maids behind me who were untangling my locks and grunting along the way. Making idle chit-chat along the way, they took what seemed like hours to finish. And when they did, I knew they were done—after all, my head felt about ten pounds heavier.

Finally—after what seemed to be centuries and after adding thick, dark lace lashes—they all pulled away and revealed me to Viola. Yet all she did was shrug. "Pleasant." With a wave of her hand, she said, "Mistress Virus, let's be on our way."

We went by carriage. Viola and I sat in separate carriages and were occupied by two armed, full-suited guards. The rest of the guards—all six of them—fit into two other carriages.

Once everyone was seated and loaded, I could hear the feet of horses throttle outside and soon, my carriage began to move. All I could hear were the throttles of horses and sound of the shakes of my slim carriage.

Looking through the shielded and slightly tinted window, I saw cars pull over and stop. The people of High Libentina on the streets stopped, too, and bowed their heads. On the screens on towers and all the billboards, I saw our four carriages in the middle of the streets, between lines of cars, and people spectating us, their heads bowed. And for miles upon miles, on all the screens and on all the boards, that was the only thing that was shown.

However, soon, there were no more screens on towers and fewer billboards. There were fewer cars and fewer people willing to wait and bow their heads for us. Looks of either admiration or disgust were often thrown in our way, and the looks of disgust were immediately... fixed, so to speak.

That is one way to make them change their expression.

I looked on.

Eventually, the sound of horse throttles slowed down and soon, my carriage stopped. I stood up to get off, but that same blond guard from before held up his hand. "Lady Evangeline, you must wait." He stood up with the older one. Opening the door, he tilted his head and said, "We have to prepare your grand entrance for you."

They hopped out of the carriage and one stood at either side of the door. With their guns raised, they angled them to cross. Then, that same guard nodded at me. With as much grace as I could fake and while holding my ridiculous dress, I walked out with a taciturn face.

Fancy.

Instantly, the light outside blinded me yet all I could do was squint and carry on. The guards had their free hands out for me. Not wanting to fall flat on my face, I took them. Once I was on the ground, they released my hands and put their arms down. Then, guards surrounded me on every side. Looks like I'm not going to have a pretty view today.

Hearing the sound of heels, I looked through the cracks of my guards to see Viola walking to me. She was surrounded on all sides, too. But through the cracks, I could see that there was a fan covering her mouth. "My resources have told me where they laid the dead earlier today," she said as she walked past me.