Deserving of More

Chapter Three: Hand of Fate

"I need to buy a dress, don't I?" I asked out loud into my open closet door.

"Meow!" came the reply from my feet. I sighed and looked down at my fluffy feline companion. She was sitting very prim and proper on the closet floor, her yellow-green eyes shining in the muted light.

"Maybe I can just borrow your tuxedo? What do you say, Lady?" I teased, referring to the pattern of her fur.

"Meow," came the haughty reply. She exited the closet and sauntered down the hall, her fluffy tail held elegantly upright.

"I'm not good at this, ok?" I hollered after her, following it up with a sigh.

That was the truth. I wasn't good at formal. Dresses, handbags, hairspray. Shoes. Oh Gods, shoes. I was barely feminine enough to pull off a dress, let alone shoes with any sort of heel.

I grabbed my phone and poked a familiar name.

"Hey," came a familiar male voice.

"Hey," I replied, "You wanna go down to the city with me?"

"What for?"

"I need a dress. And I'm not gonna find anything in this stupid town."

"You're calling me to ask me to go dress shopping? Isn't this a job for Cara?"

"Dammit, Dean, you're my boyfriend. You're supposed to help with this crap."

"You're really asking me to do this? I don't want to."

"Fine. Thanks for all your help." I hung up before he could reply.

A couple of hours later, I found myself in front of a mirror, in a dress. Dark red. Floor length. Small sleeves. Matching shoes. Flats. I didn't even recognize myself.

"I think this is the one!" the saleswoman gushed at me.

"I'll trust your judgement," I replied, taking a photo of the mirror to send to Cara for additional approval.

The next time I saw that dress was when I found myself walking up to the gates of Duke William's estate. Terrified out of my mind. This was no place for me. But they let me inside just the same. Well, sort of. The event was held on the terrace and not actually inside the manor.

Black and white with accents of teal surrounded me. Ivy woven through arbors lent gentle shade from the slowly sinking sun. Various photos and works of art of the King were strategically placed around the venue. Seeing his face again put a weight on my chest. Standing near a wall, I caught sight of Queen Veronica, surrounded by an entourage. Her ladies-in-waiting, I guessed. Also in my line of vision was Duke William. He was talking to Duke Matthew, another old friend of the king, whom I was not expecting to see.

I felt my heart start pounding. I struggled for breath. And I was shaking. Plague symptoms. Just what I needed at this very important moment. I slipped myself into a corner where the terrace met the exterior of the manor and simply stood there, trying to force myself back to functional. My phone buzzed from inside my bag. A very timely message from an old friend. We'd been through boot camp together.

"Talk to them. You'll regret it if you don't."

That was too eerie. How did he know I was trembling in a corner? I quickly messaged back that I would try the moment I wasn't shaking anymore. Being distracted by the message actually helped and air filled my lungs. I could do this. I had to do this. There was some reason I was here and I needed to figure out what that was. I slipped my phone back into my bag, and looked up at the scene around me.

The moment I did, she was walking past me. Queen Veronica herself. In a moment I still cannot explain, I reached out and gently touched her arm. She stopped, and turned to look at me, her entourage also stopping. I immediately bowed deeply.