Amarédasse, Daughter of Poseidon

Chapter 23

That afternoon, Amarédasse looked through her wardrobe with Hebe and Makaria to see if any of her dresses would be fitting enough to wear for the ball.* "I don't think any of the dresses I have are right for a masquerade ball," said Amarédasse. "Maybe we could alter one up a bit," suggested Hebe. "I wonder," Amarédasse said as she looked at her paintbrush. Amarédasse then walked up to the wall and she used her paintbrush to paint a lovely lilac-purple silk dress embroidered with golden roses. "Oh, Amaré try it on," Makaria said when she saw the dress.

At that moment, Amarédasse walked through the wall and she reappeared wearing the dress she had painted. "Well, what do you think?" Amarédasse asked her cousins. "Beautiful, simply beautiful," said Hebe. "Rather too simple," Amarédasse said as she studied it in the mirror. "Well then just paint another one," said Makaria. After using her paintbrush to create many different types of dresses, Amarédasse finally arrived at one she liked. A beautiful sparkling rainbow-colored silk gown with gold embroidery on the skirt that resembled fish scales, with golden roses embroidered on the bodice and trimmed with light blue pearls on both the top and the skirt. "This is the one," Amarédasse said as she looked at herself in the mirror as Hebe and Makaria complimented her on how she looked.

After the dress issue had been dealt with, Amarédasse, with Hebe and Makaria's help, did her hair up in a half bun with the gold aquamarine-diamond hairpins that she had received for her birthday, and left the remaining part of her hair in loose curls. She then placed the seashell crown that Kymopoleia gave to her on top of her head. For jewelry, Amarédasse chose to wear the medallion that Alexander had given her along with a pair of light blue pearl earrings and some light blue pearl bracelets that her parents had given her and a pair of golden slippers. "Well, I guess I am as ready as I'll ever be," Amarédasse said as she looked in the mirror. "Amarédasse, you can't go to a masquerade ball without a mask," Hebe said as she handed her cousin a beautiful silk mask that matched her dress. "Oh Hebe, Makaria, thank you both so much," Amarédasse said as she hugged them both. "Amaré, what if Moira shows up?" Makaria asked worryingly. "Don't worry, I had a talk with both Aunt Athea and Aunt Aphrodite and we came up with a plan,* but we need both of you to help in order to make it work and it involves both of you attending the ball with me. Alexander told me that I could bring guests of my own," Amarédasse said as she used her paintbrush to create beautiful gowns and matching masks for her cousins. "Oh, Amarédasse thank you and of course we will help you," Hebe said as she admired the ivory and gold gown that her cousin had painted for her. "Hebe is right Amaré, after all you are our cousin and best friend," Makaria said as she admired her onyx and silver gown. "I know and I also know that I can always depend on you both," said Amarédasse. Once the three young women were ready and Amarédasse had explained her plan to her cousins the three of them were off to the ball.

Meanwhile as the ball was in commence at the palace, Alexander was sitting in a chair waiting for Amarédasse to arrive as his father and mother approached him. "Son, why aren't you out mingling with any of the guests?" Queen Irenea asked her eldest son. "Oh, I'm waiting for someone Mother," said Alexander. "Alexander tell us, what makes this girl so special?" King Melentius asked smiling. "Well Father, she likes me for myself, not my crown, and she doesn't even know that I'm the Crown Prince," Alexander explained bashfully. "We would like to meet her," said Queen Irenea. At that moment, Alexander saw Amarédasse enter the palace with Hebe and Makaria, so he got up and rushed to greet her.

"Amaré, is that him?" Makaria asked as she saw Alexander walking up towards them. "Yes, that's him," Amarédasse said as she looked at Alexander while her heart beated rapidly. "Amaré, my love you have arrived and I see you have brought some friends with you," Alexander said as he held her hands. "Yes, I've brought my cousins and best friends with me if that is alright," Amarédasse said as she gazed into his eyes. "Of course it is," Alexander said assuringly as he turned his attention to Hebe and Makaria. "Ladies, please help yourselves and enjoy the festivities." "Thank you very much, and I know you will take good care of our cousin this evening," Hebe said as she and Makaria went off to enjoy themselves. "I can see you were right about my features being a big giveaway," said Amarédasse. "You look very beautiful tonight, my precious sea rose,*" Alexander said lovingly. "Thank you, my darling knight of the sea," Amarédasse said charmingly. "Amaré, may I ask you if you would like to dance," Alexander asked as he made a deep bow and held out his hand. "Yes, you may and I would love too," said Amarédasse. Amarédasse then placed her hand in Alexander's hand and the young couple walked into the ballroom together, arm and arm.

*Personally, as a girl I really hate it when I realize I have nothing to wear for an event like a party or a wedding that I'm attending.

*Trust me when I say this, the plan is genius.

*Yes, a sea rose is a real flower I looked it up it's called an Orphium after the Greek mythological hero Orpheus.