Red & White

ten.

Leah spent the short morning perfecting every inch and curve of her overall appearance. The given dress was a toned down golden color, with embroidered tiny jewels laced up the thin sleeves. The skirt flared out like a ballgown, making her waist appear smaller- something she shamefully admired.

Applying the supplied makeup was challenging for the eldest Bates child. She had never in her life seen the pallets, brushes, pens, you name it. Granted, Leah had laid her eyes upon the middle and upper class with the colors painted on, but never what created the art.

The young woman frustratingly stared down at the pile of makeup in her hands. Where am I to use this? She wondered, not understanding anything of the certain topic. Leah knew that she mustn't show up at the prince's birthday ball without looking her best.

So she toughed up and singled out a certain cosmetic piece. It took some putting together, almost like puzzle pieces, in her brain before finalizing where this would be applied to her freshly washed face.

Two baths in one week was breaking the rules of the Bates family household, but Leah supposed her attending a royal gathering was certainly an exception.

Of course, the girl steered clear of her mother that morning while she got ready. Angela Bates had been in the field, working as per usual. Meanwhile, her daughter maintained a close eye on her as she tilled the land. This was already stressful enough for Leah. She needn't have her mother's anxiety and worry dangling over her head on top of the already hectic emotion.

Leah would always think to herself, in times like these, if her father hadn't been murdered by the soldiers, would her mother's mental health still be normal? Or was this really her mind's destiny?

Her powdered and put-together face distracted the girl from the thoughts of her parents. The feelings racing through her body confused her. She looked...beautiful. But what more so stood out to Leah was the difference between her outfit and makeup to her surroundings. They did not correspond at all. The cobwebs laced around the broken down room did not compliment her gown.

It shocked Leah when she thought about where her life might be heading in an hours time. Everyone at this ball will know her name. A peasant's name. That is, if she's recognized for her true self. Who knew what the prince had in mind.

While the last few minutes of seven o'clock ticked by, Leah Bates sat down on the broken wood floor, dressed in her perfect gown and stunning features. At that time, she hadn't cared about dirtying the expensive piece. She just sat. And wondered if after tonight she could go back to her life as a peasant working alongside Ben and Cal and her mother.

But somewhere deep inside, Leah understood that her life would never be the same. Ever. And she hated the thought of change.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mate, are you almost ready? Some people have already started arriving," Louis barged into the prince's bedroom, huffing to himself when he saw his tie untucked through the mirror. It was a bad image for the valet so he hastily tugged on the cloth, making it nice and tight. The particular lounge suit was always giving him trouble. "Bloody tie."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry brushed off the older man's words. He turned around by the full-length mirror, clad in his official black morning coat with a white bow tie and his hair gelled up nicely. The twenty-two year old's voice dropped when he said, "Have you, um...seen Leah by any chance?"

Louis' eyes grew extremely large, sucking in a harsh breath, "Shit shit shit!"

Harry's matched the valet's in mere seconds, "What did you do?" He growled in a demanding voice.