Quietus

The Black Ball

The carriage Acaila was in rattled and shook as the horses sped over the bumpy road on the path to the Kingdom of Black. Their journey had so far taken three days, as they had to frequently stop in order to give their horses rest. Luckily, Acaila knew, after aiming a quick question at the coachman, that they would be there shortly.

In the carriage with her sat one of Acaila's sisters. They had attempted smalltalk the first day, but they both quickly found out that they didn't have much in common, and the two days that followed were characterized by no other sounds than the ones that came from the horses.

Suddenly the ground under them changed and the carriage stopped rattling. Both of the girls sighed in relief and shyly smiled towards each other.

Acaila looked out the window and was pleased over the change of scenery. "We are on a main road now, I believe we are closing in on the castle," Acaila shared.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually can't wait to arrive in the Black. I can't stand another hour in this dreadful cage," her sister complained.

Acaila nodded and voiced some words that were in total agreement, although they were not at all the truth. Acaila dreaded arriving in the Black. She did not at all look forward to meeting the princes, knowing that she would inevitably be forced to marry one of them someday. Knowing her father; rather soon than later.

It was no secret that Acaila was not the favorite child. Of course, none of the siblings received any love from the king, but as far as Acaila was concerned, none other than Acaila received hate.

When she was a newborn child, she and her mother were sent to her uncle to live there for four years. She couldn't remember much of the time she spent there, but she knew her mother died from a disease, and after that, she got sent back.

Acaila didn't even meet her father the first year of her stay. In fact, she didn't meet him until she mastered a particularly difficult task in healing. When the king heard what she had done, he had summoned her to his office, cut her arm and tasked her to heal herself. Which she did.

The carriage came to a halt and when Acaila peeked out of the window again she was facing the castle in the Black. She had been there twice before, but the weariness and dark glamour of the building still managed to impress her.

"It's sort of creepy-looking isn't it?" Her sister mumbled, but Acaila had no time to answer as the doors to the carriage were opened. They were escorted to their separate temporary rooms, where they were to get dressed and ready.

Their fathers most recent lover had chosen the clothes all his daughters were to wear on this particular night, as he had correctly assumed that all the princesses would try to repel the Crown Prince in an attempt to spare themselves a few years of agony.

The dress Acaila was to wear was made out of a dark blue fabric. Luckily, the color didn't enhance any of her features. Her eyes were of a much brighter blue and didn't at all match the color of the dress. Also, her hair was white, in accordance to the white mark on her palm. A brighter color would have suited her much better, but on this particular occasion Acaila was quite content.

That was, until she tried it on. The dress clung to her body and gave the outfit a sense of indignancy. She didn't at all feel like a mighty and powerful potential crown princess. She felt downgraded and objectified.

Her temporary servants, as well as her chambermaid helped her finish up. They didn't do anything with her hair, but they made sure to cover every visible patch of her skin in jewelry.

When they were finished, Acaila looked in the mirror. She felt that she definitely could have made herself look both royal and attractive. Nonetheless, she was content with the outcome, as her goal was not captivating any of the princes. At least not that night.