To Dance with a Prince

Untitled Part 16

Felicity stood looking in the mirror, turning this way and that. The dress she had on was one the clerk had recommended but something about the dress just did not feel right. It was not what she was looking for and she finally turned and looked at Helena with a humph. Helena had a distasteful look on her face and Roy's nose was crinkled in distaste and Felicity busted out laughing.

"That bad hu?"

Helena tilted her head, "It's not bad per say just not what I was picturing."

"You look like frumpy barbie." Roy said matter of factly and Felicity gave him a glare. He shrugged and walked over to the side.

Helena walked over to the rack the ladies had set up for them to place the dresses they were trying on. Helena had found hers quickly settling on a midnight blue floor length gown that was stunning with her black hair. It had tapered sleeves; a sweetheart neckline and the back plunged all the way to just above her lower back. The skirt flowed like silk down to her feet and she looked stunning in it, it was perfect.

However, they had no luck with finding Felicity a dress and they were both getting frustrated with the selection. Helena stood and walked around but the dress that Felicity was wearing was just blah. It did nothing for her.

Helena immediately snapped her fingers and the clerk came running. She had recognized the Princess from the moment they had walked in and she had been falling all over herself to accommodate them. Plus, she kept staring at Felicity as if she should recognize her. Luckily, she had not.

"These dresses just will not do." Helena said, her voice slipping into rich with a side of snob.

"Well we have a few samples in the back that we have not put out on the floor yet." The clerk mentioned the dresses hoping to appease the Princess. She did not want to miss out on this sale. Helena's dress alone was $15,000 and the commission on that alone was enough to have the clerk groveling.

"Yes, let us see those." The lady hurried off and Felicity looked at Helena with a raised eyebrow. Helena started giggling.

"I have not had to use that voice in a long time." They both started laughing and soon the lady came back carrying three dresses, but there was one that stood out immediately. Helena walked over and took it from the lady and she smiled. "This is perfect." She walked over to Felicity and grinned. "Go ahead and try this on but this is the one."

Felicity was in awe as she took the dress and walked behind the curtain and took off the other dress. She slipped into the new dress, the feel of the fabric heavy but soft on her skin and walked back out to the mirrors. Helena walked over and zipped it up as Felicity stood staring in the mirror stunned.

"Perfect!" Helena said with a clap of her hands, but Felicity was speechless. The dress fit like it was made for her. It was a deep ruby red, almost the color of the royal red of the family and it shimmered when she moved, the fabric seeming to be liquid. The dress fit tightly from the bodice all the way to her feet, but what made her gasp was the slit that ran from the bottom of the dress to almost mid-thigh. The sleeves were long and tapered to her wrists and when she turned her back to the mirror tears glistened in her eyes as she glanced behind her. Her back was covered but there was window cutout in the back that showed the lines of her back. The dress was simple and stunning and then Felicity looked at the price tag and her heart dropped.

She hurried back to her dressing room, and quickly took of the dress mumbling, "I can't afford this."

"Felicity what's wrong?" Helena called out concern in her voice.

Felicity quickly placed the dress carefully on the hanger and the walked out carrying it and placed it on the rack. "I love that dress but it's too much. I cannot afford it."