Little Queen

1

"Daddy please!" I beg trailing after him down the long hall.

"Bambina I already told you it's too dangerous." He said, turning into his office.

I huff biting back tears, "How can it be dangerous if it's being held here?"

He releases a big sigh slowly sitting in his leather chair. "It's not dangerous because it's here, it's who is coming darling."

"Well, why are they coming over if they are dangerous?"

I know he was getting frustrated with me but it just wasn't fair.

"Darling when do I ever deny you what you want when it doesn't put you in danger?"

I huff, pouting. "Never."

"So when I tell you no about this it's only because I'm worried you could get hurt."

I lean back against my chair. " I know daddy. I guess I just really wanted to dance and see all the people dressed up. I never see anyone but the family."

"I'm sorry are we boring you, mia cara figlia?" He laughs trying to lighten the mood.

"No daddy I just get lonely, no one really talks to me unless you tell them too."

He groans dropping his head against the back of his seat. His fingers tap against the big wooden desk in front of him. "Ok bene, si, you can go. But your dress will cover everything and you don't cause any issues okay? I'm going to be very busy during the ball and can't be with you the whole time so you stay right next to Maxen the entire time are we clear?"

I squeal and launch out of my seat to go prepare an outfit. I'm two steps out the door when I turn back around and poke my head in the door.

"Grazie daddy!"

He chuckles his deep chuckle and waves me away.

I run through the house making it from the wing that his office was in, to the wing with our bedrooms. The ornate French doors that lead to my room flung open- probably leaving a dent in the walls behind me.

Just as I dial her number Catalina enters my room, escorted by Maxen.

"What is this ball I am hearing of and why am I only hearing of it now missy?"

"Catalina! I just now convinced Daddy to let me go!" I say flinging myself into her arms. 

She hugs me back then pulls away keeping her hands on my shoulders, "Well then what are we waiting for I need to get you a dress!"

I twirl away, spinning towards my bed. "YES! I want it light pink with lace. Daddy says it has to cover everything or I can't go though."

"I thought you might want pink." She chuckled and signals Maxen to roll in her carts of dresses. 

He rolls in two large racks filled with dresses, more than half of them were all different shades of pink.

I gasp in excitement, "You know me so well Cat, which one is your favorite?"

She let out a tinkling laugh, "Your dad doesn't pay me to tell you which is my favorite, he pays me to make you happy."

I roll my eyes at her, "Well as my friend, which one is your favorite?"

Cat hums, digging through the racks until she finds what she's looking for. 

"If I were to pick one it would be this one."

And I know that that is the one she would pick. It was a loud dress. The dress was a darker pink covered in embroidery. It was hard to make that color look good but Catalina managed it perfectly with her design.

"BUT, I think I know which one you'll want to wear tomorrow." She says putting the dark pink dress away. She digs around for another minute before pulling a pale pink gown out. 

I feel my eyes widen on their own because she was right. "Yes."

Her tinkling laugh trills out again, "Don't you want to look at the other dresses first?"

I shake my head running my fingertips over the dress, "This is the one."

I grab my only friend's hand and drag her into the bathroom so she can help me change. I strip and shimmy into the dress, slipping my arms through the off-the-shoulder straps that hugged the very bottom of my shoulder. 

The bodice hugged me at my ribs and then flowed out into a tulle skirt. Pale pink flower applique covered the straps and bodice, trickling down the tulle. A tiny matching belt looped around my belly. 

Cat finishes zipping me up and then bundles my hair into her hand, lifting it into a mock ponytail. "What do you think?" 

I grin at her in the mirror, "It's perfect kitty cat."

"Good now let's go pick out some shoes."

I hurry from the bathroom and twirl around for Maxen when he sees me, "What do you think Maxy?"

A rare smile graces his lips, "You look great my piccola regina."

He stays standing just inside the door as always, watching Catalina and I go through every pair of heels she brought with her. Finally, I find the pair I want to wear tomorrow night. I show Cat the pointy white stilettos with a thick band that would wrap around my ankle. 

"Oh, sweety that wasn't supposed to be in this pile it was from a different client's appointment."

"They are my size, and I really like them."

I can see her hesitance, "Hon I don't think your dad would approve of you wearing those."

I huff in frustration, "He won't even see them the dress covers it."

Catalina's eyes flicker to Maxen but I cut in before she can say anything, "Maxen won't care. And daddy didn't say anything about not wearing these shoes he only said that my dress needs to cover me so Maxy doesn't even have anything to tell him because I didn't break any rules."

Cat gives me a sigh that I know means I win. "Yay! This is gonna be so fun!" 

Cat begins putting the pile of heels we tore through away on the bottom of the racks while I hang my dress on the back of the bathroom door with the heels sitting by the door frame. 

I have to take a deep breath to keep from getting too excited, tomorrow would be the first time since childhood that I would meet someone who wasn't a part of the family. Catalina was one of the only people I knew outside of the Calabrese family but even she was sworn to omertà. Daddy was very strict about who I was allowed to meet, only ever making exceptions when I absolutely needed something someone in the family couldn't provide. 

Catalina left me with a tight hug wishing me good luck. For the rest of the day, I puttered around my room making sure everything would be perfect tomorrow. I did face masks and touched up my manicured nails with an extra layer of clear coat and when I was finished with that I soaked in my tub for hours.

Maxy knocks at the main door and then pokes his head in. He looks first to my bed and scans the room for me when he realizes I'm not already tucked in. His entire body passes the threshold and he crosses his arms. 

"Little queen you didn't touch your dinner plate and you should be in bed already."

I groan at his nagging, "I am too excited, if I eat I will be sick. And I am all ready for bed mister, just climbing in." 

I shrug off my long robe and hurry under the covers to avoid the chilly air.

Maxen walks over to my nightstand, taking the full dinner plate. I stare up at him in thanks. He flicks my lamp off, "Goodnight little queen."

"Goodnight Maxy."

He is at the door when my excitement gets the best of me, "Hey Maxy?"

I hear him pause, "Sì?"

My grin is so wide it hurts.

"We're going to a ball tomorrow."

~~~