Betrothed

Chapter Four: Dressed For Breakfast

The next morning, Rozelle was the first one awake. As she sat up on her mat, she noticed the revelries outside had finally quieted down. It was hard to get good rest while the celebration was blaring in their window. Still tired from the night, she stood to her feet and walked to the princess's bed to see if she was still sleeping. To her horror, the bed was empty. Panic gripped her heart! Her first inclination was to assume the princess had been kidnapped while they slept. Oh! They were in trouble! Rozelle quickly ran to the other side of the bed to see if she might be on the floor using the chamber pot. No princess! She turned to wake the other two Ladies in Waiting, Castalia and Ethlyn, and alert them of their dilemma. As Rozelle looked at the floor, where the other two ladies slept, she found little Audrianna, curled up between Castalia and Ethlyn. She took a deep breath of relief, then knelt next to the princess to wake her.

"Your Highness?" Rozelle gently called. No response. "Your Highness!" she called again, this time louder and more determined. Audrianna wrinkled her nose, then, without opening her eyes, pulled herself closer to Ethlyn. "Your Royal Highness, Princess Audrianna!" Rozelle half shouted. The other two ladies shot up from the mats to a seated position, causing the princess to be flung from a spooning position to flat on her back. This time her eyes were fully open.

"Oh, Your Highness!" Ethlyn cried. "Is Your Highness okay?"

"Why was Your Highness sleeping on the floor?" Rozelle demanded.

"I woke up last night having to pee. I jumped out of bed, used the chamber pot, but I couldn't get back up in bed."

"Why didn't Your Highness wake us?" Castalia asked, still trying to wake up. "We told Your Highness we'd help get her back in bed."

"I know," Audrianna admitted. "But, when I went to ask for help, I saw the three of you laying there, and I wanted to snuggle." The three Ladies in Waiting wanted to respond with an emotional, Ahhh! But protocol and propriety dictated that they respond in their usual fashion.

"Your Highness!" the three chorused.

"Let's get Your Highness dressed," Rozelle insisted. "Breakfast will be served in the royal banquet hall before we know it." The three ladies jumped into action, even more systematic than when they dressed Audrianna for bed after the coronation ball. Castalia opened the princess's clothes armoire. Ethlyn then opened one of the drawers inside the cabinet. Rozelle reached beside Ethlyn and pulled out a clean pair of underwear and a fresh pair of undergarments. As Rozelle stepped back, Castalia then reached into another drawer and pulled out a fresh bustier. Lastly, after Castalia slid her drawer closed and stood next to Rozelle, Ethlyn pulled out one of the princess's morning dresses, hanging on a hook just inside the main armoire door. She closed the door, then stood next to the other two Ladies in Waiting. The three of them stood in a line, each holding their own respective articles of clothing to dress the princess.

Impressed with their quick efficiency, Audrianna took one step forward and lifted her arms. Castalia stooped down and grabbed the hem of the princess's nightgown, then lifted it over her head. As she folded it and placed it back in the armoire, Rozelle stepped forward and helped Audrianna slip on her undergarment over her fresh underwear. Finishing that task, she walked to the dressing table to pick up a brush while Castalia began fitting Audrianna with her bustier.

"I hate this thing!" Audrianna remarked regarding the tight corset that the Ladies in Waiting insisted she wear. "Why do I have to wear this?"

"It is a bustier," Castalia answered, "and Your Highness is expected to wear it. It is only proper."

"What's the point of a bustier, anyways?" Audrianna asked sharply.

"It is to give proper support to Your Royal Highness's feminine figure."