Life, Death, and Time - A Books Of Beginning Collection

Oneshot: Elven Balls

Background: Rafe is alive.

Content: Wilamena throws a fancy party for all her friends, and the Wibberlys are attending. Michael x Wilamena, Kate x Rafe, romance and humor.

If there was one thing the Wibberly family had learned from this week, it was that dressing formally was challenging.

See, Wilamena had decided to throw a party to celebrate the coming of spring as well as creating an excuse to get together with friends. She had invited a great deal of people from all across the magical world to get together and celebrate, including the Wibberlys. That was fine, and the family had gladly excepted her invitation. However, the party was a ball, which in a way, made sense, since Wilamena was an elf princess with a love of finery after all. The trouble was it was a lot fancier than what the Wibberlys were used to, and they had to make sure to look and act their best. 

Michael especially was nervous, since Wilamena was his girlfriend and he didn't want to embarrass her at her own party. So he had read up on elven manners (so much that Kate had to scold him to put the book down and go to bed) and reassured himself that all his friends would be there, so this was not like a party with a bunch of strangers. In fact, a part of him really was excited about this gathering of so many people he liked being around.

He finished adjusting his tie and looked at himself in the mirror, finally satisfied with his appearance. He had needed formal wear, so he, Kate and Emma has gone thrift shopping in town to find something nice and affordable. He was satisfied with it. He wore a crisp white button up shirt (he had ironed all the wrinkles out and bleached away a stain on the back) with dark blue suit pants and a matching jacket that looked nice despite being threadbare in a few spots on the arms. His tie was striped indigo and a sky blue color similar to Wilamena's eyes. He had tamed his hair and polished his glasses. He wouldn't say he looked handsome, but he was pleased with his outfit.

Walking out of his room and down the stairs, he found his parents already waiting and dressed in their own formal wear, the kind they already had on hand for fancy adult parties or weddings. Richard wore a suit, and Clare had on a short sleeved yellow dress that fell to her ankles, revealing her black heels. Her hair was pulled back in ponytail, and she wore a gold bracelet that was an anniversary present from her husband.

"You ready to go?" Clare asked.

Michael looked down at his polished boots. He knew he looked good, and he knew his manners were solid, but his dancing skills and conversation skills made him nervous. Still, he said, "ready as I'll ever be."

His parents didn't notice his slight nerves. Richard beamed and said, "great, then we're just waiting on your sisters to finish getting ready."

Michael frowned. He had left the thrift store to walk around town before Kate finished finding something for herself and Emma. He wondered what kind of finery would be forced onto his decidedly unladylike little sister.

..................

"Do you want me to do anything else to your hair?" Kate asked.

"The braids are fine," Emma grumbled.

She wasn't excited for this party. The only reason she was sucking it up and going was because some of the warriors from Gabriel's village were attending, including Dena, who was teaching Emma the traditions of her people. Otherwise, she would be plain miserable.

Kate had done her very best to find clothes that would work for Emma, but Emma still hated her fancy outfit. It felt so unlike her. Even as she left Kate's room so her sister could get dressed, she pulled at the clothes. They were worn and rather soft from their time at the thrift store, but they didn't feel like her jeans and sweatshirt either.