Tense

14 - Ballroom Oppulence

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"I will make her life a living hell! Just you wait!"
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The following three days were dreadfully excruciating - every second second you would hear Lady Charlotte reprimand a poor girl to "sit straight", let us girls recite in unison what to do for social etiquette, handed us new lists of names to remember every day. It was a true crash course in how not to embarrass yourself at court and she made everyone feel the dread of misbehaving. I was exhausted too, every night I would stumble into my room and fall into my bed. The days of training in the Ladies' House were nothing in comparison to the constant stress I was feeling with barley any pause to cool my head off. My maids even had to convince me to stand up from my bed again to remove my dress and shoes. The
Dancing lessons were just as fun even if a less entertaining without the odd footman, but the prince hadn't been seen among us. I felt quite heartbroken after telling him I just wanted to be friends, but it had to be. And as much as I still dreamed about the ballroom's of Madrid, the more a certain blonde handsome someone had asked me to dance with him within my dreams. Out of embarrassment I didn't tell anyone, not even Yana. I could not tell anyone.

But today was the day of the ball, we only had one last dance lesson before we went to get ready. I was dancing my thoughts about the prince away with witty guards and footmen who I also helped getting away from their stiffness. Yana got the hang of ballroom dancing as well and assured me at lunch that she would at least not get killed for stepping on the prince's boots. We laughed at that and even Eve joined in for our banter. After lunch I went up to my room and instead of getting ready right away I sat on the balcony for a while, looking down at the gardens spilling out beneath me. The warm breeze gliding across my skin made me smile as it reminded me of my hometown.

Harsh, and sweet, and bitter to leave it all
I'll bless my homeland till I die

I sing to myself in Spanish. A sad song I had held dearly ever since boarding the ship in Barcelona all those years ago. I reminisced of all those beautiful days where I was getting ready with my maids as they were showing me dresses and we had been playing dress up. Me being their model, picking out the best outfit together after the fashion show. But today I only had one option. The seamstresses had made a red dress, it was not too extravagant, it was just a satin dress with a firm bust, sprawling out in small train of red. We paired it with white opera gloves to even the contrast between the silver bracelet and the gold earrings I wanted to wear with a small gold band of a necklace. I was glad that I was allowed to choose my own dresses for the upcoming balls.

After having a bath, my maids were oiling my skin in sweet scents afterwards before drying my hair and pulling the front back with a hair piece resembling a small crown if you looked at it close enough. With a bit of blush on my cheeks and a shadowy smokey eye and red lips I was sent off to the ball. Feeling confident as the speaker announced "Lady Leah of Drummer's State, Lady of America". When I entered the sprawling ballroom, bright chandelier were illuminating the room from the ceiling, reflecting onto the golden interior of the extravagant display of eccentric art. The eclectic decor was a clear display of wealth and power and it felt almost hostile thanks to the women with the gold bracelets. They were sitting next to a raised podium meant for the royal family. On it were two big chair and a smaller one made out of gold and meant for the prince. The women in sprawling skirts in every colour of blues and gold, pinks and blacks staring at the guests around them oozing off arrogance. I was halted in my steps by a guard for friendly chatter. He had been at our dancing lessons and told me he was invited as a spare dance partner, just in case the nobility didn't feel like dancing today. He also asked me for my first dance. On my way to the other new Ladies I was introduced to fellow members of the court who wanted to rather make use of me like a servant than one of them, to which I told them with a polite smile to ask someone else and left. This court was a mess, American arrogance oozing off anyone with title or position.
No wonder most of these girls sit on the front as if they sit on a throne already.