Fireflies And Butterflies (ON HIATUS)

08║First Arrivals

Standing before her full-length mirror, Czarina groaned loudly as she tried on several attires, seeming to not like any of them. From gowns to jumpsuits to trousers and tops, she tossed each of them aside with just a mere glance, not quite finding the right attire to put on. With one last groan, she turned around and her eyes collided with the mountain that her cloths were forming on the floor and her bed. She looked to the side, blowing air out of her mouth as she held her waist. Lulana was silently standing by the entrance to her walk-in closet, helping her sort out her cloths when she beckoned her closer. She stepped to Czarina and Czarina turned her back to her, motioning for her to help her with the zip of the gown that she was currently putting on.

"It's not the right one," Czarina complained in a light tone, tugging off the gown. She kicked the gown aside and dropped onto her bed. Passing her fingers through her hair, she raised her eyes and frowned deeply. "Are there anymore cloths that I haven't tried?"

Lulana raised a finger. "Please excuse me while I check to confirm." She shuffled to the walk-in closet, poked her head into it, sighed, looked at Czarina, and shook her head.

Czarina heaved a sigh of frustration and fell back, but began to toss her legs about as her back collided with the mountain of cloths. She sat up, picked a handful of her cloths and threw them aside. She began to scatter the cloths, grunting in anger. When she was satisfied with her artwork that was a wreckage, she laid down on her back, palming her face. She shut her eyes, inhaled lightly, but then sat up again.

She looked at Lulana and huffed. "I have nothing to wear."

Lulana exhaled quietly, looking to the side. She held her hands together. "May I give you an advice Miss?"

Czarina flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Yeah?" she said, bringing up a knee so that she could hug it to her chest.

"Wear what you always wear."

"Eh? Wear what I... Are you seriously serious?"

Lulana nodded and moved to one of the many mountain of clothes. She began to search through the clothes, picking out a clothing item out of each mountain as she moved from one to another. She walked to Czarina when she had picked out a few items—they were a pair of tight-fitting trousers, a simple crop top, a jacket, and a pair of ankle boots.

Czarina peered at her. "Really? I should wear these"—she motioned at all of them with a finger—"while welcoming a bunch of aristocrats? I should wear these like I'm just some cheap person? What do you take me for? A fool?"

Lulana shook her head. "A woman." She dropped the cloth items beside Czarina. "A very confused yet beautiful one at that."

Czarina's face heated up, and she pouted in embarrassment. "Why... you... You don't have to... say it like... like—" She was cut short by a series of loud honks. She jumped onto her feet and dashed to her window. Her dog raised his head at her as she passed him. Czarina threw the curtain aside and plastered her face against the window. From where she stood, she could spot a car moving into the street that led to her family's house—cheering citizens behind it—and she shrieked in fright. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" She turned around and slammed her back into the window. "They're here! Oh! My! Gosh!"

Lulana kept her blank face. She motioned to the cloths and Czarina huffed loudly, rolling her eyes.

"This better work."

Lulana dipped her head. "It will surely work Miss."

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From where she stood, Czarina could notice the way her mother was struggling to keep in a scowl as she glanced at her from the corner of her eyes. Her mother was failing miserably, her lips pursed and quivering, a sigh escaping her with five seconds intervals.