The Cerulean Bride

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Music.

Brienna could hear it from the hall as she hurried along nearly tripping on her gown. Her lady-in-waiting was trailing behind her in the hideous plain blue dress she had picked out. Brienna would have thought by now the girl would have picked up some style.

"Gale! Hurry it's starting without us!" She shouted over her shoulder.

"I'm sure the ball can spare a few moments, My Lady. After all, it's your ball." Gale tossed her golden braid over her olive-colored shoulder and ran to tug at the ends of her dress.

Brienna had spent all day huffing and puffing about how she saw Kai. Cardova had admitted to seeing the young man before she had come to her. He was apparently wearing a crimson red coast. Brienna was half tempted to wear red too. Just to spite him. But Cardova had told her he was attending with a young woman from The Orange Grove Hills. Then she had gotten into how her father had made her to personal date of this annoying northern ambassador, and that stole the rest of the day.

Brienna spat on the name of Herric as Cardova poked her with pins making her temper a raging fire. All afternoon she dreamed of ways to kill him, but it had to look like an accident. And then she realized she didn't want another great war over a petty ambassador so she decided to not have him killed, at least at the palace. Maybe on the road home.

Brienna felt the shame of her latest breakdown creep up her cheek as the Grand Ballroom's doors loomed in front of her. To see Sir Anlen's glowing eyes again after how she acted made it worse. She stopped dead and turned to Gale.

"Fix Me," Brienna demanded. "I know I look a mess somewhere."

Gale's leaf green eyes just sparkled with amusement as she fixed the edges of the masterpiece Cardova had finished just that afternoon.

Hanging off her shoulders Brienna was head to toe in coral chiffon. A belt of pearl-colored ribbon clung to her thin waist as her corset pitched her sides making it hard to breathe. A layer of thin rosy-pink chiffon swished around her hips. It had little stitching patterns of golden vines and red roses, Gale straightened the fabric and turned her around. Brienna felt her warm hands on the skin of her back as Gale pulled at the sleeves to stay in place.

Gently Gale came around to face her and took Brienna's chin in her dainty hand. From the way her lady was examining her, Brienna guessed every strand of chestnut-colored hair was perfectly arranged behind her neck. Kai's button still gently tucked away between her breast. All to accent the golden, emerald, and pearl crown on her head.

A big sigh escaped her chest, this was it. When she had seen the crown as Henry lifted back the silk sheet Brienna nearly fainted with joy. It was everything she had wanted. The unveiling of her symbol, also her first ball as a young lady of the court, and a ball the honor of her brother coming back home. She couldn't wait to see Tanner.

Gale nodded and a broad smile spread across Brienna's face and stiffened a surge of excitement. The doors opened and Gale was announced she watched her friend light up and wave at a few people in the crowd. Then they opened once more and Brienna's heart started to pound in her chest. It had been so long since she had been to a ball, almost five years to the day. She stepped forward.

"Princess Brienna Janette Velentius, of Pheros."

Brienna sucked in a breath as all eyes turned on her. There were so many people. So many faces to see, she heard a few gasps in the crowd and Brienna felt fulfilled. Men and women from all over Pheros had come in her honor tonight. She smiled at her people and bowed. They all bowed back and she descended the stairs, but their eyes still lingered just as she wanted them to.