The Princess in the Red Cape

Chapter Eight

"So let me get this straight, before Godmother died she told you that Snow was still alive, but in Fairisles, where the guy your Father is trying to set you up with lives. So you are planning on basically, seducing the Prince into letting you stowaway with him under the ruse that you need inspiration for your writing so you can find your sister?" Kat asked.

 "Pretty much." Red replied.

 "And you're taking Hunter, whose name isn't really Hunter, back to his home-kingdom?"

"Yup."

"But you're hung up on him complimenting you?"

"Well, when you put it that way it sounds stupid. But when I asked him about it he just laughed and said to ask you. Why is he like this? What does he mean?" Red asked.

"Well I could give you an answer, but you're not gonna like it." Kat responded.

"Then don't tell me."

Kat was adjusting the Red's hair for the fifth time that evening.

"There, you're done." she said.

Red turned to look in the mirror and was blown away.

The person in the mirror didn't look like her. She had on a red sleeveless wrap dress. It went to just above her knees, and her leg was visible through a ruffled slit in the side. The material clung to what little curves she had and amplified them. Her makeup had been extravagantly done and her shoulders were covered in body glitter. Her hair was done in curls that had been pinned away from her face to fall down her back.

 Red looked closer and could see that it was her face on this woman in the mirror. She had never looked better. But she had also never been more uncomfortable. She looked hot, but she didn't look like herself.

"Holy shit..." she whispered. "I look really freaking pretty."

"That you do." Kat said with satisfaction.

"I hate it."

Kat laughed.

"Are you sure there isn't some part of you that likes feeling... well, like a princess?"

"I mean, there is. I like feeling pretty and I like... looking good. But Kat, this isn't me. That person in the mirror, she doesn't look like me." Red explained.

"The fact that you don't appreciate my hard work doesn't bother me, because I know that Prince Dorian- and probably even Hunter- will." Kat said.

Red made her way downstairs and said her princess pep talk before walking in.

A quick glance at Hunter told her that his mouth had fallen open in shock. She bit down a smirk. But she put it out of her mind as she focused on the task at hand. She sat down in her normal spot. She looked at Prince Dorian and saw that he was looking at her hungrily. It made her extremely uncomfortable. She vaguely heard her family and the Prince making small talk. She tried to psyche herself up. This next part of her plan was going to be the most unpleasant one.

It was the one where she would actually have to flirt with the Prince.

 She noticed a lag in the conversation. This was her chance. She swallowed. Once, twice, it was now or never.

 "I have a request to make." she said. It sounded loud and awkward and she cringed.

We're trying to seduce him, Red, not scare him away. She reminded herself.

 "Of who?" her Father asked.

 "You and Prince Dorian." she said, lowering her voice to a purr and looking at Prince Dorian. He looked surprised, and then interested. "You see, I was wondering if I might be able to go to Fairiseles with Prince Dorian." she said, peering at him from behind her eyelashes.