Love can see the good

16. Coronation

Anna stood on her stool again, Mrs. Björgensen moving around her, adjusting the fabric and hem of the dress to her final satisfaction. She would look wonderful the next day. No question.

Once they had finished and Anna could step down from the rehearsing position, Mrs. Björgensen confirmed that there need not to be done any changes to the dress anymore. So now, if the princess would still be in the mood, they could go on with the other precious piece.

Anna's abdomen welled with a fluffy feeling. That was indeed exciting. She nodded and Gerda moved to help her out of the coronation dress, just to hand it to Mrs. Björgensen for her to drape it carefully on the clothing bust for the next day.

Meanwhile Gerda went to the adjoint room and came back, carrying a most delicate dress on her arms. Anna stood, in her undergarments, staring at the fabric.

Then the two women would help her putting it on. Anna lifted her arms and when the material moved down from her hands all along to her head and gliding her shoulders and waist, finally dropping down to her feet, a thrilling shiver ran down her spine. Then she would open her eyes and look at the woman in the mirror opposite of her.

Tears mingled in her eyes, for a moment blurring the sight. She could hardly believe what she saw. That it would look so nicely on her. Surely, it would never look so beautiful on her as it most have on her mother, almost thirty years ago.

Gerda stepped back, looking intensely at the young bride to be. The similarity was astonishing. The dress fitted almost perfectly. Mrs. Björgensen waited respectfully. She, too, would remember the day, when the young bride back then had worn that very dress.

She had admired the royal bride, who had stood shyly, anxious, and nervous like any other young bride would be on that great day. But the old seamstress had to admit, that Anna made a fine figure in this simple but still elegant gown. Though the cut of this bridal dress had come out of fashion nowadays, Anna left it appearing all enchanting.

Back then, the so-called Empire style was high trended. A special fact was the waistline directly beneath the breast. The skirt, which was long and loosely fitting, rather than being supported by voluminous petticoats. The fabric consisted of a cottoned silk in a creamy colour. Around the neckline and feet hem a broad band of dark green lace had been applicated. Around the waistline a dark green silk ribbon was fitted, with long ends falling to the right side. The sleeves were short cut. But there was a dark green velvet jacket, short in cut just to end at the dress' waistline, with long sleeves.

Anna's heart pounded loud in her chest.

If her mother could see her. If Elsa could see her. Well, she would soon, and hopefully she would like it. Mrs. Björgensen stepped closer and asked, if she could have a closer look about all parts fitting the way they should. Of course. Anna would stand still, letting the kind woman do her work.

The dress was still in an exceptionally good shape. Only, that there needed to be fixed little stiches here and there. But nothing great of change. Anna was excited, trying to hide her trembling hands, thinking of the day itself. She glanced back in the mirror and tried to imagine what it would look like, when they stood together. Then she gasped and asked, "oh, and did you bring the suit, too?" She was pretty agitated. .

"Yes, I did," Mrs. Björgensen answered patiently, "if her majesty could please just hold on a few more minutes. I'm almost done." The woman settled the last needle for her later work on the fabric and then let the princess be.

Gerda helped Anna out of the dress again and draped it for the seamstress to take back to her work. Anna put back on her dress of the day and decided to keep that one on for the rest of the whole day.