A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 29

I do not even have any time to react as we are winnowed into the Spring Court. I arrive into a room similar to mine back home--but so much brighter. I quickly go to the door only to find it locked, and I quickly run over to the balcony doors and swing them open. I stop myself from gasping at the beautiful scenery my patio overlooks. There is a garden right below my balcony, and then lush green hills lay in the distance and beautiful trees of the woods go out as far as I can see. I quickly walk back into my rooms and admire the pale green room sketched with patterns of gold. The ivory furniture and rugs sticks out against the green and the curtains on the windows seem to be made of silk with hold velvet. I take in the large canopy bed with my eyebrows raised. I know the Spring Court was known for its beauty but I never actually believed it.

The large ivory doors open and multiple ladies dressed in various pastel colors enter.

"Hello, Lady Velaris, welcome to the Spring Court. We are here to assist you to get ready for tonight's ball." A younger woman says to me.

"A ball?" I ask.

"Yes, to celebrate your engagement." She gives me a smile.

"Engagement?" I raise my eyebrows.

"Oh dear, it seems she was not informed of her own engagement." One of the ladies says to the other.

"Do we tell her?" Another lady asks.

"I do not think it is our place--"

"Hello? I am literally right here. I can hear everything you are saying." I tell them and they all turn to me and seem to observe me--or judge me. I cannot tell which.

"Nevertheless, we must prepare you." One of the ladies lifts one eyebrows as she looks at me, "We have much work to do."

I scoff a laugh at the insult and do not fight them as they take me over to the marble vanity and make me sit in the stool. I sit as still as I am able as they put curlers in my hair and place powder and rouge on my cheeks. They also place kohl around my eyes and on my long lashes to make the violet in my eyes stand out.

"Is this all really necessary?" I ask them.

"Do you not want to make a good impression your first time meeting your future people?" One of the lady asks me. I roll my eyes at her words, of course the ladies of the Spring Court would be snobby, I cannot wait to find out what the men here act like.

"Is my bare face not worthy enough?" I demand, and they have enough intelligence to not say anything else to me. I sit in the stool for hours as they work on my face and hair. Once they finally finish with that, they take out the curlers in my hair and style it so half of my hair is tied back while the other half falls down below my breasts. Then they begin placing layers of a pale purple dress onto my body. They place a corset on me, and actually tell me to suck in. I wanted to tell them what they could suck but I chose to behave. I let out a sharp breath as they pull the corset as tight as they can. Once they are completely finished, they take me to a long mirror and my mouth drops open as I take myself in.

I look beautiful.

And I hate it.

"We can use glamor's to make your hair color lighter and make your eyes less--" The one girl cuts herself short as she thinks of a word to use.

"Evil." One of the girls finish for her, I look at my eyes in the mirror and I have never felt insecure about them before this moment. I never thought my eyes to look evil, violet eyes were considered beautiful and unique in the Night Court. I never realized other courts might find them ugly. I consider their offer for a moment, curious as to what I would look like with lighter hair and different colored eyes, but then that girl would not be me.