Princess of Dragons

Chapter 33

"Do you remember everything that you need to do?" Narza asked her - for the umpteenth time - from the other side of the divider that separated them.

She breathed in deeply as the maids laced up her back.

"Ye-" She was cut off when the air was pushed out of her lungs. "Yes," she squeaked.

He'd been like this since before the maids even attempted dressing her - which was no quick process. He'd spent an innumerable number of hours now going through the plan of the day once again, despite her attempts to convince him she remembered it all. Several times.

"Good, then I will take my leave."

She sighed in relief. Only for that too to be cut off by a gasp for air.

"Alex is outside; he will guide you to where the king is and then you will enter the room with him. Do not leave his side." Those were his parting words.

She hissed as the maids pulled at the string again - both in pain and frustration. Young she may be, but she was no child.

Luckily, that was the last of it for the corset, and the maids - Mathilda, the Head maid, and Chanti, one of the younger maids, who'd been looking after Ciara since she came here - instead helped her into the petticoats and skirts.

Finally, they'd finished and both looked at her with awe.

"You look stunning, princess Ciara," Mathilda genuinely told her, while Chanti's head bobbed up and down in agreement.

Ciara carefully turned around in the heavy gown to face the mirror they'd placed there. In it stood a woman she barely recognized as herself. The only thing that revealed she was, was her trademark, blonde hair.

She was clad in the most beautiful, lilac dress. Cut so that is showed curves she knew weren't actually there. It left her collarbone and shoulders mostly bare, puffing out at her arms and then slimming in just before the elbow and reaching all the way to her wrists.

The corset made sure to cinch in and create a waist she most certainly didn't have, while also making her chest emerge from the shadows in which they usually resided. Meanwhile the silky, lilac skirts popped out at her hips, further accentuating those as well. The fabric fell all the way to the floor, completely concealing her ankles from view.

Golden embroidery lined every edge and crevice of the dress, only adding exponentially to the elegance of it.

Seeing herself like this, in a dress fit for the mightiest of queens, hair set up in the most complicated updo she'd ever seen, woke strange feelings in her. She felt much more confident in this dress, so much more mature; like she could do this without any problems. That she might just be fit to stand by the king's side.

A knock sounded, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Are you about ready in there, Ciara?" Alex asked from the other side.

His words woke her up immediately and she quickly lifted her skirts and moved towards the door.

"Yes, I am ready," she quickly told him as she opened the door.

He paused for just one moment, then a broad smile spread across his face.

"You look absolutely dazzling, Ciara. You will blow them all away."

She couldn't hide the smile that grew on her face at the compliment.

"Why, thank you." She curtsied exaggeratedly. "You do not look half bad yourself."

For the occasion, he was dressed in the official, formal armor of the Fire Kingdom. The same one Sergon and his men had worn when they first arrived at her home so long ago. Polished and cleaned to perfection so the silver reflected the light from the flames.