𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖

"Sofia, how do you get away with murder?"

The handmaid drops the brush she was holding, squeaking in surprise. At first, her face is full of disbelief, but then she laughs it off. "Is that a joke, Princess?" she asks, chuckling nervously.

My eyes trailed down to where Sofia had dropped the hairbrush on the floor, watching as she picked it up again with shaky hands and started combing through my hair.

"Joke. Yeah," I say slowly, not wanting to give her a heart attack.

Each day, the wedding grows closer. And now it's in one week. Since the event is coming so quickly, I haven't had the proper amount of time to even try on a wedding dress. That's where my royal status comes into play, meaning it shouldn't take long for me to get one.

Sofia nods, still looking worried. But she quickly returns to the task at hand, braiding my thick, honey-brown hair into a crown of braids that wraps around the top of my head. "There," she says. "Now get up so you can look at yourself in the mirror."

I stand up, examining my reflection in the full-length mirror across from me. The dress she's put me in is plain white, with a high collar and full-length sleeves. Theres a drop-shaped cutout on my chest as well as a square open back. A simple gold belt wraps around my waist, tying everything together nicely.

"You look like a princess," Sofia begins, smiling at me. "You will be the most beautiful woman in the world on your wedding day."

I smile back at her, grateful for her kind words. "Thank you," I reply, turning to her. I guess what they say is true. A little kindness goes a long way.

Sofia rummages through my doors for some makeup brushes, ready to add some extra touches. I sit back down on the fluffy stool, closing my eyes, while she starts applying eyeshadow to me.

After she's finished with the eyeshadow, she begins to apply a tiny amount of concealer under my eyes. "So," the handmaid starts, "we haven't gossiped in a while, Princess. Anything new with your hot bodyguard?"

As she smooths the concealer over my cheekbones, I feel my cheeks burn. "Oh, right, that." Alex starts to flood my thoughts, and not in an innocent way. I shake my head to clear those images out of my brain. "Nothing's happening," I blurt out quickly. Too quickly.

My handmaid nods, still focused on putting on my makeup, but her gaze has turned curious. "Mhm," she hums, the way parents usually do when they know their kids are lying. "Anything else?" she asks, and I can hear the tiny hint of a grin in her voice even as my eyes are shut while she's still touching up my makeup.

I take a breath, trying to calm down. "Nothing," I say finally, opening my eyes and meeting Sofia's gaze in the mirror in front of me.

Sofia raises an unimpressed eyebrow at me. "You're sure?" she pushes.