Silver: The Lost Royal

24 | The Stranger with A Scar

THE same brown eyes and plump lips stared back at her in the mirror, yet Karyn almost didn't recognize herself.

Idyna had done her hair in an updo that was nothing short of extraordinary. A few deliberate strands fell from it, adding a touch of effortless elegance. It was the replica of the hair the woman in her dream had. The woman who called her Rynanda. The only thing missing was the flower crown the woman wore.

Karyn never fancied dresses, but this one was an exception. The sleeve-less silver-colored gown that shimmered under the light had waves of gold adorning the hems of the dress and the neckline. It hugged the upper part of her body like a second skin, accentuating the curves of her chest and the small of her back.

With each swirl, Karyn felt the delicate ruffles of the dress cascading down from her waist to the floor, and she couldn't stop the grin that broke out on her face.

After a knock, the door opened and Idyna rushed in, dressed in a vivid pink ball gown that complemented the delicate blossoms decorating her hair. Her blonde curls came down in thick waves that framed her slender face.

"Okay, okay, I'm here. Thanks for waiting," Idyna said before she took a deep breath.

"I love everything!" exclaimed Karyn, twirling in front of the mirror. Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she took in every detail.

"You look beautiful," Idyna complimented.

"Thank you. You did all this."

Idyna chuckled with reddened cheeks. "Only the best for you."

When Karyn finally tore herself away from the mirror, she slid on the transparent elbow-length gloves that revealed a glimpse of her skin beneath. Tiny glistening stones and delicate white swirls ran across the length of the light fabric, adding a touch of ethereal allure.

"So," Idyna started once they left the room. "I'm sure this would be your first ball. I don't know if you attended any in Wlerden."

"If I did, I don't remember."

Idyna nodded. "Balls here are not to the book as they would be in Wlerden. It's just a group of people sipping wine and having a good time in a modest setting," Idyna said as they walked down some stairs. "Some nice young men would come and ask for a dance."

"Oh."

"Don't worry. It would just be a simple waltz."

Karyn chuckled in relief before her brows came together in worry. "But I don't know how to do the waltz."

"Every princess knows how to dance, you just don't remember. Waltzing is like muscle memory, especially when you're taught at a young age. Now your Turund didn't hold your muscles' memories, did she?" Idyna asked rhetorically, her smile easing Karyn's worries.

Once they reached the last floor, Karyn could recognize where they were as they passed the pictures she had marveled at when they first arrived. The further down the hall they went, the louder the sound of classical music became.

"Here we are," Idyna said as they stopped in front of the door, guarded by two men. Karyn took in a deep breath and managed a smile at the men who pushed open the doors.

"Remember, you're here to have a good time."

Karyn let out the breath she was holding, but as they stepped into the large hall, her eyes rounded in awe, and the sight knocked the wind out of her lungs. The largest space she could recall was the gymnasium at Emerfield High, but this made the gymnasium look like a tiny bedroom.

Litters of slender candlelights fell from the ceiling and the polished floor reflected an endless sea of unfamiliar faces that conversed and shone in their shimmering dresses and dashing suits with wine or champagne glasses in their hands. The air carried an elusive scent, unidentifiable yet appeasing to Karyn's senses.