The Luna Cure

EIGHT

Batilda was in a happy mood.

Of course, it makes sense. She has been excited for today. The day of the ball.

She woke me up with her loud laughing and moving about the room. Well, more like cackling and pacing in front of the mirror. She held three gorgeous gowns in her hands, a sparkly grey, a sultry red, and a pale blue.

"Which one, hmm? I do like the grey one, but the red one is sure to make the Prince would want to be by my side the entire evening." She smirked at herself in the mirror, twisting her body to see how the dresses would look.

"But this blue one is too simple. Not enough stuff on it to get any attention. Gah." She threw it on the bed. "I think I'll go with the red." The grey one plopped on top of the blue one on the bed.

"The ball is at five, and I do believe it'll have a rather climactic ending by seven. But we have a good seven hours or so before we have to go to the ballroom and throne room. I will go have lunch with the prince in a little bit, then go spend a little time with the others, but you are not to leave this room. I don't care what you do, but you don't leave. No need risking victory so close to the finish line."

The way Batilda spoke, as it always had seemed, sounded as if she were simply talking to herself. Sometimes, it drove me insane, because it made me feel as if she wasn't even acknowledging me, but I could care less right now. I had no energy or care left for her. I had resigned to the fate she would cause me to have. If, and only if, the prince decided to heed my warning, then maybe things would turn out differently.

Whether the prince did anything or not was out of my hands now. I had left things up to him. He had the power to do something. He would be taking a risk trusting me over Batilda, that I knew. He should put her above me and my words. Dante shouldn't believe me for a second.

But maybe, somehow, I could've convinced him. Whether through my actions, or perhaps he found some truth in my words based on how she is with him.

"Are you even listening to me?" She was louder, finally pulling me out of my thoughts.

I locked eyes with her in the mirror, but didn't acknowledge further. She was probably talking about some small, petty problem she had dealt with over the past week.

"I had asked what you were going to wear tonight. I can't be showing up with you looking like trash."

I gazed around the room, puzzled. What did she expect me to choose from? The bed sheets? The curtains?

I practically heard her roll her eyes. "I conjured those dresses up earlier. Obviously, they are both too pretty for you, so I will have to do some adjusting, but you get two to choose from. Pick now, so I can get on with my life." She rolled her eyes again, waving her fingers over her eyelashes as if she were stroking them. Slowly, long black lashes grew, making her appear as if she had on flawless makeup.

My eyes glued to the gorgeous blue dress. Oh my, did it catch my attention. But what exactly did she mean by 'adjustments'?

Whatever. No matter which dress I chose, she would turn it ugly.

But if I chose the grey one and let her screw it up, I could change into the blue one last second–

I shook my head. There was no way I had enough courage to go against her like that. I wasn't brave enough. Batilda had long been a person I had obeyed without question.

Yet, perhaps I could get away with this one. Just one last time. She would be so occupied with whatever she had planned for tonight that she either wouldn't notice until it was too late, or she'd have other problems to worry about.