THE PALACE
We approached the palace as the guards let opened the colossal, wooden doors. A wind of dust flew in our faces, but when I looked inside it almost looked magical. Red carpets were plastered on every hallway and every single inch of the palace was engraved with some vintage design. When we approached a gigantic room, the first thing in my sight was a giant fountain, found with two statues who were absolutely nude, choking out some water for the fountain.
And the gurgling sounds just from the fountain was the only sound I could hear in the whole palace. I followed on Auden's tail as he led to me a room that wasn't as big as the others, but still bigger than my whole dwelling put together. It was that hard to manage myself from glancing from everything. We were greeted by a middle aged lady that had golden curls tied into a neat bun.
"Auden..?" She inquired, "Who's this lovely, young lady?" She wore a green antique dress that reached her ankles and a pair of heels. Every part of her exposed skin was covered in some pale make up, but she didn't really look freaky despite her glowing lipstick. Her voice sounded so calm that it sounded so fake. But before Auden could say anything, I cut him off.
"Jane," I said, "Jane Evergreen."
The lady gave a dry smile. "I'm Elizabeth Waters, but you may proceed to call me Elizabeth."
Elizabeth shooed Auden off by gesturing. I knew when he exited when the door shut quietly. I glanced over the room, it was filled with various amounts of clothing and make up. The lighting was so bright, that it took quite a time for my vision to adapt to. She led me to stand on top of a circular structure and rummaged through a stack of antique dresses. I was forced to take off my clothes, nude.
I guess I do have to wear formal clothes. It felt really uncomfortable to be exposed even in private. I felt the slight wind pass me. After about a half hour of her rummaging through a stack of clothes, Elizabeth took out a strapless dress that was painted with a highlight of dandelion written all over it. I never really liked dresses but I would've made an exception for this because dandelion is my favorite color. It couldn't have just been a coincidence.
She slid on an pale and the most tightest rompers anyone could think of for me. I let out a grasp of air and looked down to barely see my stomach. Oh god. Then, Elizabeth glided the dress on me, featuring all my curves that I've never dared to show. The strapless dress reached to my ankles and was amazingly light. But it took me a moment to get used to it, it was amazingly tight.
"Now, now. Sit on that stool."
I think I'm literally going to die. My whole torso was completely numb but I managed to sit on the stool without barfing. Without a second of rest, she started putting so much make up that I started to cough. Elizabeth put my hair onto a French braid and curled the tail. But I actually saw every single scene because I was facing the mirror. Though, It didn't seem to be a surprise.
It took about an hour or so until she was done. Elizabeth tossed a pair of four inch heels on my feet as I managed to pick myself up.
"You look marvelous."
I agreed.
My reflection wasn't me. I noticed my high cheek bones for the first time and how I noticed that she didn't put a lot of makeup. Elizabeth only added a minor amount of blush, lipstick, eyeliner or mascara. How I knew? I really don't know.
My piercing freckles still shown and my brunette hair looked glossed in the mirror. "Why are you really here? I mean not to intrude.."
"I really don't know.. It's just that, I need answers."
Even knowing her for hours or so, I felt that she had the need to know my perception. She even looked indeed like a nice woman--which she was and reminded me of Amelia but in a different perspective. Elizabeth nodded and bowed, exiting out the wooden doors. When the door shut, I admired my reflection. I reached out to touch the mirror, where my breathtaking reflection was.
But it wasn't me.
Sighing, I pressed on my sides to comfort myself from grasping for air. When I was ready to head out, I reached for the doorknob, but I just leaned on the door, just thinking how would the keeper look like. Picking myself up in heels was harder than expected.
I opened the door to see Auden sipping from a mug on a sofa. His eyes automatically landed me, not even looking at me as he did ever before. My heels clomped on the floor as I walked towards him. Auden laid the cup on a plate that happened to be on a miniature nightstand that was next to the sofa and reached my hand, kissing it with the most lightest peck I've ever received.
I blushed with the ugliest shade of red as I felt someone's hand snake behind my waist. I looked to the right realizing it was Auden. He whispered in my ear, "You look beautiful."
I flushed and tried to hide my scowl so he wouldn't keep me from the keeper. We walked from stair to stair and to corridor to corridor until we stopped on a pair of solid wood doors. The door creaked open as we reached a room of a beautiful view. Every wall was made of windows, exposing the true beauty of the outside world. But all I could see, precisely of a person, was a man sitting on a sofa.
He was on the opposing side from the door, causing him to be backwards, only the sight of a man in a suit with a patch of grey hair holding a plate that held a mug that had a hamper of steams coming from it.
Auden coughed and walked us in. Here we go..
