The cold danced up and down the child's spine, caressing her softly as it stung sharply as needles. Snowflakes danced across her hair and fell gently on her porcelain skin. Soft lips tinted a pale blue; cheeks light up a soft rose made the Queen smi...
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With feelings of trepidation in the hosts, an uncertainty eating at the guests, and a disappointed Avalone sitting quietly in her room making tiny stitches, the ball looked to be an unfavorable affair.
If the partygoers were nervous about attending such a large and unprecedented ball, the residents of the capital city were torn between overwhelming gratitude and utter misery.
The kingdom was a fair size, stretching across an expanse of land that saw most climates. The far north endured the heaviest of the snow in the winter, and the south reached just far enough to be called tropical in the summer season. The capital was located more to the south and to the east, sitting on the edge of a large forest that divided the more tropical climate region from the rest of the realm. It took a little over two weeks to cross from the southernmost point to the northernmost, and about two weeks to cross from east to west. As far as fiefs were concerned, Avalone's resided almost at the peak of the north, Duke Marshmond's about a week's travel to the north and east of the capital. In any event, the kingdom housed a healthy population.
And with more than half of the entire kingdom visiting across the expanse of two weeks, a surge of guests was invading every possible inn. Every family connection no matter how remote was being abused. This meant a large influx of money into the city, and on all of the transports and inns along the way. Most honored guests, particularly those that had been asked to stay through the event to help even out numbers, were given residence at the palace. Little used apartments, kept by the nobility in town for just such an occasion, suddenly sprang to life and lazy servants were put to their first real work in years. Everyone else had to make the best of the space that was left.
The upcoming event most especially meant a huge influx of females, all very needy. Three days into the extended celebration, not a single innkeeper or shopkeeper could keep his composure.
"Is red meat the only food every served here?"
"I don't care if you don't have shutters, can't you do anything about that horrible noise outside?"
"Do you consider this dress pressed? And just look at this hem! How can I go out like this?"
"I said I wanted my hair flowing, not draping!"
"You expect me to pay how much for this room? Are you insane?"
"Yes, I know I bathed last night. And I will bathe again tonight! And every night I am here! Yes, I know there are others here, but I will not wait and then bathe in lukewarm water!"
The overwhelming stench of perfume was soon inescapable.
The nights of the ball were a nightmare, with carriages, horses, and all other modes of transportation clogging the streets past the dawn of the next morning. Pickpockets did well across the evenings, but they risked life and limb in the process. Stray dogs took to hiding in the deepest corners they could find to avoid the stampede of humanity.
