ONYX

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Alessandra,” She rested so peacefully in her sleep. Her hair splayed across the white sheets of her bed in a dark waterfall. Her body slimmer than the nightgown that’d barely clung to her body. She would’ve caught a cold had someone not come in and placed the bed sheets over her. Now, she was snuggled in and sleeping soundlessly. “Wake up.”

It was the familiarity that’d caused Alessandra to automatically open her eyes. When she did, she searched the room. Never would she forget the confines of the room she’d spent most of her life in growing up. But it was the person standing above her that shocked her more. “Mother?”

Elizabeth looked just like she did before and that seemed strange for Alessandra to think. It felt like she hadn’t seen her mother in ages, but here she was. “Yes, you look surprised.”

“It’s just . . . I thought . . .” What happened? She had a weird dream that felt so real. She was drowning in water, but she couldn’t remember how she got there. “Never mind.”

“Let’s get you dressed. We have to go.”

“Go? Where?”

“Do you not remember anything?” Elizabeth asked, astonished that her daughter seemed to forget the outing that she’d planned for them to have. “We are having brunch in the sunroom with your father, the King.”

“Father?”

“Yes, my child.” Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed. She reached over to touch Alessandra’s forehead to feel its temperature. “Are you feeling well?”

Alessandra tensed. Her mother’s skin, which had always been so warm and loving, had felt chillingly cold in that moment. Her touch that’d always been inviting felt entirely foreign and unwanted now. Alessandra couldn’t explain why she’d felt that way about her own mother who’d loved and protected her unconditionally. “I feel fine. I’m just out of sorts right now. Perhaps it’s because I just woke up.”

“Perhaps,” Staring at her closely, Elizabeth examined her for any signs of illness. There’d only been a handful of times in her life that her daughter had become sick, but she’d be fine within a short amount of days. It didn’t seem as though Alessandra was exhibiting any signs. “I have a wonderful dress for you.”

At the foot of the bed, Elizabeth retrieved the dress laid across the bottom. She lifted it and folded the mid section over her arm to show it to Alessandra. It was a dark purple shade and the sleeves had light purple lacings that had a crisscrossed pattern. Alessandra trailed her fingers down the fabric, admiring the silky texture, but dreading to put it on.

What happened to her dresses with no sleeves and no corsets?

“Do you like it?”

“Yes.”

“Good, I can’t wait to see you in it!” Elizabeth squealed. She urged Alessandra out of bed and when she did, she dropped her gown. Elizabeth first helped her in her undergarments, even though Alessandra could’ve done it herself.

The corset felt tighter than she last remembered. It gave her no room to breath and she even asked Elizabeth to loosen it, to which to declined. She said that the dress was meant to flatter her curves and it couldn’t do that with any blubber hanging out.

Did Elizabeth just imply that Alessandra was overweight?

Alessandra had an upsetting feeling in her gut. Elizabeth would’ve never ignored her daughter’s discomfort. “Mother, where are we?”

“Are we doing this again? This is your home.” Elizabeth said. She guided Alessandra to the chair placed in front of her vanity so that she could fix her daughter’s hair. “I think you should have your hair up, do you agree? That way we can see your gorgeous neck.”