Part 22

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I stared into the mirror, shocked by what I saw.

I had wanted to look intimidating for this upcoming meeting, and had used an old design that I had originally thought of in my previous life... Reaching out a hand, I touched the cool glass of the mirror, almost expecting the image before me to change.

The deep red dress flowed down from my shoulders, making me look taller, the golden embroidery sparkling in mesmerizing patterns, catching the eye. I had chosen a more mature hairstyle, with the majority of it pinned above my head except for a few ringlets that hung around my ears. The necklace given to me from the Queen hung proudly around my neck, not looking out of place as it usually did with my simpler gowns.

The overall effect was... more than I had expected.

I studied my appearance, wondering if this is what I would have looked like if I had married Ronan in my previous life...

Lia, my new lady's maid, sighed dreamily while adjusting the skirts of my gown.

Since I had dismissed Angela the night before, I needed someone to help me into the complicated dress. Rather than have Hallers try to hire someone in the middle of the night, I asked him to promote the young woman who had worked diligently as a maid these past few years. I still remembered gratitude she had showed when I saved her from being struck by my mother years before. It was not enough for me to fully trust her, of course, but perhaps she would be less eager to betray me than Angela had been.

"Miss, you look like a Queen!"

I smiled wryly at her in the mirror, and her face turned pale as she realized the meaning of her words given my recent history. Clapping her hands to her cheeks, she took a step back.

"OH NO, I'm SO SORRY Miss! How could I bring up painful memories of your broken engagement?!" She paused, looking even more chagrined. "And now I'm doing it again! After you were so kind to give me a chance of promotion, and here I am re-opening up your wounds...!"

"It's okay." I smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "I'll take the compliment of looking like a Queen, even if I'm not meant to be an actual one."

She instantly looked relieved. I watched her with some fascination. After so many years around Ronan, Edith and Angela, I was unused to someone who showed every single emotion on their face.

"Well, you are beautiful and kind, Milady. I think Repulsive Ronan the Ridiculous was crazy to have broken your engagement!!!"

I paused at her words. Hadn't it only been "Ronan the Ridiculous" before? "Did the song change?"

Lia blushed. "I shouldn't have spoken poor about the future king, but it's such a catchy song! There's a new verse that they are all singing, about how he likes to lie in manure and make up lies about the beautiful lady he tossed away." She grinned. "It gets stuck in your mind and you find yourself singing along without meaning to!"

As if to prove her point she hummed a few bars, and I noted that it sounded suspiciously like a tune I had heard Hallers humming last week while polishing the silver.

What a strange coincidence.

In a much better mood despite the terrible task ahead of me, I glanced one last time at my appearance before determining that I was ready to go. I took a deep breath, touching the queen's necklace around my neck for good luck.

______________________________

"Pretty!"

I was six years old the first time I saw it. The Queen had left me alone briefly in her rooms, called away for a quick issue while we had been visiting. Bored, my eyes had been immediately caught by a shining blue stone in a glass box. Taking it out, I rubbed my fingers over the amulet whispering my admiration.

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