The Second Queen

Chapter 14

-Chapter 14 -

Isabella Victoria

"Good morning miss!"

"Good morning Eliza."

"Happy birthday Lady Isabella!"

"Thank you Theo."

"I cannot believe that you are finally seventeen miss, it seems like only yesterday you were a little girl."'

"Anna, I'm not that young."

"Oh no ladies, she is turning into an old maid! We need to make her look like a goddess so His Majesty the king will fall head over heels in love with her!"

"Anna, I promise I am fine, besides I already look wonderful. You three are miracle workers."

"Oh no miss, it is your birthday, you need to look better than ever!"

"Theodosia, I already do."

"No, no, no. I have the perfect dress. I don't mean to be rude, but you chose such a drab dress this morning."

"You are right. Just make sure it's not too extravagant. I want to still be able to move, and not look like a sparkly chandelier. The king already has many of them."

"Very well, go to the dressing room and take off the dress."

She and Eliza disappear into the closet as I am whisked into the dressing room. I take a seat in the chair and untie the laces on my boots and slip my feet out of them. I set them to the side and stand up. Anna undoes the laces running across my back and helps me out of the dress. Then, Theodosia walks into the room carrying a dress with Eliza following her carrying a box. Eliza sets the box on the vanity table and begins to help Theodosia loosen the white laces on the back of the pomegranate colored, three quarter sleeve dress she is holding. Theodosia begins to pull the dress over my body. When it is properly resting on my shoulders she begins to tighten the silk laces on the back of the gown. When she is finished she tucks the ends of the ends of the laces into my gown, hiding them and making sure they won't come undone or fall from their hiding place.

    I sit in the chair in front of the vanity. Eliza takes the ribbon from the bottom of my braid and begins to unbind it. Then, she grabs a brush and begins to untangle my hair. When she has finished she begins to curl my hair. As she curls my hair I dig through the box of jewelry and hairpins she brought into the dressing room. I pick out the pomegranate ruby and pearl hair pins out of the box. I set the hair pins to the side and then begin to look for matching jewelry. I find a silver and ruby necklace and a matching circlet, that has pomegranate rubies dripping onto my forehead. Eliza sets the curling iron in a bucket of water next to her and begins to pin some of the curls up and out of my face. After she has pinned my hair up, she takes the circlet from off the desk and pins it to my hair. Then she takes the necklace from my waiting hands and clasps it around my neck. I take my mother's ruby ring from the jewelry box and slip it onto my left middle finger.

"Thank you, Theo, Eliza."

"Oh it's nothing, miss."

"Really Theodosia, you ladies are gifted."

"Miss, a letter has arrived for you."

"Thank you Anna."

I take the letter from her hand and slip it into my pocket before leaving my chambers. I close the door behind me and walk into the hall of windows. I stop once I've reached the middle of the hall and pull the letter from my pocket. I read the name of who it's from and smile to myself. I quickly break the seal and begin to read.

    My dearest Victoria,

I wish you the happiest birthday. I cannot believe that you are already seventeen. I hope you are having and will have a wonderful day. I am so very proud of you and everything you have accomplished in your last seventeen years. Your mother would be so proud as well. It seems like you were oh so little and riding around the room on my shoulders.