PAMPERED

Both girls clasped their hands together in jovial excitement. Matilda's mellow hazel eyes and Laarni's green ones sparkled like precious jewels.

…While she submerged her disgusted face into the waters. 'Ugh. I'm too young to get married. What the?! I did not go here to get dragged out again and be transferred into another household. So disgusting.'

'Maybe this is just the fantasy of the servant girls. Maybe it won't happen that soon. How would they know when they have not witnessed any princess getting engaged in the palace. As Mr. Barry said, after the Crown Prince arrived five years ago, I am the next to return to the palace.'

'So there isn't any other princess preceding me.'

Her investigative thoughts were interrupted by the frantic calls of her grandmother. "Meredith! Meredith!"

"I'm here Nana! I'm taking a bath!" She called out over the curtain. She hurried bathing so that she could go and hug her Nana that must have been so worried about her.

When she stood up from the bath, she did not need to say anything – Matilda and Laarni came rushing to her aid with towels and robe. They prepped her body – much to her embarrassment - with scented oils. Their skillful hands kneaded against her smooth skin. Despite the humiliating experience, what's more surprisingly astounding to her was the fact that she enjoyed it. Their heavenly skilled hands relaxed and pacified the tense muscles that were brought about by the very awkward nudeness situation she's facing.

'Maybe I'll get used to it after all.' Despite her shame, deep in her heart, she knew that it was what was most likely to happen. She face-palmed herself as she submitted to the girls' pampering.

It took a few minutes more for her to get ready. Laarni picked up a nice peach-colored dress which draped at her bosom from the shoulder to the middle of her navel forming a V. It had another layer of white with lacy frills which peeped from the navel up to the neckline. It was styled and tailored with sleeves, but the sleeves were left hanging open from the shoulers like wing-like drapery. The girls braided a small portion of her locks at the side which met at the center of her back. Not satisfied yet, they garnished it with twig-like hair ornaments made of silver with white pearl beads that hang like little fruits from the silver twig stem. It surrounded the back of her head from ear to ear. It manifested the effect of floating white buds on her hair.

While her servant girls were busy fixing her appearance, she took the time to interrogate them. In the process she had learned that Matilda was in love with kitchen boy in the palace, named Jack. Laarni gave her away while giggling. Red thought that Laarni was such a darling with her plump cheeks and warm grin that always reached her green eyes while Matilda was like an older sister-figure who was more mature among those three. She was yet to meet the third servant girl, Lily, who was now cooking at the makeshift kitchen at the other tent for their dinner.

Nana was just watching on the sides, once in a while standing beside Laarni and Matilda and giving her granddaughter generous compliments for her appearance. She also kindly commended the girls for their hand-skills. When she got tired from standing up, she rested on one of the chairs, still watching the whole glamming-up ritual in pure delight.

Out of boredom, Red had ran through all of the new acquaintances that she had made so far in her head, and had noted that none of them had blue hair like hers.

"Can I ask a question?" She asked, full of hesitation.

"Oh, please, Princess Meredith. Anything!" Matilda pleasantly urged.

"Isn't blue hair common in this realm?"

"Oh no, Princess! It's rare. That's probably a sign of royal blood. Maybe your blood is blue too?" Laarni articulated with huge widened eyes out of naivety.

"Silly! How can our princess have blue blood literally?!" Matilda chuckled while doing some finishing touches with her hair. "I heard the story from my mother who was a palace sorceress. She said that every royal infant was subjected into a ritual which turned their hair blue as a side effect. The Emperor and the Crown Prince have blue hair as well, although it was a darker shade. Yours is a pretty turquoise suited to a beautiful princess like yourself."

"Oh, please. Be kind to my ego! It's getting bloated too much! I won't be surprised if it will pop in the next second!" She bantered cheerfully. The knowledge that indeed her kin shared her unique trait somewhat lightened up her already cheerful mood.

"I'm so excited to meet them~" She clasped her hands together and went in a daze.

Laarni cupped her hand and whispered, "The Crown Prince is so handsome, Princess! No wonder good genes run in the family!"

Red giggled when she heard that. She had imagined how her older brother would look like. She could not exaggerate the excitement she's experiencing.

"Oh, you will meet them soon enough, Princess!" Matilda had just finished putting on some organic blush and lip tint to add some color on her face.

She looked like she's going to her prom ball. 'Will I look like this every day? It takes a while to prepare.'

"Meanwhile, I believe Sir Karyk is waiting for you outside for some audience." Her lady-in-waiting added, informing her now that her masterpiece was all done.

She immediately stood up from her dresser's seat. "You should have told me sooner. Oh no, he waited for me!"

"It's alright, Princess! Everyone will wait for you until you're ready."

"Oh, that's some bad habit." She shook her head, completely disagreeing.

She pulled the skirt of her dress with clenched fists and out of her tent she went. A cool breeze greeted her face and bright natural light almost blinded her initially.