V. This bloody blasted thing called a crinoline

Dedicated to you.

*+*+*+*+*

"In my garden," Nä-ræl replied smoothly, for it was nothing but the truth.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Nä-tashâ asked as she raised her eyebrows in disbelief, for it was hard to believe that the princess had actually been there.

"I have no idea, you should ask yourself that." She asked sarcastically

"Insolence! You dare not talk to me like that. I raised you better than this." Her mother spat, raising her voice.

"You mean Aälna?" The princess asked smiling sweetly. Deep down inside her, she felt angry at her mother for leaving the maids and tutors to take care of her and teach her the royal ways.

The Queen gritted her teeth. "Which servant accompanied you."

"None, why?"

"You should not go there by yourself it's...dangerous."

"Really, I was not all by myself. There was a servant there. He is the one who tends the garden. Deep and endless blue eyes and a prince like hair, he is a perfect gentlema..."

"Stop." The Queen commanded her, visibly stiffening. "The first snow fell today and you were out there? With a man!" She roared. "A servant!" She exclaimed.

"What could possibly be.."

"Do not argue with me! You shan't go there again!" She commanded.

"I shall very well go if I please," with that Nä-ræl walked away leaving her mother standing there with her mouth agape.

Nä-ræl felt joy in her heart. For the first time, she had stood up for herself. She vowed never to let her mother dictate her life for her again.

She walked into her chambers located in the east wing of the castle. "Milady you're returned," Aälna commented as she gave a small courtesy, acknowledging the presence of her mistress.

"Well," Nä-ræl began, cocking her head in Aälna's direction. "What does it look like?"

"Milady is everything alright with you?"

_*_

The next royal ball was to be held in a few hours. Servants bustled round the castle's grand hall making sure everything was set. Flowers were set in vases around the hall and on the tables. Fruits sat in baskets and there were rose and flower petals on the floor of the hall for aesthetic purposes. Rapha distributed fruits from Nä-ræl's garden evenly into the baskets seated on the tables meant for royalty only. As he placed the apples and grapes gently on each basket he thought of the day before when he had met the princess. Was she actually going to keep to her promise?

Rapha exited the grand hall to get more fruits that lay waiting for him in the cart which had brought the fruits. As he filled the basket in his hands with apples, green and purple seedless grapes and a few plums he prayed silently to näbouɠh that he'd see Nä-ræl that evening, alone.

*_*

"Why on earth do I have to wear this bloody blasted thing called a crinoline!" Nä-ræl exclaimed as she almost tripped on her dress. "And why in näbouɠh's name is this thing so long!" She turned around facing Aälna and her other chambermaids with eyes filled with rage. She felt so uncomfortable in the crinoline and corset which seemed to choke the life out of her.

"Milady," Aälna began,

"Save it, I'm not wearing this down there." Nä-ræl saw no reason why she should wear such an extravagant dress. To her, it looked like a costume, not a dress, with the feathers and fur that stuck out everywhere and the long train end.

"The queen wore it for her first suitor's ball. She forgot about it before the last ball but when she came across it she felt you should do the same."

No wonder it looked too out of place. Nä-ræl thought internally. "Well, I'm not wearing it!" She said sticking her chin up defiantly. Rapha was most likely going to be there. She wasn't going to look like gɍßæ who was the ugliest animal known of.

"The queen would have our heads se..." Aälna began once more but was cut off by the princess who smiled sweetly at her.

"Who do you serve?"

"Milady... I ca..."

"Every question requires an answer,"

"Well, not all,"

"Farah!" Everyone in the princess's chamber chorused in shock. She was in her true form and that was the first time everyone present there had seen her. She was more magnificent than the stories told of her. Power radiated from her so much that everyone cowered in fear.

No one could look into her eyes for her eyeball shine brighter than the morning sun and her brown eyes were darkened more than mud.

_*_

"The king has extended his invitation to us," Farah said to the other supernaturals who hummed in agreement.

"The thought makes me feel human. Spiffing, we of all creatures dancing at balls!" Karma laughed maniacally.

"It's more of a dinner than a ball, I've seen it already." Future said solemnly staring ahead into nothingness. His eyes were focused on dark walls surrounding them, but looking closely, it seemed like his eyes looked past, or through it.

"Well, I will tell," Time said

Farah snorted, "I've seen it all, we shall appear at the ball or should I say dinner," She laughed then continued. "They do not even have an idea about what they are having."

"We need you to seek näbouɠh's blessings for us," Cupid said to Farah. "Perhaps a little a little help from you Magicka to take us there?"

"Very well," said Magicka

"I shall see you there. I'm going to see how the princess is faring." And with that Farah disappeared.

_*_

"A pleasure seeing you," Nä-ræl said clearing her throat and bowing her head. The other servants hummed in agreement while Aälna spoke. "I am very honoured to be in your presence."

"It doesn't look like I am welcomed," Farah said gesturing to the other servants who cowered in fear and prayed silently to näbouɠh to make her leave. They were thoroughly afraid of her even though she meant no harm.

"Of course you are," Nä-ræl said nervously eyeing her chambermaids who weren't too excited to see Farah.

"I'd advise you against this," Farah gestured to the princess who looked at her in confusion.

"Against?" Nä-ræl asked but instead of an answer, she saw a grey cloud of dust where Farah formerly stood. Nä-ræl sighed, she shouldn't have expected a direct answer from Farah. After all, Farah only answered questions with questions or proverbs.

The other servants let out sighs of relief as they could finally breathe. Their hearts which pumped fast and loud against their chest could now slow down its pace.

"Milady," a chambermaid began. "If it's about wearing this dress then save it," Nä-ræl said with an air of finality.

_*_

Nä-ræl, after a loud argument with her chambermaids, settled on a blue dress which had silver beadings at the corsage. Although she had protested against it too Aälna had refused to listen to her bidding even if it meant her going to the dungeon. Aälna knew that the queen was already going to be angry.

Nä-ræl rushed forward looking for a place to hide. She felt angry with the arrangement of the grand hall. It seemed like there was no hiding place in the hall. She rushed away from the hands of Ærtle who seemed to have a keen interest in her. No amount of stepping on his toes seemed to make him want to leave her.

There were two more dances before dinner would commence and the ball would proceed. She couldn't survive another dance with Ærtle. Her feet ached and so did her waist.

Curse whoever made such a thing called a corset.

Her dress got caught on her shoes and she fell forward, her lips hitting that of someone. The lips which she hit felt so soft and warm. The touch sent shivers into every inch of her body and she gasped loudly as the person straightened her.

Lo and behold it was her love at first sight - Rapha

Gasps echoed around the hall and it seemed like everyone was frozen in place. The queen stared in shock at her daughter and the king looked around in confusion, completely oblivious of what had happened as he was too busy sipping his wine to notice what had transpired.

Of all people, The queen thought angrily. That was something she definitely didn't want to happen.

"Seize him!" She roared and immediately numerous palace guards rushed forward but they could not go any further as wind, more powerful than nature could summon whooshed through the castle hall. A cloud of greyish mist which pushed people away from where they stood surrounded the hall and there appeared all the supernaturals.

They were all present, Farah included.

With a snap of her fingers that memory was erased from everyone's mind. Only Nä-ræl, Rapha and the queen remembered what just happened.

Loud gasps erupted once more and everyone in the grand hall including the angry queen and everyone bowed their heads for a short time and chanted. "Nä ƙɍuh låyē!"

Farah who stood in the middle of all the supernaturals snapped her fingers when all the people present in the hall lifted their heads and everything that wasn't where it was supposed to be, came in place.