Makeover

"So, what do you want to know?" Andromeda asked as she picked up the cup and drank her tea.

Aylin placed her hands on her lap. "Jayla mentioned earlier that you told the servants to give me the same respect they would give the duke or you. Why did you say that?"

"I said that because that's how they are supposed to treat you, a lady from a noble family," Andromeda said, and took another sip of her tea.

"I don't understand. You know I'm not a lady from a noble or wealthy family–"

"You are now." She interrupted. "Listen Aylin, you passing through a portal or coming from another world is something no one must know about. The reason? No one has been or can make or open a portal, be it a magician, a mage, or a witch, though some black witches can through using demon magic, which is rare. The only ones who can are the chosen ones and they don't exist anymore, so imagine someone knowing that you stepped through a portal and are not from this world." Andromeda placed her cup of tea on the table, staring intently at Aylin. "Tell me, Aylin, what do you think is going to happen?"

"Something bad I guess."

Andromeda smiled. "So the only thing to do is to lie, right? Aylin, you suddenly appeared out of nowhere, there are going to be questions, and since we can't tell them the truth, we tell them you are the granddaughter of a very dear friend of mine, your parents just died, and not wanting you to be alone with your grandmother sent you here for me to take care of you until you can inherit your parents' properties and wealth."

"Wow, you came up with a pretty good story, I have to admit."

Andromeda shrugged. "Well, it has to be believable."

"So, what about my grandmother and where do I come from?"

"Your grandmother passed away just before you left and you come from the southern part of Ethere. Far from here, your family owns an extremely well-off plantation. So, since your parents are wealthy, I expect you to be treated just like a lady from a wealthy family."

A lady from a wealthy family, huh?

Aylin nodded, "Ok, I understand, but Ethere... where is that?"

Andromeda paused, "That's the name of a city in the Northern part of Zephyr that lies behind the glimmering desert. It's beautiful, magical, and mystical, far away from Arcelia, which is the capital city, and well, here. It's the farthest city in Zephyr, Ethereal but mysterious." She answered, taking a bite of the cake on the plate beside her.

Ethereal but mysterious…

"Oh, I see... That's why you chose it." Aylin nodded before picking up a slice of cake as well and eating it. "How many cities are there in Zephyr?"

"Four—Arcelia, the capital city, Silvestria, the largest and wealthiest city in the kingdom, and also our dukedom. Silvestria is the closest city to the capital. Then there's Hemtetria and Ethere." She stated.

"We're in Silvestria?" Aylin asked.

"Yes, we are in Silvestria. Anything else you wish to know?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow.

Aylin still couldn't believe that this was happening. Yet, there was nothing she could do than to take it as it comes. And from what Andromeda said, she has to blend in and, at the same time, be different. Well… She could do that.

"I don't know..." Aylin mumbled.

"Well, since you will start living here, you need to know everything you can about the kingdom, but that's enough for now. As time passes, I'm sure you will learn more." Andromeda gave her a warm smile.

'As time passes...' She didn't want to stay here for a long time, but it seems that is exactly what will happen. Aylin thought with a sigh.

Seeing the sad expression on Aylin's face, Andromeda reached out and grabbed her hand across the table. "Don't worry, I will find a way to get you back home even if it takes some time, you will eventually go back home. I promise you."

Not without making your sinfully handsome and alluring grandson fall in love with me. Aylin thought but instead, smiled gratefully, "Thank you...Thank you so much."

"It's alright, so instead of wallowing in sadness, why don't you make the most of your time here and enjoy it?" Andromeda suggested.

Aylin nodded slowly. "I suppose that you're right."

As soon as she finished her words, her eyes widened as if she remembered something. "Oh, my God! I almost forgot!" Aylin exclaimed as she reached for the makeup kit on the table.

"What is that?" Andromeda asked, starting to frown.

"This?" Aylin waved the kit in front of Andromeda's face, "It's my makeup kit!"

"Your makeup kit?" Andromeda repeated. "What are you talking about?"

Aylin grinned. "My makeup kit," she repeated.

"And what is it?" Andromeda questioned again.

Aylin opened the bag. "It's a makeup bag. Or let me say it's a bag where my makeup equipment is kept. Remember I told you that I will do your makeup right?" Aylin continued and Andromeda hummed in response.

With a smile, Aylin stood up and brought out the contents of the bag which included a face primer, liquid foundation, concealer, setting powder, blush, contour, highlighter, eyeshadow palette, eyeliner, kajal, eyebrow pencil, mascara, lipstick, setting spray, beauty sponge and makeup brushes.

"Are these the equipment?"Andromeda questioned Aylin who was arranging the items on the table.

"Yep!" Aylin smiled and turned to Andromeda. "But there's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"A mirror."

"Oh. A mirror?" Andromeda repeated and Aylin nodded in affirmation.

"Selena." Andromeda turned to her handmaiden.

"Yes, your grace?"

"Get us a mirror." She ordered and with a bow, Selena left and in not less than a minute she came back with a mirror which she handed to Andromeda.

"Here." Andromeda handed it over to Aylin who told her to instead place it on the table.

"It's for you, not for me; to see how you look when I'm done transforming you." Aylin grinned before smacking her hand on her head. "Oh! I need to wash my hands!" She turned to Selena. "Can you get me water please?" She asked and Selena nodded before leaving and coming back with a bowl of water which Aylin used to wash her hands.

"So shall we start?" She asked and Andromeda bobbed her head bringing about a smile on Aylin's lips.

"Alright, baby. Let's roll." With that, she took a moisturizing lotion and stood in front of Andromeda. "Close your eyes." She ordered and Andromeda did as she said.

Aylin poured a small amount onto her fingers before spreading the moisturizer across her forehead; starting from the center of her face, then she moved outwards and up. Aylin did the same thing to her nose, and spread the moisturizer across her cheeks, ensuring that she'd rubbed the moisturizer evenly across Andromeda's already supple skin and leaving it to dry for some minutes before moving on to the next step.

Aylin took the primer and squeezed a small amount onto the makeup brush before applying it, starting with the center of Andromeda's face to her cheeks forehead, chin, and the skin around her eyelids and then moving on to the liquid foundation which she used an applicator brush in applying onto Andromeda's face.

She moved on to the concealer which she applied using her fingertips by placing small dots horizontally over the center of the forehead, down the center of the nose, under the eyes, In a curving arch at the top of the chin, just under her bottom lip, gently blending it to the surrounding skin before covering with a setting powder.

Using a large, fluffy powder brush, Aylin began applying the foundation powder by dusting a light coat of powder all over Andromeda's face, pressing the bristles into the powder, and then sweeping across the skin in long, arching strokes. Aylin moved on to the blush and chose a pink blush, she told Andromeda to smile before applying it to the apples of her cheeks.

Mapping out the areas she wanted to highlight, using a liquid highlighter first, she applied it down the bridge of the nose, across the tops of the cheekbones, In the inner corners of the eyelids, on the brow bone, the indent above the upper lip, the center of the forehead, and the center of the chin, blending it in using her fingertips.

After that, she moved on to the eye. First applying the eyeshadow, eyeliner using a pencil eyeliner, an eyelash curler, and lastly the mascara before moving to the lips, where she applied lipgloss to Andromeda's lips. Andromeda's lips were naturally soft and red so there was no need to apply a moisturizer and lipstick.

Moving on to the last part, which was the setting spray, Aylin held the bottle eight inches from her face and spritzed in an X shape across her face, before following it up by spraying a T shape to ensure that every part was covered.

Now done, Aylin moved back to admire her work before telling Andromeda to open her eyes and look at herself in the mirror.

Andromeda did as she said, and immediately she saw herself in the mirror, her eyes widened. Seeing this, Aylin's grin broadened.

"So how's it?" she asked and Andromeda glanced at her before looking back at herself in the mirror.

"This is…" She touched her face. "It's beautiful," Andromeda said the words as if it wasn't enough to describe how she looked.

"It's amazing right?"

"Yes, it is." Andromeda nodded, still staring at her face in the mirror. "It is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," Aylin said as she sat down and studied the woman's expression.

Seems like she was smitten. Phew, thank God.

Huh? What was she saying? Everyone loved it when she did their makeup and apparently Andromeda was not an exception.

With this thought, Aylin leaned back and grinned wickedly.

"Aylin, I don't like it. I love it." Andromeda said and Aylin smiled.

Andromeda was amazed at how she looked and how Aylin could make her look like this without the use of magic.

"Is this what you do for a living?" Andromeda asked and Aylin shrugged.

"Yeah, part of it."

"I see… Well, then can you do it for me anytime I need to?"

"Sure, why not? It's not as if I'm doing anything." Except trying to make your grandson fall in love with me.

As soon as the thought came to her mind, her smile reduced and she sighed; in her head. But she quickly shook it off, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Of course, anytime you need me just tell me." Aylin said with a smile.

Andromeda smiled back at her before reaching out to give her a hug. "Thank you so much, Aylin. You're wonderful."

Aylin hugged her back, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction spreading through her. "No problem, Andromeda. It was my pleasure."

Andromeda grinned and pulled away from the hug. "Well...I also have something for you." She said, making Aylin curious.