A Tale of Two Princesses (10 page)

     "Sienna, there is no more time. I have to ask you, will you take the princess' place."

     Sienna squinted. "Take it? Her place? Where is her place? Where do you want me to take it?"

     "No, child, her place in the ball," Homa said.

     "I, I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't understand what you mean," Sienna said. How could she take the princess' place in anything? She must have misunderstood them. She was worried they would yell at her if she asked questions. She always got yelled at for asking questions.

     "When the princess passed out," Homa continued, "Betilly and I remarked how if we could just put someone else in her dress, with the facemask, no one would know it was not the princess, but of course, where were we to find a wig of hair with a golden hue? And you sprung to our minds so quickly, it was as if fate itself had arranged for you to be here this night."

     Sienna's eyes were widening bit by bit until they hurt her face. "Ma'am? Do you mean you want me to, to dress up as the princess? To go out there, to a ball? Ma'am, are you, are you teasing me?"

     "No, child," Homa said. "The reputation of the princess, indeed of the entire kingdom, could be resting on your very small shoulders."

     "I, I, but, I, won't they know I'm not her? We don't even look alike."

     "You don't have to look alike. The dress will hide your body, and the mask will hide your face. Only the hair matters and it is identical!"

     "But what if someone takes off my mask?"

     "No one would dare touch the princess, and you will leave it on."

     "But, but I don't know how to be a princess, what to say, anything. And my voice, I don't sound like the princess. I, I, they'll find out, ma'am. They will."

     "They won't. Your voice is not so different. Truly, no one will realize if you are quiet and do not give yourself away. We'll tell the queen you've been drinking. She won't be expecting you to behave as yourself once she learns this. Any odd behavior will be credited to drunkenness."

     "But it's a ball. I've never been to a ball. I don't know how to dance or, or how to behave as a princess behaves. I don't know anything."

     "More drunkenness," Homa said. "Even if you stumble, fall, it's fine. The crowd will laugh and suspect you've been drinking. The rumors of Princess Celeste's love for the drink are well known. There is nothing to fear."

     "But, but, ma'am, if they find out, they'll hang me, won't they?"

     Homa frowned. She sat next to Sienna. "If they find out, I will take full responsibility. I will tell them I ordered you to obey."

     "Then they'll hang you," Sienna whispered.

     "Yes, they probably would."

     "Ma'am, I, I do not want to refuse you. You've been so very, very kind to me, so if you ask me to do it, I will, but I beg you not to. I'm sure to fail. I'm sure to. I'm not good at things, anything really, except brushing horses and cleaning floors and, and I've gotten better at chopping onions, but onions and princesses seem so far apart."

     "Oh, my dear child," Homa said, hugging her. "I know you're frightened. Believe me, I'm frightened too, more so than you are, but the cost of failing the princess is greater than our lives. She does not know it, I think, for she is full of fear, but having a man like Prince Cross in her life will be a good thing. He will stabilize her wild temper and make her a better woman. But she will not listen to me, so I will turn this accident into advantage. All you must do tonight is dance with the prince." She held up her hand. "I know you do not know how to dance, but simply allow him to hold you and lead you and move where he wants. He will laugh or comment on your lack of skill. Laugh with him, be polite, talk to him. Answer his questions with whatever you think her highness would say. And if you don't know, answer as yourself. Oh, child, you do have a beautiful character, and I think a prince would find it far easier to fall in love with you than her highness, the princess. Will you do this for me, please?"

     Sienna gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

     "Truly, this is absurd," Court said, pacing in the state room. "Why must I wait to be announced?"

     "The princess is not yet announced," Wellington said. "It will be moments, I'm sure."

     "Why do they not simply announce me now? At least allow me in the ballroom."

     "You are the guest, sir. You must wait until the hostess is ready."

     "A hostess should be prompt. A ball, really. Would that my brother were here in my place. Now, I must parade myself around with this girl. I am sweating, Wellington! Really, look at my hands."

     Wellington took out a handkerchief and wiped off Court's hands. "Sir, you will do fine. The princess will swoon over you."

     "I doubt that. And how much more do I wish it if she would not swoon."

     "Only you, sir, would find himself put out to be meeting a beautiful woman who wishes to invite you into her kingdom as her husband and future king! Here, look!" Wellington moved to the window, throwing it open. The landscape was lit by the sunset, showing the town in the distance, the mountains to the east, the forests to the west, the land to the north. "See here? All you survey will be yours."

     "I do not want it."

     "Why, your highness?" Wellington asked. "You will never rule in Cross. That is your brother's privilege. Why not rule in Avelot, a nation that would grow loyal to you?"

     "Because it's boring!" Court snapped, turning away from the view. "I was a prisoner in Cross Castle half my life. I became a knight to escape it, and just when I think my future is bright, the very moment I am set free, I am bound to a new prison! I cannot stand it! I am a bird, Wellington, my wings clipped. I would fly about a swamp sooner than remain in a cage, even a beautiful cage, with a beautiful dove beside me."

* * *

     "Do not let the queen stare too closely at your face," Homa warned, running her hands through Sienna's freshly washed hair as Betilly brushed it. Sienna was lying on her back, her head set directly before the fire, the heat drying it and burning her scalp. "If you do, she will know you are not her daughter. In fact, it is best if you do not even look at the queen. She will see the difference in eye color. And try not to speak, but if you must, keep your voice low. She will know her daughter's voice."

     "But won't my silence anger her?" Sienna asked.

     "No, the princess is often quiet around her mother. This will not surprise her, as you are so very upset about the ball. However, if she speaks to you or asks you a question, and she will, you must at least nod in agreement."

     "What if I have to say no?"

     Homa chuckled. "You do not say no to the queen in any matter. But if she asks you a question that cannot be answered with a nod of the head, you must respond—do not ignore her. To ignore the queen would be such a show of disrespect, the princess would surely pay the price tomorrow."

     "What do I do then?"

     "Avert your head and speak softly. A simple response is best, one or two words. Clear your throat often so she is reminded of what I will tell her, that you have a slight sickness. But most importantly, above any of these things, do not go near Vrine, the witch."

     "Is she really a witch? Does she really know magic?"

     "I do not know, but at the very least, she has a keen mind and sensibility and she will see through your disguise as clear as glass."

     "Yes, ma'am."

     "We have no more time. Your hair will have to do."

     "It's still damp," Betilly said.

     "It will dry on the dance floor. The dress, let's put her in it."

     Sienna stood up, taking off her clothes, left in only a one-piece slip. Celeste was dressed similarly, though she was now under her covers, snoring away obliviously, far happier than Sienna was about to be. The dress was pulled up and fastened in the back.

     "It's so loose on her," Betilly said. "We won't even have to pull the corset."

     "Poor girl hasn't had the privilege of our princess."

     "They will notice the weight difference," Betilly said.

     "They won't. Don't look for problems."

     "We'll have to stuff her bust. They'll notice that."

     "Yes, do that."

     Betilly stuffed two cloths down Sienna's bust, making her breasts bigger than they were. It embarrassed her.

     "She'll need heels too, just to add a couple of inches to her height," Betilly said.

     They put her in a pair of white shoes with tall arches at the heels, which were hard to stand on, let alone walk.

     "Oh, dear," Betilly said, holding up the earrings as she examined Sienna's ears. "She doesn't have her ears pierced."

     "Child, haven't you ever had your ears pierced?"

     Sienna shook her head.

     "Leave them off," Homa said. "Her hair will hide them anyway."

     Betilly began spotting Sienna's face with makeup as Homa finished with the dress. The lipstick was the worst. Just like last time, it tasted like wax.

     "Don't lick it," Betilly said.

     "I don't like how it feels."

     "Close your eyes," Betilly said as she applied eye shadow.

     "Why are you putting makeup on me if I'm wearing a mask?" Sienna asked.

     Betilly paused, and then she laughed. "You know, you're right. I'm just so used to doing it."

     Homa shook her head. "Child, you'll at least need lipstick."

     "Why?" Sienna asked.

     "In case the prince wants to kiss you."

     "What?" she said loudly. "I have to kiss him?"

     "Yes, if he wants to," Homa said. "But only allow him to tilt the mask up a bit so he cannot see your full face."

     "But, but, but I've never, never kissed a boy before."

     "Oh, dear me," Betilly said. "I do not know how this is ever going to work."

     "Quiet, Betilly. She needs confidence, not doubt. And, child, if this is your first kiss, could you ask for better than a prince?"

     "I guess not, ma'am."

     "Good girl," Homa said, brushing her hair again.

     "She really is lovely," Betilly said, straightening the front of her dress, fixing the fake breasts, draping a necklace around her neck that came to her collarbone.

     "She is," Homa agreed. "The crown tiara now."

     "Oh, dear me," Betilly said.

     Sienna felt something slip into her hair, scraping over her scalp. It was heavy on her head. Homa secured it in place with a hair barrette, and then they both stepped back, taking breaths.

     "Turn around, child," Homa said.

     Sienna did, looking at herself in the broken mirror, her eyes running from head to toe. She did not even recognize herself. She was not entirely sure someone else was not simply standing in front of her, wearing the same thing. The dress was beautiful. The bust line was all white, with long sleeves on the arms and an open area that showed off her chest, making a sharp V between her neck and breasts. The skirt was gold, wider than the bust too, stretching all the way down to her tall shoes.  A bright diamond was sitting on the end of her necklace. On her head was the silver and diamond tiara, sparkling as the candlelight caught it. Her makeup was lovely too, her lips pinker than normal. As Sienna stared at herself, she realized that the only part that was really hers was the golden hair falling down her shoulders, curly and going in all directions.

     "You are a vision of loveliness, child," Homa whispered.

     "You are, dear," Betilly said. "You're going to make some man very happy one day."

     Sienna blushed as she glanced at Betilly and Homa in the mirror. She had never thought she was pretty, let alone allowed herself to think she would be married off to a man who would be happy to be with her. She had assumed life would always be as it was, in her stable at the end of the barn, cleaning her uncle's tavern.

     "Thank you," Sienna whispered. "You both made me look so nice. I don't know what to say. I don't think I'll ever look this pretty again."

     "You will," Betilly said. "And when it's time for you to get married, you may call on me and I will be there."

     "We both will," Homa said. "We promise to leave Kathree at home."

     The three chuckled.

     "Are you ready for the mask?" Homa asked.

     Sienna took a deep breath. "Yes, ma'am."

     "There's a good girl."

Chapter Seven

The Prince and the Pauper

     Homa discreetly made her way through the edge of the ballroom, with music playing and couples dancing in perfect synchronization with each other. She fell to one knee at the foot of the throne. The queen gave her a nod and then Vrine stepped forward.

     "Is the princess ready?" Vrine asked.

     "Madam Vrine, may I speak for a moment?"

     "Come closer," Vrine said.

     She came in closer to Vrine, something she hated to do, whispering. "Her highness is ready to be announced, but I fear I must tell you she has been drinking. She is not quite herself, and her voice is failing her from a fit of screaming and a slight cold."

     "You allowed her to drink?" Vrine hissed angrily.

     "I beg the queen's forgiveness. What can a lady-in-waiting do against such a strong-willed mistress? I assure you, she will look lovely, and she will do her best to hide her discomposure."

     Homa backed away. Vrine pursed her lips and then leaned over the queen, whispering. The queen turned her angry eyes on Homa. Homa's head was bowed in apology.

     "Bring her," the queen said, her voice shaking with anger.

     "Immediately, your majesty," Homa whispered, disappearing.

     "Welcome the prince and then announce the princess," the queen said to Vrine.

     "Yes, your majesty," Vrine said.

     Vrine went over to the steward, whispering to him. The steward flagged over Wellington, who was waiting, and then he scurried away to get his prince. The steward bowed his head toward the queen. And then she stood up from her throne. Her stature immediately stopped the music. The dancing couples separated to open up the floor. The steward stepped forward, his chin high and his head back.