The Second Queen

Chapter 6

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Isabella Victoria

I walk out of the pool, my robe sticking to my skin. Theodosia hands me a new, dry robe. I quickly slip it on letting the wet robe fall to the floor. Eliza gestures for me to sit on the chair in front of her. I sit and watch Theodosia wring out the wet robe and then run off into the dressing chamber with the old robe. Eliza grabs a brush from the small side table next to her and begins to get all of the snarls out of my hair. Every so often Anna hands Eliza a towel and she wrings the water from my hair. Theodosia rushes out of the dressing chamber and the bathing chamber, into the bedroom, and disappears to the left. The firm, steady hand brushing my hair works efficiently. Detangling my hair and drying it as much as possible before pulling it up into a neat bun on the base of my neck.

Theodosia rushes back into the room, Anna following her. They both carry mountains of clothing, boxes of jewelry and a hatbox. They enter the dressing room and begin to hang everything up or set it on the shelf. I walk into the dressing room. Eliza closely following me. Anna hands me undergarment and tells me to get dressed. I quickly get dressed and then hand her the robe. Theodosia tells me to step into a chemise, she pulls it over and then has me step into a hooped petticoat, with the soft hoop frame hidden under the puffiness, then she pulls it over my body. Then Theodosia wraps my corset around me and begins to tighten the laces. When she is finished, Theodoisa and Anna begin to pull the dark purple gown they chose over my body. When it's fully over my body they begin to button the 33 small buttons running down my back. Then she takes a pearl necklace and clasps it around my neck.

When they are finished Eliza wraps a towel over my shoulders and unbinds my hair from its bun. Then she grabs the hairbrush from her pocket and quickly brushes my hair again. Then she takes the bottom half of my hair and ties up into a bun. Then she pins it in place with cut obsidian and pearl hairpins. When she finishes pinning the bun into place she creates fifteen small braids out of the top half of my hair. Then, she takes the fifteen braids and artfully layers them over the bun, pinning them into place with the same hairpins. A knock sounds at the door. Anna leaves the dressing chamber to answer the door. Eliza scolds me for a moment for turning my head and continues adding obsidian and pearl hairpins to my hair. Anna walks back into the room. "Finish up Eliza. The footman is here to take Isabella to the first dinner with the king and the other contestants."

"I'm almost done Anna. Can you hand me the circlet on the table with the cut black obsidian gemstones dripping down onto the forehead."

Anna picks the circlet up off the table and hands it to Eliza. Eliza holds it gently in her hands, she steadily places it onto my head. Then she takes the hairpins from her apron pocket and begins to pin the circlet to my hair. When she is finished she adjusts the black obsidian gems. "I am finished, my lady."

"Thank you Eliza."

I stand up, smooth my dark purple dress down and leave the dressing chamber, the bathing chamber, and my bedroom. When I reach the door I take a deep breath and open it. Brodie stands on the other side. I walk over the threshold and follow him down the hall. We walk through the hall of windows. I look out the windows and see the stars hanging from the sky above the castle.

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When we reach the dinner hall, two palace guards open the large double doors. I walk through the doorway and see many contestants, lords, ministers, and servants gathering in the open space. King Edward is nowhere to be seen. "Where is the king?"

"I've been waiting here since six o'clock."

"He's not late."

"What on Earth do you mean?"