“Can I at least take my boots and jacket with me? Even better, can I bring along all my clothes from my past life?”
Rill’s pale blue eyes flared wide, then nearly bulged out of her head. “Ye canna wear them, my lady. Not at the palace. It would not bode well for His Highness if ye did so.”
“I know I don’t need to wear them, but can I at least take them and have them with me? Kind of like a security blanket?”
“Shall we make her ladyship a blanket?” asked the seamstress with the sparkling pink wings, the one called Lorilin. “We dinna wish her to catch a chill.”
“No, thank you,” Lexi nodded at the seamstress before Lorilin flitted away, then turned back to Rill. “It’s a figure of speech. Sometimes, small children get attached to things that bring them comfort. Like really soft blankets or a small stuffed animal.”
Rill’s brows arched even higher, disappearing behind the fringe of her silvery white bangs. “Astuffedanimal?”
“A toy. An animal made of cloth, made to look like a bear or a tiger or something. Children like hugging those things when they feel worried.” And Lexi was definitely worried about this upcoming meeting. While she harbored no doubts about her worth, she didn’t relish the idea of having to prove herself to Jeros’s parents and their courtiers, to the entire Fae kingdom, as a matter of fact. Jeros had told her that whatever the Court accepted, the rest of the Realm followed.
The maid relaxed, finally understanding. “Aye, my lady. I shall see that yer wee boots and jacket come with us.”
“And the rest of my things,” Lexi added.
“Aye, my lady. All yer things from yer origins shall be packed.”
“Stand straighter, my lady,” the modiste gently but firmly admonished. “The measurements for yer presentation gown must be perfection itself.”
There was that word again.Perfection.Lexi straightened her spine. “Can I lower my arms now?”
“Aye, my lady,” said another of the seamstresses around a mouthful of pins. This one had lavender wings and had been introduced as Kelmila.
The seamstress with the bright fuchsia wings, the one called Phina, whizzed by with the speed of a hummingbird. “Chin up, my lady. I must measure yer head for yer tiara, headpieces, and veils. The jewelers grow anxious.”
Unable to maintain a calm façade, Lexi lifted her chin and fixed a worried scowl on her clothes from her past. Her jeans, cotton tee, and button-up denim shirt were draped over a chair beside her red boots and jacket. She wished she could wear those for her presentation, because those clothes helped her feel a lot braver than she felt right now.
“My lady?” Rill hovered closer, wringing her hands. “Would tea help? Or more of yer coffee?”
“I don’t even think a horse tranquilizer would help,” Lexi muttered.
“Beg pardon, my lady?”
Lexi forced herself to stand tall but refused to fake a smile. “Nothing will help, Rill. Just tell me again how this will go down when Jeros and I arrive, and remind me of what I am supposed to do.”
“Since His Highness will spell us there, we shall arrive in his private royal suite. Nothing out of the ordinary will be expected of ye there, since only servants will be present to see that we have everything we need.” As Rill talked, she paced back and forth around the cluster of seamstresses and modiste as they worked with Lexi on the pedestal. “When ye are presented, we shall adorn ye in yer verra best gown and jewels, and His Highness shall escort ye into the royal receiving hall to meet the king and queen. The courtiers will be there as well, lining the aisle ye must walk down with the prince. Keep yer head up, walk with all the grace ye possess, and a smile would not go amiss. Once ye reach them, ye must curtsy low and not rise until His Highness straightens from his bow to his parents.”
“And then what?”
Rill made a face as if what she was about to say tasted terrible.
“Rill?” Lexi prompted. “Honest answer. Then what?”
“Then His Majesty and the queen will speak to ye. Possibly ask questions or…”
“Or?”
The maid shook her head. “I dinna ken, my lady. The king and queen are quite unpredictable.”
Lexi turned to Madame Rosila. “I want my presentation gown to match Aylryd since he will walk down the aisle with me.”
The modiste pursed her thin lips, then fluttered back with her dark purple wings, looking as though she smelled a stink. “The Fae tiger will accompany ye during yer presentation? Are ye quite certain, my lady?”
“I am drop-dead positive. Aylryd is my friend, and I get the distinct impression that I am going to need every ally I can find. I wish Pegasus could come with me.” Lexi popped every one of her knuckles, then twisted and popped her back. She tended to pop her fingers when overly anxious. The way things were going, she needed to pop every joint in her body.
“My lady!” Rill flew closer, waving both hands. “Dinna harm yerself. What can I fetch ye to bring ye some ease?”
