"She has a bit of an attitude at times," Bechmen admitted. "My wife is breaking such habits."
Etta smiled. "I've always liked your wife," she noted proudly. "Girls," Etta called to the other women. "Find our seamstress. We need to have her measured while she is here—“ she turned back to the Noble. "You will be staying overnight, yes?"
"Yes, my Lady."
"Good," Etta said. "I need a full rundown of her measurements, and she'll need to be groomed."
"My wife has had her groomed once," Bechmen told her.
Etta's smile widened. "Perhaps we will hold off on it then until closer to his arrival."
"And when will our Prince be joining us, my Lady?"
This time Etta met Nyssa's eyes. "He is due the first day of the Black," she replied.
Nyssa squinted at the use of the word.The Black...
Bechmen stiffened. "That is just two weeks from now," he stammered.
Her stomach caved. The Black...The Dead Moons.
The Dead Moons of Spring would rise in two weeks.
Nyssa's knees nearly buckled.
"It is," Etta said. "Let us hope there is not much more needing correction on your gift," she said as she turned and motioned for them to follow.
Bechmen's hand on her back was the only thing that forced her feet to move.
Nyssa was separated from Bechmen and taken to a room that made her heart hurt. One of the finished bedrooms, grander than her own had been at Magnice. The washroom and closet areas were separated through a door from the bedroom. She was stripped in front of a beautiful three-way mirror, and it was the first Nyssa had seen of her body since the Umber.
She didn't recognize herself, and it hurt so much that she had to focus her eyes on a singular spot on the wall while Etta looked her over. She made comments to her maids, having them write down things she saw wrong, but the list was short, and soon the seamstress joined them. Her measurements were taken while a slew of servants brought in different fabrics to hold against her skin for color. Etta decided on her favorites and had the rest of them turned away.
Nyssa counted her breaths throughout the entire ordeal.
A ready-made dress was brought into the room towards the end, and Nyssa realized why Shae had been so adamant about her losing weight. The thing was tiny. A white linen dress, A-line with flared sleeves that reached the ground. Lace panels on the sides. High scoop neck. Nyssa was placed into the dress, and then her hair was pinned up in sections, apparent that they were attempting to curl it. Nyssa didn't have the strength to tell them it was no use.
As they left her hair to dry, Etta announced they needed to get to the kitchens to finish setting up for dinner since they were having guests. And as every person trickled out of the room, Nyssa felt herself breaking second by second.
The door clicked with a lock behind it.
She finally truly looked at herself in the mirror again. Back in a beautiful dress and surrounded by a kingdom. The familiarity of the gold and the posh decor. Servants around her once more. Clean water. A hairbrush. No shackle on her ankle.
And yet, as trapped as she was at Magnice.
Nyssa wailed with the sob that evacuated her, and she fell to her knees.
Everything about being back there brought memories of her home that seemed so far away, almost as a dream. Every day, the memory of her sister felt more like a past life instead of a memory of weeks before. As though it hadn't been just weeks since her death. As though it had been a lifetime ago. She half expected her to barge in the doors, stand behind her and tell her how beautiful she looked, or for Dorian to bounce in and tease her as he slouched in the chair, tossing his knife up and down. Telling her of his plans for the evening after the banquet.
Even standing in that room made her think of Nadir and the nights they'd shared at Magnice.
She wondered if she would ever feel such happiness again.
She still wanted to go through with her escape plan, but as she sat on her knees, she realized that eventually, she would be forced to succumb to all this. That when they did come back to negotiate, she would have to put herself back in this same place.
To join their lands together.
That the only way she could protect everyone she loved was to barter herself into a trading deal. To find a way for them all to work together to build a better land instead of waging war against one another. Their people needed food, and Haerland had it. They had things they could help each other with.
