Alliar

I was invisible it would seem. An out of favour mistress to a King who didn't know the basics of life at court. I was simple in their eyes. But it did have its advantages.

The King's ball was beginning in only a few hours. Guests had been arriving over the past few days. Noble's from the West, a Prince from the King's Isle, and so many golden chains and glistening jewels that I could no longer hold my gaze any higher than the floor without receiving a harsh ray of sun glare. I hadn't been particularly interested in the festivities of the night, or any of the guests arriving as I did not plan in attending the feast. That is, until I discovered a Noble from Leece was attending.

Now, my plans for the night were that of a plot.

I dipped my well-used quill into the ink and began to write on my parchment: 'The eagle will swore and the lion will roar, together at the base of a mountain where the earth shall crumble like a scattering pack of hounds.'

According to everyone in the North, I was practicing my skill at poetry as all young high born women should. But what I was really doing was sending information to my uncle. He had sent an adviser to the castle to 'keep on good terms' as he called it, during the Kings birthday feast. This created the perfect opportunity for me to start hinting to my uncle about the plans to march towards the East.

I will admit it's not my best work. I would preferred to say 'The Griffin shall meet the Hounds at the base of the eastern mountains', but this would probably be too easily deciphered. My little poem isn't much better, but I wasn't counting on anyone seeing it.

A firm knock on my door sounded and I quickly rushed to dry the ink, blowing over the paper.

"little Miss?" Henrietta called from behind the door.

"Just a second!" I called to her and quickly started rolling the paper up into a small roll and slipping it into my hair, concealed and held in place by a simple white ribbon. Once it was securely in place, I cleared my throat. "Come in."

The door opened not a second later and Henrietta entered the room with a trail of fabric behind her. She payed my delay no mind, quickly getting to work making alterations to a grown I was to wear tonight.

"I look like a fruit tree!" I screamed as I examined my semi-finished gown. It was green with patches of orange along the skirt.

"Do you think so?" Henrietta took a brief step back to admire her handy work. "It, well..." she trails off. She was a very poor seamstress.

There was a firm knock on the door. I gave Henrietta a brief pout before answering. "You may enter."

The door opened with a burst of energy and the Princess entered in a quick, rambled sentence. "I heard you changed your mind about coming to the feast, how wonderful. Now I thought that I might - " Her words died as soon as she got a good look at my dress. Her mouth hung open in a gap as her hand hovered dramatically over her heart. "Oh dear," she exclaimed in her shock. "No, no, this will not do at all, you look like an orange tree in the peak of spring."

I turned my attention back to Henrietta who was paused at the hem of the dress with a needle between her teeth and a shammed expression on her face. "I didn't have much time to prepare." Her voice was little.

"Not to worry dear," Ashiar waved a hand as her eyes quickly darted over my figure. "I'll have a dress bought to you. One perhaps more befitting your station."

For some odd reason, the critical spark in her eyes and her choice of wording scared me a little. What exactly did a dress that said 'Kings out of favour mistress' look like? I shuddered a little at the ideas.

---

The sun set quickly this time of year. A light snow started to fall, the little snowflakes melting in the fires that lit the great hall as the festivities began. I was late. My face was painted perfectly, darker around my eyes to make my grey-blue eyes brighter and more alluring, and my lips painted a soft red. I looked seductive – which I'm guessing was the point. My hair was left natural, falling down the length of my back with little ringlets forming at the edges.

I gave my reflection one last look in the mirror before standing up and walking over to the dress. Henrietta had bought it up from Ashiar's seamstress only moments ago. Truthfully, I was regretting my decision to attend.

The dress was beautiful, there was no denying it. But I knew there would be extreme consequences for the dress if the King had anything to say about it. The dress itself was a vibrant blue silk that had a dipping neckline settling a few inches under my breasts, sleeveless, with a slit in the leg. But of course, I would never be allowed to leave my room dressed like that, so a second dress was to be worn over the top. Pure navy lace. The neckline of the lace dress settled at a more appropriate height, covering my cleavage line, my arms, and of course the rest of the blue silk dress underneath. Beautiful, but deadly to my pride.

I was not going to go unnoticed, that was for sure. But maybe that was Ashair's intention?

Biting down my pride once more, I stepped into the dress and with Henrietta's help, it was fastened to me like a second skin. I stepped into the view of mirror and tilted my chin up. I am a princess, I am superior to everyone in that ball room. I coach myself into feeling superior – anything but the empty feeling in my stomach. I was not dressed like a Harlot. I looked so beautiful that even Sister Clairea would approve – even I couldn't believe that one.

I laughed a little thinking about my old tutor. Gods, if she could see me now she'd have a heart attack.

"What's so funny?" Henrietta asked me in a low, mousey voice. Fear laced her words. I knew she was scared about the consequences of this attire, but it was too late to back down now.

"Just a memory." I took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Grabbing the back of my dress, Henrietta assisted me towards the main hall before we were met with the large double doors and a pair of guards.

"Good luck." She smiled at me and retreated into the shadows. I said a small prayer – something I hadn't done in a very long time – and nodded towards the guards, telling them I was ready.

The guards nodded a greeting as they opened the double doors into the main hall. The music was playing in the background, soft and light, while people chatted amongst themselves before the first course meal – a pumpkin soup that I'm sure Jonathan will love – was to be bought out. Many turned their glance at the door for only a moment, while others openly gaped at my dress. Walking out towards the crowd, I paused by the group of girls here to win the King's affection, glamour and dressed, in their finest clothing and jewels in an attempt to catch the Kings eye.

I fluttered my eyelashes and gave them a small curtsey to be polite whilst trying to hide my smirk. Continuing through the crowd, I quickly spotted Ashiar in a red dressed with golden laced trimmings and embodied patterns on the bodice. Her tiara sitting on her head.

Fanning out my dress, I curtsied low. "Beautiful taste in gowns your highness."

She smiled wickedly and glanced down at her handy work. "Yes I thought so."

"I would have chosen something a little more conservative myself, but no one can deny its beauty."

She laughed. "I dare say they can't. Everyone's eyes are you."

Looking around the room quickly, I surveyed their gazes. It was true, I was getting far more looks than usual and there was many gossiping as they looked over at my dress and then back to their conversations. Prince Dillion sat in his chair on the throne podium, his eyes full of surprise as he hand was paused in the motion of drinking. The King stood in front of him, talking quietly with his back to me. I dreaded the moment he turned around.

"Though," I turned my attention back to the Princess as she began again. "I sense you are used to the attention."

I was suddenly very aware of Ashiar's ability to interrogate and observe you so discretely, you had no idea what she was up too. "Not quite like that." I chose my words carefully.

"You're a beautiful girl, it seems only fitting." She was fishing.

I took a deep breath and faced the ground. "Forgive me your highness, but why the dress?" It was bold question but I wasn't naïve enough to think Ashiar didn't have a motive. She was up to something and I had to be very careful.

To my surprise, she only smiled. "You're a mistress out of favour, which is a very dangerous concept my dear. This dress ensures those girls," she gestured towards the flock of young girls glaring openly at me. "know you are not to be underestimated in anyway, and it also makes it impossible for the King to ignore you."

"I don't think a dress will change how he feels about me." I looked at her plainly. He was rather mad the last time I had seen him during my attempts at seduction, and I knew this dress was only going to make things worse in that area.

"No," she dragged out the word as if it were obvious. "But it will change how other people feel about you. I'm sure you've already worked out he is a possessive man."

I scoffed – very un-lady like of me.

"He won't like everyone staring at you the way they are now, and when he intervenes or interrupts a dance, it will prove to the rest of the court that you are not as out of favour as everyone thought."

My lips parted slightly. I was shocked. The innocent Princess Ashiar appeared to be a dutiful wife to a prince, far too nice to even hurt the ants crawling over her boot. But yet here she is, proving she knew how to play this game and she knew how to play it well.

Ashiar raised her eye brows and gave me a meaningful look before she retreated into the crowd. I understood the look well enough.

Ashair had given me a weapon. Now it was my turn to prove, I knew how to play this game too.

But what she didn't know was that I was born to play amongst the thrones, to toil with crowns and to stand above the rest with my head held high. I would not lose.

Plastering a smile on my face, I greeted the nearest noblemen and asked them to dance.

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And I'm back to regular updates! Friday is the day!

So what do you John will do about Alliar's new dress??

Please vote and comment.