Festival Preparations

[Desperanza]

Abigail, second in line princess, raven haired and wild eyed sat upon the carved wooden chair, created by only the most skilled craftsman in town. At the moment, however, she was perched there as she carefully began to select what sorts of jewelry would adorn her head, finders, and neck for the festival that night. Typically, she would be dogging her mother, studying as hard as she could so that one day perhaps, she could have a stab at being queen and she would be able to rule with the hand of her mother, unable to see that she herself as well as her mother were not highly desired royals as it was and she was soured by the fact that often, it was quite clear that the people were thrilled at the prospect that Alexa would be queen. She huffed at the thought and straightened further in her chair, glancing across to her bed of soft linens which was made and had the dress that had been selected for her settled onto the bed. The silks were of rich crimson and white, gold accent as usual. There was a white corset laid to match and at the foot of the bed sat a pair of white, slightly heeled slip on shoes that would match her outfit. She grinned at the sight and lifted her head higher.

As she gazed into the mirror, her hair laid wet along her back, dressed in a simple white dress with nothing constricting her form at the moment as she awaited the moment that the servants would return to her room to settle the dress upon her frame and while the dress had been selected for her, she all of a sudden felt unsure. She had layers of rubies laid out across the stand table before herself, they would match her outfit, especially the ones that were set in gold. She grinned, it was a rather nice outfit selection and it would indeed fit the theme of the festival. Sighing, she stood, growing unsettled. She paced out to her balcony but she only lingered there for a moment for the white gown that hung down to her ankles covered her bare body beneath and just the right shed of sunlight could possibly appeal her body to any guard below that was watching, something she certainly did not want. But the fact was that she stood there for only a mere moment, gazing skyward. She was judging the time of day. She still had a few hours before the festival would begin.

Curses, the dragon and that damned fairy were still perched outside in the courtyard. She turned away sharply and darted back inside, smoothing a hand across the white gown as her slippers whisked across the floor, made from lamb skin. She sighed, racing to the door as she tugged it open and leaped out into the hall, nearly running smack into a servant that stood out in the hall. She paused, huffing, "You there, run there and smooth out the folds of my gown, immediately! It still has too many folds. What is the matter with you?" she demanded with a roll of her eyes, impatient. As the servant silently hurried into the room, Abbie continued down the stairs, "Mother? Mother!" she called sharply as she descended the stairs swiftly, pausing in the entrance hall which branched off intricately and led into other rooms of the castle, including the throne room. She turned her head as the front doors opened slightly and one of the head guards stepped through, his breath catching at the sight of the princess in such vulnerable attire, her body rather too exposed to be seen by anyone outside of her family. She paused, seeming rather unphased by the guard's seeking gaze as she snapped her fingers sharply, "What are you looking at? Avert your eyes!" she peeled, her tone sharp and cutting as she demanded of the guard who scuttled off swiftly and she turned and darted towards the throne room instead, "Mother!" she demanded once again as she peered around the doorway, impatient to find the Queen.

[Deidra]

At the sound of her daughters raised voice calling her, Liliandil looked up from where she sat in the throne room. "I'm in here dear" she called to her middle daughter. she loved all three of her daughters and did everything she could to keep them under her protection. In her view, they were safest when not associating with the outside world. Liliandil is a woman who expects others to do as she bids them and, even though she is overbearingly protective of the three princesses, she expects the same from them as well.

[Desperanza]

Abbie's head turned, gazing towards the throne room before she grinned, darting forward to the doorway of the room before she paused, gazing in at the Queen who sat perched upon the throne as she called back to her daughter. Abbie smiled and smoothed the white cotton over her form, trying to look regal despite the thin and slight dress that she wore, her black hair a curtain at her back as she strode forward, gazing over the Queen for a brief moment as she strode forward and paused, rather imagining herself there one day, fantastic robes and silks wrapped around her form with a crown that belonged to her and the whole kingdom held between her hands. She sighed, the image running blank as flashes of Alexa filled her mind. Her darned sister was in the way, there went her dreams. She frowned, folding her arms across her chest as she gazed upwards towards her mother now, "Mother, I need you to come and inspect my dress for the festival tonight. I must know what colors you will be wearing so that I know that I am wearing the correct colors and I need a servant as soon as possible to deliver me the freshest roses in the kingdom for if I wear red tonight I will expect to have those woven into my hair this time. For some reason those inconsiderate peasants don't seem to be easily accessible at the moment." she was flustered, irritated. She wanted only the best and she wanted to look the best, be the best. So of course it was required that she wear the best floral choice in the kingdom, no doubt there would be any way to beat roses, red roses. That was, until she would find her dazzling and glittering older sister when she returned and dressed for the festival but for now, she believed that she would be number one. She would be the moset dazzling with dashing maroon and white, accented with gold. They were not necesarily the colors of the kingdom, but she didn't care. The kingdom colors seemed to be created with Alexa in mind, blues, purples, and golds. She sighed, rolling her eyes. Sure, her eyes were purple but that didn't mean that she had to wear it. She refused to be a clone, a lesser of her older sister. Lifting her chin rather defiantly, she motioned to the hall and offered a bitter sweet tone, "Mother, escort me to my room and inspect my dress." this time it was not an implication, it was a simple demand. She would have her dress inspected by the Queen herself and there would be nothing less then perfection for the picky middle Princess on this night whom was determined to win herself over a husband, if she found one that met her standards. She imagined a handsome fellow with work laden hands or a wealthy family. Her brow rose before falling once again and she shrugged the thought away as she glanced back to her mother, offering one last curt nod before she turned and made her way back towards the hall once again, the only thing that fell from her mouth this time was a brief snap at yet another guard that eyed her as she passed and began to ascend the stairs towards her room once again.

[Deidra]

As her daughter sauntered in, Liliandil spied a familiar look upon the middle princesses face, one that she too had once bore. She smiled slightly to herself at the things she kept seeing that her daughter and she had in common. She had wanted the throne more for what it could give her, than what she could give to her people, and she saw this same look upon Abbie's face now.
As Abbie came upon her she soon could have guessed her reasons for her calling, but allowed her daughter to address her. As she went on about the gown and what she was demanding she must wear with it Liliandil once again cracked the tiniest of smiles. She was ruthless and saw this potential within Abbie but most of it was that Abbie just wished to best her elder sister at least one time. When Abbie demanded again that she follow her up to inspect her dress for the festival, Liliandil raised her eyebrows slightly and hmphed. She did not enjoy being demanded to do something, that was normally her job working the castle, but followed her middle daughter none-te-less up to her chambers to inspect the dress as she so adamantly wanted to be done.

[Desperanza]

Abbie smiled, satisfied. She made her way from the throne room chamber and ascended the steps upwards towards her own room once again. As she pushed the wooden door open, the door creaking slightly as it swung inward she noted to have a servant sent to town as soon as possible to fetch the craftsman once more to repair the door. The castle was always to be kept within the best of conditions.

Stepping forward into her room, Abbie waved away the servant with an impatient roll of her eyes as she strode forward and lowered her gaze to the dress to gaze across the surface of the crimson and white dress, the edges laced with gold. She huffed, straightening as she glanced back towards her mother once again with a curt nod, "This is it. It is so simple, mother and yet I am not sure that it is right. What colors are you wearing?" she demanded of the queen as she sent a glance back to her mother whom was greying and aging a bit, now able to be noticed. She turned from the bed with a flustered toss of her hands as she paced the room for a moment, pausing only to inspect the gems at the table before turning back to her mother once again, flustered, "Where are my roses! I must have the roses that I ordered or I can not wear this!" she tossed her hand at the dress and frowned, pouting. Folding her arms across her chest, she sighed, "Please mother, I need some help. It is the festival tonight and I rather more or less would like to find a husband-" she paused, a sudden thought occuring to her. What if she did happen to find a rather suitable suiter? What if she got married before Alexa did? She grinned. Perhaps she would not be the next queen however, she could indeed beat Alexa to the game of the next line of royals. She could have children, lots of them to flood the castle. Then let's see Alexa beat her. "On second thought mother, I do think that this will be fine." she stated with a simple nod as she lifted the dress to her chest, the white gown billowing in the wind and she held her breath for a moment as she smoothed a hand across the gown before she motioned towards the door, "I will need some help in getting my gown on mother, send for a servant please." she setated simply with a matter of fact tone, "On second thought, get two. I will need one to help me get dressed and one to work on my hair and gems. When will we be officialy arriving?" she inquired of the festival, casting a glance towards her window before she turned to look up at her mother once again.

[cassie]

King Crevan looked up from his desk in the lavish study, hearing his middle daughter raising a stir again, what could she possibly be angry about on a fine day as this. "Come Mi'Sheri" He said and the little fox jumped down and followed him outside the study. "Mother!" Abbie yelled indignantly down the hall. Crevan gave a huff and slowly strolled down the hall, catching a site of his daughter in a thin shift the king turned and ordered his guards around, to stop them from staring. He grumbled "Silly child. She must know she cant parade around in nothing in a shift anymore!" The king rolled his eyes and gave a small grin at the memory of his young girls running around the castle. He ran his hands through his hair. One of his daughters would not be at the festival to his knowledge. Tryphena, the princess that the King Crevan is most fond of. Crevan worried, he hated not knowing more about his daughters.Tryphena was gone and hurt, and the king hasnt heard hi nor hair from her. But pushing that thought away Crevan turned around and continued on his way to his middle daughters room. Crevan waited a few moments listening to Abbie demanding things from the queen, the QUEEN. Crevan chuckled. Standing at the door Crevan gave a small knock on the door and a light hmped "How are you ladies fairing?" Crevan walked in and walking to his wife he gave he a small peck on the cheek and looked warily at the Queens dog, making sure his fox got no where near the dog. Crevan picked up 'Sheri and looked at his daughter he said "Abbie you may want to count the orders you give your mother, she being as high temptered at you." He gave his daughter a wide grin, calming Abbies frizzeled nerves slightly.

[Desperanza]

Abbie took a quick breath, straightening as she glanced towards her auburn haired father, grinning slightly with a roll of her eyes as she turned from the mirror to glance towards him now with a huff as she skittered forward, dropping down as she crouched for a moment to whisk her fingers along the back of the small form of the fox at his side, his companion and no doubt would remain long after his daughters had left the castle, save for Alexa who would always remain, the next Queen in line. She straightened again with a sigh and smiled slightly at her father as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him briefly before she straightened once more as a pair of maids whisked into the room, silent as ever as they moved about, pulling the princess behind her dressing screen, "Oh, father." she muttered with a chuckle, rolling her eyes at his words as she huffed and held her breath, the corset tugged and tied into place before they began to lower her dress and skirts down over her frame and she once again released her breath and held her hands at her sides to allow them to tighten the dress, admiring the folds of cloth and silk as they fell into place against her form, "Mother adores her little girl, certainly she could not deny me the simple things that I ask for." she stated as if it were a fact, straightening and lifting her right foot as the made to her right slid one shoe over her foot and then the left. Sighing, she impatiently and rather sharply pushed her mass of raven hair back along her back before turning to push past the maids to the sitting mirror, dropping rather promptly into the chair. She was the princess who had studied that hardest and perfected her royal walk and charm but when she was flustered and irritated, she rather flounced around like she had rocks in the base of her stomach. She smoothed her skirts impatiently and practically tossed the brush at the blonde haired maid who squeaked, ducked and nervously scooped up the brush to begin running it through her raven tresses with a shaking smile while the brunette haired young woman began to work the roses into the ribbons that would be weaved into Princess Abigail's hair, "Father, I do not want to be outshined by my own sister this year. She does not study hard enough. For that matter, I caught her sneaking out of the castle the other day, I don't think that she should be allowed to go at all." she muttered, rather unsure where Alexa had been going the other day as Abigail was not aware of the trips that the eldest princess took out at night but none the less if she got what she wanted and Alexa was stuck in the castle during the night of the festival, it would make things considerably easier for Abbie and for once, she could outshine even her own elder sister. She grinned at the thought and her ebony lashes fluttered down over lilac eyes with a rather more patient sigh now at the thought awaiting her father's response now.