Proper Etiquette
"1820? What kind of cruel joke is this?" I ask as I stand up out of bed and run to the window as I pull the curtains back to reveal a landscape to nothing but rows of plants to what meets the eye as people hastily work, picking the precious crops. "This is not home" I say as I turn around to see my the older woman standing in front of me, taunting me.
"This is your home Daniella" she says as it finally sinks in, I'm dead. "You can leave now Doctor" she says as the docotor stand from the vainity chair, "But Mrs. Robets I fe-" he protest as she smiles, "No, now leave!" she orders as I hear the door close and I collapse on the floor of the red and blue rug that seemed familiar, but reminded me of my real mother.
My mother always found beauty in the most unexpected places and appreciated it. The best person I knew, the one person I wanted to see, more than anything.
"Daniella" I hear the woman call me name as I slump on the rug, "Get ready for the ball, I'll call the maid to help you" she says angrily as she stomps out of the room.
"Please, Let me wake up now" I beg out loud as I hear a knock on the door and dread opening it.
"Ms. Roberts, I'm here to help you get ready" I hear through the door as I stand back up and walk to the door as I open it to see a young women, younger than me standing at the door.
"Ms. Roberts, I'm sorry" she says as she flinches as she curtsies at my presence, "I'll dress you for the ball, right away" she says as she hastily walks in the room as I stay there, frozen in utter silence, pondering if this my new life or death.
"What is tonight?" I ask as the young woman laughs, "Oh, your serious" she says as she takes a huge ball gown out of a closet. "This is what you've been looking forward to for years my lady, Prince William summer ball" she says as I have absolutely no idea and can care less.
"What is that? A body?" I ask her jokingly as she drops the pile of a pink dress unfolds itself as I gasp, "No, no, no!!!" I beg her as she shrugs.
"You chose it after all Lady Daniella" she tells me as she turns me around and I take off what looked like a evening gown and only to see a corset, and a baggy jumper covering the rest of me, "Okay, this is not bad" I say as I step in the underskirt of the dress and the young girl throws the layer up top of the under skirt.
"You've fantasize about the prince, you can never stop talking about him Lady Daniella. But with all due respect your words are the most spoken truth to his appearance" she tells me as she puts on my corset and starts to tighten it as my lungs let out a scream. "The most handsome man in the whole state, can you imagine him having you on his arm" she swoons as she squeezes tighter and my breath is knocked violently from my throat as I gasp.
"That's.....nice?" I say as I have no other input as I seem to lack even the littlest bit of information about where I am and who I am.
"Now Daniella" I hear as I turn around as I see the angry woman leaning into the room as she wears angry frown, "I'll put on your powder" she says angrily as she yanks my wrist and sits me in front of a white vanity and starts to attack my face with what seems to be a makeup brush and I hold onto the chair to steady myself. "Done" she says as I look in the vanity to be suprised at what I see staring back at me.
I always lacked what I thought was the necessities a female was supposed to have. Nice lips, love of colorful clothing and the art of makeup. But looking in this mirror today, for the first time in years I didn't hate what I saw.
"Now we must hurry" the woman says as she grabs my arm and I don't ask where we're going until we approach a carriage and I pull back to a sudden stop as she stares at me, confused. "Who are you?" I ask as she laughs, clearly amused at my confusion.
"I'm your mother" she says as I start to think and can't find to pin down where this went wrong, where I went wrong to end up here. "Now get in the carriage" she says as she swats me in to the carriage as I jump in as see two other young girls I had never met.
"Why are we bringing her mother?" the blonde girl in the corner angrily ask as my "mother" trails behind me to take a seat in the carriage and the carriage takes off.
"Stop, get along for this once girls" the older women says as the blonde in the corner snickers with hate and starts to whisper to the younger blonde girl.
As I wake up to a abrupt stop and the ended sound of horses hooves, "Come Daniella" My "mother" calls as I nod and follow her outside of the carriage for my eyes to see the most gorgeous castle in the world.
"Follow me" she says as she takes my hand and leads me inside to see the beautiful ballroom made from marble and filled with silver platted cutlery.
"What a shame" I hear as nothing could possibly take this smile off my face from the amazing architecture, "What is?" I ask as I turn around to see the breathtaking blonde and suddenly my happiness is taken in a mere moment.
"That this is the princes ball that you've looked forward to for so long and you still look like that" she says pointing to my body up and down as I don't know what she means, I look the same, and reality kicks in. this is someone elses fairytale, because I look every bit the same and nothings changed. I'm still a nobody.
"Good luck getting the prince to look at you, I'll be coming home with a prince courting me" she mocks as she leaves me alone in the ballroom to be left alone with my self esteem and crushing thoughts as the words from her mouth still taunting me.
"He's coming" I hear as the ballroom quiets and only quiet whispers linger as horns are blown signifying the arrivial of somebody important. "Announcing Queen Natalia and King Vance" the knight announce as two pampered royals sit on their thrones, "Announcing Prince William Charles of Buroughs" as I look away in hope to save myself the pain of rejection.
As suddenly the music from the mix of soft and loud instruments began to play their lighthearted melodies again and I feel a cold hand on my arm once again. "We must introduce him to your sisters" my "mother" says as I smile and nod, hiding the pain of a total strangers words.
"Okay" I murmur as she pulls my arm and leads me to a line of girls swooning as they reach a foot closer to royalty and I sigh at the desperation filling the room. "We're close" The older blonde says, "Calm down Eliza" my "mother" warns her as she looks at me and her face falls at the sight of me
"What is she doing here?" Eliza ask as The line moves up and were next and I don't know what to expect, "Her lack of beauty and respect will get us thrown out for sure" she says as I break, like a dam holding back too much water.
"What's more likely to get us thrown out is your lack of self respect by your protruding cleavage and diving neck line" I blurt out as she stands there with her mouth open, "You may now see your majesty" the guard notifies us as we start to walk and I lean into Eliza, "Close your mouth, there's flies dear" I whisper as her face turn as red as a tomato.
As were lead to a bigger room and stopped as the knights announces the titles, "Introducing Duchess Agatha, Lady Eliza, Lady Mary and Lady Daniella" the knight announces as we walk in and I hide behind my "mother" and copy her posture as she curtsies and I fall behind her as she starts talking.
"Hello my King and Queen"she says as she walks up to them and they smile at her, "I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, Daniel was a great man" the Queen says as the older woman's eyes become glassy as she nods and brings her head down, looking towards the floor.
"It's okay" I say as I put my hand on her shoulder as she pulls her head from the ground and throws on a smile, "These are my daughters, Eliza and Mary" she announces as they both wear smug smirks on their faces as my "mother" starts to look around for me as Eliza and Mary push me up to the front of the the king and queens pews.
"And this is.......Daniella. I named her after Daniel, she reminds me of him everyday" she says as I stand up off my knees and feel eyes fall on me, doing nothing but judging me to my core. "THIS IS THE ONE" I hear as I look up to see a face I never thought I'd see again, "This is the one I'll court" he says excitingly as I'm suprised, "Nathaniel?"