NIGHTS OF HALLOW

Theresa after speaking signaled to Emily and Maria to take the dress from the bed and help the green-eyed lady dress up.

Emily and Maria with their heads bowed walked to the bed and first took the undergarments and walked to where Perdita stood with a gobsmacked expression.

Emily spoke, ”My Lady, please go behind the divider and wear these so we can proceed to help you wear the dress.”

Perdita finally snapped out of her reverie and averted her gaze from the dress that was on the bed. She turned to look at the maids as if they have gone mad. She quizzed,

”Who did you say is wearing t...that dress?!”

Theresa gritted her teeth in suppressed anger. She asked with rage boiling within her, ”Don’t you like the dress?”

”No!” Perdita was quick to answer with a bewildered look. What were these maids thinking about bringing such a dress for her? The dress was no less than one worn by wealthy women of high society.

For crying out loud, she was just a village woman who was a guest in the castle. Why treat her like a princess that would surely get her in trouble? She had already stayed and used things in the castle and now this dress?

The maids misunderstood the reason behind Perdita’s rejection of the dress. They thought Perdita was among the high-class women who were hard to please, and she was being arrogant and choosy over the dress they brought.

The blue dress was one of the most beautiful and costliest dresses kept in the castle for guests who might have passed the night in the castle and needed something to change into.

They couldn’t understand why the green-eyed Lady was rejecting such a beautiful dress since they had specially picked it for her since she seemed to be close to the king. What they didn’t expect to happen was the Lady rejecting it.

Was her taste higher than this or was she trying to give them a hard time? The maids questioned in their heads.

Theresa exhaled deeply, trying to keep calm and control her boiling rage. She said, ”This is one of the best, if not the best dress, we have found and brought for you. If you don’t like it, could you tell us what you want then?”

The best dress in the castle?! Perdita screamed in her mind. Now she was sure these people wanted her dead. How could they bring the best dress in the castle for her if not that they were planning to use it and accuse her of stealing it?! Where was Sthena by the way? Does he know about this?

Perdita stayed quiet for a while calculating in her head what to request. If only she could wear her former dress, but she couldn’t because it was dirty.

Opening her pursed lips, she finally spoke to the surprise of the maids, ”I just want a simple dress.”

Emily and Maria exchanged a quick glance with each other. Even Theresa was more than surprised to hear this request of Perdita, so she skeptically questioned, ”You want a simple dress?”

”Yes,” Perdita affirmed and crossed her hand across her chest.

”O...okay,” Theresa replied in a stutter. This was the first time a guest requested a simple dress. She hoped this was not one of the tactics the Lady to get them into trouble.

With a wave of the hand from Theresa, Emily, and Maria understood what she meant and left the room.

The maids had left to bring a trolley of dresses for Perdita to choose from since they didn’t know what her taste would be.

On their way back, they received lots of curious gazes which included that of Princess Sarah.

Princess Sarah stopped them and questioned, ”What’s the occasion? Where are you two taking that to?”

Emily and Maria bowed their heads deeply at the Princess.

”It is for His Majesty’s woman to choose from,” Maria was the one to answer.

Princess Sarah’s eyes widened before they narrowed at the maids, ”What do you mean, His Majesty’s woman?”

To this, Maria answered, ”The woman in his chambers. Please, Your Highness, if you may excuse us, we are in haste as the King gave us time to finish dressing the Lady.”

Seeing the anxiousness in the way the maid spoke, Princess Sarah knew she was not lying so she shifted to the side to allow the maids to continue on their way.

When Emily and Maria left, Princess Sarah stood in the same position the maids had left her with confusion written all over her face.

The King’s woman? She questioned herself. When did her brother bring a woman to the castle and she was in his chambers too? If the maid had not mentioned the Lady was in the king’s chamber, she wouldn’t have believed her because no one had ever gone there without his permission and also, she couldn’t remember the king ever taking any woman to his chamber.

Princess Sarah shook her head feeling like history just changed today in the castle. Gone was the suspicion in Princess Sarah’s eyes which was now replaced by curiosity.

Who was the Lady to change the history of her brother’s order of ’no one enters my chamber’? She couldn’t wait to see who it was. And immediately, Sarah rushed to look for her mother and inform her of a possible future queen they would be having. She was already excited about the whole thing.

Emily and Maria pushed the trolley into the room of the king where Perdita stood with her hand crossed across her chest with only the white towel covering her nakedness.

”Here are the dresses, My Lady. Please choose from it the one that suits your taste.” Emily spoke and stepped aside with Maria.

Perdita nodded and walked towards the trolley and when she stood in front of it and touched the first dress, she almost screamed out loud.

What was wrong with these maids for following what someone told them? She asked for a simple dress, yet they brought more expensive dresses?! She couldn’t wear these!

”Are these all the dresses available?” Perdita questioned. Her brows furrowed and her forehead creased in a frown.

”Yes, My Lady. That is all.” Emily replied.

Deep breath, Perdita. Deep breath. She told herself. There’s no harm in wearing an expensive dress even if it’s once in a while now, is there? Perdita internally questioned herself and exhaled deeply.

”Okay,” Perdita muttered and went on to search for the dress she would wear that would at least be less expensive in her eyes but everything was still very expensive! Who was she kidding, expecting to see a less expensive dress in the castle?

Perdita went from one dress to the other and then started from the beginning as if doing that will make one of the dresses less expensive.

As Perdita searched, she chanted in her head, ’It’s alright Perdita. No harm done. Absolutely no harm was done by behaving like a wealthy woman. Just this once. Just this once to live like a queen.’

When she finally choose a dark blue dress from the trolley, the one her heart allowed her to take, the maids exhaled deeply in relief.

It felt like almost an eternity had passed since she began to choose the dress.

Emily and Maria walked forward to help wear the dress, and there came the order making them in their steps.

”Stop right there. I can dress myself. And also turn around while I dress.” Perdita said with her stretched in front of her that she used to stop them.

Theresa rubbed her aching head. If she thought she had seen women who threw tantrums, then she was wrong. This green-eyed Lady was the real definition of such women.

Theresa, Maria, and Emily all turned their back on Perdita to avoid more arguments. They had taken more than an hour the king had given them. Only God knew what punishment awaited them later.

Looking at Perdita at the way she was behaving, one would call her an arrogant Lady. But they didn’t know the turmoil she was going through from just staying in the castle and being attended to as if she was a member of the high society.

Perdita on the other hand didn’t know she was killing herself for nothing. The king she was afraid of was the same person who was providing her with the help and everything she needed.

Perdita finished dressing up in no time and was awestruck by her appearance. The dark blue dress fitted her so perfectly as if it was her measurement that was used to sow the dress.

She ran her hand on the length of the dress feeling the smooth texture of the fabric under her skin.

The dress had a long hand and a V-neck that showed the right amount of her cleavage. Intricate and beautiful embroidery gold thread ran from the neck of the dress and stopped right below her hips, and a light blue colored silk fabric followed and was used to create a spiral folding design that stopped at the hem of the dress that slightly swept the floor.

The maids were awed at the beauty of the woman in the room and they bet, she would look as lovely as she did in other dresses.

”You look so lovely, My Lady.” Emily complimented and Maria and the angry and jealous Theresa couldn’t agree more with it.

”Thank you,” Perdita replied with a smile.

”Let me help you with your hair,” Emily offered and was quick to take the comb.

Perdita sat in front of the mirror and said, ”Please, just comb it and leave it. No styling.”

”Oh,” Emily had a surprised look on her face but then continued to comb Perdita’s hair after applying a sweet-smelling oil on her long black, and soft hair. She proceeded to add color on the cheeks of Perdita and a little pink liquid on her lips.

”It’s done, My Lady,” Emily announced and stepped back.

Perdita stared at the woman in the mirror, not recognizing herself anymore. Well, this was a once-in-a-while time she’ll get to have a taste of a wealthy life, and she will enjoy it to the fullest.

”Thank you, Emily.” Perdita thanked and smiled at the maid who was more than happy to assist her.

”You’re welcome, My Lady.”

”Where can I find Sthena?” Perdita suddenly asked and the question brought with it a stillness that stiffened the bones of the maids.

D...did she just call the King by his name?! The maids screamed in their heads with wide eyes. If possible, their eyes would have fallen and rolled out of their sockets.

Just who was this woman?!

”Uhm...t...the. I...I mean, His Ma...” Emily began while struggling to get the words from her mouth, and just then, the door opened with a click and the king walked in.

The maid’s heads were quick to bow more deeply and respectfully at the king.

Sthena walked until he stood in front of Perdita, his red eyes boring deep into her green eyes, drinking her soft, beautiful, and alluring appearance.

He raised his itching hand that couldn’t stay by his side and took her hair in his hand, feeling the smoothness of it.

Sthena let go of Perdita’s hair and said with a smile, ”Don’t you just look so lovely?”