The time for the dinner demanded by the princes of the Kingdom of Byzantia drew closer. I lie on the bed, not knowing what to do. Barrios had reduced me to nothing just by looking into my eyes. He didn't kiss me, and he didn't need to. 'How would I convince this man or his brothers not to go to war with us?' I was at a loss as to what I should do. A knock on the door barely registered. My mind is too deep in thought to think about anything else. 'What was this fate that I was to fulfill?' As things were going now, one of two things would happen. Either this kingdom my sisters and I were brought here to save would fall into another Great War, or I would end up a prisoner and slave to them. Held hostage in the capital city while they effectively took over our kingdom or were met with a stalemate. Neither option seemed ideal.
But that was the only path I could see. Barrios wanted me; there was nothing I could do to change that. A single-minded fixation on me. 'What did he want from me? Why did he like me?' I asked myself repeatedly until the voice calling my name came through.
"Princess Aria, it is almost time for the formal dinner. But first, a loyal and highly respected noble wishes to speak with you," Lady Constance explained.
I was still in thought when she said those words. I stared at the ceiling as she continued to catch my attention.
"Aria, you seem troubled. Is there something I can do?" Lady Constance asked.
"Turn back time, or you could have brought me here sooner. But, other than that, nothing," I whispered.
"I know you haven't had much time to adjust…," Lady Constance said.
"All the time in this world or mine wouldn't be enough to deal with Prince Barrios, let alone him and his brother Bardas. Then there's one I haven't met yet. I'm sure that will be a mess too," I said.
"Maybe meeting this noble may raise your spirits," Lady Constance said.
"I guess so…," I said, sitting up.
My dress was already laid out. I stood to give Leonita and Eulalia space to help me. While they dressed me, I started to wonder again. 'There had to be a way to handle this situation.' My thoughts fell on Aasha and Dasha. I didn't even remember their names before. That magic must have altered our memories from remembering our previous names, but it didn't matter. While we were here, I was Princess Aria. She was the last person I wanted to be.
Another group of servants entered my chambers. Each servant carried an elegant small chest. There were at least a dozen, and they were all female. They placed them on carts they brought with them. It was not long before I found out what was inside the chests. Various sets of jewelry and silk garments. These must have been the most expensive jewelry and garments I had seen. Worth more money than my step-parents made in a hundred lifetimes. I was still nude as Leonita and Eulalia rubbed a fragrance-smelling oil onto my body.
One servant, an elderly woman, began placing the luxurious jewelry on my body. The elderly servant did not ask for assistance, as she had a look of pride on her face. Her eyes shined with a sense of purpose I had never seen in anyone's eyes before today. Even though she was a servant, she knew her job was just as important as the Queen's. Yes, she took pride in her duty and carried herself with dignity. She began with two toe rings with blue diamonds. I had never seen such marvelous diamonds before. On each of my big toes, she placed the ring. Next was an ankle bracelet made of tiny blue gems. There was one for each ankle. Finally, two thigh bands that had large blue diamonds with silver bands went on each thigh. She carefully placed each of the pieces of jewelry with care.
When she reached my crotch, I blushed as she pierced my vagina with a tool. The pain subsided within seconds. The elderly servant had applied some type of medicine that numbed the pain. After that, she attached a vagina ring that, like the other pieces, had a large blue diamond as its centerpiece. From there, I received a belly ring with a matching blue diamond. Finally, she connected a silver and gold belly chain with small diamonds around my waist.
She gently grasped my hands in hers one by one and put two diamond rings on each of my middle fingers. In the same manner as the ankle bracelets, two wrist bracelets were placed around my wrists. The servant gave me identical arm rings to those on my thighs near my upper arm. Using her tool, she pierced my nose and ears. As with my crotch, she applied the same medicine to each area she punctured, and the pain disappeared. Next, the loyal servant fitted a nose ring on each side of my nose and four matching delicate blue diamond earrings on each of my ears. Two earrings at the top of my earlobe and two at the bottom.
I was astonished at how many luxurious items they were expending on me. They covered me in jewelry that could buy an entire nation. Now that the elderly servant had finished her work, it was time to dawn on the main item. Two young servants brought the magnificent dress and held it up to me. The elderly servant raised her arms above her head.
"Please, my Queen. Lift up your arms as I do," she spoke in a tender voice that was aged.
I complied and lifted my arms as the two young servants draped the dress down my body. They carefully pull the skin-tight dress around my ample bosom down to my robust bottom. It was time-consuming as the dress seemed almost like they designed it not to accommodate my body. My breasts were prominent underneath the dress. The tightness of the silky and shiny material amplified my curves. They finished adjusting the tight and lavish royal blue formal dress. I noticed my dress had slits that allowed the diamond jewels underneath the dress to show through. The outline of the gold and silver chain around my waist showed vivid detail through the nearly see-through dress.
Next, the servants began attaching tiny gold and silver bells to various places on my body. Each seemed to correspond with a blue diamond that the servants had pinned through the dress. If one did not see the process that it took to put this extravagant dress on, a person would think they engraved the dress with diamonds. The two things my attire had in common with every item they had given me were small silver and gold bells. Initially, I thought they were merely for decoration, but they made noises at every motion of my body. I found it weird that my entire body had these small bells everywhere.
Four servants carried a massive mirror and placed it before me. I examined myself in the mirror. The torso of half of the royal blue dress was covered in a delicate gold plating that felt like silk. The pattern was that of roses of assorted sizes. Two large gold roses marked each of my breasts as if I were wearing cuirass chest armor. The silky dress flowed down my body and flared out by my feet like a formal dress one would wear to a pageant. Two more servants, who looked to be in their late twenties, placed two gold and silver engraved fauld gauntlets on my hips. The chains beneath my dress connected to them, holding the gauntlets firmly in place. The gauntlets fit around my waist like someone had forged them just for my body.
A few moments later, they placed gold and silver pauldrons onto each of my shoulders. Surprisingly, I could shift my shoulders relatively well due to the dark brown straps that secured them to my shoulders. In addition to a large blue diamond just behind the top of the toe, these open-toe heels feature navy blue sparkling gems. The next item was a silver and gold scepter with an enormous blue diamond. It was weightier than it looked and, on a more rigorous inspection, possessed gold in places.
Around my neck, I wore a large blue diamond amulet with the royal seal engraved on the diamond. She then placed a royal blue silk cloth engraved with blue diamonds. Next, the women put a silver and gold choker around my neck with large round blue diamonds and gems sewn into the fabric. Once more, she used the tool to pierce two holes in each of the corners of my eyebrows and placed two rings that matched the blue gem earrings. I was given three exquisite pieces: a stunning diamond-encrusted headband and a captivating blue diamond pendant that I elegantly pinned in my hair.
Finally, a servant held a large, elegant silver and gold crown in front of me. Of all the diamonds I had received, this one was the largest. It was a deep blue diamond that seemed to glimmer and sparkle as I gazed at it. It was as if the servant desired me to witness the diamond's power. When she was sure, I saw the swirling mist in the diamond; she placed it on my head and connected it to my headband with gold and silver chains. Again, the diamond swirled and glimmered as the one on my crown did.
The last pieces of my attire were gold and silver cuirass on my thighs. A long slit that started from my waist split the dress down to my feet, giving them access to my slender legs. They then place gold and silver greaves on my shins. They fit like a glove and did not impede my ability to walk. Once done, they brought a mirror for me to see myself. I couldn't lie; I never imagined I would look so beautiful as a female or influential in anything in my life.
---
I wait in a vast room on the first floor of the Castle. On the way here, I saw the main entrance to the Castle. It was a sight to behold. A two-story wooden and iron-arched double door. There was a glorious feeling to the door, even though it looked old and authentic. The iron was polished, and the wood stained a reddish brown. The room I'm in is near there and the dining room. One of many that this Castle has. The door opens as Constance allows someone in before closing the door, leaving me alone with this person.
The man is elderly and walks with a cane. He slumps into the chair next to mine. His appearance is that of a man who has lived a long luxury but nevertheless shows a person who has lived a hard life. His demeanor indicates an aura of wisdom about him. His hair is grayed white, and he's balding. The old man possesses grayish eyes that look to be failing. His wrinkles speak of hardship and pain. This is a noble, yet he looks like a war-torn veteran. His nose is shriveled up, and his lips are in a perpetual frown. He wears a medieval military-style uniform.
"Your majesty, it is a great honor to meet you. I had feared that I would not live to see this day," he says in a low, raspy voice.
"Thank you, my lord," I say politely.
"I'm sure you have much to do, so I will come straight to it. My name isn't important as my time here is almost up," the noble says.
"Oh dear, is there something I can do?" I ask.
"No, No, your majesty. My life has been for this moment. A task handed down through many generations," the noble says.
"What is that task?" I question.
"To tell you that whatever happens, whether our kingdoms go to war, you are fated to be with them. Fated to carry the legacy on," the noble says.
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"You'll know… you've always known. But your fate is much more than you have been told. Remember, more than just this kingdom relies on you. More than this continent alone," the noble says.
"Can you explain more? I don't understand what you mean?" I question.
"That is all, my dear. I must rest now. Continue your duties and rest easy," the noble says as he can barely stand.
I'm left with this vague information that makes no sense to me. 'Am I destined to be with those two? Is he talking about Barrios and his brothers?' I pray that isn't the case. The door opens again.
"Princess Aria, it's time," Constance says, waiting for me to accompany her.
The time I had been dreading has come. I still need to learn how to handle the princes or talk to them. All this feels unfair. I'm being thrown off the deep end and expected to save a kingdom with nothing to go on. My gut tells me I'm royally screwed.