The Phoenix's Maiden

Royal Feast (Part Two)

“I did not know that this place is this high,” Kamandag commented while Amber is still climbing the stairs to reach her room.

“Why is there no elevator in this place?!” the maiden complained to the snake.

“What’s an elevator?” the striped snake curiously asked.

“It’s a lift that raises you without spending too much energy,” she said.

“That seems convenient enough,” the snake remarked.

“Yeah, and I have gotten into my room by now,” she said while climbing the stairs. Moments later Amber finally reached her designated floor and decided to have a little rest to catch her breath. After catching her breath, she then continues her way towards her room. Upon reaching the front of the room she reaches the door knob and proceeds to open the door.

A quiet yet clean room greeted her upon opening the door and she then walks inside the room. She went her bed and sat above it then lay down to feel the softness of the mattress. She enjoyed the sensation of relaxation that was caused by its softness and it calms her for some unknown reason. Maybe she is accustomed sleeping on cold stones or woods at night and this is her first time to feel the warm embrace of this soft thing. The snake crawled out leaving her whole body exposed from anyone that might see her.

“Hey babe,” the snake tries to call the maiden that is busy relaxing herself. “I don’t want to ruin your sweet little moment there but you need to dress yourself up ‘coz the gathering will start soon,” she reminded Amber and the maiden was taken aback into reality. Her reaction suddenly change and her trembling returned.

“What do I wear?” she frantically asked the snake and the snake look at her questioning her question. Kamandag can’t believe that this girl in front of her does not have any fashion sense.

“Trust my eyes babe,” the snake said reassuring the maiden and she crawled again back to Amber’s shoulders. “Let’s go to your wardrobe,” she said and Amber went into the wardrobe inside her room. She opened the doors and varieties of colorful were revealed inside it. It was extravagant and the glamor of these gowns caused sparkle in Kamandag’s eyes. “Get a chair and place it where I can observe you,” she ordered the maiden and Amber did what she said. Everything is in place and what is left is to decide what will this frightened Amber will wear. “Remember the deal okay?” she reminded the lady and at least give her some motivation to pull this night through. “You won’t see this gorgeous form of mine if you messed this up,” she said. “First let me see your taste when it comes to dresses. Pick one that you like to wear for this night,” the snake added and Amber faced the wardrobe with a lot of gowns inside it. There is no way that she will wear all of these as it is pretty inconvenient, not to mention that it was itchy and hot when she wears it. She closed her eyes and let her hand to the job. As soon as her hand touches something, she immediately grabs that gown and pulls it towards her.

“Is this okay?” she asked and as soon as she opens her eyes Amber was greeted by Kamandag’s questioning expression and that means this gown that she picked randomly is not good enough. She looked at the sleeveless yellow gown with a floral design all over it. In Kamandag’s eyes this gown is not ugly but this snake intends to bring out the full potential of Amber’s beauty. Most of the witches are born with the longing and desire for youth and beauty. In their case Amaya did not get that longing but her twin snake, Kamandag, has it.

“The color does not fit the contrast of your hair and eyes,” the snake said. “I think go for the reddish gowns,” Kamandag suggested. “Oh the glittery one would fit you so well,” she added and Amber puts the yellow gown back in the wardrobe and begins to find the red glittery gown that the snake mentioned. She looks at the gown one by one and Amber plays the details of the gown in her mind, over and over again to make sure that she won’t miss that particular dress. When she found it she grabs it and pulls it to show Kamandag. “Yes that’s the one,” the snake smiled while smiling. “Now try to wear it,” Kamandag told Amber.

“I don’t know how to wear gowns,” she said with a sad face and Kamandag begins to look worried because she can’t help it but to transform into a fairy to help her chang-

A sudden knock on the door came out of nowhere. The both looked at the door and Amber puts the gown on the bed and reached out for the door. When she opened it, she saw the three diwatas that bullied her in the banquet waiting. Her eyes widened and quickly closed the door. ‘What are they doing here?’ she asked herself.

“Your highness we are here to help you to prepare for the party,” one of the three said when they noticed Amber.

“The king told us to make you presentable,” the other one added. Amber took deep breaths as she does not have a choice but to let them in inside the room and let them help her prepare for the gathering. After calming herself down she opened the door again and the three diwatas greeted her with a heart-warming smile as if nothing happened between them. Amber lets them in and the snake was frightened by their sudden arrival and hurried under the bed to hide from them because many mystics are still afraid of her and these three are no different. When the three reached the table and prepares their equipment for Amber’s make-up, she finds Kamandag because she was nowhere to be seen.

“Psst,” Kamandag call onto her and Amber heard it. She then went to peek under the bed and saw the snake hiding.

“Why are you hiding?” the clueless maiden asked the snake.

“I can’t let them see me, so don’t tell anyone about my existence okay?” the snake answered her question and Amber nodded at her. “And insist on that red gown that I chose for you okay?” she said and Amber nodded at her again. “Now go,” she ordered Amber.

“Milady,” one of the diwata called Amber and she was frightened and quickly brings herself back on her feet. “We are ready,” she added and ignored her weird actions.

“I’m so sorry for that,” Amber apologized and cleans herself from the dust on the floor. She proceeds to walk towards them and one of the diwatas pulled the chair so she can sit. After she sat on the chair the three diwatas immediately begins the make-up process to make Amber impressive in front of everyone later.

“We are deeply sorry on what happened in the banquet,” the sassy one suddenly apologized but her sass won’t reach the level that Kamandag has.

“Don’t mention it, let’s just be friend from now on,” she softly said and the three of them smiled. They continue to make Amber prettier than she already is and after some minutes of brushing in the face they finally finished and Amber is looking really gorgeous thanks to them. Kamandag was impressed by their skills and she is pretty sure that the four of them would make a very good friends.

“Shall we pick a gown for you?” the gentle-looking one asked her.

“No need I’ve picked one earlier,” she said and points out the sparkling gown above the bed. The three of them was stunned by its beauty and was impressed that the maiden picked this up just herself.

“You have a very exceptional taste when it comes to this kind of things,” the strict-looking one remarked and proceeds to pick up the gown for her.

“Thank you,” she said softly and thought that it was not her but her companion snake that picks the gown for her.

“Shall we help you get dressed up?” she said and Amber nodded.

.               .               .

The four of them are standing in front of the tall mirror for Amber to see what she looks like. The sparkling gown is really going well with her beauty that has some touch of the three diwatas. She was stunned at herself and cannot believe that she can be this beautiful.

“You are so pretty,” Kamandag whispered to herself.

The three diwatas were so proud on Amber’s appearance and they are pretty sure that every neck will be twisted on every creature that she passes by. Amber felt a little confidence inside her and she can face the crowd with a little courage. The attention that she hates, she just became the magnet to attract everybody. The three diwatas cleaned their things up.

“We are going first milady,” the strict-one notified Amber and she just smiled at them. Kamandag watches the three as they go out of the room and as soon as they got out of the room she crawled out of that dusty and dark space. She has to endure it to conceal her identity in this kingdom. She looks at Amber busy staring at the mirror, stunned at her own beauty. She just giggled softly to herself not to ruin this special moment of hers.

“Pretty proud babe?” she remarked and Amber stops staring at the mirror and looks at Kamandag.

“This is the first time that I see myself this pretty,” she said.

“No wonder why your fashion sense is that bland,” the snake frankly said. “That is why I’m here,” she quickly covers up the bad remark that she threw at Amber.

“But how I can avoid attention If my very appearance itself attracts them,” she said with pure doubt and the snake climbed the chair.

“Hey babe,” she called to Amber. “Look at me in the eye,” she said and Amber looks at her. “Attention itself is not a bad thing okay? It is the proof that everyone appreciates you, your beauty,” she tries to strengthen Amber’s mental state. “If they look at you just think that you are in an open field walking in the middle of the night, appreciating the beauty of the night sky full of stars,” the striped snake gives advice to Amber.

“O-okay,” she cheaply said.

“And remember our deal, okay?” the snake reminded her again.

“Y-yes, I won’t forget it,” she said and looks away towards the window. The moon is starting to rise and the orange skies are too splendid to look at. There are a flock of sarimanoks that are flying using their colorful wings leaving a trace of golden sparkle in their path. She stares at it for a few moments trying to calm her mind from these cloudy thoughts of hers and for once she must forget these memories that continue to mess up her mind. All she got to do is be brave and face the crowd boldly as if she were trying to impress them. She is known as the saviour of Fernis, might as well go along with it. She must appear fearless for them to trust her even it means that it would be a letter weight on her shoulders.

“You must be proud okay?” Kamandag said and the maiden nods while still looking at the window. The peace inside the room did not last for long. Arthur on the other side wears a light blue tunic on top of a blue surcoat. His hair is well done and he put a lot attention to it as it was the crucial part in his appearance. He always carry his excalibur everywhere and now he is currently going to Amber’s room to escort her to venue of the gathering.

To be continued...

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-