Royal Hunt

9th Chapter

I spent the rest of the preparations in a blurr. Margaret took me to the bath. She even filled my bath with hot water and herbs. She scrubbed me all over with a brush while another maid washed my hair. 

Then they wrapped me in a soft towel and Margaret brought several bottles that smelled intoxicating. 

She began to rub me all over with various ointments and oils. 

"Is that necessary? I just took a bath." I asked cautiously.

"Her Majesty wishes you to be dressed and prepared to the exact etiquette of the royal court today. Perfumes and creams are part of that." 

I sighed and left her to it. 

Before leaving the bath, they put on my chemise and sat me at a table with a mirror. Margater began to comb my hair and the other maid stood before me with more containers with mysterious contents, several brushes and sponges and a determined expression. 

"Nothing too extreme. The Countess is beautiful and young." Margaret hissed at her.

The maid opened the first container and painted my face with something shiny. Then she took a huge fluffy swan and dipped it thoroughly in another container. 

She patted my face with it and suddenly I was in a cloud of white dust.

I coughed.

"What's that?" 

"White powder ma'am. It was a hot new thing in the days of the Queen's youth and she won't give it up even in her old age." Margaret whispered conspiratorially in my ear. 

The maid powdered my face, but also my neck and cleavage and shoulders. 

"Please close your eyes, Your Highness."

I obeyed, trying to breathe regularly and deeply. Margaret braided my hair, occasionally pulling a comb through some of the tangled curls. 

I could feel the light touch of the brushes on my face. It was almost pleasurable to be pampered like that. 

"I'd take that any day." I trailed off. 

"What?" Margaret laughed, "Would you really willingly go to court every day? And in a crinoline?"

"You know what I mean. I don't particularly crave a court, but I could get used to that kind of care. I think I can see what Valentina and Johanna see in the beautification. Anyway, who's looking after them?"

"They have to make do with younger maids these days. You will be presented to the Queen, so I have chosen the best maids to take care of you as a priority." 

I don't know how long that took. But when Margaret was finally satisfied with the result, she ordered me to open my eyes. 

I looked at myself in the mirror and gasped. In the mirror, I saw the reflection of an absolutely ethereally lovely girl. 

Sure, I wasn't normally ugly either, but now I was the equal of the most beautiful ladies of the court. 

My skin may have been lightened by the powder, but I didn't look like a waxwork, the maid had painted a slight pink tinge on my cheeks. 

My eyes, mostly a bland brown-green color that usually looked like a swamp, were framed with a light brown shadow that only deepened my gaze, and my lashes looked angelically long and thick. I looked like the dolls my father had brought us from Italy when we were little. 

But the real magician was Margaret. What she did with my hair was beyond my expectations. 

Like my sisters, I had long auburn hair that I usually wore in a simple braided bun. 

Today, however, Margaret had curled my hair into a thousand tiny ringlets, which she intricately braided and pinned up on the top of my head. She then inserted small diamond clips into the intricate pattern, which shone like fireflies in my hair. 

"Wow." I breathed. A smug look settled on Margaret's face. 

"I look..." I searched for the right words.

"Gorgeous." My lovely maid added. "The Queen requires wigs at court, but it would be a shame to hide such hair. You are setting a new fashion today." 

She took my hand and pulled me to a standing position. As she pulled my chemise off my shoulders, I looked up in surprise.

"Your mother asks that you wear robe a la francais today, and it requires different underwear." She explained apologetically. 

Obediently, I had one chemise removed and put on the other. 

"Um. No. That can't be right. The cleavage is too much." I tugged up the decorative hem of my shirt, which just so happened to tickle my n*****s.

"Your Highness, this is the fashion of the Parisian court at the moment. All the ladies of the court and young debutantes go dressed like this. To the great satisfaction of all gentlemen, I must add. And you will now dress like this for the whole of the extended season. Your mother has given very clear instructions." Margaret grinned. 

"I hope I get a tasteful shawl to go with it," I said, annoyed. 

Margaret pulled my corset on. But different from what I was used to. This one ended below my breasts, tightening only my waist and stomach. When she had tightened it properly, I looked at myself again in the mirror.

"No wonder the gentlemen are so fond of this fashion." I declared angrily. My breasts look bigger and stuck out defiantly forward. And there was almost nothing covering them, except the thin fabric of the chemise with the monstrously low cut neckline.

Margaret just grinned.

"Ready?" she asked after a moment, nodding her head towards the crinoline. I just sighed and nodded. The two maids took the structure and began to fasten it to my waist. It took practice and a lot of strings. 

They pulled the petticoat over the crinoline and began to add padding where my hips and bottoms used to be. 

More and more layers of petticoats and skirts followed. 

Once Margaret and the others were finished putting on the petticoats, she stepped back and looked at me critically. 

"What's wrong?", I asked, slightly annoyed. I had been standing there for almost a couple of hours now, while they played with me like a doll. Stand there, raise your hand, tilt your head, braid your hair... There was no end to it. 

Margaret walked silently around me, occasionally pulling a string, smoothing my skirt, or smoothing my hair. 

She stopped in front of me with a bright smile.

"Nothing. Perfect. Bring the gown." She called over her shoulder.

Two older maids entered the room, holding my debutante gown almost religiously.

I gasped. It was a beautiful gown.

It was made entirely of fine silver brocade and silk, and looked white, but in the right light it shone like a starry sky. 

The skirt was double, the lower one was trimmed with silver lace and embroidered with pearls, the upper skirt opened in the front so that the trimming on the lower one could be seen. The pearl embroidery was repeated on the upper skirt, but much more subtle, it was hardly noticeable at first glance. The dress looked as if it had been decorated with a delicate spider's web.

The bodice was, as expected, tight and very body-hugging. The neckline was so deep that I blushed a little and I hadn't even worn the dress yet. The sleeves ended at the elbow and then cascaded out in a flood of silver lace. 

I never really cared much for what I wore, but I had to admit that this dress was really beautiful. 

"Do you like it?" Margaret asked, even though she must have known what my answer would sound like.

"I... It's..." I stuttered, unable to find the words.

Margaret just smiled and finished dressing me.