The Dragon Queen

Chapter 10: Waiting Game

**Four days later**

After getting the dresses from Miss Clear and the other dress maker. Nina would be sticking with the second choice for future dress requests. Miss Clear made a royal blue colored dress, it had some small pattern on the collar and sleeve. Floor length as Nina wanted, but no train as she asked for, it was form fitting, no doubt willing to show off her curves. The other dress marker, Mrs. Dotbird made a stunning dress, royal blue in color, but an white under dress that covered her chest to her chin, with sliver pins goin up to her collar, it was floor length with a three foot train. The sleeve were long to cover her arms, but slightly longer, it had beads making a pattern, completed with a matching beaded belt.

"That's stunning Nina." Looking back at her maid, Jasmine, she nodded looking at the other box.

"Why is there two dresses for you?" Jasmine asked opening the other box with Miss Clears signature ribbons along with a note, 'Fitted for a future Queen' it wrote.

"I got it for you Jasmine." It was a lie, Nina knew it but if she took Jasmine with her in the dress, and something happened it would point to Miss Clear as the one who made the dress.

"For me, my lady?" Nina nodded, smiling.

"Tonight you will be coming as a guest with me, not my maid." Jasmine's eyes lit up with Nina's kind gesture, she's never been to a royal party outside the kingdom.

"T-thank you my lady, how far is Lord Patrick's kingdom?" Jasmine asked removing the dress from it's box.

"Three or four hours by carriage." Nina shrugged slightly, looking away. Watching Jasmine out of the corner of her eye, feeling the dress as she smiled.

"Are you willing to risk her dying, my queen?" Jasper asked sitting on the armrest of the couch.

"That's something I've been wondering, if Miss. Clear needed to lace it into the dress, you wouldn't risk that person getting ill from the spell, right?" Nina asked with their bond, arching a brow.

"Yes I would think so, my queen." Nina smiled, nodding once.

"If nothing happens to Jasmine, means the spell is only meant for me, and knowing what you told me. Miss Clear would likely give it as a allergy reaction to the fabric." Nina stated, confidence in her thought.

"Yes, I do see her playing that game. Are you going to get dressed than my queen?" Nina nodded, looking at Jasper.

"Still think he can talk to you?" Jasmine's words caught Nina by surprise, she had forgotten Jasmine was still here.

"I do, I think it's because of the burn he gave me." Nina looked at her hand, it was circles that spiraled out on her right palm.

"You sound mad, my lady." Jasmine laughed shaking her head.

"Perhaps I am." Nina looked at Jasmine, who's laughter has faded into the cracking of the lit fire.

"I-I'll go get dress my lady, do I came back here?" Jasmine asked as she got closer to the door. Nina looked at Jasper, who has laid on the back of her crimson sofa 'What a house cat." Nina thought letting a half smiled pull at the corner of her lip.

"Yes and put your hair up Jasmine." Jasmine nodded as she took her leave from her room.

"Is your hair going to be up?" Jasper asked peeking one eye open to Nina.

"Yes, just not sure how I want it." Nina sighed as she got herself undressed from a simple purple gown.

"Have you thought about braiding a huge piece and letting two small pieces hang in front of you?" Nina head snapped up looking at Jasper, it was the same hair style her mother wore in the painting.

"You came up with that style for my mother, didn't you?" Jasper closed his green eyes, it was like looking at a forest in the beginning of spring.

"I did yes, it matched her face well." Jasper said, his eyes still closed as he laid on the couch. Nina dressed herself in Mrs. Dotbird's dress, and requested another maid to braid her hair leaving to small strang out. Nina removed the necklace she got bought from the vendor, it was a locket with red and blue inside a opal piece, red gemstone went around the opal. Nina looked at herself in the mirror, a smile appeared on her lips, the maid that braided her long black hair appeared in the mirror next to her with something in her hand. Nina turned to see what the maid was presenting to her, it was a royal blue headpiece, blue ribbon waiving in and out of the twisted headpiece detail, with a bright sapphire jew in the middle. Nina lowered herself letting the maid place it on her head, hearing the maid step back, only then she looked back into the mirror. She was stunning, the dress fitted her curves nicely, her dark hair made her eyes pop, she went light with her make up, a light brown shadow giving her eyebrows a slightly higher arch, her already rosey cheeks didn't need more color to them, her lips dabbed light with pink tint. Her headpiece sat in her head nicely, she turned to face the maid.

"Thank you" Nina smiled as the maid nodded, turning to take her leave. Jasmine came in not long after she left.

"Wow my lady, you're breathe taking." Jasmine gasped upon seeing Nina, Nina couldn't help but giggle.

"Truly are breathe taking, my queen. Starting to dress like one already." Nina looked to see Jasper bowing at her, only making her smile more.

"Are you ready?" Jasmine asked. Jasmine's hair was half up with a matching blue ribbon to hold it, her had brown eyeshadow on, and some blush to make her cheeks red. Jasmine was a slim, pale skinned woman, she had average chest with some curves to her, the dress fit her more than it would have Nina. Nina nodded, as she walked to the sofa extending her arm, as Jasper jumped onto it, walking his way to his normal spot, wrapping his tail on her upper arm. Nina and Jasmine walked down to the carriages, it was going to be a long trip from what Nina knew, her father was coming along with, but in his own carriage. It would a waiting game now to see if the dress Jasmine was wearing would do anything.