Princess of my Immortal Heart

Chapter 4: Zaria

“Zaria Ara Sofia, if you do not hold still, I will stick you with this pin myself!” Tawny shouted, glaring at her. “I’m sorry, Auntie Tawn Tawn.” Zaria replied in a childlike voice and lowered her head so Tawny could not see her smile. Tawny K Ulrich had been in the family for many centuries. She had been her mother, Nicoleta’s, nurse as a babe and her personal assistant as she had gotten older. She still helped her mother, but still tended to her and her brother as well. She had become more like family than help and had taken over as head of the house cleaners, butlers, and gardeners. She was more like an Aunt to her and Vince than an assistant or nurse and always had been. They respected and loved her greatly, as did their parents and grandparents. She looked down at her second cousin, Tessa, as she delicately placed several pins in the hem of her dress. “You are truly magic with a sewing machine, Tessa. This dress is a work of pure perfection indeed.” Zaria said down to her and smiled. “I thank you, Princess. It was a great honor to design and make your mother’s coronation dress and wedding gown and I’m so glad I can now have the honor of making your dress and your brother’s suit as well.” Tessa replied happily, and then returned to her work. Zaria looked at her reflection in the triple full-length mirror before her and sighed. She felt like a princess in this dress. It was just gorgeous. It was made of pale gold silk and embroidered down the V-neck and along the hem in delicate gold thread. The sleeves came down to her elbows, then fell to the hem of her dress in a delicate cascade. Tessa had also made a wine red, velvet overdress to go over the dress. It was sleeveless and had the same delicate gold embroidery around the top. It had a thin silk gold belt sewn around the chest that buckled with a gorgeous gold buckle of her family’s crest just beneath her breasts. She had beautiful wine colored, high-heeled sandals to complete the outfit. Her mother and grandmothers had gushed over the dress and showered Tessa with praise. She had not yet seen Vincent’s suit, but Tawny had told her about it. His shirt would match her dress, gold silk, his pants black, and his vest would be the same wine velvet as her overdress. He, too, would wear a gold belt with their family’s crest on the gold buckle and a black tie. His black boots would complete his outfit and Zaria had no doubt that he would have every woman drooling at the very sight of him. Zaria had to admit that her brother was a handsome devil. With his long, thick, blond-white hair like their mother’s, which fell to right in the middle of his shoulder blades, and bright gold eyes and strong jaw like their father’s, he was certainly pleasant to look at. He was tall at six foot six inches and broad like their father, with well-formed arms and legs like solid tree trunks. His chest and abs made women swoon and his pale white skin was smooth and unblemished, except for the little mole behind his neck, but hardly anyone saw it. She had only seen it when she was brushing his hair one night in the nursery when they were but five years old. She still loved to tease him about it, though. She looked at her own reflection again and smiled. While her brother was a handsome devil, she wasn’t so bad to look at she guessed. She was tall for a girl, standing five foot eight inches tall, just an inch above her mother. She had long, thick, hip-length glossy black hair, same color as her beloved father, and had his tanned complexion. Her eyes, however, were her most beautiful asset, shining silver mirrors like her mother’s. She was shapely and curvy, but not too much. Her firm breasts set high on her chest and were a respectable c size. She was slim in the waist and her belly was flat, but her hips flared out a little too much for her liking. However, it lent her a very nice kind of hourglass type shape and for that, she was grateful. She couldn’t help but noticed the men admiring her and sometimes it was nice, but sometimes she felt no better than a slab of meat or animal’s hide, on display so they could see if she was of the best quality. It was infuriating. “Zaria! Tessa is speaking to you! Answer her this instant!” Tawny shouted, breaking into Zaria’s thoughts. “Oh, I am so sorry, Tessa. Auntie Tawny. I was just thinking about the ceremony and I guess I zoned out.” Zaria replied and smiled at Tessa. “It’s alright, your Highness. I was only wondering if you were happy with your dress. Do you wish any changes to be made?” Tessa asked smiling back. “Oh no, Tessa, please! It is pure perfection. I could never have dreamed of a more beautiful dress. You are brilliant, thank you so much!” Zaria exclaimed happily. She looked back at herself in the mirror and posed. “Excellent! I am so pleased that you like it. Thank you, your Highness. I only need to fix the hem and it will be perfect for Saturday night.” Tessa replied and moved forward to help Tawny get the dress off Zaria. “Humph! You are just like your mother was, Zaria. Always daydreaming and letting your mind wander. I really do wish you would try harder at focusing, especially when it’s something so important.” Tawny muttered as she helped Tessa carefully free Zaria of the dress. “Oh, but Auntie Tawn Tawn, I thought you loved it when I let my mind wander. Then, you don’t have to listen to me tease you or yell at my dork of a brother!” Zaria exclaimed, and then giggled as Tawny’s eyes flared annoyance. “Really, Zaria, I thought your mother was a handful, but you make her out to be an absolute saint!” Tawny replied and briskly walked out of the room. Zaria looked at her cousin, and both girls giggled. “Poor Tawny, you really shouldn’t give her such a hard time, your Highness. She loves you.” Tessa said, as she put the dress in a garment bag and gathered her supplies. “I know she does, Tessa. It’s just so much fun to pick on her. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love her.” Zaria replied as she fastened the front of her favorite pale blue, short sleeve button up shirt. She had been wearing her favorite light wash jeans beneath the dress. “Of course, you’re Highness; now, I must go see to your brother’s suit. I will see you Saturday afternoon.” Tessa replied and bowed before leaving the room. Zaria sat at her dressing table and stared out the huge window behind it. Her and her brother had turned 216 years old last Christmas; prime age to be crowned officially and publically before the entire court as the prince and princess. Her brother, of course, would be declared their parents’ heir to the throne. She, his successor, should something, God forbid, happen to him until he sired a son of his own. That, of course, was merely a formality for the court and the people. Vincent and Zaria both knew that, when their parents eventually took their Death Walk into the rising sun, that they would both share the kingdom. Vincent had spoken to her only a week ago about the subject.