PRIDE
“IT SUITS YOU SO WELL, Princess Pride.”
I smiled at the praise as I assessed myself in the full-length mirror. Lotte and Mary said the same thing every time I put on a dress for a formal occasion. Still, I thanked them and examined my reflection. Though I often wore red to ceremonies and events, I got to wear softer colors and makeup during these annual appearances before the Freesian people.
This time, I’d donned an elegant purple dress that complemented my crimson hair. I couldn’t deny that the color combination made me stick out, though. As the last boss queen, my appearance would always cause a stir.
Still, I appreciated the praise from my beloved maids. “You think so?” I replied, lifting my dress delicately over my feet.
Dressed, I called out for the people waiting outside the room. Jack, my imperial guard, opened the door for Captain Callum and Arthur—my imperial knights.
“What do you think?” I asked nervously.
Brow furrowing, I clutched at my chest. No matter how much my maids liked the ensemble, I was worried about what members of the opposite sex might think. Captain Callum and Arthur both gulped as they sized up the lovely purple gown. My dress matched my eyes, though I never wore such colors to events attended by the nobility. Did they like today’s look or think it a shame?
I wore beautiful dresses for every social occasion, including ceremonies and tea parties, yet my knights didn’t budge as they appraised me today. I watched them timidly, willing myself to exude at least a little charm. The purple color of my dress was so unlike the deep red they were used to seeing me in, but I hoped it made me look mature and feminine.
Arthur and Captain Callum stood as straight as arrows, squeezing their lips together but not uttering a word. In place of the knights, the usually silent Jack said, “It suits you very well.”
His voice finally snapped the imperial knights out of their trance.
“You look wonderful,” Captain Callum said. “It’s a regal color that will put your air of dignity on display to the people of Freesia.”
“That dress looks really, really good on you!” Arthur said. “Um, it matches your eyes! You just look amazing!”
Captain Callum’s face was stiff and tinged pink, while Arthur clenched his fists, his blush on bold display. They leaned more deeply forward than they had when they bowed to me.
I couldn’t contain a smile, though my knights probably just felt compelled to tell me what I wanted to hear. “Thank you.”
Even if they were merely being polite, I appreciated their praise. It bolstered my confidence every time I had to wear a formal gown.
“I do this every year, yet I’m still so nervous,” I said. “The Freesian people look at me so differently than my usual guests do.”
My smile turned awkward. As a child, I’d acted like a strong big sister when Tiara and Stale jittered with nerves at their first Precognition Festival, but the older I got, the more the occasion rattled me. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and my pulse quickened from nerves. My heart was pounding in my ears.
Pathetically, I went through this same ordeal every single year.
Having my past-life memories made me more mature in some ways, but looking back on those earlier Precognition Festivals, I probably could have thought of better ways to cheer up my siblings. Formal ceremonies came with a very different kind of attention than festival banquets, and I wished I’d used that knowledge to empathize with them. Maybe I could have said something more powerful, like Arthur would have.
My dress had fewer metal fixings than usual, so I could sit more easily at the banquet, but I still found the attire a bit stuffy. I took deep breaths to calm my nerves as Mary wiped the sweat from my brow with a handkerchief.
I plastered on a smile as I tried to steady my breathing, and Captain Callum gently assuaged my fears. “That’s perfectly understandable. This is the one day of the year when the Freesian people observe the entire royal family up close, but please don’t worry. The people of the castle town look forward to seeing you each year.”