THE big night had finally arrived. It was time for the Summer Solstice Festival. As if slipping into a midsummer night’s dream, both the peasantry and nobility donned costumes to their liking. From fairies to beasts, the costumes came in any manner of style.
This year, demons, angels, priests, and knights were the most popular motifs found at the festival. Among the peasantry, the princess look was extremely popular. Naturally, Sonia paid the utmost of care when choosing the dress for her costume.
But I’m not about to dress up as myself, and I’ve had it up to here with demons.
The costume Sonia had made was a turquoise satin dress with fairy wings, made from a translucent material, attached at the back. Two of the four wings had rings sewn onto them that were large enough to fit her index fingers, with room to spare.
Finally, the key item for the Summer Solstice Festival was...the mask! Friends and acquaintances would quickly recognize one another regardless of their masks, but this prop was the key to the festival’s great success, filling the ballroom with a sense of mystery.
Sonia was going to wear a plain white mask with an arabesque pattern in gold lamé glitter. The half-mask only hid her eyes. Although that was all it hid, it was as though the person looking back at her in the mirror was someone else entirely. It made her feel like she could do things she’d normally never do.
I think I’ll be able to tell Sir Chris how I feel! She thought to herself in a surge of courage.
A knock at the door gave Sonia such a fright she bolted straight upright. The maid spread her skirts as she dipped into a brief curtsy.
“Sir Crisford has arrived,” she informed.
“Tell him I’ll be there momentarily,” Sonia told the maid as she double-checked her costume with Pamela, who had been helping her get ready.
“Go have fun, Sonia,” Pamela said encouragingly. Sonia gave her a big smile and nod.
“I’ve come to take you to the masquerade, Duchess Sonia,” Chris said with a bow. When he stood straight again, Sonia couldn’t help but drop her jaw and gawk at him.
“Sir Chris, your beard...and your hair...” she choked out.
Since Chris was also wearing a masquerade half-mask, she could clearly see everything below the mask. It emphasized his nose, mouth, and jaw.
The evenly groomed beard that grew from his ears down to the bottom of his chin had been shaved clean. The short hairstyle that had resembled a freshly harvested wheat field had been replaced with pretty brown hair that had grown out and was smoothed into a neat ponytail.
The extent of Sonia’s surprise made Chris rub his cheek bashfully. “Have I changed that much?” he asked.
“Yes, I hardly recognized you...” she answered. Although it was partly due to the mask, Chris came across as a whole different person now. (Of course, she knew it was undeniably him by the sound of his voice.)
“Well, I’d appreciate it if you thought of that as a costume I wore to defeat the demon...” Chris said. “Although, I had grown quite fond of it. I had considered sporting the beard and short hair look for a while longer, but...”
Chris rubbed his formerly fuzzy chin with disgust before continuing, “People began mercilessly plucking out hairs grown from my beard, claiming they were ‘good luck charms,’ ‘protective charms,’ or ‘auspicious.’ As if that weren’t bad enough, they started pulling out the hair from the top of my head, too...!”
“Oh my!”
“It hurt like the dickens! I had to shave the darn beard clean off. I’d rather not go around with a shiny head, so I grew out my hair.”
After hearing his explanation, Sonia simply stared at him dumbly for a moment or two...
“Oh, jeez! That must have been awful, Sir Chris,” she said, hiding her mouth behind her hand as she giggled.
“It really was, sheesh! My chin was a bloody mess there for a while,” Chris insisted.
“I wish you told me in the letters. I would have sent some ointment that’s good for rough skin,” Sonia said.
“I should have. It didn’t occur to me.”
The two laughed for a time before Chris held his arm out. “Come on! Let’s enjoy this night to the fullest!”
“Absolutely!” Sonia replied and placed her hand on Chris’ arm.
“I see you’re dressed as a fairy this Summer Solstice. The costume looks wonderful on you,” Chris said, making Sonia’s cheeks turn red.
“What are you supposed to be...?” Sonia asked. It looked like he was wearing the standard fare of dress coat worn at balls and soirees, not something based on any particular motif.
“I played around with a variety of ideas, but none seemed appropriate for tonight,” he answered with a big grin that showed off his perfectly straight white teeth.
“...I see.”
It was probably so the woman he loved could watch him. Perhaps it was the lady knight he was consulting with King Patrice yesterday. Pain pierced at Sonia’s chest.
I’m sure he wanted to spend tonight with her instead of me... Feelings of guilt toward the dame only made the pain in her chest worse.
I’m sorry. Swallowing back the apology along with the pain, Sonia smiled up at Chris. Please let me spend tonight—just tonight—with Sir Chris. I will close off my feelings for him after I tell Sir Chris exactly what he means to me...