Villainess Loves

Part 62

"What did I tell you?" Mary proudly boasts. I mean...

"Beautiful." Henry gasps. Darn, right I am! Mary's magic is unbelievable. Giving me a matching blue eye shadow with glossy pink lips. If not for the open back and slit, I would have thought this was a kid's dress but instead, I'm a sexy yet innocent fairy. I gulp at my gorgeousness.

"Dang, I'm good-looking." I admire my flowing platinum blond locks, contrasting with the light blue fabric. It's such a cliche look, but it works so well!

"Let's pair it with this simple jewelry." Mary puts on some dewy drop earrings and a simple teardrop crystal necklace. The jewels are also a shade of light blue, but are much more translucent and clear, increasing the maturity of the look, while still keeping the pure feeling. I'm such a tease!

"You're too good, Mary. Where do you even get this skill?" I am in shock at my transformation. Who cares that I only tried on one dress? This is the one!

"Haha, I try, my lady! Your beauty makes it easy for me to showcase my skills" Mary laughs.

We decided to pair the whole ensemble with some simple short pumps and bring a pair of flats for emergencies. I kind of wanted my hair to be up so the horses won't try to eat it, but Mary was vehemently against it.

"Knock, knock." "Lady Annelise? It is time to gather at the main hall." A servant knocks on my door to notify us.

"Alright, let them know we're ready." I ordered. Mary finishes the last check up of my outfit and we head out.

As we walk up towards the main hall, we pass by many other attending guests, not just from Elden, but from neighboring countries as well. Everyone is so nicely dressed! 

We weave around the increasingly growing crowd to get closer to the main center hall. There is a small short platform where the royal family will stand once they enter. As per usual, the last ones to enter are the most important guests so both the Elden and Vendia royal families have yet to enter the main central area. 

I spot Vanessa and her lackeys standing in a corner closer to an entrance. They look unusually normal, I would have thought she would be plotting something but she just seems to be conversing with her lackeys instead of scoping the area. We match eyes but she turns away before I could react. How strange.

I scan the room again to try and find any suspicious activity, but everyone seems to blend together, creating a mass of colors and fancy clothes.

Light chattering and sprinkles of laughter fill the room as people relax and converse with one another.

"Let's stand over there, my lady. That way we can leave quickly for the competition." Mary points to a small spot near one of the entrances. I nod. It will certainly be a rush for prospective competitors to reach the arena first to pick out the best horses. We have reserved some for beginners and specific people, but for the most part, it is first come, first served. In the future, we'll probably have the more skilled participants bring their own.

"Presenting, their royal majesties, Vendia Princess Echina, Vendia Prince Astric, and Vendia Prince Circe." A loud voice booms as the crowd suddenly part to reveal the Vendia royalty entering the hall.

Princess Echina enters first, wearing a brilliantly sparkled light pink dress with hints of lavender on the seams and edges, giving off a soft but majestic feel. If not for the elaborate designs and large jewels hanging from her neck, I would have assumed the dress to be a type of fancy sleepwear. It looks extremely comfortable and loose.

"How beautiful." "Incredible." "Wow." Exclamations of admirations litter the hall and her beauty astounds everyone. These royalty are no joke when it comes to looks.

Prince Astric and Prince Circe are wearing a matching darker pink uniform to their older sister, with their hairs slick back handsomely. If their demeanors weren't almost complete opposites, they would have looked like total twins, despite the age difference. I think Prince Astric is only two or three years older than Prince Circe. Wait, Prince Caelum is only a year or so older than Prince Astric, so does that mean Princess Echina is actually older than Prince Caelum? Hmmm.

I share eye contact with Princess Echina, who smiles gorgeously at me. Ugh! My heart! I almost tip back at her brilliant features. I'm pretty sure the people next to me fainted as I hear slight thumps falling the moment the royal family entered.

"Hah, to be someone with that beauty would be a dream.." Mary sighs in admiration.

"It would be trouble if you weren't of higher status though." I pointed out.

"Ugh, don't be so negative. Besides, I could use it to my advantage and make men do my every bidding!" Mary dreams.

"I'd like to see you try!" I laugh.

The Vendia royalty stopped next to the raised platform. Since they have arrived the Elden royal family should be coming soon...

"Presenting, their royal majesties, Ruler of Elden, King Drayden. Mother of Elden, Queen Solana. And their children, Prince Caelum and Prince Orion." The same loud voice announces the Elden royal family. Everyone is dressed immaculately, with Prince Caelum wearing a dark indigo suit that surprisingly matches well with Princess Echina's pinkish-purple gown. Prince Orion sports a regal attire of white and red. I glance at my outfit. Thank goodness we decided on the blue dress, I didn't want to match my outfit to his. 

I glance over at Henry's dark navy blue uniform. Maybe I should have gone for a darker blue to match him. Why didn't the power of the webnovel make me match clothes this time?

The royal family head to the raised platform. King Drayden raises his hand and the room quiets to hear his words.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate the return of my son, Prince Caelum, after the tremendous and strategic victory against our neighboring empire, Vendia. We hope everyone has enjoyed their stay and will continue to enjoy this ball. We would like to announce his engagement with Vendia's Princess Echina. May we wish them a happy marriage." King Drayden speaks.

The sudden announcement of Prince Caelum's engagement shocks the crowd. I glance over to see that neither Prince Astric nor Prince Circe knew of this beforehand as their faces are extremely ugly. Hmm, I guess they are still siscons in this world. Princess Echina steps up to the platform to stand next to Prince Caelum, who openly wraps his arm around her waist. 

Many women in the crowd weep as they see the obvious display of affection between the newly engaged couple. Prince Caelum is a notorious playboy, but I guess Princess Echina was able to tame him down as I haven't heard much of his usual antics in a while. I thought it was because he needed to focus on war reparations, but it looks like he's really devoted to Princess Echina. Good for them!

"I want to apologize for the sudden engagement, but me and Caelum are very excited about the future collaboration of our empires." Princess Echina's clear voice strikes through the crowd as the seriousness of this union is revealed. I may have known that the war ended early because of this engagement, but this is the first for many and the shifts in powers will change due to this massive relationship.

"To continue with these surprises, I would like to announce that Elden is hosting our first horse riding competition, dubbed: The Grand Elden Horse Race! You all have received an invitation with all of the details included, but to summarize, for all skilled and nonskilled horse riders, we will be hosting races to determine the best in Elden!" Queen Solana announces.

"Please follow the servants to the north gardens where the race is set up. There, participants may choose a horse and practice for a bit before the races actually start. We hope everyone enjoys this new event!" Queen Solana smiles as she gestures toward the entrance closest to me. I glance over at Mary who glances over at Henry who returns the glance back to me.

RUN FOR IT!