Off To The Ball!

SERALIND STEPS OUT from the back, and I gasp in awe at the sight of her.

Miss Berraultier had found Seralind a patterned soft turquoise ball gown, decorated with satin bows and frills. It looked like Miss Berraultier had pulled the material that made up a summer’s freshwater lake and turned it into a dress that was fit for a princess.

The fitted satin sleeves slipped just barely off her shoulders, reaching just past her elbows before dramatic laced ruffles sprouted over her forearms.

In the front center split of the skirt was a different fabric, which was cream with pink and blue floral print on it, stitched in ruffled layers. The only other floral element was a small arrangement of similarly colored roses on the chest and sleeves’ hemline, attaching the lace to it.

It looked awfully heavy to walk in and squeezed Seralind a little tight on the top, but she only had a wide grin on her face as she examined herself in the full-length mirror.

“I barely recognize myself!” She giggled, doing a light twirl with the gown.

“Are you sure I can wear this?” Seralind asks the seamstress quietly.

“Don’t ask me that, or else I might change my mind!” She huffs, rubbing her cheek.

“Thank you, Miss Berraultier!” I reply instead, giving her a big hug around her legs.

“Alright, now,” She says, awkwardly patting my head. I only squeeze tighter, as she’s truly letting us do this only out of the goodness of her heart.

I look over at Seralind, but she’s looking at herself with an uncertain expression. I thought she’d be more excited, but from the way she’s wringing her hands and her lips are pressed into a line, uncertainty is clouding her thoughts.

“But my hair isn’t done, and I don’t have time to curl it,” Seralind observes quietly, gripping her tresses.

I realize she never finished curling it with the other ladies, so it lay long and a little unkempt, with only the style from earlier barely holding up. I imagined she might be feeling plain, since the other nobles would have their hair done with elaborate updos and shining curls.

I glance around before my eyes land on a couple of silk flowers in a wicker basket filled with other dressmaking materials. Grabbing it from the pile, I held it up to her face.

“You can use this!” I say.

Miss Berraultier takes it from me and pins the ones that match the pattern on her dress in the bun of her hair. Paired with the ribbons already present, it looked like a nymph had allowed a garden to bloom in it.

I thought it completed the look perfectly, but Seralind didn’t even smile.

“I-I have no jewelry-“ Seralind starts, but Miss Berraultier interrupts her with a dramatic groan.

“Goodness, girl! Can’t you see your sister has been working herself to the bone to make sure you can go? If you aren’t going to do it for yourself, at least do it for her!”

Seralind grew red, embarrassed.

“I…I’ve never worn anything like this,” Seralind confesses, gesturing to the dress that adorned her. “What if they see right through me? What if they mock me and throw me out?”

I frown, listening to her insecurity. I go over to her and hold her hand tightly in both of mine.

“You look so beautiful; why would they?” I ask. I didn’t understand why she couldn’t see herself the way Miss Berraultier and I did. In the mirror, I’ve never seen a prettier woman in my life.

“Seralind, if you keep worrying about what other people think of you, you’ll never enjoy what’s right in front of you. So what if they stare, or even laugh? Let them! You only have one life, my dear.”

Miss Berraultier says, holding onto her arms while looking at Seralind through the mirror. Seralind’s eyebrows were still upturned with worry, staring at herself with sparkling cerulean eyes.

“And who else from this city can make just a dress and flower pieces look so exquisite more than you?”

This makes her blush, glancing away from herself to smile sheepishly.

“I-I see…alright,” Seralind says, finally allowing herself to smile.

I clap my hands gleefully, and even Miss Berraultier smiles warmly at her.

“Oh, but I could only get a carriage for the way there,” I confess, feeling a little bit shameful. “I don’t know how you’re going to get back to the city.”

“I’ll ask my son to come by with the wagon and pick you up at midnight outside the palace gates,” Miss Berraultier tells Seralind. “That solves your return-trip problem, won’t it?”

“But what about you? Who will take you to the festival tonight?” Seralind says. “I can’t be the only one having fun.”

“Oh, don’t worry about this one,” Miss Berraultier says, patting my head, “I’ll make sure she has an even grander time than you.”

My eyes widened, excited at the prospect of finally being able to see the festival.

“You’ll take me?” I say, my mouth watering from all the sweets I could eat tonight. It seems Miss Berraultier is in a more generous mood, now that she’s seen how excited Seralind is.

“You have to be rewarded somehow for your more than generous behavior,” the seamstress says, placing her hands on her hips.

Tonight couldn’t get any better for us!

Miss Berraultier, Seralind, and I leave the shop to take her to the carriage that awaited her. She had put her cloak over the dress to keep herself somewhat disguised.

I was practically skipping the entire way, making mental notes on what games and shows I wanted to visit and see tonight. I saw craft tables of children making paper lanterns, hand-carved wooden animal masks, and street performers in colorful clothing narrating some kind of theatrical play.

But, of course, my priority was making sure Seralind was well on her way to the ball.

When we reached the carriages, thankfully the man I had spoken to earlier was still there. He didn’t see me approach until his brown and black horses neighed, bucking slightly because of a stranger. At the sight of me, the coachman looked less than pleased.

“Hello!” I chirped.

“Where have you been, huh? I’m only still here because I didn’t have any other customers!”

“I’m sorry, sir! I had to get my sister,” I explain, gesturing to Seralind. She waves sheepishly.

“You said only one person.” He deadpans. I nodded.

“You’ll be taking her to the palace instead!” I told him. The man raises an eyebrow, probably wondering why a poor little girl was standing next to a woman wearing a suspiciously ballgown-shaped cloak. But he relents, as I have already paid.

He gets down from his seat on the coach and opens the door for Seralind, who peers inside in awe at the plush velvet seating and golden drapes.

“Let me take your cloak, dear,” Miss Berraultier urges her. Seralind carefully peels it off, revealing the stunning dress. Underneath the sparkling lights of the festival, she looked even more radiant.

“Be sure to be home not too late, Esmeline,” Seralind tells me halfway in the carriage. “And be on your best behavior with Miss Berraultier. Oh, and don’t eat too many sweets or else your stomach will hurt in the morning. And if anything happens-“

“Okay, goodbye!!” I cut her off, shoving her closer to the carriage. My pushing didn’t do much, but she got the message as she reluctantly climbed inside. The coachman shut the door behind her, and I can see her gazing out the window as we wave at her.

She smiles at us and waves back, before the coachman directs the horses out of the city and towards the palace.

I didn't move until Seralind’s carriage was out of my eyeshot, and Miss Berraultier didn't make me. When seeing her go, suddenly the excitement I had felt earlier vanishes and is replaced with a heartache I can’t ignore.

Goodbye, Seralind. I think wistfully. Now, even though she’s gone, my feet don’t move towards the festivities as I had planned. It’s as though a weight in my heart has been planted, keeping me grounded.

“Miss her already?” Miss Berraultier whispers to me.

“I guess so,” I respond quietly. She clicks her tongue and rubs my back.

“She’ll be back before you know it, my dear,” She reassures me. “Why don’t you go play some games to get your mind off of it? I saw you eyeing the candy apples earlier.”

Upon remembering the treat, I feel myself brighten. I nod enthusiastically, taking her hand as she leads me away from the carriages and towards the colorful lights.

I did the right thing… didn’t I? I wonder to myself. The way Seralind beamed as the coachman drove off, surely my actions wouldn’t create consequences that would hurt her.

I recalled how Seralind mentioned the generous stranger who had been asking her questions. Maybe if she was too busy waltzing and enjoying the luxuries of the ball as a guest, she wouldn’t be forced to interact with them at all. Now that she had an identity to hide, she would be even more inclined to lie about herself and her true origins to anyone. And surely, if one of the ladies at the house mentioned being around the Prince, they would have bragged about it a long time ago.

I take steady breaths to reassure my racing thoughts so I can focus on my own enjoyment tonight.

In my previous life, Seralind knew nothing but work and longing and heartache. Maybe in this new timeline, she can have the chance to enjoy her life a little more.

And maybe, I could use this second chance to enjoy my life a little more too.