FicWad

Later that night we all sat in my room as I looked closely at all the things in my room. A manikin sat in the middle of the room. It had been given to me shortly after I started unpacking. It had on a beautiful red and black corset dress and had diamonds sewn into the corset.
"Wow, don't try to breath in that dress." Pete smirked running his hands over the thin fabric of the train to the dress.
"I know, how am I supposed to wear this anyway?" I asked circling it.
A note was pinned to it, familiar huh? I ripped it off and read it.

Welcome your majesty. I am pleased to have you stay at this wonderful place. I ask that you come to dinner with you guests and make yourself more at home. Isabelle asked that you wear this.
Michale

"Wow." I smirked flipping the note over and looking back at the dress. "Who's Michale?"
"I don't know." Pete said looking back at the others who shrugged.
Just then Is and several maids came in carrying baskets of clothes and hangers of dresses.
"Please Alex; we must get you ready for the dinner party tonight." She glanced sharply at the guys and turned to them. "Do you mind of we have her for a while?"
"No, not at all." Patrick smiled at me and kissed me lovingly. "Make her pretty."
"Don't worry; we will." Is smiled at him. "You may go with the butlers and get yourselves ready."
They nodded and followed the butlers out of the room, down the hall, to their rooms. Once they left Is nodded to one of the younger maids who shut the door and locked it. The light in the room brightened making everything sharper and clearer.
"Hmm, what can we do with you first?" She asked circling me touching my hair lightly; lifting it up and gently curling it. "First, let's get you dressed."
I nodded and was pushed behind a screen where two maids stripped me of my modern clothes much to my struggle. They put on an under dress, which possible weighed twenty pounds and moved the screen back. Is again circled me and looked me up and down again.
"So pretty, but so skinny." She tisked shaking her head. "Ok, tighten her up."
I swallowed hard as one of the maids grabbed the ties on the back of the dress and pulled tightly. I felt like my insides were being squeezed out. After a few more short tugs, she tied the strings and looked for Is's approval. She nodded and lifted the dress slowly off the manikin. She put it over my head and pushed my head through.
Once I got the dress on I was probably carrying fifty pounds and felt like my ribs were about the crack. Is smiled at me and sat me down in a vanity chair. She started brushing my now long, curly, honey brown hair until it was smooth and flowing.
"What do you think would look better for her, Victoria?" She asked one of the maids gently pulling my hair back. "Down or up?"
"Oh most defiantly up." Victoria nodded happily. "Having your hair up shows class and sophistication."
I just kept my eyes down on my hands as they style my hair into a tight knot of curly hair. When a maid noticed my hands she grabbed them and shook her head.
"Looks like we're going to have to do her nails too." She commented showing Is who gasped lightly at my painted chipped, fingernail chewed hands.
Now my hands, hair and feet were being handled awkwardly by maids. Soon, my nails were bare, my feet were smooth and my hair was tied back in a classy knot. A maid looked at my face and smiled.
"Some make-up would make her even more beautiful." She looked for Is's approval who nodded and finished with my hair.
They put smoky eye shadow on my eyes carefully and stained my lips a bright red color. Along with a basic concealor and base, they added a light blushed cheek and heavy mascara eyes.
The finishing touches were a beautiful diamond necklace, earrings and bracelet. Is helped me out of the chair and leaded me to the mirror. When I saw the girl looking back I almost started crying. I looked beautiful.
"Do you like it?" She asked hopefully.
I nodded and threw my arms around her. "Thank you so much, I look so pretty."
She hugged back and then pushed me away. She looked me up and down one last time and smiled.
"It's your time to shine." She said leading me out into the hall. "I can't be there with you, but I'll be in the back."
I nodded and walked down the hall slowly, the heels they had given me were far from comfortable. I walked down the hall to the landing and the grand staircase. They all stood on the landing facing the growing crowd of people that filtered in from the parlor. All of them wore a tux of some kind. Pete's was a black and red one. Joe's was grey and red. Andy's was blue and grey. And Patrick's was black and white. All of them even had their own hair style. Pete's gelled his hair down to cover his left eye. Joe's was....well....the Jew-fro. Andy's was tied back in a top knot. And Patrick's was hidden under one of his more fancier hats. I couldn't help but laugh at them, but then again I probably wouldn't look much better.
When Andy heard me giggling lightly he turned and his jaw dropped. Soon they all turned and each had the same look of shock and happiness on their faces. I walked down the steps carefully and on the last step ungracefully tripped. Patrick caught me and smiled.
"Holy shit, you're.....beautiful!" Pete said shocked as he looked at my thin figure in a tight corset.
"Yes, but I'm in a lot of pain." I laughed as I looked out over the growing crowd. "Are these people here for a purpose?"
"Yes." Joe smirked. "They're here for you."
"You're kidding right?" I laughed.
"Nope, they came to see you." Andy nodded.
Suddenly everything went quiet as a man with wavy black hair and a plain black suit came into the middle of the crowd.
"Attention, please come and sit in the dining room while we await her majesty." He glanced up at me and smiled.
I swallowed hard and watched as the crowd thinned and the man walked up the steps. He kissed my hand and looked at me with hungry eyes. I stepped back lightly as he looked at my a little longer than comfortable.
"Ah, Alexandra, it is so nice to finally...meet you." He said with a heavy French accent. "I'm Michale."
"Nice to meet you too." I forced a smile.
"Who are your friends?" He asked looking at the guys almost angrily.
"This is Pete, Patrick, Joe, and Andy." I said they nodded when they heard their names.
He stared at Pete and glared slightly. I cocked my head and cleared my throat. He immediately looked up and gave me a toothy smile; it was then that I noticed he was a vampire. I gasped and stepped back farther.
"Oh don't worry." He held his hand up. "I'm clean."
I looked down and sighed, it was stupid of me to be afraid of vampires.
"Well, let's get down there." He offered me his arm.
"Sorry, Michale." I grabbed Patrick's arm. "Patrick is my date."
He nodded and turned slowly to go down the steps. He waited for us at the bottom. I walked slowly and made it down the steps without falling. We walked into the grand dining room where hundreds of people sat waiting for me.
I could feel butterflies in my stomach. Michale glanced at me and pushed me over to the corner.
"I'll introduce you, but you have to enter alone." He whispered. "That means they'll have to go in early, ok?"
I swallowed and nodded. He smiled and walked into the room. I had behind a tapestry while he introduced me.
"Attention, may I give you." He glanced back and nodded at me. I knew the signal and walked slowly into the room. "Her majesty, Alexandra Corrine Alanala Ravencraft."
They all clapped and stood when I walked into the room. Many women blotted tears from their eyes and many men whistled loudly. I blushed and curtsied.
Michale moved a chair for me and I quickly scurried over to it. He pushed me in and I let out a sigh. Patrick grabbed my hand under the table and squeezed it gently.
"You did great." He whispered in my ear, making me smile and look down. "Maybe after this we can be alone for a while."
I stifled a giggle and looked up at the many faces staring at me with great joy and maybe a hint of jealousy.
The first course was served, a salad and soup. I ate lightly and watched the other people watch me. I bet if I dropped my spoon, the world would stop spinning. I don't, not a good first impression.
Second course, salmon and steak. We eat quietly and don't talk the whole time. Once that awkward moment Michale cleared his throat and rose slowly. All at once everyone stands except for me, Patrick, Pete, Joe, and Andy. Michale gives me a look and I stand quickly.
"We'll be taking drinks in the ballroom." He announced and everyone slowly walks away, casting backward glances at us.
"You did well for your first public meal." He smiled and kissed my hand again. "Now, all you have to do is make it through talking to everyone."
I again nodded and turned to the guys once he left.
"I don't know if I can do this." I said biting my lip and writhing my hands.
"You'll do great." Andy smiled.
I noticed Is standing behind a tapestry, waving her over I felt more than a little nervous. She ran up hugged me.
"You can do this." She urged hugging me tightly. "Just a few drinks and some small talk, let them get to know you."
I sighed and nodded, I might as well get this over. I hugged her one last time before turning and sauntering into the ballroom where many well dressed people stood chatting it up and sipping cocktails.
I looked around for anyone who I knew; sadly it was like standing in a room full of strangers.....wait! that's exactly what it was. A few young women looked over at me and nodded in approval; soon a few strutted over and introduced themselves.
"Hello Alexandra." One with a midnight blue dress and a very bad annunciation problem said shaking my hand. "It's so nice to finally have you back."
I smiled and curtsied lightly. "It's so nice to be back." Even though I barely remember the first thing about this place.
"I'm Elisabeth." She said happily. "But you may just call me Liza."
"Nice to meet you, you can just call me Alex."
"Nonsense." An older woman scoffed, butting into the conversation. "All royalty must go by their full name to commoners."
I must have looked confused, because she laughed heartily and pulled me away from Liza.
"You need to know who to talk to." She whispered. "Mainly wealthy and well known."
I nodded and looked around. "How can you tell the difference, they all look the same?"
"No, to someone who just arrived they would but look more closely."
I did and noticed more about them. Most of them had dirty hair and a worn expression. Only a few looked very healthy and full of life.
"Now I see." I smiled.
"I knew you were always quick like your mother." She looked me up and down. "You may not remember me but I'm Nicolette."
"Sorry, it doesn't ring a bell." I said shaking my head.
She sighed and grabbed a drink off a tray from a passing butler, then handed it to me.
"Well, let's just say I was a very good friend of you mother and father, may they rest in peace."
I looked down and sipped my drink, it tasted like ass but I drank it anyway.
"Well, I won't keep you." She gave me a warm smile. "You have many other people to talk to."
I nodded and turned back to the crowd of people. They all looked at me hopefully, like I was going to talk to them.
After an hour of talking to people that kept saying things like 'It's so nice to meet you.' And 'Nice to have you back.' I was just about to hurt the next person severely.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Pete and Patrick sitting on the stairs and checking the grandfather clock every few minutes. I rolled my eyes and stealthily slipped past the crowd and into the parlor.
Patrick smiled when he saw me and run up to me.
"Are you done yet?" He whined like a little kid.
I couldn't help but smile and kiss him. "I don't know how long this is going to go on."
"Please ask for a pardon or something, it's boring without you."
I bit my lip and finally nodded, it was boring without them too. I quickly went in search of Michale. I found him schmoozing it up with some of the more skimpily dressed women. I tapped his shoulder and got several glares from the women.
"Michale, I'm getting tired." I glanced at the women. "Do you mind if I leave?"
He seemed distracted. "Hmm? Oh sure." He nodded and turned back to the women.
I walked back through the crowd and up the stairs to Patrick's room. He answered and hugged me tightly.
"P-Patrick I've only been gone for a few hours." I coughed as he hugged me tighter.
He finally let go and I let out my breath. He kissed me and pulled at my arms. Then he whispered in my ear.
"Want to go to a real party?"