Fiona looked at the dressing mirror one more time, her reflection a pale figure in the dim light. Her heart skipped, a nervous flutter, as she remembered the invitation.
The silk of her gown, a deep sapphire blue, felt cool against her skin, a stark contrast to the warmth creeping up her neck.
"Fiona, the king has requested to see you. He wants to quicken the plan," Dimitri had told her the day before, his voice low and urgent, his eyes dark with unspoken concern.
She took a deep breath, the air thick with the scent of lavender and the faint metallic tang of her own anxiety, and stepped out of the room.
Dimitri was already waiting for her by the carriage, his figure silhouetted against the pale morning light.
"Ready?" he asked, his eyes, dark and intense, searching hers. He drew her in for a kiss, a fleeting touch of warmth against her lips.
She nodded, her throat tight, and took his hand, the leather of his gloves rough against her skin, climbing into the royal carriage.
The carriage lurched forward, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels a steady pulse in the quiet morning.
Her eyes gazed back on Dimitri's mansion, its stone facade bathed in the soft glow of dawn.
It's been close to a year now, and she had already felt like it was home.
Home... She wondered, a flicker of doubt in her heart, if she even had a home.
"What's wrong, darling?" Dimitri's voice, a low rumble, broke her thoughts. She turned to look at him sitting across from her, his brow furrowed in concern.
She shook her head. "Nothing really, just lost in thoughts."
"I know meeting the king is a lot, but..."
"Hey, don't worry. I'm fine. I guess I'm nervous about messing up."
He reached for her hands, his touch gentle, almost reverent, caressing them with his calloused fingertips.
His eyes, the color of the blue sky, were fixed on hers, a silent reassurance.
"Nothing will go wrong. You are princess material. Plus..." he said, his voice taking a lively turn, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, "You got a good teacher."
"Miss Rose?"
"Me! And yes, maybe Miss Rose," Fiona laughed, a nervous tremor in her voice, her heart gradually easing from the tension.
I'm glad I met him. She thought as she smiled at him.
They soon arrived at the palace, the imposing stone structure casting a long shadow across the courtyard.
The guards, their faces impassive, their armor gleaming in the sunlight, looked mysterious.
The royal entrance, with its towering gates and intricately carved archways, was well kept and beautiful. It was hard to believe such a beautiful kingdom was unhappy.
"Your Royal Highness, Prince Dimitri and Miss Fiona!" The guard announced, his voice booming through the hall, as they stepped into the throne room.
Fiona could see Dimitri's jaw tighten, a muscle twitching in his cheek, at the title "Prince!"
"Ah! Dimitri my boy; a pleasure!" The King laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the vast chamber, his big round belly vibrating.
"Your Highness!" Fiona paused, her breath catching in her throat, as the king rose to his feet.
"My, My. She's much prettier than she was the last time I saw her," The King commended, his eyes twinkling, as he attempted to hold her by the shoulder.
"Just like your daughter," Dimitri interjected, his voice sharp, as he stepped in front of Fiona, shielding her from the king's touch.
Clearing his throat, the king took a step back, his expression unreadable. "So Fiona, you know why you're here," he asked, his brow raised, his eyes piercing.
"She does," Dimitri spoke up, his voice taut. Fiona could tell he was annoyed, a muscle working in his jaw, but she couldn't tell why. Maybe he's tired? Or has issues with the king? "Right, Fiona?"
Dimitri turned to ask, his eyes searching hers, a silent question in their depths. She realized he had been talking.
"Yes, yes," Fiona replied, shaking her head.
"Dimitri..." Vanessa's voice echoed in the room, a soft, pleading sound. Her gown, a shimmering emerald green, was breathtaking, tightly showcasing her beautiful figure. Her face was covered with a matching veil.
"Vanessa, look, Fiona's here," The king introduced, his voice jovial, walking towards Vanessa and leading her to Fiona, like she was blind.
Vanessa snapped away from him, her voice sharp, a hint of steel beneath the softness, "I can walk just fine!"
"Yes. Of course," Fiona said, her voice barely a whisper. She had never seen the king that nervous, his usual jovial demeanor replaced with a flicker of unease.
Vanessa walked to Dimitri, her voice pleading, "You came back, with her..."
Dimitri's eyes were cold, like chips of ice, his voice sharp, "The sooner, the better."
Vanessa nodded slowly, her shoulders slumping, and then turned to Fiona, her voice reflecting her fake smile. "You must be the lovely Fiona. Dimitri told me so much about you."
Fiona blushed, a faint warmth spreading across her cheeks, as she replied, "He spoke about you too."
She realized Dimitri didn't talk much about Vanessa, a fact that seemed to hang heavy in the air.
"I'm sure he did," Vanessa replied, her voice flat, as Dimitri gave a grunt, a low guttural sound.
"Wanna go to the garden? I know how much you love gardens," She paused, observing Fiona's confused look, her eyes searching. "Well, at least that is what Dimitri said."
"Go on. I'll meet you there in a minute," Dimitri whispered, his voice low and urgent. He made an attempt to touch her hair, a fleeting gesture of affection, but stopped midway, his hand hovering in the air.
A subtle action that Vanessa caught, her eyes narrowing.
As they walked in the garden, the air cool and damp against their skin, Vanessa recounted her childhood experience, her voice tinged with melancholy.
"But now it all feels like a dream," She sighed, a long, drawn-out sound, as they sat on a bench, the rough stone cool beneath them, watching the water fountain.
"You look a lot like me, we could be twins," Vanessa said with a laugh.
Fiona smiled, her heart beating hard, as her head screamed,
Don't say it.
Don't say it.
"Are you cursed?" And... She said it, the words hanging in the air, heavy and thick.
There was silence, a long, drawn-out silence that seemed like it would stretch forever until Vanessa said, amidst tears, her voice a broken whisper,
"Yes. And everyday of my life it feels like there's no escaping it."
Fiona startled by the outburst, the raw pain in Vanessa's voice a physical jolt, wrapped her arm around Vanessa's shoulder, the delicate fabric of her gown cool beneath her fingertips.
"It'll all be fine at the end. I'm sure," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
She wasn't sure what else to say, what comfort she could offer, so she let Vanessa rest in her arm, her head resting on her shoulder, the soft, silken strands of her hair brushing against Fiona's neck.
She resolved to help Vanessa, to shield her from whatever darkness held her captive, even if it meant pretending to be Vanessa.