Regina Rising by Wendy Toliver

Author:Wendy Toliver
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2017-04-25T04:00:00+00:00

Saturday, May 20

The days leading up to the royal ball were joyous, and the jubilance of having won the Ogre Wars was decidedly contagious.

Normally, I would have been agitated when my mother forbade me from joining my father on his morning ride, saying she wanted me free of bruises and scrapes for the dance. But that day, I’d let it slide with little more than a sigh and devoted myself to a leisurely day indoors with my nose in a book and Thaddeus snoring at my feet.

The grandfather clock struck five, and I retired to my bedroom to begin getting ready for the evening. I took my time, brushing my hair until it shone and applying rouge to the apples of my cheeks. Next I selected one of my new gowns, a pale green one with white leaves embroidered on its bodice, matching slippers, and elbow-length gloves. Rainy styled my hair in a chignon accentuated with an emerald comb, and tendrils framed my face and neck. “You are a vision, m’lady,” she said, and I hoped Jasper would think the same.

“Regina, it is time to go,” called my mother from the landing. When I walked down the stairs, she whirled around in her form-fitting gray-and-gold gown and frowned at me. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

“You bought it for me,” I said, my good mood fading fast.

“Well, it simply won’t do. Not for the royal ball. You’re not a little girl anymore, Regina. With any luck, you’ll meet your future husband tonight,” she said. A small purple cloud formed in my mother’s palm and then whisked over to fully envelop me.

Not a second later, I’d been magically dressed and styled, from head to toe. My replacement gown was off-white silk, and when the light struck it, it seemed to flow down my body like cream into a bowl of berries. Its hem, sleeves, and neckline were trimmed in maroon lace. My hair was piled high in glossy ringlets, accented by a ruby-embellished headband. When I examined my reflection in the entryway mirror, I noticed my lips were painted, the beauty mark on the left side of my mouth was enhanced, and I’d been doused with more than a fair amount of rose water.

My overall appearance was overstated, I thought. Most of all, I was terribly uncomfortable. The corset nipped my waist until I could barely breathe, and my feet were stuffed into slippers two sizes too small.

“The shoes don’t fit, Mother,” I protested, lifting my gown to show her.

She arched an eyebrow. “The shoes are the perfect size,” she said. “It’s your feet that are too big.”

I thought how wonderful it would be to have even the teensiest bit of magic, like Claire or the blind witch, so I could switch my shoes for ones more comfortable. I opened my mouth to beg my mother for mercy, but then my father rounded the corner, decked out in a suit and cravat that coordinated with my mother’s gown. Once he caught sight of me, his eyes twinkled like a thousand stars.

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