Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Rill’s long, steady strokes with the hairbrush almost mesmerized Lexi, as she stared at her reflection in the dressing table mirror.
She really didn’t understand why she needed to change clothes before joining Jeros for dinner, but if that was what was done here, then so be it.
She still found it amazing that an entire wardrobe that fit perfectly filled the pair of large armoires and multiple dressers.
It was almost as if Mairwen had somehow sent her measurements on ahead so the household of Sevenrest could prepare. “Rill?”
“Aye, my lady?”
“How is it that I have all these clothes that fit as if they were tailored for me?”
“Because they were tailored for ye, my lady.” Rill set down the brush, dipped her fingers into the oil of a jeweled crock on the dressing table, and started massaging Lexi’s scalp.
Lexi closed her eyes and breathed in the delicate scent of lilacs and honeysuckle and found the tensed muscles of her shoulders relaxing.
Back home, she only got this kind of pampering when she and Maggie scheduled a spa day.
She struggled to stay focused. “What do you mean they were tailored for me?”
“The modiste examined the clothes ye arrived in and the tailor faeries measured ye for certainty while ye slept, and then yer wardrobe was created.”
“In a single night?”
“Of course, my lady.” Rill smiled at her in the mirror. “Is that not the way of things in yer world?”
“Not even close.”
The maid picked up another small jar and removed its lid. But then she stood there as if uncertain how to proceed.
“What is it?” Lexi peered at the silky white cream with interest.
Rill avoided meeting her gaze. Instead, she stared down at the jar.
“Please dinna be offended, but I spoke with the apothecary about yer scars. She mixed up this special face cream if ye would like to try it. She said ye might find it soothing since it will ease any tightness and is quite good for all of yer skin.”
Lexi had tried every cream, ointment, and balm in creation to minimize her scars.
Some had worked a little. Most had been a waste of money.
She swallowed hard, tamping down the bitterness against the father she couldn’t remember.
Bitterness and holding a grudge were like eating poison and expecting it to kill the person who had done you wrong.
Leastwise, that was what Mammaw always said, and the logical part of Lexi knew her grandmother was right.
But it sure was hard not to sink into resentment mode sometimes.
“Please dinna be offended,” Rill repeated. “I would never wish to upset ye.”
“I am not offended.” Lexi offered the young woman a reassuring smile. “I appreciate your taking care of me. I need a good moisturizer. My skin tends to be a little on the dry side.”
“I may apply it, then?”
Struggling to remain as positive as Mammaw had always taught her, Lexi upturned her face and closed her eyes. “You may apply it.”
The cool creaminess of the moisturizer possessed the crisp, clean scent of sliced cucumbers and was quite pleasant on her poor, parched skin that she hadn’t taken care of nearly as religiously as she should.
She couldn’t resist a smile as she remembered all the times Mammaw had scolded her for forgetting to apply sunscreen.
“Ye like it, then, my lady?” Rill paused in smoothing the cream onto her face.
“It is quite nice and soothing. Tell your apothecary she did well, and I appreciate her going to the trouble to prepare it.”
Rill made one of her happy little sounds that was a cross between a soft giggle and a kitten’s purr.
“She will be so honored to hear it, my lady. So honored, indeed.” She continued applying the cream on Lexi’s neck and décolletage.
“Yer skin is fair glowing, my lady. I believe it likes the balm verra much.”
Lexi opened her eyes and looked in the mirror.
Rill had not exaggerated. Her skin did look very pleased with the extra attention.
She touched her scarred cheek, smiling at the much calmer surface.
“You’ve taken years off me, Rill. Thank you for talking to your apothecary.
I appreciate your going to the trouble as well. ”
The maid covered the jar, placed it on the dressing table, then proudly patted herself on the chest. “’Tis my duty to take the verra best of care of ye, my lady, and I shall always strive to do just that. And now for yer jewelry. I think the sapphires with this gown.”
The satin gown with the empire waist was a most flattering shade of dark blue with gold trim at the waist, neckline, and sleeves.
A pair of elaborate gold buttons fastened it at the bust, then it flared out to reveal the inner gown or petticoat, which was a lighter blue, diaphanous material embroidered with the tiniest gold stars.
How the tailors had managed to create this extraordinary outfit, and all the other outfits, in a single night, boggled the mind, no matter how commonplace the maid tried to make it sound.
The modiste Rill had spoken of must have an army of seamstresses.
“How did Prince Jeros come to have all this jewelry? It’s as though there’s a set for every ensemble.
” Lexi had been amazed the first time the maid had opened the cabinet that held all the sparkling treasures.
It couldn’t have been his mother’s necklaces, bracelets, and earrings because the woman was still alive, and from everything Jeros had hinted at, the queen would be loath to give up anything that belonged to herself.
“These aren’t stand-bys he was holding in reserve for potential mistresses, were they? ”
Rill looked suitably shocked. “Oh no, my lady. Each piece was fashioned with yerself in mind. His Highness so commanded it.”
“But I only arrived yesterday.”
“Fae jewelers and precious metal workers are quite efficient.”
“Obviously.” Lexi turned her head to catch the light on the teardrop sapphires dangling from her ears.
Always the tomboy, she had never owned much jewelry, but that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate such fine pieces.
A larger teardrop sapphire hung at her throat, and a matching bracelet encircled her wrist. She made a mental note to thank Jeros and let him know how lovely she thought the pieces.
“Shall ye wear yer hair up again, my lady, or do ye wish it down and swept to the side in a more intricate style for dinner?” Rill stood with her hands raised, ready to attack Lexi’s unruly tresses as soon as she heard the word go.
“Uhm…” Lexi never really thought that much about her hair.
She kept it long because it was easier than going to the stylist every few weeks, and long hair could be swept up in a ponytail or hair clip in an instant.
Long hair was so much easier to deal with than short hair.
She threw up her hands. “Whichever way you think would look best. I trust you.”
The young Fae glowed as if lit from within. “Why, thank ye, my lady.” She opened the dressing table drawer and retrieved an astonishing amount of sparkling gold hairpins. “The intricate style it is, then. His Royal Highness will love it.”
His Royal Highness. When Jeros had told her he wasn’t disgusted by her scars but bothered by them because he had failed to prevent her suffering, she had nearly wept—and crying was something she tried to never do.
No one had ever said anything like that to her before, about relating her scars to her suffering and empathizing with her.
And all her people reading sensors swore he spoke the truth.
That wasn’t just some line he was trying to feed her, nor an act like the one he had put on at the bathtub.
No, Jeros had meant it. Her eyes misted over at the memory.
“Are ye all right, my lady?” Rill asked. “Be anything wrong?”
Lexi sniffed and blinked away the unshed tears. “No. Nothing’s wrong. Must be allergies. I spent quite a bit of time with the unicorns and toured the stables and paddock. Fresh hay sometimes makes my eyes water.”
“Shall I speak with the apothecary or Mrs. Shimmerhill? I feel sure one of them will know of an herbal to help ye.”
“No, I’ll be fine after a little while. Just need some fresh air to clear out my nostrils.”
Rill rushed over to the balcony doors and propped them open wide. “’Tis a balmy evening, my lady. I should have already had these open, along with the windows. Do forgive me.”
Lexi felt guilty for the lie. “Don’t apologize. You are taking wonderful care of me. Spoiling me rotten.”
The maid tipped her head to one side. “Spoiling ye rotten? Be that a good thing?”
“It is a very good thing. Trust me.”
After much poking, prodding, and one or two stabs with an ill positioned hairpin, Rill stepped away. “What say ye, my lady? Do ye like it?”
“Wow.”
“Is that good?”
“Very good. I had no idea my hair could look so beautiful.” And it did.
Swept over her right shoulder, then braided and strategically curled, Lexi couldn’t remember the last time her hair had been so fancy.
The scented oils the maid had massaged into her scalp gave her dark brown locks a gleam like never before. “Thank you, Rill. You are a wizard.”
Eyes flaring wide with shock, the maid threw up her hands and stepped back. “Oh no, my lady. I swear I am no wizard. Please dinna have me taken away.”
Lexi jumped up to calm the girl. “Rill, Rill, no! It was just a figure of speech because my hair looks magical. I promise I’ll never call you a wizard ever again. It was meant to be a compliment, not something to make you panic.”
The maid calmed, but was still obviously unsettled. “Wizards are good in yer world?”
“The wizards in my world are harmless. At least, I think they are. I used that word in the context of saying that you were brilliant, excellent at working with my hair. It’s never looked this stylish before.”