After hours of caking Aenyra's face and fishing her hair with silver hairpins the two maids stepped back as they bowed and left without saying a word to her.
Aenyra felt suffocated as she looked at herself in the mirror. She oddly could no longer recognize the face staring back at her and certainly couldn't breathe.
The maids spared her no effort of air. Her hair which was auburn in colour was styled in an updo style. Her pinkish cheeks were heightened by a blush and her full lips were painted in red.
Her dress was a black flowy elegant gown with delicate lace and intricate sparkling embroidery. The gown hugged her curves at the right places as she had lots of them.
Her breasts were full and milky as they were slightly exposed by the corset which helped in pushing them up. The sleeves of her dress extended to her wrists and her hands were covered with black laced gloves.
"I don't like this," Aenyra muttered to herself as she brought her hands to cover the swell of her breasts. She felt too exposed.
'Is there any way I can avoid attending this ball? Maybe I can feign a sickness or some sort.' she bit her lips while pacing around her room.
Suddenly, her door opened, revealing her mother in a golden attire and hair styled in a very queenly manner.
"Mother,"
She whispered stooping before her mother.
Evelina grunted in anger. The sight of Aenyra was already revolting, now she had to enter the same carriage with her. Just why did the king insist on her bringing Aenyra with her.
"It seems the two days fast worked wonders on you, considering the fact I purposely ordered the modiste to sew your dress a size smaller and you were able to fit into the dress." Evelina paused, taking a good look at her daughter. She had strictly ordered the maid to make Aenyra breasts appear more prominent and fuller in her dress.
Evelina took a step closer as she circled Aenyra shaking her head in disappointment.
"After the ball, you will embark on a month's water fast. You still look like a round of ball."
Aenyra held her breath as she sucked her stomach inside to fit into the dress. The dress was too tight for her causing her lungs to have no space to breathe properly. She could only wish this ball ended earlier than it was supposed to.
"I hope a man will find you to be a suitable wife. Much better if he doesn't care about your weight at all. Do not touch a single snack or food served at the ball. Keep your fast until we are back home, do you understand?"
Aenyra who held the sides of her dress as she forced herself not to cry nodded to the question.
"I am not a lizard, child. Reply with words and not a shake of the head. Do you understand?" Evelina asked again. This time her voice edged.
Aenyra shuddered, "Y-Yes... I understand, mother."
"The carriage is waiting, follow me."
Lady Evelina and her only daughter arrived at the palace after some minutes of riding inside the carriage.
Lady Evelina was helped down while Aenyra was left to step down on her own. The footman had totally ignored her as if she was invisible.
"You must be on your best behavior child. Do not speak unless spoken to. You are above 20 already pray your future husband is inside this grand hall." Evelina clicked her tongue at her daughter before sauntering into the hall.
Aenyra stood outside, she feared the eyes of many that would befall her upon her entry. She couldn't bear the snide remarks and eyes that would look at her in contempt.
It was happening already. The judgemental gazes and whispers by the guests who were just arriving and proceeding to enter the hall filtered into her ears.
"How could she let herself get so big?"
"She looks so disgusting with all that extra weight."
"I can only pray that she wouldn't swallow all the food in the hall."
"Isn't she ashamed of herself. Her very own mother is ashamed, she should save their family some face."
"If only Mr. Quinn was still alive, I'm sure he would discipline and make her stop eating all together."
"She looks like a bundle of pretty sugar except this one has a lot of padding and is all bulk!"
The ladies laughed and mocked Aenyra as they crossed the doors of the hall.
Aenyra fisted her palms, "You're already here, Aenyra. You have to enter now lest it would look really bad on big brother. You can do this!" She encouraged herself, taking short steps towards the door but no matter how little her steps were, she reached the entrance door.
As soon as Aenyra, entered the grand hall, her eyes widened in surprise. Different ladies and men of different calibers were all gathered inside the hall as they interacted with a smile on their face with each other. As she turned her head in all directions, she could see groups of women giggling and smiling at each other and she was certain it was about dresses.
Her stomach grumbled in hunger, disrupting her from her thoughts.
She quickly roamed her eyes around the hall, looking for the least noisiest corner she could find and her eyes landed on the corner just near the curtains.
No one was there. Just some little children who played amongst themselves. Joyfully, she went and took a seat there.
Since she entered the hall, she had felt a lingering gaze on her but she didn't think much about it because obviously she was a voluptuous chunk, who would look at her? But now, she was sitting quietly, she felt the gaze more intense making her throat to tighten upon the thought that someone was looking at her.
She swallowed, her breath getting short as she began finding it hard to contain the little breaths she had been managing all along. Sweats formed on her forehead and her palms turned sweaty.
Why was she feeling weak and tired all of a sudden? She had made sure to have drunk at least five glasses of water before coming so she wouldn't look pale or faint. If she were to embarrass herself further, her mother would surely abandon her alone.
She pinched herself, forcing her drowsy eyes from closing. The music and the chatters from the guest made it difficult for her to steady her head and mind.
Her face was itchy and the dress seemed to be tightening her further. She wanted nothing more than to be ripped off the ridiculous dress and makeup. She looked nothing less than the ladies who stood outside brothels to entice men. She needed to get out of that space.
Just as she stood to leave, her vision blurred and her senses were reduced to nothing that she staggered and fell to the floor - well almost because just as her head was inches away from colliding with the marble floor a man went down, stretched his arms out and stopped the collision.
Aenyra was already out on the man's arm. Thankfully no one noticed what just happened because they were all too engrossed to notice anything.
The man carried Aenyra in his arms, smiled and disappeared behind the curtains.