Chapter 0328

I beam in particular at the thought of Daphne, who envisioned me in this dress tonight. Daphne, my dear friend who knows the intricacies of my story, and my personality, so completely that she...made this dress.

And instantly, I know that she made it. And that she made it for me. Because it fits like a damn glove, even if it is a little bit long.

Eagerly, I move for the door, pulling it open and smirking when I find Daphne standing about ten feet away, waiting for me, the straps of a pair of insanely high stiletto shoes draped over her fingers, held out towards me. "I cut the hem for six-inch heels," she says with a smirk. "Think you can handle it?"

I squeal with excitement as I scurry over to her, throwing myself into her arms as she laughs and hugs me back, as Markie says " whoa!" and Juniper gapes from her spot by the vanity, pins all over the bottom of her dress.

"I love it," I whisper to Daphne, incredibly excited as I pull back and take the shoes from her hands, leaning on her shoulder as I start to pull them on.

"You do!?" Daphne nearly sings, excited. "I dreamed it up, but I wasn't sure you'd like it -"noveldrama

"It's perfect," I say, shaking my head a little.

"Actually," she murmurs, and I watch with surprise as she pushes hastily at the straps over my shoulders so that they fall, dainty, to hang in loops over my arms, leaving my shoulders bare. I hesitate for a second, thinking that the whole dress is going to fall down, but then I realize that Daphne's crafted it so carefully that the boning and structure beneath the long strip of black silky fabric holds it up. The whole dress looks like it's crafted to go to pieces and leave me naked in an instant, but really it's quite sturdy.

"You're so clever," I murmur, twisting a little as I take in the effect in the mirror. "I can't believe you did this. Every girl in the nation is going to want one of these tomorrow." Daphne laughs and heads back to Juniper while I finish pulling on my shoes. I turn towards Mark and Juniper, wanting their opinions, when the door opens and mom comes in in her own gorgeous gown, a confection of peach-colored organza and lace.

When mom presses the door shut and turns to me, her mouth falls open.

"Oh my god," she whispers, looking me up and down, her eyes wide and her expression blank.

I bite my lip, not sure if I like this reaction. "Is it too much?"

Slowly, my mom raises her eyes back to mine. She's silent for a long, long moment, and my stomach sinks, but then she clasps her hands in front of her chest and gives a brilliant little shriek of joy. "Ariel! You look gorgeous! You look amazing!"

I burst into a grin and my mom hurries across the room to me, taking my hand and making me spin in a circle for her, her eyes going wide again when she sees the back.

"You look so sexy," she whispers, meeting my eyes, which makes me laugh and blush at once. Pleased, Daphne goes back to kneel on the floor in front of Juniper, fixing up her hemline in a hurry.

"But seriously, you don't think it's too much?" I ask, a little worried.

Mom laughs and gives me an anxious little grimace. "I think your dad's going to flip."

I go a little pale at the idea but mom just flaps her hand at me, darting over to the closet where some of my coats are kept, pulling out a chic little faux-fur wrap. "You can just wear this until we get to the fight, and then he won't have a chance to protest, will he?"

I laugh and nod, grinning at my mom, loving her loving that she doesn't have a prudish bone in her body and would never try to make me feel any shame about my body or wearing whatever I want.

Mom tosses the coat onto the bed and then quickly begins to confer with Daphne about what we should do for makeup and hair. Mark pretends to get in on it, giving his playful suggestions, all of which are dismissed because he has terrible teenage-boy tastes. But by the time Juniper's hem is all sewn up, I'm equally fitted out as well, with dark and smoky makeup on my eyes, and barely a bit of gloss on my lips, and two tiny diamond clips holding my hair back from my face so that it flows down my back. Simple, sexy, dangerous. When I stand next to my mom and my sister and look in the mirror, I grin around at all of us - shocked at how three women with such similar features can look so different tonight. But each of us so lovely in our own ways.

"Oh, I love you both so much," mom squeals, putting her arms around our shoulders and giving us each a kiss and a squeeze. "What about me!?" Markie protests, behind us, left out.

"Yes, you too, Mark, of course," mom says, her voice over-indulgent as it always is with him, but he beams anyway when she turns and gives him a hug.

As she does, Juniper turns to me and crosses her arms, looking me up and down. "Who's spooky now?" she asks, smirking.

"Yes, bubblegum sparkle princess is no more," I say with a mock sigh, grinning at her, remembering her words on the day I came home. "It's all dark Ariel now."

Juniper laughs with me and then gives me a nod. "I think it's cool," she says, giving a one-shouldered shrug. "New era, new princess. I think it...suits you. All sides of you."

"Thanks, Junie," I say, a little softer now, genuinely touched.

"You're welcome," she says, giving me a big grin. "In exchange for my kindness, please do not tell mom and dad if you see me drinking champagne tonight."

I narrow my eyes a little at my wicked sister, but then I grin and loop my elbow in hers, giving her a nod. Secrets between sisters, after all, are very important. It's about time Juniper and I were on the same team.

"Are we ready?" mom asks, moving towards the door.

"Aye aye, Captain Mom," Markie says, giving her a foolish salute. She grins at him and then points to the fur still on the bed." Seriously, Ariel, you'd better wear that or your dad will lock you in your room."

I grin and, as I move out of the room with my sister on one side and Daphne on the other, I grab my coat, pulling it over my shoulders and feeling incredibly excited about the night.

Because I have a new dress, and I get to go to an event with my entire family, and watch my mate beat the crap out of someone and defend our national pride. It can't get any better than this.

And what, possibly, could go wrong?