and the corset to be done up in the back. Finally, I stepped into the dress. I took a look at myself in the mirror and struggled to
keep the tears from falling. I looked more like a princess than I ever felt before.
“Hold out your arms,” April commanded.
As I did what I was told, Vanessa and April slipped the sleeves over my arms. They were in the same fabric as the bodice.
I watched as they attached them to a button on either side of the bodice, near the top and then somewhere in the skirt.
“Now, raise up your arms.”
A shock ran through me as I saw my reflection in the mirror. The sleeves joined one of the top layers in the dress, and as I
lifted up my arms, the sleeves gave me the illusion of fairy wings. My eyes widened as I continued to look at myself, shocked
beyond words.
“It’s beautiful.”
“No, you make it beautiful.”
All three sisters stood beside me in the mirror, each of them smiling back at me. I would never forget this image, seeing
three strong women pleased for me.
S urprisingly, I didn’t want to take the dress off and I was pretty sure I’d marry Nicholas every single day for the rest of my
life just to wear it. The unexpectedly light weight fabric made it incredible to dance in. My soon to be sisters-in-law all had
dresses made of the same fabric, but they were in dresses of pale pinks and shades of gold that matched my dress.
According to April, Nicholas was the one who suggested the butterflies. They were to symbolise my ‘rebirth’. I got choked
up when she mentioned it. My conflicting feelings were all I could think about.
The feelings I had once as a young girl. The simple stable boy who gave her the attention she so desperately craved and
then the man he became. The king who was frightening but gentle behind closed doors. Then there was the other man he’d
pretended to be—Lord Cole.
He had many faces, and I had no idea which one of them was his true face. I hadn’t expected to find one of his many faces
as I pushed open the door to the summer house. Especially considering Morgana mentioned he never came here once his mother
passed.
He didn’t seem to notice me as I walked in. My hair was now in loose waves and I was back in my dress from earlier
today. I pulled my shawl around my shoulders tighter. It was still going to take some getting used to with the style of dresses
this land hand.
“Shall I go?” I asked as I stepped forward, making my presence known.
“It’s quite alright, Ornella. I will leave you be.”
He stood from the bench and began to walk the other direction and a lump formed in my throat. I didn’t like this distance
