Page 79 of Knights of Past

Close-fitting sleeves just past the elbow were trimmed with frills and fine linen was tacked to the inside of the gown's sleeves. The neckline was trimmed with a lace ruffle the same colour as her petticoat and voila, she was fit for royalty.

“Yes, well out of the three of us, I'm the one that's going to get recognized and I think my brother would wonder why I decided to turn up to his party to celebrate finding his Chosen One, dressed like a commoner.” Okay, so I had to admit that she had a good point. Of course, I hadn't wanted to know where Pip had managed to snag these outfits from. But I had a strong suspicion that there was most likely three mortals that were currently unconscious somewhere and dumped in the bushes.

The sun was already setting early, telling me it was as I suspected it to be and we were still winter, just as he had been in our time. It also meant we didn't have to wait long before the festivities began as the guests had already started to arrive in their carriages.

“Right, you both will have to slip through the servants’ quarters as I will arrive with the rest,” Sophia said, reminding us of the plan.

“And you're sure your other self won't turn up?” I asked despite feeling like this was an obvious question and one she would have already thought about.

“Yeah, because no offense, the last time I met past you, you were a bit of a bitch,” Pip added, making my eyes widen at this, trying not to laugh when my aunt argued,

“I was not!”

“You tried to poison Toots…”

“You what!?” I interjected, making Sophia rub her forehead as if a headache was coming on before saying,

“You might not want to share everything that happened in the past, Pip, and anyway, future me saved her, so it’s a moot point.”

“Okay, so there was a lot you guys have not told me,” I said, again feeling like we would have needed a week to prepare me for all of this.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Sophia muttered before Pip nodded like a madman.

“Yeah, remember the time we all got locked in the underground prison together…? Fun times.”

“Okay yeah, I take it back, I don't want to know.” My auntie Sophia tapped me a few times on the cheek and said,

“Smart choice that, my niece.” Then she walked out of sight, no doubt waiting until the right time to make her move. As for me and Pip, we had no choice but to play our own parts, starting with making our way into the servant quarters. Something that was surprisingly easy to get into. Although considering we were dressed the way we were, I don’t know why I was surprised. Because after only a few minutes of being inside and we were quickly having orders barked at us.

This meant that the first sight I got of the inside of my father’s castle was while I was holding a silver tray of white wine glasses. The room was filled with people all dressed in their decadent finery, just as Sophia was, creating a sea of luxury fabrics.

It was like suddenly waking up and discovering you were now part of some historical period drama. The lavish room boasted so many antiques and pieces of wealth that it was hard to pinpoint just one thing, as my eyes scanned the grand but modestly sized ballroom. Like I said, the castle wasn’t the biggest I had seen, no doubt why it was only classed as a holiday home. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in opulence and rich, elegant splendour.

However, the moment the room parted I could finally see what I had been looking for…

My mother.

The room separated to allow for my aunt Sophia to make her arrival like the royalty she was, and at the end of that partition were my parents. They were both sitting upon carved wooden thrones gilded gold and if seen in any other setting, I would have said they looked gaudy and ostentatious. However, with my parents gracing the seats, they looked exactly who they were to my father’s world…

A King and his Queen.

Both were wearing my father’s colour, meaning he looked gallant and strikingly handsome, in his knee-length purple and black jacket, knee breeches, a long waistcoat underneath to match. My mother’s dress was very similar to Sophia’s in style, with only the material and colour being different. Long lengths of luxurious deep purple silk that I could see ruffled into a long train at her back.

I decided to try and get closer, so I could hear what was being said, offering people drinks as I went and giving me the perfect excuse to move around the room.

“Sophia, what are you doing here, I had believed you were in Italy,” my father said, making me tense.

“Word travels fast, brother,” she replied in that cool manner of hers.

“And sisters even faster,” Was his quick-witted reply.

“In truth I was already on my way here, when I happened to hear about this beautiful young lady who you have taken as your betrothed, is this true?” she asked, making my poor mum look awkward trying to play the part of said beauty.

“It is, for her name is Catherine,my golden fleece.”My father said this in a way that was an obvious compliment making my mother blush. Naturally, Sophia continued to play her own part by looking surprised as I knew this ‘golden fleece’ comment was a sure way for his sister to understand that he had finally found his Fated.

“Then I really do have to offer you my congratulations, for she is a rare creature indeed.” My father beamed at this.

“Catherine, may I introduce, Mrs Sophia Draven, my sister.” Hearing this my mother tried to stand, no doubt so she could continue to act and do a curtsy. However, my possessive father showed his true colours quite quickly as he placed her hand over hers and prevented her from standing. This meant Sophie was left to curtsy alone. In all honesty, it was in that moment that I had never witnessed my mum being forced to act so much like the Queen my father had always claimed her to be.

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