Lucky Charm (Reverse Fairytales Book 2)(18)
I watched as she applied powder to her cheeks making them glimmer. I don’t know how she did it. I was lost without Xavi and her helpers. She looked every inch the princess she was. I resisted the urge to glance at my own reflection in the mirror behind her. I didn’t want to look at a traitor, and that’s exactly how I felt about myself.
“I want Silverwood to be like that,” I replied, sitting down on the bed between her dresses, “but I’m fighting against years of prejudice. Most of the Magi won’t come out of hiding and those that have, still hate me for the years they were persecuted under my father’s rule. I can’t win whatever I do. Neither side likes me very much at the moment. My mother seems to think that if I wear the prettiest dresses and have my hair perfect, then people will forget about the years of hate and about what my father did.”
“You’ve got it hard, but not impossible. You need people to stand behind you and back you up. Strength in numbers I always say.”
“Well, I have Luca, of course. He’s with me a hundred percent. I also have Leo and my friends Daniel and Dean. That’s about it. No one else wants to come forward and help.”
I didn’t mention Cynder. She would have only asked me questions to which I had no answer.
“I’m here too. I’ll happily come to Silverwood to give talks if you want me to.”
I wanted her to come so badly, but I was afraid for her safety. There were too many people that hated the Magi in Silverwood.
“It’s not really safe at the moment,” I said, sadly. I hated the fact that she couldn’t even come to my coronation. “I hope to make things better by the time of the wedding because I’d hate for you to miss it.”
“I’ll do what I can from here,” she said. “I can speak to the media. I know Silverwood broadcasts Thalian channels. Maybe it will help?”
“Thanks, Seraphia. It can’t hurt. I just don’t think it’s going to be enough. There are demonstrations in the streets, and the police are turning a blind eye to them. Last year, when it was the Magi demonstrating, the police were using tear gas. I thought that now I am queen, the police would listen to me, but the head of police is still fiercely loyal to my father. It constantly feels like we are on the brink of civil war. The anti-Magi hate the Magi, the Magi hate the anti-Magi and both sides hate me.”
Seraphia moved away from the mirror and gave me a hug. “I’m sure that’s not true. You are ruling a kingdom that is recovering from a brutal regime, and while it was great for the anti-Magi who got all the best jobs and university places, it sucked for people like me. You need to keep working on the Magi. Keep promoting Silverwood as a place with a future for them.”
Cynder’s words came back to me. There is no future for me there.
Seraphia carried on. “Those against the magi will be harder, but I know you can do it.”
“I’m scared. There aren’t enough Magi in the kingdom to step forward. I’ve created jobs and opened up the universities to them. I’ve made it a law that everyone should be treated equally, but the reality is, the law isn’t so easy to enforce, especially when the police force doesn't want to enforce it.”
“It sounds like you need a new police force. Have you considered advertising the police to the Magi?”
“I’ve mentioned it to the chief, but having him actually do it is another matter. I guess I have a lot of work to do.”
“You need to get ready for the ball before you do anything to save your kingdom. It starts soon.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to help me with my make-up?” I asked. “When I do it, it looks like a four-year-old has been scribbling on my face.”
Seraphia laughed. “Sure thing.”
She followed me back to my room. I’d already picked a gown to wear. Thanks to Xavi and her notes, I also knew which shoes and which items of jewelry to go with it. The dress was a pale blue color which nipped in tightly at the waist and ruffled out. It was not my style at all, but I really couldn’t be bothered to figure out something else. I only had enough dress clothes for certain events so if I didn’t wear it now, I’d have to wear it for some other occasion, and if there is one thing I’ve learned about fashion and royalty, it’s that you can’t wear the same dress in public twice. This was the only ball I was aware of being planned for me. After today, I could wear something much more casual. I couldn’t wait.
Once I was dressed, and Seraphia had made a much better job of my makeup than I could ever hope to achieve, we both made our way down to the large palace ballroom. It was magnificently decorated with swathes of the royal purple velvet hung around the edge of the ceiling and giant flower arrangements in the same color to match. Here, purple signified royalty. In Silverwood, it was solely worn by the Magi.
Unlike the way we did things at home, there was no formal announcement of royalty entering the room. People were already dancing, and no one batted an eye as we walked in. It calmed my nerves somewhat. I’d not been looking forward to it, but now that I could hide amongst the crowd, I felt better about it. A waiter appeared at our side and offered us a glass of champagne. My heart did an involuntary leap for a second as I caught the waiter’s uniform, but it wasn’t Cynder. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see him or not. If he kept away for the rest of my trip, it would give my heart time to heal.