The Contest

Author's Note: More costume porn. It's a wedding, after all! I'm such a filthy fashion lover.

*****

Prince Yban requested a visit on this hot morning. A servant told Rellenora that her Betrothed wanted to come too, to he had more paperwork to do than was normal.

Rellenora sat with the man on a porch decorated with dark pink cockscomb blooms and deep blue aster flowers. They played a simple board game that involved a grid and smooth, candy-like pieces with two sides, one black and one white. Early on, Rellenora knew she would lose. He was too clever for her.

At one point, when they were close to ending the game, Prince Yban snapped his fingers at a servant and gave a curt order. Quickly, the long blackboard was rolled onto the porch. Prince Yban finished the game with a few clicks on the grid. Then he stood up and wrote on the blackboard. "Why won't you go for a ride in the Hunting Grounds? Our kind Emperor has many, many men who would gladly keep you safe."

Rellenora felt a kiss-like breeze on her face. She heard the green pinwheel in her hair spin. Naeva had put that pinwheel in her hair.

Her chest hurt as she tried to think of an excuse. She knew better than to give the truth. She had known better for years. Not even Naeva knew the truth.

Rellenora believed she was terribly stupid, but she also believed that she wasn't so stupid as to let the truth be known. It was too dangerous.

She wrote on her personal slate. "I'm honored to have such a kind man show his concern."

She heard impatience in the tapping of the man's chalk on the blackboard's frame. Then she heard his chalk scrape out more characters. She looked at the board. "Would you be so kind as to provide an answer to my question?"

Rellenora pulled her sleeve down by an inch or so. Then she wrote, "My feelings are difficult to describe. Perhaps I should say that when I am exploring the wilderness, I feel free. When I have people around me, I can't feel free, because they would watch me."

There, that was a respectable way to put it, wasn't it? She didn't have to reveal her secret in any way.

"That's unfortunate," the Prince wrote, "because I can't think of solving this problem. It's highly dangerous for you to be out there without any men. Were your parents so neglectful that they didn't give you escorts?"

Rellenora drew ovals and loops on her slate as she tried to think of an answer that would offend nobody, not even her family, even though her family were off in a different country. When she thought she knew what to write, she erased her mindless doodles and put her answer there instead. "Sometimes, one man would ride with me, but I preferred to go by myself. Normally, I'd be scolded for this behavior, but as I grew older, my family seemed to gradually care less and less. Naeva, my companion, eventually became the only one to disapprove of my habit, but over time she gained more confidence in me. I've never been harmed."

She heard the man's exhale. Then more chalk against the blackboard. When the noises stopped, she read the board. "Your luck is unbelievable, magical, even. You've loitered in the wilderness all your life without anything happening to you? And now, you are to marry one of the most powerful men in the world. You must be a god's bastard." That last bit was almost an insult ... almost.

And strangely, briefly, Rellenora remembered a time when she accidentally found the prince in a bathing chamber, furiously stroking his manhood, saying part of her name.

Her body was suddenly inflamed. She nearly dropped her chalk. A thick, unpleasant bit of saliva and mucus was forced down her throat. She made a response. "I'm not a bastard, and no god has ever cared for me. I don't have an adequate reason for my good fortune."

"I suppose it's best not to question it," Prince Yban wrote down. The long sleeves of his dark peach colored shirt bounced and waved as he moved the chalk. He was wearing shiny, loose trousers instead of a masculine robe. "We're happy that you haven't died. All of Zenthia will benefit from your presence here. You will become a fine example of an empress, a mother to all the citizens."

We're? Did he mean all the people in the empire?

She wrote down, "His Highness always has a kind thing to say to me. I am humbled."

"I am humbled to be in your presence, Princess. Now please forgive me. I should leave now. His Majesty might send someone after me if I don't remind him that I'm not dead."

Was that a joke? Rellenora wasn't clever with jokes. Still, she nodded and bowed, letting Prince Yban leave the palace.

***

During the rest of the summer, there were plenty of things to do. Shows were performed in the theatre. Games were played. Occasional fancy dinners were held in the Imperial Palace's Throne Room or a dining hall.

Once, the Emperor took his Betrothed to the capital so they could take part in a colorful parade. They sat in a shiny, armored carriage, with only small windows giving them views of the outside world. Soldiers marched beside, before, and behind the vehicle. There were other things for the ordinary civilians to enjoy. Clowns played pranks. Musicians played all sorts of tunes. Dancers twirled and jumped. Unfortunately, the Emperor and his Betrothed couldn't enjoy the entertainment. The most fun they had was taking wrapped sweets and putting them in the hands of loyal soldiers. The soldiers would then throw the sweets to the children.

At the end of the parade, the vehicle halted at a harbor. The soldiers guarded the Emperor and his Betrothed as they walked to a brand new ship in the navy. It was time for the ship's maiden voyage.

While Rellenora shyly stood by, her hands folded, the Emperor used a pair of silver scissors to cut a giant, black ribbon near the ship. Then he took a flat sea urchin's skeleton and broke it in half. One half was tossed into the sea. The other was dropped onto the wooden floor he stood on. He crushed that half with his shoe. Then there was applause and horns as the ship moved in the water.

Despite the excitement, or perhaps because of it, Rellenora wanted to go home.

At least she was on ... good terms with the Emperor? He played all kinds of childish games with her. Rellenora assumed he was flirting, but she didn't really know for certain.

Sometimes, he tapped her nose with his fingertips, which was always a bit startling. Other times, he played keep away with something of hers, as he once did with a pinwheel. When they had a more secluded moment, Rellenora had to endure a kiss on the mouth. It was always a confusing feeling. Her eyes would close. Her hands would shake. Her blood would turn mad.

What was it about her that he liked to damn much, anyway? Rellenora knew she had never been sweet to him. She wasn't sweet at all. She was a foolish creature that didn't like most people. She didn't even like the Emperor.

But ... autumn was coming. The wedding would be here.

She missed the quiet life she had before, the life in which nobody expected anything of her, the life in which she was hardly even noticed. True, her brothers hadn't been kind. Sometimes they were even nasty and mean, but Rellenora had barely ever seen them anyway. They didn't matter. The whole of her life had been simple and easy.

But now ... it wasn't any of that.

The wedding was coming.

On one evening, Rellenora sat on her bed and looked at the most noteworthy gift the Emperor had given her, the symbol of the right to rule Zenthia, the white jade sleeping dragon. She would wear this symbol during the wedding.

As Rellenora held the silver chain in her hands, Naeva approached and put a wrapped package on the bed. She told Rellenora something. Then she sat down beside her. As Naeva's hand dearly patted Rellenora's wrist, the princess unlocked the words. "This is a gift from The Empress Dowager. They're herbs meant to increase fertility in women."

Then, giving diligent time after each statement, Naeva praised her. "I'm so proud of you. You've done so well. I've never dreamed that something so perfect could ever happen to us. Starting on the day before your wedding, please, oh please take a dose of these herbs each morning. If you don't become pregnant within two years of the marriage, the Emperor might divorce you. He needs heirs, and you need to bear them."

And as Naeva left, Princess Rellenora's mind faded in and out. Her fingers tightened over the silver chain attached to the dragon.

If ... she doesn't become pregnant within two years ...

***

Oana Nidi had large house within the palace walls. She had a laboratory for making medicine, a small dormitory for her assistants/apprentices, a surgery room, and a library full of medical texts.

And one day, she received an unexpected visitor, Princes Rellenora, the Emperor's Betrothed. Meek and quiet, the princess wrote on her slate. She wanted to learn more about women's health in general and all the of medicines she could make on her own, what with her limited knowledge and all. Delighted to share her passion with the princess, Oana gave her a tour of the library, and then the laboratory.

"You may visit here whenever you like, Your Highness! I'd be honored to see you reading any of these books. If you need a particular medicine that's too dangerous to take without a physician's approval, then please ask about it. That's why I'm here, after all!"

The deadliest ingredients were locked away, regardless. It's not as if the princess could end up accidentally poisoning herself.

So, it became a common occurrence to see the princess reading medical texts in the physician's house. What did the Emperor say about this? Well, he was delighted. "An empress should have many interests," he said, "and medicine is a wonderful subject."

***

Forty damn layers.

Forty!

The main robe was made to be significantly smaller than normal to make room for all those layers. It was a bright and pure red color with gold, silver, white, and black embroidery all around. The embroidery made images of long and curving dragons, bamboo stalks, and bellflowers. As for the many layers, their colors were in a rainbow's worth of a gradient, beginning from shades of red, then to orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and then ending with rare shades of violet.

A sash of gold with a scale-like pattern of tiny white dots was put around her waist. The knot in the back was designed to have two long sections danging down so far that they could have touched her ankles if the robe wasn't in the way. One hanging section of gold cloth was overlapped by the other, and along with the white dots, there were black butterflies outlines in silver, arranged in a playful and feminine manner.

Rellenora's pale blonde curls were put in the most complex design she had ever seen. It hurt her neck, but at least it was engrossing. Hidden padding, pins, sections of false hair, and wires had to be used, along with a bit of oil. Above her ears, from the top of her head and downwards, there was a semicircle of padded hair, looking as if they had simply been combed into smooth shapes (or as smooth as curly hair could be). On the top, the forelock section of hair was pulled back into a round bun in the middle of the semicircle. At the back of her head, there was a ridiculously tall shape, like a hand-fan, with the point of the fan settled in another thick bun of hair at Rellenora's nape. Two wide loops were curving out from each side of the fan, with their ends also settled in the bun at the nape.

The accessories were made of shiny black jade with gold, silver, and white pearl embellishments. A tall, semi-circle comb of jade was sunken into the bun at the top of her head. Above the teeth, there were leaves and flowers of precious metal with large and small pearls. Then, three long black jade sticks were impaled in the bun on each side, making triangle shapes. Each stick had little clusters of pearls at their ends and spiraling gold and silver on their lengths.

Black, curved cylinders with hinges were clipped onto the loops of hair on each side, with more precious metal and pearls. In the back, in the nape's bun, there was a very long black hairpin with equal amounts displayed on each side. Along with the metals and pearls, there were long, hanging white strips of silk with gold and black embroidered designs similar to a ribbon folded back and forth over itself. A second jade comb was also in this impaled bun, right on top. Finally, three long barrettes were clipped into the tall hand-fan section of hair, vertically arranged and glittering.

Using one eye to peek through her fingers, Rellenora admired the heavy, lavish hairstyle. As far as she knew, she was expected to hold this beast of a coiffure up for the wedding ceremony, a walk around the Imperial Palace, and the meal afterward. At least she didn't have to sleep with it pulling on her scalp.

Her pinky nails had silver nail guards. Her ring fingers had gold ones. Her exposed fingernails were painted black to match all the expensive jade in her hair. Matching black slippers were put on her feet. Then there were more matching accessories put on her, long earrings of jade beads that nearly reached the same level as her chin, more jade beads in a necklace with a pendant of pearls and metals that brought attention to her bosom, and even large rings on her middle fingers despite the fact that her sleeves often hid her hands.

And lastly, the thick silver chain with the white jade pendant was wrapped and secured around her, just below her bosom, the sleeping dragon hanging in the center.

While wearing all this finery, Rellenora and her companion were escorted to a new palace. It glittered in the autumn morning light. It was meant to be her new home, her private palace as Empress of Zenthia. It was called the White Jade Palace. It wasn't too wide, but it was several stories high, and there were beautiful things no matter where one looked.

When she stepped into the grand foyer, multiple rows of people were there. They all knelt down and greeted her with their booming voices. Rellenora knew what they said; she had been told in advance what would be said. She didn't have to understand.

"Greetings to the Empress, may her life be long!!"

A sad, tired sigh, and Rellenora waved her hands up a few times. When nothing changed, she called out, "Up!!"

Again, Rellenora knew what they would say. "Thank you, Your Majesty!!" The servants all rose.

Another sigh.

Most of these people were servants, most of them. Six young women approached and bowed to her. Their fairly expensive clothing implied they weren't servants. One of them was noticeably Majustan. There was a ring of gold around her tail, her fingernails and horns were black, and her hair was blood red.

The tallest of these women spoke to Rellenora, and she seemed to know that she had to wait for her to understand.

Her long fingernail guards tapped against each other. Her toes wiggled in her socks and shoes. Her lips rubbed together. Then she knew what the young woman had said. "Good morning, Your Majesty. We were chosen by the honorable Empress Dowager to be your ladies-in-waiting. We come from good, noble families. We are exceedingly grateful for this opportunity."

Rellenora nodded, but she regretted doing so. She nearly lost her balance. She had to put her palm to her neck and head to keep from tipping over.

That young woman spoke again.

More waiting, more waiting for her slow brain to comprehend.

"We will escort you to your dressing room, where we will apply your new cosmetics to your beautiful face."

Her new face powder and rouge were inside gleaming boxes of red lacquer and gold. They did put concealing powder on anything that could be a flaw, and pink colors on her cheeks, but her lips were painted differently. They were filled in with a shiny, deep red. Then, the final touch, perfume was dabbed on her throat and wrists, a bubbly scent of pomegranates, honeysuckle, and strawberry wine.

Before her lips could dry, Rellenora was called to leave the White Jade Palace. Once she was under the autumn sun, she left it again, climbing into an elaborately painted palanquin with doors and windows of open wicker. There was enough room for her to fold her robe's hem up into an attractive state, but not much more. Naeva couldn't join her; she'd have to go to the Imperial Palace by herself and wait for her mistress. All the new ladies-in-waiting would have to do the same thing.

Strong men gripped the palanquin's thick poles and lifted it up. More men approached, and they formed two extra rows so that they all could proceed in an orderly, ritualistic fashion. They rang little bells with every slow step. It seemed to take forever. Inside the palanquin, Rellenora yawned at least four times.

They climbed up to the entrance of the Imperial Palace. Then they went into the grand Throne Room, where all the guests were waiting, kneeling on each side of the rug in the center. Horns, flutes, drums, and stringed instruments were all played by the best musicians.

The men halted. Rellenora's eyes were glued to her lap.

Damn ... her neck ached!

The palanquin was carefully put down. One of the wicker doors was opened for her. She stepped out, her rainbow layers dragging behind her. Rellenora turned to do something about it, but one of the men bowed near her, murmuring something. Tense seconds later, Rellenora understood. "Please, Your Majesty, allow me to assist you."

Looking down at the dark green rug, Rellenora carefully nodded and turned her body. Then she waited as the man gingerly, as if he was afraid of being cursed, reach back towards her long robe. He pulled the costly, formal layers out of the palanquin and then let them fall behind his new Empress in an elegant way.

She walked to a spot in front of the palanquin as all the men who held the palanquin's handles picked it up and left the Throne Room. She looked down at the white skirt that hid her under-dress.

The music slowly died down. A man's voice rang out with a long statement. Rellenora didn't quite understand at first, but someone had told her beforehand what would be said. The man was likely saying, "Her Highness, Princess Rellenora Analisa Nograith of Henrill, has been sent to the White Jade Palace! She has received all her servants and ladies-in-waiting! Now, she is to be officially known as the wife of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Antonai Karlen Varesqu! She is the Empress of Zenthia!"

And then, every kneeling person in the Throne Room gave her a greeting. Rellenora knew what it was. "Greetings to the Empress, may her life be long!!"

The men with bells made rows behind Rellenora. Then, similar to the palanquin parade, Rellenora and the men made cautious, slow steps down the green path, towards the black stairs that led up to the golden throne, where Emperor Antonai Karlen Varesqu sat.

Chimes of bells after each step, solemn and graceful. And one wouldn't be allowed to move the feet in a normal way. Each step had to end with the feet coming together.

Close to the stairs, Rellenora lowered herself to her knees. Her fingers closed. Her hands went to her lap.

The men with bells also knelt down. Then, as Rellenora saw the Emperor's white slippers move down the black stairs, those men quietly rose and walked away, leaving the Throne Room.

Rellenora saw the pretty layers of the Empress Dowager's robes, gold and orange, brown and black. Her hand moved down, and she gestured for Rellenora to rise.

After the bride rose, a servant handed the Empress Dowager a purple pillow that bore two things, a golden seal and a dagger in a polished sheath of bone. The Emperor took the dagger, tugging it out from the sheath. Balancing that sheath on one palm, he used his free hand to hold the dagger by its shiny, bejeweled handle.