Marie yawned and stretched leisurely as the light of the sun beamed in through her window. Then the events of the previous day came crashing back down on her like a bucket of ice water, and she quickly jumped out of bed and threw on a tunic and pants intending to go work out her frustrations. However, Jacob was standing outside of her chambers.

“Good morning Jacob” Marie said surprised.

“Good morning my Lady, the Duke has commanded me to ah” he paused

“To remind you that you have two meetings with prospective suitors today.”

“He also told me to inform you that you are to wear whatever dress Miss. Zara tells you to”

Marie grimaced at the mention of her father’s favorite dressmaker. She swore the wrenched woman poked her with her needles as much as she could during every one of their “appointments”.

“Thank you for the heads-up Jacob” Marie replied glumly.

Heading back to her room, Marie reluctantly changed into the simple royal blue gown that Nadasia had found. When a brisk knock sounded at her door, she sent up a quick prayer to Eirene, the goddess of patience to see her through her upcoming ordeal.

“Hello Zara,” Marie said with cold politeness opening the door.

“Hello Marie” Zara replied.

Being one of her father’s favorite minions, Zara did not have to address Marie by her title, and she took great delight in it. With the necessary pleasantries taken care of, Zara started barking orders at Marie. Although Marie was used to getting stripping down to her shift she hated doing it when Zara was around. The older woman always looked at her leanly muscled body with thinly disguised disapproval. Gritting her teeth, Marie allowed the dressmaker and her apprentice to poke and prod at her with a seemingly endless supply of pins and needles.

After Zara had gotten Marie’s measurements,-though she already had them and Marei knew they were accurate - she sent her apprentice to fetch the gown that Marie was to wear.

“Your father also said that you are to wear the high heels and the necklace, bracelet, and earring set that he will have sent up here in shortly.”

Zara informed Marie. Just then the apprentice came back in with the gown, almost tripping over her own feet.

"Watch it you clumsy fool!" Zara shouted, cuffing the cowering apprentice's ear.

Marie clenched her fists at the blatant display of abuse, everyone in the keep knew how she felt about servants being mistreated. However, she knew that if she tried to interfere she would only make things worse for the girl.

“Thank you, Zara, for the gown the needlework is very extravagant.”

Marie replied, sarcasm practically dripping from her words.

She knew that the woman standing in front of her had not touched a dress in years. Zara was content to let her "underlings" handle everything for her and take all of the credit. Just a few moments after Zara and her apprentice left there was another knock on the door. Letting out an inaudible sigh Marie said,

“Come in.”

Jacob walked in carrying a pair of 6-inch silver heels, and a delicate silver neckless shaped into curling fern leaves. The earrings he carried were much the same, light elegant things that looked very pretty. While the jewelry selection was much more simple and elegant than Marie had dared to hope, the gold dress with scarlet phoenixes embroidered along the edges made her shudder. Marie reluctantly called Belinda, the housekeeper who was in charge of all of the female servants in the Duke’s home.

“My maid is” Marie paused, thinking carefully about the words about to come out of her mouth,

“Unavailable at the moment, would you be so kind as to help me put on the assemble laid out on the bed Belinda?”

“Of course, my lady” the matronly servant replied, happy to help.

Just as Belinda was fastening the clasp of the silver necklace around Marie's slender throat, a loud demanding knock on her door made them both jump. Hurrying to open the door after a nod from Marie, Belinda pulled it open to reveal one of the Duke’s favorite lackeys. Marie sighed inwardly for what seemed like the millionth time that day as she looked perpetually red-faced man standing in her doorway. Arching one well-manicured brow she asked in an even tone,

“Is there something the matter Eligor? I am quite fond of that door and would prefer it not be dented.”

Eligor’s face flushed red with anger at Marie’s rather sarcastic tone. The two hated each other, Marie, for his assumption that just because he was a man he was better than any female, and Eligor because Marie's self-confidant air bruised his masculine pride.

He took an aggressive step towards her, his right hand raised, but faltered when he remembered that Belinda was still in the room with them. Instead, he settled for glaring at her and saying with no small amount of delight,

“The Duke has sent me to escort you to the room you used for your previous meeting with your suitors.”

Dismissing Belinda with a discrete wave of her hand, Marie walked over to the door. Seeing his opportunity Eligor grabbed her left arm in a bruising grip and yanked her close to him, his rancid breath washing over her face.

“You might act high and mighty now you spoiled bitch, but one of these days you're going to let your guard down and I'll be waiting.”

Rather than panicking as she knew Eligor expected her to do, she said in a slickly sweet voice,

“I believe my father is expecting me Eligor, and you should never promise something that is not within your means to carry out.”

With that, she twisted her arm easily out of his grip, which had loosened while he had talked, and began walking towards the ballroom.