Charlie chuckled and led us to the door.
"Ms. Seville please follow Maggie to the lounge room, lady Ambrosia please follow me to your quarters."
Seville gave me a small hug and her best reassuring smile before following the small pudgy lady to what I was guessing would be some sort of guest lounge space, while I followed behind Charlie.
"Are you excited?" Charlie had a little twinkle in his eye and pep in his large step as he led me down beautiful hallways, but I still wasn't feeling it.
"I cannot wait." I gave him a bright smile dimples and all, which he quickly returned before pressing a button which unsheathed an elevator. I was actually really surprised with this one.
This is new.
"Ladies first."
I stepped in the elevator quickly; it wasn't insanely large, but it was roomy enough to fit about 6 people, Charlie pressed the only button in the elevator and it began to rise. When the doors opened, I struggled to keep my face chipper because there were approximately 10 or more people in this one large space that could be mistaken for one of my old royal bedrooms.
"Everyone this is Ambrosia the new lady of the house. Ambrosia these are your maintenance servants. They handle your appearance needs for everything you need, or it can just be for special occasions. Either way, they still get paid to treat you every day so you might as well use them." Charlie gained a witty aura to him that seemingly suited him and explained the character his mustache helped present.
I turned to this team of women and wanted to instantly hide, but of course I denied the desire.
"Hello and thank you for accepting me, it is truly is a pleasure to meet you all." I offered them a small smile, and they all responded, some with giggles and others with cheerful looks. When I noticed not one of them gave me a look of doubt, I knew instantly that they were either all easily deceived or just were smart enough to go along with the vibe. Either way, I was happy they didn't notice my discomfort.
"Oh, she is beautiful Charlie! She will be easy work for us." A small woman who looked to be in her early 20's came up to me flicking through my hair and stroked her hand down my face. It took everything in me not to flinch; I just stared at her with surprised eyes, she giggled at my face.
"My name is Zara. I am the leader of your whole team, you can tell me how you desire to feel and I'll make you look it. Though for today; since it is a special occasion, your new mother decided your outfit. Any questions?" Zara's eyes were grey as slate and her wavy hair was brown as dirt, and she was as skinny as a twig. It made me wonder if she were made from the garden, but indeed she was real.
I shook my head remaining calm despite my nervousness and allowed her to pull me into a bathroom where more women poured in after us.
"We're gonna have you smelling better than queen Elizabeth, and looking more beautiful than the duchess, oh and I'm Miranda by the way." A blonde hazel eyed woman who looked to still be in her teen years approached me with a basket in her hand while two others started to fill the club-footed bath. I gave her a small smile and nodded keeping my lips shut.
"Don't worry dear; just think of it as a spa treatment, we won't bite." Zara said looking at me with laugh lines in her eyes because she was the first person to finally notice my facade.
"If you say so." Zara gave me a big smile then confidently stated.
"I know so." She handed me a robe and lead me to get undressed.
Everything was moving along smoothly. Once undressed they scrubbed, massaged, and oiled my body till I gave off a healthy glow from head to toe. They proceeded to wash my hair, trim, and style it into an intricate pattern of finger waves with a braided bun that rested on the back and around my neck.
My hair stylists Britney and Xhopie kept going on and on about how I was naturally black haired and how rare it was. Then there was the make-up artist Zoey, who couldn't get enough of my heart-shaped face and amber brown eyes. She went on and on about how I looked to be made of porcelain and how my perfectly plump sized lips and skin tone could go with any color.
I swear I was overdue for an eye roll, but I knew there'd be war so I continued smiling and extending my thanks.
Once clothed in what seemed to be some pointlessly expensive backless, sleeveless white dress that hugged to my frame and flared at the bottom with a slit through the side. I knew I would be taking part in some very unwanted partying.
"Um I know this question might seem a little poorly timed, but why am I so formal?" Everyone paused.
"Well, from what they told us they are throwing you a welcome to the family party. All their family members will be present, so they expect you to look like an angel." I nodded not asking anymore questions as my make-up artists applied their itchy products to my face.
When it was over I stood in front of the mirror trying to figure out where did I go and what poor girl's reflection had I stole. I didn't have time to marvel for long because Charlie came marching into the room smiling like a young man who found some priceless jewel.
"You look magnificent." I felt my cheeks heat, and I lowered my head.
"Thank you, Charlie" He chuckled and offered me his arm which I took so he could lead me to my new family.
"We will be unfashionably late I'm afraid, but I think they'll let it slide when they see what took so long." I had known this took them a little while, but how much past noon was it?
Charlie seemingly read my mind.
"It is 2:22pm, the party has already begun." I frowned.
"Oh, if you don't quit your pouting and place another one of those charming smiles on your face! I think I might have to take you back to your room." I laughed at that one as Charlie Dragged me into a wide space and I instantly felt like I was being watched everywhere.
"Sorry for her lateness but the guest of honor has officially arrived. Everyone this is her royal highness in the flesh, Ambrosia Zxia'lori Vignette." Charlie announced me to a crowd of about 50 people while I stood with a small smile plastered on my face.
Everyone here came from power you could see it. Men were tall handsome and well trimmed while, women were goddess like with coldness hidden in their eyes. There was only one man who broke the silence and came up to me with the warmest smile.
"Hello Ambrosia I am Thomas Vector and I will be your father-in-law, it is very nice to meet you. Son!" I deadpanned.
Father in law?!
"Wha-" A young man who looked to be no older than 20 made his way to us, he was blonde, green eyed and purely mischief.
"Hello Ambrosia I am Fabian Vector III and I am pleased to finally meet you my fiance." If I didn't have all this makeup on, I would look pale as a ghost with my eyes as wide as saucers. Though I found my voice to be working fine.
"Excuse me, but may someone please explain what's going on?" The room erupted in male chuckles and feline giggles. Fabian gave me a broad smile that seemed almost proud as he held out his arm.
"Why yes we can, actually." I felt the strong need to decline his offer but my fears got the best of me so I gently slid my hand into the crook of his arm. His smile grew larger while he and his father exchanged a glance with some bonus chuckles as they led me out the party hall.
We ended up in some sort of lounge space where I found Seville typing away on her laptop. She was dressed in a royal blue side slit gown and her messy brown hair was now neatly flat ironed like a pool of silk down her back.
"Ehm... Ms. Seville." Ms. Seville instantly stopped and turned toward the direction of Mr. Thomas's voice.
"Ah! Surprise!" I felt my expression drop scarily, and I was practically launching daggers out of my eyes, and Seville clutched her sides as if she were shivering in fear.
"If looks could kill-"
"What do you mean by 'surprise'?" I knew my voice held acid, and I had completely let go of my facade and Fabian's arm. I paced over to Ms. Seville, and I wanted answers, she rose instantly.
"Okay maybe this wasn't such a great idea." She looked over my shoulder to Thomas who stood with an amused look on his face while Fabian looked as if he were patiently waiting for something to happen.
"No, this is how it was to be." I turned to the new feminine voice and my eyes landed on a feline like woman. She had it all; literally, high cheek bones, pale blonde almost bleached white hair, and sapphires for eyes. Her body was curves and athletic, you could tell she had more than a few modifications done because she just looked like she was photo shopped.
"Hello Ambrosia I am Elaine Vector, your mother-in-law. It is nice to meet you." She flashed me an angelic smile and I flinched.
"Hello Mrs. Vector; not that I mean to be rude, but may you please explain the reason why I am your daughter-in-law?" Elaine laughed dryly at me.
"Does it matter? Come on, just look at my son." She pulled at his tie, tightening it before sliding her hands down the folds of his flashy black suit laying them back.
"Isn't he handsome?" I nearly gawked at her, but Ms. Seville's musical laugh distracted me.
"She is not much of a joker Elaine you must forgive her, because I don't think she will respond to that question in a way that you would like." Elaine pouted but gave a small nod.
"Then you explain; please be quick, I want to show her off." Elaine exited the room going back to the party while the two men still stood before me. I turned to Seville who had an apologetic smile on her face.
"Ambrosia let me start off by saying, I am completely 100 percent sorry." I wanted to beyond laugh at that statement.
"Ambrosia the agency you were put through/the agency that I work for is a special case program. You see, when you were born it was because your parents were killed in a terrible boating accident. Your mother was carrying you at the time and we managed to save you." I nodded my head.
"I know this already, what I'm trying to find out is, why am I being married against my will?" Seville gave a tight-lipped smile to my words almost as if they amused her.
"Well, you see according to your fathers will and a few other legal documents, they promised you/engaged you to Mr. Fabian Dominic Vector since before birth as a partnering deal of their companies and a union of their scepters. Also meaning if anything ever happened to your father before then, the Vectors would have succeeded your father's fortune using you as the business tie. I am afraid that on paper before you were born, you were married to the man standing behind you due to your parent's death. You can say it was their way of making sure you were in great hands." When she noticed I was wasn't responding she went on.
"You were put through the system to be orphaned by your father's business partners and advisers that he trusted to take care of you. Until you could come here at age 17 to begin planning your wedding to Fabian. They didn't want you to grow up in the Vector household because then you would treat each other as siblings so it was not permitted." Seville let out a long breath, and I was lost.
"It is now my job to see that you get properly married by your 18th birthday, and you cannot deny it in any way shape or form. Unless of course... Nothing. Fabian as of two years ago cut off every tie with any lover or mistress he's ever had and is on a tight leash. Meaning all that's left is the engagement ring. Fabian."
Fabian came over to me and switched places with Ms. Seville so he could get down on one knee in front of me while giving me prince Charming's smile, and all I could do was look at him while holding back my rage.
He held the stupid ring in front of my face spewing pointless words, from his pointless mouth and I'd just about had enough.
"No!" I smacked the ring from his hand kicked off the painful strappy pumps from my feet and fled the room. I heard them calling after me but I was in a blur, my mind was in a knot, and I just was not there.
This was not what I wanted.