Voluntown, CT’s Young Writers Group

If you havent read this story yet, please go down to the first entry and read up through the posts.

Emrea shook her head, “I’m not sure who I’m sorry for, you or the Court.”

Tayla simply grinned back. “Oh, its going to get worse. Dessika’s going to be presented at Court 3 months after me. You should see her. She’s convinced that she’ll have the Court wrapped around her finger within a day of setting foot in it.”

That got a laugh out of Emrea who was busy turning down the sheets and bustling around the room. She didn’t see Tayla’s face go serious.

“Hey, Em, listen. I was talking to the Duchess about the evil dress. It was like, almost as if…” Tayla paused and collected her thoughts. “She acted as if she didn’t know how enormously disgusting it was.

“No, she wouldn’t have known.” Emrea’s tone took on an edge of bitter humor. “The Duchess has no sense of style whatsoever. What she does have is a small army of acquaintances who consider her the most true form of a lady and would run themselves ragged to satisfy her. They create her style for her and whatever else she wants.”

Emrea fluffed a pillow, continuing. “Madame Fraxine, one of her devotees made your dress and apparently she is on standing orders, from the Duchess to give you the most unflattering of dresses and insist they are the hight of fashion. I suspect by now the Duchess has forgotten her orders and of course the Madame wont remind her.

By now the pillow was fluffed to Emrea’s satisfaction and she sat on the edge of the bed watching Tayla. “ Believe me, the last thing the Duchess wants is for you to look bad in court.”

“Why not?” Tayla asked feeling the fury coursing through her. How dare that woman! “Why not, if she’s so determined to ruin my life why not make me the laughingstock of the Court?” She would have ranted more but Emrea interrupted her with an unladylike snort.

“Not ruin your life, just make it miserable when you don’t completely submit to her will. “ Emrea stood and got out of Tayla’s way when she started pacing her chamber, venting her range on any defenseless inanimate objects in her path. There was a loud rip as a hapless pillow met it’s end.

Emrea dodged to avoid the worst of the feather explosion. “She needs you looking pretty and docile if youre going to be any use to her in Court. She thinks you’ll be useful for an alliance.”

“I can just imagine” Tayla hissed with venom, “the uses she’ll find for a pretty, young, marriageable granddaughter.” She nearly spat the last word. “Well she can take her uses and shove them, the stupid Grachorun” She stopped pacing and smiled a smile that glinted with malice. “She’s going to find a few changes in her precious plans.”