Aster fingers the hem of her sleeve absentmindedly as they make their way to the dining room, passing by lush hallways and the occasional servant. Not everyone openly stares, but she can still feel the weight of their gazes on her as she walks past with Seraphina as her guide.

She keeps her chin up, eyes focused straight ahead as she tries her best not to shrink under their stares. She will no longer be the little girl who was once fazed by stares and whispers; the girl who hid herself within her mansion walls to avoid the scathing words of others.

“Please don’t mind them, my lady,” Seraphina says quietly. “It’s out of the norm to have the prince’s betrothed stay at the palace before they are officially wed. Everyone’s just a little too curious.”

Aster looks back at her in surprise. She hadn’t expected Seraphina to bring up the passing stares, much less try to comfort her about it.

“It’s fine.” Aster looks ahead, warmed by the gesture. “Even I’ll admit it’s unusual, me staying here.”

Seraphina leads them out onto a narrow walkway, where a grand staircase in the middle of the path spills down onto a lower floor. Lining the wall to their left is a collection of portraits. Aster’s gaze lingers over the first painting in the row: a depiction of a striking blonde man with kind features and twinkling amber eyes.

“I still can’t believe that Queen Annaliese prepared so many dresses for me,” Aster says as they step down the staircase. She’d been surprised to discover her closets already filled to the brim with an array of dresses, while unpacking with Seraphina the day prior. “I barely have any space left to store the dresses I brought from home.”

“And there will be more to come, my lady.”

Aster looks over at her incredulously. “More dresses?”

“Certainly. What’s in your closets now are only dresses curated for winter. Naturally you will have other dresses tailored for the other seasons, not to mention special events, holidays, and any trends that may come and go in the meantime.”

“Is that much really necessary?” Aster takes in this information with wide eyes.

“Certainly. A lady of your standing must always be in fashion, my lady. And with your status as Prince Florian’s betrothed, even more eyes will be on you once the two of you are presented to the public officially.”

Aster can’t help but heave an inward sigh. Certainly, she liked beautiful things as much as any other girl; but not to the extent of keeping up to date with the latest trends and whims of high society. She’d never thought it necessary, considering how she had barely left the Vastein Estate to begin with.

“Does fashion not interest you, my lady?”

“Well, rather than not interesting me, it’s more like… I never had to think about it much before this?”

“Ah, so that explains it.”

“Explains what?”

Aster looks over at Seraphina when she remains silent. Maybe she was seeing wrong, but Seraphina seemed to look a tiny bit… regretful? “Please ignore what I just said, my lady. I misspoke.”

Aster keeps up with her stare, tilting her head to the side slightly for added effect. “No, no, please elaborate.”

Seraphina manages to meet her gaze for all of five seconds, before averting her eyes once more. “My lady, if I may say as much…”

“Yes?”

“… the dresses that you brought…”

“Mhmm?”

“…they’re rather out of season.” Seraphina looks up in surprise when Aster starts to laugh. “My lady?”

“Sorry, sorry, you were so hesitant that I thought it you were going to say something much more serious. But you’re probably right,” Aster says, still smiling. “Gosh, I really do have much to learn, and not just about fashion.” Forget being crown princess material; the way Aster is now, she’s certain that she barely amounts to even a quarter of the lady she’s supposed to be.

They step into another hallway, this one warmer and significantly busier than the previous ones they’d passed. A server bearing a silver tray walks swiftly past them before disappearing past a set of dark double doors.

“Are you interested in fashion, Seraphina?” Aster asks, as they approach the entrance to the dining room.

“Somewhat, my lady.”

“That’s great!” Aster claps her hands together gleefully. “In that case, would you like to help me have a look at the rest of the dresses that Her Majesty prepared for me? I didn’t have the time to do so yesterday, and honestly, I don’t think I’d be able to tell which would be the best pick for me.”

Seraphina breaks into a slight smile. “I would be honoured to help you, my lady.”

As they come to a stop in front of the dining room, the slow realisation of what waits behind the gleaming wooden doors begins to numb Aster’s earlier glee.

The rest of the royal family.

Florian.

What face should she make once she sees him? How well could she pretend? These thoughts rattle around Aster’s skull as she draws in a quiet breath.

The sooner she gets this over with, the better.

She flashes Seraphina a quick smile. “See you later, Fina.”

Seraphina nods slightly. “Of course, my lady.”

Steeling herself, Aster faces forwards and pushes open the doors.