I took off my dagger holster and put it away in my wardrobe. Then, I sprawled out on my bed and began to process what my father had told me.

I was going to choose my husband tonight. How was that possible? I knew that in the world of kings and queens, your marriage mate was supposed to help you gain power and not necessarily be the person you loved, but I still had a small part of my soul which wanted to have my own little romance story, as my parents did before their not-so-happy ending. How was I supposed to fall in love with someone in a couple of hours?

The only person I had ever had any sort of romantic feelings for was Luke, the giver of my dagger, but that was puppy love. I wasn't even ten yet and he had to be almost eighteen at the time. I was just infatuated by his bright blue eyes, crooked smile, and kind heart. There was no way we had any chance at a future.

I sighed, realizing that the man I ended up choosing to marry would most likely not hold the key to my heart. He would only want me for higher status and I would only choose him because it was the law.

I got up from my bed and strolled down to the library. It was my favorite room in the palace, filled with floor to ceiling shelves loaded with books for knowledge and entertainment. I chose one of my old favorites and sat on one of the plush seats in the corner of the room. The words took me away to another world and before I knew it, a maid was tapping on my shoulder, telling me I needed to get ready for the ball.

I rushed up the flights of stairs leading to the top floor and into my bedroom, passing many maids, guards, and other servants. Once in my room, I shut my door behind me and turned to see Drew Tanaka, the castle's seamstress, fiddling with my large grey ballgown, which was hung on a mannequin.

I let out a small squeak, not expecting anybody to be in my room. "Hello there."

Drew huffed in reply. "You're running late. Take off your dress."

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes or smack the woman, I unhooked the back of my dress and undid the zipper. The fabric fell to the floor and I bent to pick it up. I kicked off my shoes as I walked over to my closet and hung it up.

"I can't believe you don't wear corsets daily. They make you appear so much more feminine, you know."

This time I did roll my eyes. "I feel no need to suffocate myself on an everyday basis to make my body appear more attractive to males, Drew."

She scoffed, picking up something from my bureau. "Well, you're going to tonight, turn around."

I did as instructed and felt a structured material wrap around my waist. As Drew laced up the corset, she slowly pulled the strings tighter and tighter, sucking my waist in. Finally, at the bottom of the corset, she gave one mighty yank and tied the strings together.

I tried to gasp, but I couldn't. My lungs could only take in about two-thirds of their usual intake. Suddenly I remembered why I hated corsets so much. As I adjusted to my new condition of not being able to breathe properly, Drew ordered me around as she dressed me in the humongous ballgown. Finally, the clothing item was securely draped on my body. She had me step into skyscraper high grey pumps which totaled my height to five foot ten.

"There," she spoke in a satisfied and smug voice. "My work here is done. Have a good night, Annabeth, and remember you need someone with good genes to produce a good looking heir."

The dark-haired seamstress waltzed out after sending me a wink, leaving me alone in my room, but not for long. Not even a minute had passed before I heard someone knocking on my door.

"Who is it?" I called.

"It's Silena. I'm here to do your hair and makeup, Princess."

I sighed. "Come in!"

The large wooden door opened up, revealing another dark-haired girl holding a tote bag.

Silena smiled at me brightly. "You look beautiful, ma'am."

I pursed my lips. "Thank you, but it's all your sister's doing."

Silena and Drew were sisters, and you could definitely tell. Besides their eye color - Selena's being blue and Drew's dark brown - they were almost identical in looks. With angular faces, curvy five foot five bodies, and streaming ink black hair, they were both absolutely gorgeous. Their personalities, however, varied greatly.

"I was not aware that Drew created your body and face," she told me cheekily, setting down her tote on my vanity. "Have a seat, please."

I sat down and the pressure of the corset increased greatly. I closed my eyes, not understanding how I would survive the night.

Silena began combing out my long blonde hair, removing the tangles it had acquired throughout the day. Then, she took chunks of hair from each side of my head and braided them back until they met. She secured the two braids with a band and fluffed them out. After another moment or two of perfecting the strands, she moved on to my makeup. She applied thin layers of foundation and concealer, a little blush and lipgloss, and a neutral brown eyeshadow look. She managed to apply mascara to my eyelashes and once she placed my crown on my head and put my earrings in my ears, the look was complete.

I stood up from the stool and walked over to my large floor length mirror. The look that the two girls had put together was immaculate. The height that my heels added allowed the dress to rest a couple of inches above the floor. With a plunging lacy neckline and a poofy waist, the dress brought attention to all my best features, although I'm sure the corset helped. Silena's hairstyle choice allowed my face to be seen while still showing off my impressive golden locks and letting my crown rest on top of my head. Her makeup application brought out my grey eyes and plump lips.

I blinked. The girl in the mirror sure was pretty, but she didn't feel like me. If it were my choice, I'd be wearing a simple dress, flats, have my hair in a ponytail, and not have any makeup on at all. Sadly, I had to dress to impress, even if I didn't like the people I was impressing.

Smiling sweetly at Silena, I thanked her.

"No problem, ma'am. You look amazing. Have a wonderful night, and try to have fun."

I nodded. "I'll do my best. Thanks again, Silena."

She smiled and left my room with her supply tote on the crook of her arm.

Glancing at my appearance one more time in the mirror, I tried not to let my thoughts drift. Instead, I anchored myself to the moment. I walked over to my wardrobe and dug out my dagger and holster. Hiking up the infinite layers of fabric to reveal my thigh, I strapped the leather holster on and tucked the dagger in before letting the dress fall back to its natural shape. Sure, it wouldn't be easy to access, but the thought of having my dagger calmed my nerves.

I checked the clock on my nightstand and my eyes widened. There were only minutes until it was six o'clock, which was when the dinner was starting. I opened up my door and rushed down the hallway, hiking up my skirt once again as I made my way down the stairs.