Madelynn spent the day confined to her chambers, torn between feigning illness, fleeing into the wilderness, or simply hurling herself down the stairs. As the sun rose and fell once again, the decision was taken from her hands when Elise cheerfully announced it was time to begin preparations for the Banquet.

Reluctantly, Madelynn allowed herself to be dragged toward the vanity, where Elise sat her down and started brushing her curly hair.

“Don’t you think this is a tad bit overdone?” she asked as Elise twisted a section of hair into a braid.

“This isn’t a ball, Maddie,” she responded, delicately pinning the braid back. “Banquets are meant to be overdone. The King will be there, likely along with The Queen. You’re supposed to put in actual effort to look like a token of beauty.” A soft smile spread on her face as she began braiding a section on the opposite side of her head. “Miriam was telling me about when she used to do your mother’s hair for these events, back when she and your father were courting.”

Madelynn couldn’t bring herself to smile, even as her hair was pulled up into a beautiful half-due bun. The style was gorgeous, with the bottom half of her hair cascading down over her left shoulder and face framing pieces left out to tickle her cheeks. But, she didn’t feel beautiful- she felt like an imposter. She folded her hands in her lap to keep from biting at her nails. Her eyes met Elise’s in the mirror as she stroked a few stray hairs into place. “Do you think things will be alright? Tonight- I mean.”

Elise released her hold on Madelynn’s hair and came around to stand in front of her. She bent at the waist and placed her hands on Madelynn’s shoulders, staring her straight in the eyes. “Madelynn Hawtrey, you are an incredibly smart, independent, fire bolt of a Young Lady. I don’t think things will be alright. I know tonight will be amazing because you’re amazing.” Madelynn smiled, tears welling in her eyes at the compliment. “General Casimir Aldrich is lucky that you’re even gracing him with your presence, and I’m sure you’ll make that well known as the night goes on.”

Madelynn bit back tears as she pulled Elise into a tight hug, thankful for a friend in a world that felt endlessly cruel. “Thank you,” she choked out, before Elise pushed her back and placed her hands on her hips, looking Madelynn up and down. Even as Elise pulled her upright and began searching through Madelynn’s huge collection of gowns, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander.

I hope the rest of your evening is at least a little bit less awful than it was before I graced you with my presence, Callum had said as he bid her adieu. “Do you think Callum will be there?” she asked softly, gnawing on her thumb nail.

Elise turned, a huge smile on her face and an even larger gown in her hand. “He’s a General, right? I’m sure he will.” She approached Madelynn with the dress, holding it out in front of her. “What do you think? It’s the one we had tailored for the Durnsing’s wedding back in Autumn, but obviously you never had the chance to wear it.”

Madelynn frowned at the memory of Lord Durnsing announcing the wedding had been cancelled, immediately followed by the announcement that Lady Charlotte Tilburge- not his previous bride to be- was expecting his child.

The dress; however, was stunning. The color, a deep maroon, was out of season, but the style was impeccable. It had a straight neckline, stretched satin pulled down the center with a layer of black lace separating the sleeves and skirt from the bodice. The long sleeves might’ve been out of season as well, but they would save her from having to worry about an overcoat.

“Isn’t this a bit… dramatic?” Madelynn asked, standing to brush her finger against the soft fabric.

“Would they expect anything less from you?”

Madelynn couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face as Elise prepared her for dressing.

The gown was even more beautiful on Madelynn than it had been on the hook. The corseted top hugged her waist in the perfect way, while the skirt poofed out wide, adding the drama that was apparently expected of her. Elise added the finishing touches while Madelynn admired herself in the full-length mirror. A black pinched-silk necklace was tied tightly around her throat while black transparent lace gloves were pulled up her wrists. As whole, the look was absolutely fitting for how Madelynn felt- startlingly spectacular while still elegant and refined, with just a hint of lamentation.

“It’s perfect,” Madelynn said, holding her arms out and spinning.

Elise clapped her hands together, hopping a bit as she cheered. “You. Look. Marvelous!” She came to stand in front of Madelynn once again, pulling a small box from the front pocket of her apron. “Now, all you need is some blusher.”

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“For a Banquet?” Madelynn questioned, raising her eyebrows as Elise dipped her fingers into the pink powder.

“If General Whitlock is there, don’t you want to make a lasting impression?”

Madelynn bit her lip, suddenly feeling a tad excited for the occasion. If Callum did end up being there, which seemed likely to Elise, she wanted to be the only one he had eyes for. “Do you think he’ll like it?”

“If he doesn’t then he’s a fool,” Elise said with a smile. “You’re going to stand out like a beautiful rose amongst a field of weeds.” She brought her hand up and dusted the powder across Madelynn’s cheeks before pulling back to admire her work. “Stunning.”

“Thank you, Elise.” She pulled her into another hug, then checked herself in the mirror once again. “Do you suppose it’s time I make my appearance?”

“I do.”

Elise offered her arm and Madelynn took it with a grin. They strode down the hallway and down the stairs, until Madelynn could feel that familiar rumbling in her belly. She could already feel her mother’s critical gaze on her before she’d made it all the way down the stairs.

“Madelynn!” her mother squealed, running up to her, her own pale yellow skirt swishing around her feet. “You look…” She stopped, about three feet away from Madelynn, her eyes going wide, “wonderful, even if the color is a bit unconventional.” She turned to Elise. “You did an incredible job on her!” she whispered, holding her hand up in front of her mouth, as if that would block Madelynn’s ears.

Elise was brimming with excitement as Lady Hawtrey took Madelynn’s arm from her. “You’re going to be amazing, Maddie!” she shouted after them as they departed from her. “Tell me everything!”

Madelynn turned and shot her a wide smile as they exited through the front door. As they approached the carriage, Madelynn’s father stood waiting for them, his arms crossed in front of them.

“Gerald,” Lady Hawtrey greeted him, offering a shallow curtsey. “Doesn’t she look dashing?”

Lord Hawtrey stared down at Madelynn for a moment, his expression unreadable. His eyes scanned her face, her hair, then the dress, and for just a moment, there was a flicker of something- sadness, maybe- as he took in her appearance. Then, he simply nodded stiffly before departing from them.

Madelynn’s mother looked down at her and brushed her gloved hand against Madelynn’s cheek with a reassuring smile.

The pair climbed into the carriage and Madelynn settled uncomfortably into the wooden bench, pulling on her dress as the corset dug into her hips. “Why do these blasted things have to be so uncomfortable?” she remarked, then snapped her eyes up to her mother, realizing her slip up.

But, Lady Hawtrey just smiled giddily, wiggling into her seat as well. “They are quite painful, aren’t they?”

Madelynn let the easy smile spread across her face as her mother picked at her dress, trying to pull it out from under herself. As the carriage departed, it shook as the wheels navigated the uneven gravel.

“Why is this Banquet so important?” Madelynn asked suddenly, kicking her feet nervously. “Elise made it seem like this should be the most important night of my life, but I just don’t see it.”

Her mother pulled up her white gloves as she swayed against the movement of the carriage. “Military Banquets aren’t like balls, or any other party really.” Madelynn watched as her mother’s face softened, perhaps lost in a memory of her years of Banquets. “They’re a celebration and, more importantly, an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?” Madelynn questioned, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “For what?”

“There will be incredibly powerful men and women at this event. People that dwarf me and you, and even the General who invited you tonight. The kind of people that make connections and enemies with other countries.” She reached out and wrapped her hand around Madelynn’s. “That is why it is so important that you keep your wits about you tonight. I cannot protect you from these sorts of people, and neither can your dear General.”

Madelynn flattened her lips into a thin line, leaning back and pulling her hand from her mother’s. “Why would General Aldrich invite me tonight? I’ve been thinking about it, and I just can’t understand. I know you hate it, but I did have a genuine connection with Call- General Whitlock. Doesn’t that seem a bit…” Madelynn furrowed her brow, searching for the right word, “suspicious? I mean- I’m assuming they’re friends, the way they walked and talked together. Isn’t it just strange that a man would reach out to someone his friend is interested in?”

Lady Hawtrey pursed her lips, taking a moment to think. “I won’t be dishonest with you, it did strike me as a bit strange when I realized who’d written the letter. However, men are different from women. What might have felt like a genuine connection on your part may have just been a way for him to unwind after a stressful campaign.”

Madelynn frowned, feeling more hurt than she’d imagined she would at the prospect of Callum not feeling the same way she did. She crossed her arms in front of her, suddenly feeling tiny in such a huge world. Was she just delusional the whole time? Did Callum truly harbor no feelings toward her?

“Oh, Darling.” Lady Hawtrey gave Madelynn her signature pitiful look- a slight frown with upturned eyebrows. “Don’t let my words ruin your night. This should be fun for you, a way for you to experience a world outside of our own. So, no matter what comes of the night, just make sure you enjoy yourself, even if it’s not what you thought it would be.”

Madelynn just nodded, staring out the window as the carriage tumbled along the path.

As the carriage rounded a bend, the grand hall came into view, its stone walls glowing with torchlight. Madelynn’s stomach churned. She’d felt prepared when they’d left, but now she felt like nothing but a little girl playing a part in a dangerous game. The swell of the crowd shuffling in the courtyard had her gnawing on her thumb nail again. And as the carriage came to a halt, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her whole world was about to be shaken.