As soon as I got to my room I was tackled by a team of maids. Apparently my mother had prepped them for just such an occurrence and they were ready and waiting. I was unceremoniously stripped of my school uniform and forced into a black and purple number I was very sure I'd never purchased.

The new dress was gorgeous, with embroidered patterns flowing over it in the same color as the background cloth. They flowed almost like depictions of wind as the passed over me, shining slightly in the light. It even had a small amount of lace on it, but that was thankfully a bit reserved.

"Where in the world did this come from?" I asked as I was sat down so that mother's maid could do my hair.

"The lady of the house had it ordered a few days ago. She suspected that we might end up hosting important guests." She was hurried, but her hands moved with precision that I knew my maid couldn't match.

"Wonderful. Is there anything I need to know?"

"I'm not sure. You did take Etiquette at the academy last year yes?"

"Yeah, it was required."

"Then act like you're in that class as best you can, it won't hurt. Would that we could have gotten someone to you earlier to get you dressed up."

I frowned, nobody really looked down on the school uniform, at least not as far as I could tell. This was partially because it was for everyone, everyone alike wore it while studying and therefore it fulfilled a sort of 'evening of the field' function. It was also rather good looking, so there wasn't much to look down on. While it may not make the same sort of impression as my current attire, it certainly didn't make me look poorly prepared.

I tried to turn as I felt something hard rest against my lower back. "Hey what are you..." I got just a bit of a view of the maid with cords held tight before she cinched the dress. "Wuuhhhh," was my only verbal response to the harsh pulling around my waist and chest.

I frowned harshly at her and she loosed it a bit. Tight corsets weren't really a thing here, at least not as they were generally depicted in fiction. Anything too much and it would interfere with breathing, but there were rough equivalent garments in stays that were worn to act as support. They were mostly cloth and not at all bad. The maid had simply been a bit overzealous in her haste.

"Apologies miss," she said as she withered under my glare. An angry caster was not fun for anyone.

Finally one of the maids applied a small amount of makeup for me. This too was sparing due to my age, but was oddly similar to what was used back on earth. Powders to smooth the skin and redden the cheeks, darkening of the eyes, and a very faint lipstick that only reddened by a couple of shades. It focused on seeming as natural as possible.

As everything was done I was hurried out to the hall. There I met John, who wore something that looked almost exactly like one of my classmate's uniforms, only significantly more decorated.

"Are you... dressed up?" I was a bit put off as I saw him there.

"Yes, and look at you, no longer in an old outfit in a bar but in a fancy dress ready for important meetings. Must be a change, huh?"

"I wore something similar for a couple of balls back before I was a student, as well as for one of the events there. You on the other hand look like you're oddly comfortable."

"Eh, I wear something a lot like this under my armor most of the time, so it's not too bad," he said as he took my arm, leading me down the stairs.

"So who is it anyway?" I whispered as I saw my parents and our guests had moved into the dining room.

"Didn't they tell you?"

"No, obviously not."

"Oh, wow. Well, I won't ruin the surprise then."

I felt my eye twitch as I nearly punched my brother, but at this juncture I couldn't risk making a mess. Whoever we were having over for dinner tonight was undoubtedly important. I did resent slightly that all of this had been dropped on me, but there was nothing to do at this point.

We entered the dining room on schedule just as the drinks were being served and took our seats. Everything was more done up tonight, the table, the clothes, all of it. That wasn't a big deal, but it was a bit off-putting. I was used to my family being mostly informal, and this change was a bit disconcerting.

"You know my son of course Lord Durin, but I don't believe you've met my daughter yet." Dad looked proud as he motioned to us.

I tried not to stiffen as I heard the name. It was one thing if a general or some big-wig was coming for dinner, but John had hidden that the leader of the freaking country was here!? I'd have to get him back later.

"Greetings John my boy, it's good to see you well." Lord Durin nodded to my brother, apparently they knew each other enough for that. "And you young lady. I'm overjoyed that my dear friend has found his missing child. I don't know what I'd do if I'd been him."

"Thank you sir." I was a bit flabbergasted.

Lord Durin had a kind smile, and if that was him, then his companion must be... Our former princess. Knowing it now I could kind of see it, in the eyes they looked much the same, and had the same air to them.

My eyes were drawn back to the Lord of Shadows as he spoke to me once again, his voice kind. "Mystien tells me you are quite the young prodigy. I think he meant to have you join in his new research facility once he's got it going."

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"Oh... I don't know about being a prodigy sir, but I've done well in a few things."

"Well, if your brother is any standard to the children of your family I expect prodigy may be the right word. I look forward to seeing what you will do once you've graduated." Then he turned to my parents. "But on to happier news. My dear Sophia and I will be married this winter, the date is to be sent out soon."

Sophia held his arm and was positively beaming as he said it. "We decided to wait until the schools let out to have it. Most students won't be able to attend, but those that can, may like to." She gave me a bit of a wink as she said it.

I wanted to run from the room screaming, but of course that wouldn't be allowed. It was obvious that they'd come back so that she could stay with The Lovers here before the wedding, and that I would be going, regardless of how I felt about it. I generally had a positive view of weddings, but there would just be too much politics in this one for me to want to be within a hundred miles.

"Will you be holding it in Lithere?" Mother asked, chiming into the break.

"Ah no, we'll be holding it at my home." Lord Durin nodded towards her, "Travel arrangements will of course be made for those invited."

I wanted to ask some questions on that, but I got the feeling that I wouldn't be answered, at least not here and now.

From there conversation shifted to rather boring subjects. It was clear that this was a social visit, and there there were too many people and not enough security for anything else. I was a bit nervous to try and initiate conversation with such a big player, but I did have to admit that Lord Durin was charming and well spoken. He didn't seem to mind lulls and was almost... casual with us. That was just a bit too weird for me, he was the leader of the country after all.

After dinner we retired to the sitting room. The boys went off to one side to drink and discuss their mutual friends while Sophia came to join mother and I. For her part she seemed interested, even if she probably had much better things to do.

"So Alana, you're at the academy correct?" She asked as we took our normal seats.

"Yes ma'am."

"And what are you currently working on? I find it so much fun to learn what other casters are studying. You are a bard as well no?"

"I am, and right now I'm working on some sewing magic. The progression is slow, but I think it'll be useful."

My mother perked up at this admission. I had been keeping it from her until I felt that I was at a good point, instead focusing on the more common methods while at home. I had a feeling that if I didn't give a good showing here I'd be getting an earful later.

"Oh you must show me! Before we had a lovely woman who worked in the palace who could make clothes with a song. It was a magnificent and rather original use of her abilities."

"I know a tailor in the city who does much the same. It was from him that I got the idea. Sadly I find that my skills in that sort of handcraft are below par, and I was hoping to use magic to help make up for it."

That statement had set our guest to giggling. "Oh I must admit that I always rather hated my lessons on embroidery too." She seemed oddly nice.

I pulled a small box with some of our practice materials out and began humming. Those we used at the house were far nicer than what I used personally, if only because there was more cloth here, and mother could just use the scraps from her own personal work for practice.

The work was still not quite as good as I would have liked it to be, but it wasn't terrible. The fabric came together in a passable seam within a few moments and I showed it to the princess. She smiled and checked it a bit, before nodding.

"Oh, well, let me show you what I've been working on." There was a bit of a gleam in her eye, and she pulled out a small seed from a pouch.

As she hummed a lilting tune the little seed began to sprout and grow a stalk, eventually pulling into a full heighted flower. I watched as within a few moments it bloomed, the petals midnight black with small pale white spots all over it, looking almost like the night sky. I'd never seen one like it before.

"Beautiful, what kind of flower is that though, if you don't mind my asking?"

She smirked. "That's the trick. This is a spell of my own making that allows me to alter them as I go, growing them into whatever form I like. It's easier if you start with something similar to what you want, but very large changes can be made."

I was floored, that was some seriously impressive work for a bard. Maybe a priest could do it on the fly like that, but I'd done enough healing to know that living things were fragile and if you weren't careful... It took me a few moments to register all of it and I just blinked. My silly little cloth trick probably seemed like child's play to her.

We chatted lightly about our work for a bit longer before our guests finally had to leave. It was getting rather late and I was sure that they had more important things to do, but I bid them a happy farewell. Because it was late I even managed to avoid most of my mom's irritation that I'd been hiding my new sewing work from her, getting only a glare as I headed up to bed.