Title Beginning the festivities
auth: teri and Stana
date 7/5/99

Teri made it back to her room, and was instantly seized upon by the
maids.
Pushing their hands away and tugging her white shirt back into place,
she  folded herself down onto the chair.
 "How much time do we have before the banquet?" she asked, a slow grin
spreading on her face.

She hated being at formal occasions, most of the time. It was something
she covered up by her absolute devotion to and love of the process of
"getting
ready".  Always the first to suggest they get dressed up- Teri had
seemed eager to go to fancy events back home.  She typically spent them
 at the  table or in a corner watching people. Or sipping some
non-alcoholic
drink (Narada was great- it didn't seem to have a legal drinking age)
and having  interesting conversations with friends, against the
backdrop of a wild and  meaningless party.

 On occasion she'd get up and dance. She liked being
seen, she liked the hour or so of giggling girls vying for a glance in
the mirror, and she liked watching the people.  Unfortunately, there
were no girls to  dress with, save the maids who- as giggling as they
were, weren't the same.

She contemplated finding Estela- but the girl was probably swamped with
her own dressing servants or flirting with Tadrin through the door
frame.

"Estela!"

"Tadrin!"

"Estela!"

"Tadrin!"

Teri chuckled and shoved the mental picture away. And stana... Stana
probably  wouldn't be caught dead fawning over make-up and multiple
choices for attire,
wondering which shoes to wear and how to have her hair made up. In
fact, as  long as she'd know her, Teri had never seen nor heard of
Stana wearing a dress...

She looked up at the maids, who were waiting curiously for her next
question. Either that, or waiting for an opportunity to tackle her and
throw her in one  of S'kae's awful see-through mu-mu's.

"About three hours or so, Lady," one repeated as clarity returned to
Teri's eyes.

"How fast can you guys sew?"

They looked at each other. "Who, Lady?"

"You all," she said, waving her hand at the three women. She didn't
want to call them servants, or maids or whatever they were. She still
had no clue
what proper protocol was here.

"Merrie is the fastest seamstress in the castle, Lady," one replied,
and Teri  saw Merrie blush.

"Can you make me two dresses by the time for the Banquet?" She asked,
digging around in her bag for her pen.

Merrie blinked, and cleared her throat. "Two, Lady? Will you be
changing  during the banquet?" Apparently it wasn't unheard of.

"No. I'd like to play a little trick on a friend of mine. Are you all
willign  to help me? We need to help the Earth Chosen dress a little
better."
Teri  smiled. "She wears such... " she search for a word, while sending
a little  thread of conspiratory excitement into the three maids,
"pauperish clothes,
don't you think?"

The third girl giggled and nodded vigorously, "I heard that Yazi had
such a time just getting her into something nice for the welcome
ceremony!"

"And she wouldnt' let Clarice do her hair!"

Teri grinned. "Please get me a piece of parchment, and I'll draw you
the design I want you to make. You'll have to talk to... Yazi and.."

"Clarice?"

"Clarice, yeah, and get them to make sure Lady Stana wears this. Ok?"
Teri grabbed the paper the maid had rushed to get, and saw them kneel
around her pad. She rolled her eyes with the ridiculousness of it all,
but realized she
was getting into a better mood.

"We'll get them to take all of her clothes away!" Merrie giggled,
spreading  her skirt around her.

"Sounds good.. ok. Here's the dress I want you to make for her..." she
said, beginning to sketch.

***

      Stana made her way back to the confines of her chamber. Once
inside with the familiar earth tones and gentle decor, she felt a lot
better off.  It was easier to deny that there was any type of prophecy,
or even an alien world outside the double doors.
      She wanted a bath.
      Stana rooted through her packs for a few minuted, pulling out
everything she needed. An infusion of sage, chamomille and Stiniging
nettle to rinse her hair, and a hand made shampoo derived from Soapwort
and Marigold. Soap, honey and Oatmeal, and soapwort again,  and a
towel. She also took a fresh change of clothing. She'd be hanged if
shed wear the outlandish outfit on the bed laid out.
              Throwing a towel over her arm, she indicated very firmly
that she chose to bath alone, and the girls complied very easily.

               When she finally emerged, she was besought by a
gathering of maids as she reenterd her room, hair wet and dripping down
her back.
              The maids fussed, grabbing a towel and drying her hair,
another was laying out her clothes.
              She saw the rustle of brown and sighed, knowing this was
going to be another battle over fashion.
              "Now just be still a moment Lady, well have you set in
for teh banquet in a moment."
              "Not in that you wont." she replied flatly, pulling her
towel tighter around as hands reached.
              "Tsk lady." one responded "if youd only try it, you might
realize that you'd like it. Besides, there is nothing for you to wear
except this. Your slothes had to be laundered."
              Her eyes snapped wide with shock.
              "What did you say?" her voice was low and dangerous,
spilling with suppresed anger.
              "Tis truth lady." the other answered "the clothes are
being laundered, so you see, its this ... or nothing. And I'd not be
willing to bet your position as Chosen will protect you from a direct
affront to her Highness."
              For a moment her fury was overwhelming, holding her
immobile. She was TIRED of people miving her around like a chess piece.
Wouldn't they leave her alone?
              The answer was no. She let the towel slide free.

              True to word, they were efficient in the dressing. Stana
looked at herself in the mirror, and stopped, stunned.  She glanced
quickly down, at the soft material spilling down to the floor. From the
top, a russet, clay-brown velvet, soft as moss, worked its way down the
dress.

As it grew farther down, it began to seperate until the skirt was of a
lighter, paler brown chiffon.
The reddish brown velvet had been applied to the chiffon with a
delicate skill, to create the spirals and whorls of branches dipping
down to the ground.

It was very modest, of a very simple cut, with the accent both the
beautiful material and the pendant at her throat.  A wide neckline
lengthened the lines of her shoulders, and the lamplight shadowed the
hollow of her neck.  Short sleeves clung to her upper arms in the same
dark russet as the bodice  of the dress, and the edges of both the
sleeve, the neckline, and the skirt were finely lined with a light,
doe's brown silk to match the chiffon of the skirt.

She realized, looking up at the mirror, that the maids had taken the
moment of her inactivity to pull her auburn hair, more red and gold in
the light, into a twist, and had pinned it with a shining piece of
petrified wood.

A bracelet of similar wood, red black and brown and harder than most
metals,  was closed around her wrist, a single cabochan of peridot in
the center.

Regaining her breath, she looked at her image once more. "I'm
wearing..this?"

***
Teri sat and let the women do her hair as she listened to them recount
their story. Apparently it hadn't taken much effort at all to convince
Stana's maids to conveniently "misplace" her clothing after the  Chosen
had gotten into the bath.

Stana hadn't a thing to wear except her towel, the underwear the maids
had set out, her chamber curtain, or the new dress.  Teri hadn't gotten
to see it- the seamstresses had been pressed for time as it was, and
hoped it looked as great at the girls were telling her.

Her own dress was more modest than anything she'd worn around the
courts so far- but she really wasn't in the mood for something clingy
and scarlet.  She
had picked out a strange knitted silk, coarse to the touch and giving
off a dull gleam in the light.  A rosey sort of mauve, it had a low
back of the same draped material and a high neckline running from the
edges of one collarbone to the next. It hung to the floor in a smooth,
narrow skirt.
 A maid handed her a belt of gold links, which she attached around her
waist.
The maid tsked slightly and adjusted the belt so that it hung low on
her  hips, and dipped the excess of the chain down her side.

Her dark hair, having lost the touch of red it got in the sun, was
twisted  into thick, gleaming braids at the nape of her neck, and tied
with thin

strands of the same gold. The maids opened a box of jewelry- apparently
on loan from the palace or something, and she picked out a thin gold
bracelet and tiny ruby studs.

Grabbing her chapstick and flopping down on the couch, she took up the
Ancient's book, and sat around to wait for the dinner call.

    When it was time to go, Stana nearly didnt make it. The maids
nearly shoved her into the banquet hall, and Stana stood nearly gaping
in the middle of the glitter and bustle, appalled.
               The booming of the doors shutting behind cut off her
only route of escape. She wanted to stuf her hands in her pockets, but
there were none on the dress.  She began to shake.
               "Chosen?"
               Stana looked into the General's gaze, and the look in
her eyes were a simple, terrified plea.
               *get me out of  here. *
               Apparently out of pity at the naked fright in her
glance, he took her elbow and led her to a seat at the table. With a
smile and a conspiratorial wink he was off to another rescue.
               Stana didnt want to look up until she regained some
balance. She was afraid she's start screaming hysterically. Or
laughing. Instead she looked to her right at Clip's profile, admiring
the strong, lean set to his features. His shiny hair and dark eyes.
                He was human again, and ignoring the giggling posse of
girls flocking for attention. Stana looked, and felt sorry for them.
She could see why it was impossible not to love a Unicorn, despite
their insufferable nature.  With a small sigh she tore her eyes off the
soap opera developing.
                  She looked down the endless line of faces, wondering
just how many of them believed in this prophecy. How may cared? She
wanted to jump up on the table and ask them if they seriously believed
that any of them could save their world?
                    But she didnt. What she did do was fold her hands
in her lap and try to be as inconspicuous as possible.
                    The food remained untouched, her nerves were so
tight she couldnt eat. Her stomache was sending a very strong message
not to try.  Clip was eating with all the singlemindedness of his true
form, and his table manners were appalling.
                     She held in a small, hysterical giggle as she
wondered what the female admirers would think of him now. She had to
get out of here, she was going to be sick...
                      Stana shoved back her chair, lurching to her
feet. She didnt care if she was making a scene, she didnt care about
anything except getting out of this oppresive room filled with
strangers.
                       But she wasnt alone, others were also excusing
themselves to head to the main festivities outside. They were already
underway with the commonfolk. The nobles didnt want to miss anything
new or interesting.