De Pooh Family/Pandora/Coronation of Her Majesty

Coronation of Her Majesty

2020-10-26 09:52:25

Pandora had sent a letter home to ask for her family to send a welcoming present to the queen. She figured her mother would know what gift may best suit the new Queen and represents the family.

In the city, Pandora felt warm in the new boots her mother gifted her before leaving home, a pair of well made water-resistant fur boots that were nonslip to ice. Trimmed laces were knotted and braided neatly to hold up its shape towards the knee. It has been several days since Pandora gave her men time to themselves after traveling to Perdan on foot. She had not expected a social event at Perdan and instead, left her formal attire at home in Bescanon. She was drawn to the little tailor store passing through the city for her first time with mannequins showcasing padded gowns.

The streets were busy in comparison to the evening her men arrived at the windy gates. Occasional gusts of wind came from the direction of the mouth openings of the closest gate. Pandora kept her hands deep in the pockets of her amber-colored military coat. Alone, she was able to overhear great excitement about the Queen’s arrival from several ladies entering the shop.

Peering in through the glass window, Pandora could see mannequins in fashionable dresses. Some had long dress trails, some had extra lace around the arm cuttings and some daring with dress slits. One dress in the window particularly had sleeves made out of a reflective, sheer fabric.

Pandora stepped inside and was greeted briefly by a second worker, as the owner was busy entertaining the ladies that had been chatting amongst themselves that just came in. Pandora briefly gazed at the necklaces offered next to the dresses and wondered what the Queen would wear that day.

Browsing through the rack, Pandora felt the reflective sheer lace fabric and was pleasantly surprised that it was not too tough and scratchy. She fell in love with the indigo dress with blue reflective fabric. The dress had a modest neckline, running straight across. The long lace sleeves were delicately cinched at the wrists, and the torso of the dress was cropped. As a two piece, underneath the high-waisted pleated skirt had extra padding for the winter.

The young worker was beyond thrilled that Pandora took an interest, and measurements were taken in a private room. An order was taken, no questions asked, and delivery would be made in several days to the inn.

2020-10-29 08:17:04

Two presents were left on the table in her room, one with small reflective gold specks and thin red ribbons wrapped around a clear glass jar in a teardrop shape from within. Pandora recognized the precious raw honey and could not help but to salivate. She hoped to enjoy the royal delight with the new queen one day, a spicy yet floral scent on toast together. Filled to the brim, the glass jar contained a thin layer of honeycomb. A honey that warms and tingles the lip that only a bee would die for.

The other package was to be the dress she had ordered. An unusual perfume came off of the package. A small holographic note reads, “Heading to the coronation? Special alterations were much needed to be made, thank me later. xoxo —Thalia Chanel-Hilfiger”

At first, she thought she had put her top on backwards. In disbelief, the top was adjusted back to the front, then front to the back. Pandora’s mouth was agape. The modest neckline of the opaque indigo turned into the deepest and widest of all v lines she has seen. Fortunately, the fabric underneath held her dignity. The sheer lace with flower-like embroidery barely covered anything without the sides of the v, remarkable that it was all fitted. Pandora remedies her situation by draping on her military coat with the first button, hoping any reason to uncover herself would not come so soon as she steps into the carriage.

With the queen’s present in her hands. the carriage made an abrupt stop. A large crowd can be heard whispering amongst each other about the next noble to arrive to the coronation, unable to see what family the they belong to.

Stepping out of the carriage, Pandora kept her head held high. Her hair was combed straight down, as she did not hire a hairdresser in time for the event for an up-do. A golden wired hairpin in the shape of a small bee clips to the side of her hairline. She lowers her shoulders, slowly relaxes her neck and with one breath, tightens her abdomen. Not knowing what to expect, she can only offer herself to this world. She thinks of the letter Queen Alyssa wrote to her- maybe she will have a chance to meet her?

“Dame Pandora, of House de Pooh!”

2020-11-02 09:29:13

There were many cheering at the crowning of the dearest new Queen- and Pandora had gingerly clapped for her as well. There was one noble in particular that looked familiar in the second-to-front row, but she was too afraid to look closer without her blade.

Pandora glanced over at the noble who upped and left his seat. In prestigious gold and white armor he seemed insatiable and distracted. She could almost see a grimace from the noble as he walks past her. After some time she turned, but his head was no longer found. Not wanting to be rude she turned her attention back to the newly crowned Queen in her elegance.

2020-11-06 07:32:30

Pandora could not resist admiring the couple’s sensuality dancing under the spotlight. Is this the romance between lovers sparked by an interest across the ballroom? The touching and whispering in each other’s ear in an embrace was dreamy and fresh. She reminisced reading fairytales of princesses with happy endings. Drifting from those thoughts, she started to imagine herself dancing with someone else whose eyes could not wander even if they wanted.

She quickly snapped out of it with a gentle reminder of her surroundings. Other nobles started to shuffle towards the dance floor. Looking down at her indigo dress, she was reminded of how much she loved the sheer fabric of the sleeves and thought it was silly of her to cover up with her military coat. How many more times would she ever have the chance to dance? Certainly nobody would remember her after the coronation.

Pandora stands up and adjusts her gown by patting down firmly in an outwards motion to lessen wrinkles in the fabric. She places her coat neatly on the chair, and stares at it for a while.

Hm, just whom to politely ask? Someone already dancing- yes that wouldn’t make it too odd. Just one step after another no? Nobody would know. I could be anyone. Dame... of anything.

Who knows what will happen. Her family certainly would not hear of this. There’s no shame and nobody would know what family she is from by the colors she chose to wear at the coronation.

Pandora takes off her hairpin in the shape of the bee and leaves it in the pocket of her military coat. She takes a deep breath and turns around. Headed towards the floor, she lightly taps the gentleman on the back. He seemingly looked distracted from dancing with his partner. A little too lightly, the first tap must have gone unnoticed.

Quickly after getting his attention, she could feel her heart beating out of her chest and her cheeks warming up. She looks down and away for a second, and quietly mumbles.

“Dance- would you?”

She looked up at him to observe his reaction. Maybe she was unclear. A false start. The second time Pandora thought she could be louder, but again was rather quiet. She bravely looks directly into his eyes.

“Would you dance with me too- please?”

2020-11-07 07:40:22

Pandora’s ears perked up at the sound of his response, perhaps indicating that this noble was eager to dance with Pandora. However, through the brief moments of parting, it had felt more apparent for the pair to not be separated. The special treatment towards his lady friend was clear as day.

Confused, Pandora was charmed and drawn to the gentleman’s tone and warmth of his voice. She had become slightly more conscious of her own motions, unbeknownst that he was her lord liege. Hoping not to make a fool of herself by tripping in front of him, she placed most of her concentration in her footwork.

In the back of her mind, Pandora could not put her finger on it. His presence was familiar, but chilly. A young memory of a shopkeeper greeting a young lost customer was triggered.

This certainly was not romance.

“Now, my lady, how are you finding matters so far? Enjoying the party, I hope, and your estate as well?“

Pandora was astounded at how this man casually asked her about her estate affairs. Did he keep track of her family identity? She freezes, searching for the answer through his expression that she could not decipher. Pandora stunned, her eyes have lost their glimmer had slowly let go of the gentleman’s hand.

”It was difficult to adjust. Though my lord liege has been merciful, ser.”

When she noticed two gentlemen approaching, she gave a proper farewell curtsy with a humbled smile. It was the young man with the grimace earlier, she could tell from his armor. The swelling of the eyes and the blue hue underneath the sockets gave his complexion a dullness from utter defeat. She gave him a greeting to the man in armor as well.

“Kenneth, could I talk to you for a moment?”

Kenneth. She paused, that certainly was her lord liege’s name. She braced herself for embarrassment as the strange exchange suddenly made sense to her. Pandora gets up from her curtsy, and takes one last glance at the face of her lord.

She paces towards her chair with the military coat left untouched. Kenneth’s diplomatic smile was burned into her lasting impression of him.

The After Party

2020-11-09 16:57:11

People started crowding around the commotion near the concession table of a desserts and drinks. Everyone was silent when the queen spoke.

“And it is quite improper to throw objects at a queen.”

Pandora had been late to the crowd and could not get a good view of the scene. She tip toes and barely gets a glimpse of the queen’s braided hair as she embraces the assailant. You could hear clapping from the front. As the crowd disperses Pandora was able to inch closer to the queen, unsure of what to say. She became noticeable walking towards her, and calls out her name.

“Queen Alyssa, I just- we had exchanged letters before. And uh-”

Pandora was distracted, her Queen was of a different kind of human. Alyssa’s skin was radiant and although she was a few years older, her pupils conveyed wisdom. At that moment, Pandora had hoped to be like her- well spoken, level headed and taken seriously.

She takes a panic curtsy and quickly puffs out her dress and fixed her hair,

“Oh! Pardon me- I am Pandora de Pooh! My family is excited for you to taste our harvest- is your majesty’s taste buds acquainted with spice?”

Pandora had no clue why she suddenly became self conscious of her hand placement. In the back of Pandora’s mind she just had no idea where to put her hands. You could she her grasping her hands together, fidgeting with the sides of the gown or leaving them by Pandora’s side in chaotic cycles.

2020-11-04 21:09:43

It was all such a lovely experience in Perdan. People were chattering, some were slow dancing to softly played music. The attendants held the wine glasses and variety of savory snacks on a large platter for guests to pass by and enjoy the evening scenery.

Her first sip of champagne was a surprise to Pandora. She had mistakenly thought to drink the whole glass in chugs. A strong aroma lingers and fizzles on her tongue. Although the scent of alcohol was extremely light, she was expecting something much more pleasant. As she processed what she had drank, her eyebrows furrow in an upwards motion. Her eyes were closed shut and briefly for a moment her tongue sticks our in an open frown to shiver. The attendant was horrified, he quickly turned around to the side offering smaller platters of roasted chestnuts. They were dressed in a light drizzle of brown clear syrup accompanied with a small skewer. This was his hopeful attempt to shoo the young inexperienced drinker away.

Pandora disappointedly walks away with a small platter of chestnuts, hoping to get the taste out of her mouth. She heads towards the edge of the room where you can see out through the glass windows of the room. A few messengers ran towards the castle with several horses waiting outside. Nibbling at the chestnuts she observed how distraught the messengers were through the window. She had finished her platter without distraught, and enjoyed it. But, something about the evening looked very ominous. Something was wrong.

Pandora was pulled to the side- the palace servant leaned in her ear to whisper the details of Nascot and the undead. One of the horses was for her, but her men had to be rallied. In the corner of her eye she could see a few of her men had snuck in dress attire to enjoy the coronation. They were standing next to the table with cut cheese, sliced smoked ham and olives. Pandora approaches them from across the room coldly. You could palpate the nerves her men had, seeing their lady in anger for sneaking in.

“Finish. We are headed to Nascot, let us rally with the rest of them at dawn.”

The two men felt a terror from the icy gaze. They dropped their plates and rushed outside after her. Pandora did not wait for them and instead rushed out in a hurry to her horse. She had to get her gear at the inn, and her horse made a dash for it. The indigo dress held up extremely well on horseback, though Pandora felt a little woozy on the way.