Parent-Teacher Conference Ch. 21

The Dinner Party

My room was like nothing I ever expected. The walls were a pale yellow, with painting of creatures, or what I looked like landscapes on them. There was a small table with two chairs, a large, mirror that I could see all of myself in, and large bed with golden bedding and a large headboard. Lara told me this will be my room until Oliver and I are married, or joined, or whatever his people call the union I was going to be entering into. Lara explained that I can't know what room was Oliver's as it was to prevent me from sneaking into it, and in return, he won't know what room I was in either. I figured that was fair, as we'd been trying to be good, but it got harder when we got closer to his world, knowing that our forced separation was pending. Lara said she had our dresses hidden in the closet behind the large mirror in her room as it was there for such a purpose. There was a closet full of beautiful clothes for me and while I was looking them that two young women entered the room. They stood at the doorway, bowed, and said together, "Good day my lady."

"Hello," I said.

"My Lady," said Lara in her firm, militaristic tone, "This is Ibarra and this is Lilja and they are here to help you and attend to your needs. They will help you dress and bring you anything you desire or need."

Ibarra was tall with black hair and brown skin. She reminded me a bit of Lara but with different facial features. Her eyes were green and her features weren't as fine and narrow as Lara's, but more blunt and wide. Lilja had blue hair, and light blue skin with wide black eyes, a flat nose, and thin lips. They both bowed again and Ibarra said, "What are your wishes my lady?"

I looked at Lara and asked, "What's this about?"

"My Lady," said Lara, "as the betrothed to our Prince, you will be provided with certain services. These two are here to be your servants. They will help you when you need to dress for specific events, like your dinner tonight with the Queen."

Now I understood the clothes in the closet, and the purpose of these two women now standing in my room. "I see," I said, "What should I wear tonight?"

Ibarra and Lilja smiled and Lilja said, "May we select something for our Lady?"

"Please," I said.

Lara smiled and winked at me as the two entered the doorway of new closet. They emerged with a beautiful lavender gown, which was simple, but elegant. 'Damn! A dress!' I hadn't thought about the fact I'd be wearing dresses. I walked up and took a closer look. I realized it's not a dress, but it's not a pantsuit either. I also realized I wouldn't know how to wear this without some help, and I was relieved that I've got these two here to help me. "Does this please you, my Lady?" asked Lilja.

I smiled and said, "Yes, I think this will work. How long will it take to get me dressed?"

"Not long, and you've got time to rest from your journey if you'd like," said Ibarra.

"That sounds good," I said. "Come back later so we have enough time for me to get dressed and ready, and I think I'll rest for a bit. Thank you."

"Yes my Lady," they both said as they set the dress on a chair and left the room.

Once the door closed, I looked at Lara and said, "Why are you being so formal with me?"

"It would seem inappropriate if I wasn't," she said in the familiar friendly tone she had used with me when we were alone, or only with Oliver. "I am your personal guardian, and I can't risk too casual of a relationship with you in public. It's for your position and your safety. I'm sorry I didn't warn you sooner."

"It's fine," I said. "I don't think of you as my 'personal guardian' as much as my friend."

Lara smiled and said, "Your friend?"

"Yeah," I said. "You returned to Earth with me when you could have easily stayed behind. You were there for me when I would cry over Oliver. You were there for me when I ran that poor man down. You were there to confirm my final sighting wasn't my imagination. Let's face it; you're the only person I can talk to about Oliver."

Lara hugged me and said, "I'm proud to be your friend."

Lara left the room and I decided to sit on my bed. I debated if I wanted to sleep or not when a knock came from the door. Lara stepped in and said, "My Lady, Gamaley requests a moment of your time."

I remembered Gamaley as the creature with the electronic sounding voice who decoded my phone and tracked the message back to Valente. "Send him in."

This being a princess was going to a challenge with all this formality. Lara opened the door as Gamaley entered and said with a bow, "Greetings Alexis Perry."

"Greetings," I said as Lara stood by the door. Suddenly, the mysterious phone call flashed through my memory. "It was you!"

"Excuse me My Lady?" asked Gamaley.

"I was home alone grading papers one night when I got a strange call. A familiar voice said my name and then the phone went dead. It was you wasn't it?"

Gamaley seemed to smile as he said, "Yes Alexis Perry, it was I."

"Why did you call?"

"We were searching for you. Unfortunately, your primitive technology malfunctioned so just as I heard you reply, the connection was lost."

I smiled. That call was just days before Oliver found me. Now I knew he was having his people searching for me even before he arrived. "So, you wanted to see me?"

"I am of the understanding that you still are struggling with understanding of our language," he said.

"Boy, I am," I said.

"Then I am here to assist with that," he said. "I would like your permission to put a device into your ears to aid you in understanding our language."

"Sure," I said, "at this point, anything would be helpful."

"It will require me to put you into a brief rest period," he said.

"Do you mind if Lara is in here with you?" I ask.

"I would expect nothing less than your guardian to observe," he said.

"Then if you think this is best, let's do it," I said.

I climbed onto my bed as Lara approached and said, "You requested my presence My Lady?"

"Please," I said lying down.

"Of course," she said and stood next to Gamaley.

I won't lie, I was a bit nervous, but if these implants would stop these creatures from talking ill about me in their language thinking I didn't understand them, it would be worth it. I knew Lara has been cleaning up the translations to keep my feelings from being hurt, and I appreciated it, but I really want to know what they said about me. Gamaley showed me two tiny devices that reminded me of small hearing aids.

"My Lady," he began, "I designed them to be small so no one would know you are wearing them. I was asked to design them for you."

I smiled as I knew who made such a request. "I appreciate this. I hope it works."

"As do I, now please relax," said Gamaley.

He placed a small mask over my mouth and nose. I took a deep breath and the room quickly faded to black.

I woke to Gamaley and Lara hovering over me. I didn't feel any different so I wasn't sure if it worked or not. Lara helped me sit up and asked, "How do you feel?"

"Fine," I said.

She smiled and said, "You understood me. They're working."

This time I watched her lips and I saw that they didn't match the sounds I was hearing. I realized she was helping Gamaley to test if they worked. I walked to the mirror and looked, but I couldn't see them, even after Gamaley showed me where they were. I thanked Gamaley for his help and as he left, Ibarra and Lilja come in and inform me I need to start getting me ready for the dinner tonight. What I didn't realize was this included them bathing me. I'll admit, having these two bathe me was an experience I won't soon forget. I was cleaned and scrubbed from head to toe. A cream was applied to my legs and underarms that removed the hair from my body. I was fine with this, but when they tried to apply the cream to my sex, I protested and we started to fight. They insisted this was what required and that I had no choice. I proved that I had a choice by calling Lara who of course, backed me up. In the end, I compromised to a minor trim that poor Lara had to supervise. The things she must endure being my guardian.

After the bath, the real challenge of getting me dressed began. I was really grateful they were there to help me as I would not have been able to get this on without their help. Once dressed, they styled my hair and painted my face until I looked like a princess of their world. I looked like nothing I'd ever seen before, but it wasn't a bad thing. My eyes were golden, my cheeks were pink, my lips were red, and there were decorative lines that really enhanced my natural features. I had to touch my ear (they wouldn't let me touch my face) to be sure the reflection I was seeing was really mine.

Lara escorted me to the room the dinner was being held. It was a large room and there were all kinds of creatures there talking among themselves. I gasped as I realized these were the guests the Queen was talking about when Lara whispered, "Fear not My Lady. I will be in the room the whole time and even if you do not see me, you will never leave my sight."

I nodded my understanding, as I feared that if I looked at her it might be seen as my being too friendly and informal with her. I stepped up to the door where a green creature that reminded me of a giant praying mantis stood holding a long wooden staff. It stopped me in the doorway, struck the ground twice with the staff, and said, "Presenting, Lady Alexis Perry. Betrothed to Prince Oliver."

The room fell silent and I felt all eyes on me. I wasn't sure what's got my head spinning more, the creatures in the room, or the one at the door who knew who I was. As I was standing there trying to decide if I should enter the room or run, Queen Helena walked up to me and said, "Alexis, my dear, welcome." She embraced me with a firm hug and whispered in my ear, "You look beautiful. I'm so glad you found the clothes I had made for you."

I smiled and whispered, "Yes, thank you."

She quickly took my hand and began to introduce me to the guests. Lara disappeared but I knew she was near. The room resumed the chatter of before and it doesn't take me long to know who was speaking English, and who was using the alien language by the inconsistency of their mouths. It was then I heard what Lara had been hiding from me. Different voices from those who didn't know I could now understand them, gossiping about me.

"Look at her pale skin."

"She'll lead us to war."

"The planet she hails from is completely barbaric."

"Why did he pick her?"

"She's not one of us."

"She will make a horrid queen."

These cruel words made me further question my presence. Queen Helena just squeezed my hand and smiled at me, but said nothing. Soon, I was talking with Ambassador Quez, who was from a neighboring planet, had known the family for years, and spoke English to me. He was telling me a story about his sons when we heard the staff striking the floor again. The room instantly fell silent.

"Presenting Prince Oliver, heir to the kingdom."

Oliver entered the room, with Pham behind him. He was wearing a lavender suit with silver trim and I realized his suit matched my dress. Pham disappeared into the crowd as the Queen walked up to him as she did with me. Oliver seemed to be searching the room, but soon was walking with his mother, and away from me. I resumed my conservation with the ambassador. I noticed the rude gossip had stopped and I was angry that they would say such cruel things around the Queen, but not Oliver. I chose not to dwell on this as I was finding Ambassador Quez's stories quite interesting, especially about his family and his planet.

When we were called to dinner, I saw Oliver escort his mother to the table. Ambassador Quez asked if he could escort me to my seat, as it seemed we were seated next to each other. I agreed and wondered where Oliver was sitting in relation to where I was going to sit. Oliver seated his mother at the head of the table, then took the seat to her right. Ambassador Quez escorted me to the seat on the left of the Queen, directly across from Oliver, taking the seat next to me. As Oliver looked at me, I saw the confusion on his face as he tried to figure out who I was, then, he mouthed, "Alexis?"

I just nodded and smiled as we were told to take our seats. Queen Helena looked at Oliver and said, "Doesn't Alexis look beautiful in a traditional gown?"

"She always looks beautiful to me," he said. "But I must admit I didn't recognize her at first as I've always seen her in Earth clothes, so to see her in attire of our world was a pleasant surprise."

"I had several made up for her during your absence," said Queen Helena.

"I see," said Oliver. "I'm curious how you knew how to wear this."

"I had help," I said quietly.

"Really?" he said surprised. "Who did my mother send to aid you?"

"Um... Ibarra... and... um... Lilja," I said.

Oliver smiled. "I should have known my mother would provide you with her two best."

"Our future queen deserves nothing but the best," she said.

I smiled at the compliment as plates of delicious smelling food were placed before us. It was only now that I realized how hungry I was as I didn't eat after the Valente incident. Since I didn't know their customs, and I didn't want to offend the queen or her guests, and give them more to gossip about, I waited until Oliver started to eat and nodded toward me to do the same. Of course, the food tasted even better that is smelled and soon, I'd enjoyed several delicious courses and drinks. Once the meal has concluded, we rose and resumed our mingling.

Oliver stepped over to me and whispered in my ear, "If we weren't required to be separated, I'd take you up to our room, rip that outfit off you, and make passionate love to you all night long."

I smiled and whisper back, "Patience my love. Good things come to those who wait."

Okay, I didn't believe my words either, but I had to say something that wouldn't get me dragged out of here and ravished in the nearest empty room we could find. He gently kissed my cheek and we continue talking to the guests, and answered the questions the best we could. Soon, the guests began leaving until the only people left were Oliver, Queen Helena, our three guardians, and me.

Queen Helena took my hand and said, "I hope this evening wasn't too much for you Alexis."

"Not at all," I said. "I enjoyed the chance to meet so many different creatures."

"Ambassador Quez seems quite impressed with you," she said.

"He's a valuable ally," said Oliver. "I'm glad you two got along so well."

"He was quite interesting and shared stories of his family and his people," I said. "He was very nice to me."

"I must have been busy talking but I didn't hear you get announced," said Oliver.

"She arrived before you did," said Queen Helena.

"Oh," he said.

"I was just following orders," I said smiling.

"Speaking of orders," said Queen Helena, "I want you both to get some rest. Alexis has much to do before your wedding. And we need to set a date and make plans very soon."

"Yes Mother," said Oliver kissing her cheek.

"Yes ma'am," I said.

We start to leave together when Queen Helena called out, "Oh Oliver, may I have a word with you please?"

The look of defeat hits Oliver's face as he kissed my cheek and whispered, "Good night my love."

"Good night," I said.

I giggled and left. I hear him said, "Yes Mother, what can I do for you?"

Lara escorted me back to my room and asked, "Why do you giggle my Lady?"

"I was impressed how Queen Helena kept Oliver from following us back to my room," I said.

"Yeah," said Lara, "that was pretty slick on her part."

"Lara, why didn't you tell me what they were really saying about me?"

Lara didn't answer right away. I knew she heard the whispers that were said before Oliver's arrival, as I had. "I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Do they all think I'm from a barbaric planet?"

"No," said Lara. "But unfortunately, many do."

I nodded my head as we entered my room, Ibarra and Lilja greeted us and quickly helped me disrobe, clean the make-up off my face, and after some arguing, allowed me to wear the tank-top and shorts I brought with me to sleep in. They left, and Lara retired to her room, next to mine. This is the first time I'd been truly alone all day, even though I knew Lara was near. I had no idea where Ibarra and Lilja sleep, but I decided not to focus on this as I climbed into my bed, and reflected on how I didn't embarrass myself, Oliver, or the Queen, but I knew it was only my first of many occasions for me to make a mess of things. Then the cruel words I heard tonight echoed through my mind. 'Was I the wrong woman to be their queen? Would I bring them to war? Was my skin to pale?' Even Valente's cruel words echoed in my mind. I touched the light on the table by my bed and my room went dark. I laid down and drifted off to a restless night sleep.