Princess Amethyst's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Amethyst woke to bells ringing across the palace grounds. Three short chimes meant an announcement. She pulled her robe tight and opened her door to find a messenger already walking away. The notice pinned to her doorframe said the king had called a formal court ceremony for sunset. All royals must attend in full regalia. She turned back to her chamber where the unfinished gown lay across her worktable. The outer layer was complete, traditional and proper. But the color-shifting underlayer still had gaps where her hand-stitched patterns stopped mid-design. She had at least three more nights of work before it would be ready. Three nights she did not have. She pulled open her wardrobe and found nothing suitable. Every other gown had been sent to the palace laundry or donated months ago when she started this project. The unfinished gown was her only option. At sunset, Amethyst walked toward the latticed pavilion where the court had gathered. Lanterns glowed against the darkening sky. She kept her steps measured and her arms close to avoid showing the incomplete sections. But as she climbed the pavilion steps, a young woman with white-streaked hair stepped forward holding a sphere of light magic. The mage raised her palm and the glow swept across Amethyst's gown. The underlayer caught the warmth and shifted from deep violet to burning gold in waves. The crowd went silent. Then someone whispered about the colors. Another asked who made it. The mage lowered her hand and smiled slightly before stepping aside. Amethyst stood in the center of the pavilion as questions began. A duchess asked where she bought the fabric. A lord wanted the name of her tailor. She felt her throat tighten, then looked down at the gown. The half-finished stitching showed clearly under the light, small bright beetles of color where her thread had built the pattern stitch by stitch. She lifted her chin and said she made it herself. The silence returned, heavier this time. But no one looked away. The ceremony continued around her, but Amethyst knew she had already answered the question she had been avoiding. Now the kingdom knew what she was building, and there was no taking it back.