In Loki's Honor Life 27 - Adyra's Quest, part 7

"There you go! All prettied up!" Arista gushed as she finished Adyra's makeup.

The young rmaid tugged at the fabric constricting her stomach, "Isn't this too tight?"

Arista rolled her eyes." No. It is just tight. It could be worse, the human noble ladies are forced to wear a corset."

"It's an instrunt of torture," Nenandil explained, "Used to keep young won under control by preventing them from breathing easily."

Adyra brought a hand to cover her mouth in shock, "That's awful!"

"Thankfully, you are lean enough my living silk can do the job without resorting to that," Arista added and a beige and rigid chestpiece appeared in her hand. "Here, this is a corset."

Just by the shape, she knew she would never agree to wear one. Next, her sister brought a large mirror. Adyra forgot the corset to admire her figure.

Her hair was no longer tied in a braid. It was wavy and falling over her shoulders and breast as well along with her back all the way to her waist. It still wasn't the sa as when floating underwater, but here on the surface, it was as good as it got. Her gown rembered glittering fish scales. She'd protested she was a dolphin-rmaid but Arista pointed out she represented both tribes. Wearing fish scales would give the fish-rmaids a pride boost and shut down any opposition that wished to see more power to the other tribe. Diaphanous semi-transparent lace floated over the dress giving the impression they were fins. She wore gloves matching the dress but her decolletage and shoulders were left bare, showing lots of skin and her hearty bosom. It was still more fabric than she was comfortable with, but at least her shoulders were free.

Next, she examined her face. The lines of her eyes were heavy, pronounced. Arista added so curves at the ends that made her gaze feel fierce. She loved it. A sticky wax covered her lips, giving them a vibrant light red and making them seem thicker. Her cheeks were pinkish and looked very healthy.

"Are you done? We need to put on so jewelry, now," Arista showed her so earrings and necklaces. "We need to make a statent, to draw attention to you. With all this fabric to paint," her sister pointed at her decolletage, "We can go wild. What about this erald necklace? Green goes very well with your hair color."

The rubies were enormous. "Isn't it too gaudy?" She asked.

"Yes. That's exactly the point. Only a true [Princess] can wear it and still look classy. Tonight, you must wear enough wealth to buy another kingdom. We'll add bracelets and then attach so jewels to your dress."

"Eralds it is, sister," Adyra grinned and nodded.

Adyra walked up the stairs and entered the carriage O'Donnell sent for them. Nenandil, now visible, flew after her, and then Arista, disguised as a 'dire queen angelfish' Not counting the ridiculously-long fins, the fish's body was a ter long and flat like all angelfish were. She swam in the air as if it were water. The footman closed the door and soon the carriage was on its way to the Lord's mansion.

She looked at the flying fish. Adyra could tell it was her sister but she knew it was because she was fay-touched. Mortals could not tell she wasn't just a fish.

"Was it necessary?" She asked her sister regarding her fish form.

"Nope," she chirped. "Giant air-swimming fish it is..."

The carriage stopped. The door opened and O'Donnel sat on the bench across Adyra. "Your Highness. You look stunning tonight. And those are marvelous pets," he said and instantly regretted it.

The rmaid, the fairy, and the fish were glaring at him. Maybe O'Donnell was the poster child of the 'fake it until you make it' lifestyle.

"Really?" Adyra asked. "One can wonder how you managed to stay alive this long on that mouth of yours. These are my chaperones. Nenandil the elder water fairy, and Angie, the dire queen angelfish."

"Roll with it, sister," Adyra answered with [Dolphin-Speech] sowhere in the eighty thousand Hertz range.

O'Donnell kept staring at Nenandil. The fairy caught him and said, "Don't even bother, sir. You couldn't get a read on our status even if your life depended on it. Princess Adyra was rciful to you. I would be thankful for Her Highness's wisdom by not being that much rude toward us."

The fish blew a bubble. The bubble floated up and popped against the carriage roof.

"Harsh action was hardly advised," he tried to defend himself. "Her Highness is a guest in this country."

Nenandil snorted. Angie blew a few more bubbles.

He tried to make eye contact but the princess was looking through the window, apparently paying no mind to the conversation between rchant-slash-smuggler, fish, and fairy.

"A silver tongue is hard of any value when one asures their transactions in the hundreds of kingtal," Nenandil declared.

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