Chapter 367: Look like a queen.
In the next room, grandma Byra was sitting before a mirror. Her husband, grandpa Corven was helping her adjust her jewelry. She had a hand on the necklace around her neck, muttering, "I have never owned jewelry this expensive. Sienna wasted money on an old woman like me."
Grandpa Corven patted her shoulder. "We should enjoy the blessings of the younger generation while we still can. You can pass it on to Ali in your will. Anyway, you can’t take it with you when you die, and you cannot leave it to Numia."
The old woman lit up. Suddenly, the feeling of nervousness eased up, replaced by laughter. "Sienna would find me in death and kill me, if I dared."
Meanwhile, in his own suite, Elias stood before the mirror, already dressed in a tailored suit of midnight black, embroidered with white fox motifs. His hair was perfectly combed, his posture regal, yet his hands trembled slightly as he dabbed at his forehead with a silk handkerchief.
Sweat beaded along his temples, betraying his nerves. He looked less like a birthday and more like a groom awaiting his big ceremony.
His brothers lounged in the sofas, sipping wine from crystal glasses, their laughter filling the room.
"Look at him," Miro teased, raising his glass. "Sweating like it’s his wedding day. Are you afraid the bride will run away? Or perhaps you are worried that press will capture a picture of the sequined buttons on your cloak that Ali forced on you."
Elias shot him a glare.
Gael added to the teasing, "Miro, Elias has never actually had a wedding." He raised his glass, "In case you are wondering how a groom feels, multiply this feeling times ten. I must have taken a piss fifteen times before my engagement banquet started."
"Only a piss?" Miro snorted.
Elias grimaced. "Shut up you two."
His brothers continued teasing him. Their voices were light, mocking, but affectionate, the kind of teasing only brothers could deliver.
"You know, this party is decorated even better than a wedding venue." Miro pointed out, playing with the tail of the fox lantern on a table beside the sofa. "Maybe, you and Sienna should invite an elder and turn this into a real wedding. You are already dressed for it anyway."
Elias scowled, though his demeanor faltered under their ridiculous idea. "It is not a wedding, it is a circus," he muttered, adjusting his cufflinks with unnecessary precision. "It is a simple birthday." Yet his heart raced, his palms damp, as though the weight of the evening pressed upon him.
He thought of Sienna, of her elegance, of the way she would command the hall when she entered with all sorts of wicked thoughts. He feared not the guests, nor the press, but the possibility of chaos. "Please, don’t do anything too crazy," he muttered.
Downstairs, the grand hall was already filling. Musicians tuned their instruments, the strings humming softly, while servers in crisp uniforms arranged trays of delicacies. For all Sienna’s claim that crimson honey was rare, hence the steep price, it was available in gallons today. Honey cakes too, fruit skewers, sparkling wines from Elias’s own vineyards. All this and more in the food department.
The fox lanterns were swaying, glowing brighter in the hall, suspended from the ceiling in intricate patterns. They cast shadows that danced across the polished floor, exciting the little children who chased after them.
Back upstairs, Sienna finally slipped into her own gown--a flowing creation of blue silk, embroidered with white and silver threads that shimmered like starlight.
Her mother opened a locked case, and revealed the jewelry. Her hands were trembling as she looked at it and then glanced at her daughter.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
Sienna smiled slyly. "I want to look like a queen."
Her mother sighed, and helped her get decked out. A necklace went around her throat, rare silver pearl earrings on her ears. Her wrists, fingers, hair--all of it was decked out beautifully. The final touch was a crown. A circlet of golden pearls! There was only one of its kind in the empire.
Mrs. Miller shuddered. "You certainly look like a queen." Her daughter had lost so much weight. She had only ten pounds left to look like old self again. But already, she was perfect. If she chose to keep the remaining weight on, nobody would bat an eye. "Do you plan to venture into the entertainment world again, now that you have lost all that extra weight?"
Sienna twisted from side to side, admiring her waist, which had zero rolls. "Mother, I don’t even livestream anymore, so how can I step foot into the entertainment business? I have a duty as the matriarch of the fox tribe. Elias needs me in that position. My children need me there. Our family needs me there. If I had not been in that position when Soren was bullied, imagine how the story would have gone?" Or when the falcon relatives came for help! If she had been an ordinary woman, it would have been harder to help her family settle down.
"What about what you need?" Her mother asked, coming to stand beside her. "I would hate to think that you gave up all your dreams because of us. You worked so hard to learn dancing. Are you sure that you are ready to give it up?"
Sienna twisted her lips. The original Sienna loved to dance, as for her, it was not her passion. Her passion used to be eating, but when she found herself in the body of an obese woman, that desire to eat had vanished. Now, she got sick if she stuffed herself.
As for live streaming, she had only planned to take that path because she planned to divorce and needed quick money. Now, she had a kitchen equipment factory, the honey business, fruit business, minor investments, and shares in Elias’s winery. And this was in addition to all the money her husband gave her as upkeep monthly.
She had accumulated more than enough wealth. She had a house: more than one at that. Her job was very interesting, with drama and authority and the backing to do as she pleased most of the time.
Her life was perfect, and she was contented. So, why fake smiles for the camera?
Before she could replied, her mother sighed. "No need to say it. That silence tells me all I need to know. The old you would kill for the opportunity to dance again or step into the entertainment world. You have really changed so much. Sometimes, I don’t recognize you anymore."
Her words were soft, but carried the weight of a hammer.