New Dress New Me
While we wait inside the VIP room in the back John asks, “So? Are you going to explain it this time, Scarlet?”
“Explain what?”
“Don’t bullshit me. That’s the same thing that happened a few weeks ago when Julio disturbed you during your ‘precious moment that would b-’.”
Putting her hand over his mouth she answers, “Fine, I’ll explain but don’t finish that sentence.”
He nods and Scarlet removes her hand, “It’s our bloodline ability. Rose used it by accident.”
“Wait, I did something? What’s a bloodline ability?”
“Bloodline abilities are magical abilities that are passed down by blood. They can’t be learned by someone who isn’t related to someone that can use it. And you just used it by accident, which is completely normal, even if it’s very early for your age…”
Rayla interjects, “So those are actually real? I thought they were only a way to justify the superiority of nobles.”
“Yes, they’re real and it’s not just nobles that have them. It’s just that nobles tend to actively seek people with strong bloodline abilities to marry into, so it's more common for nobles to have them.”
“How does that work? What abilities are there and how do they function?” John asks.
“The abilities differ widely so it’s not a consistent thing. But there are categorization attempts that are being made. The most common one divides bloodline abilities into different groups: Alteration, Creation, Destruction, Domination, Mutation, Restoration, Summoning & Familiars and Miscellaneous.
As for how they work…Usually there is a mana cost associated with it and the activation of the ability tends to be tied to an emotion. But sometimes abilities are also just ‘Always On’ which happens most often with the mutation type bloodline. Bloodline abilities can also skip generations and combine or mutate. For example, King Hrothgar the ruler of Siegheim has the ability to erode non living material in a radius around him until it turns to dust. That’s a Destruction type ability that he can turn on and off as he pleases. His son Prince Stennis however was born with the ability to erode all living matter he touches with his left hand and all non living matter he touches with his right hand, neither of which he can turn off. Because of this ability he ended up severely deformed when he touched his face after his ability manifested as a child.”
“What a poor guy…” I say.
“Yeah… But don’t worry we don’t have a destruction type ability so something like this won’t happen to you.”
“And what about combining? How does that work?” John asks.
“Essentially, when two people with different bloodline abilities have a child, there is a chance that the abilities combine into a new one. The kingdom of Kroy is actually a good example of this. The current King has a restoration ability that allows him to heal people he touches while his wife has the ability to summon birds that she can control freely. Their son, Crown Prince Ashton, has the ability to summon birds that heal the people they touch.”
“How do you know what all these people's abilities are, manya?”
“Well, part of my job as Crown Princess is to know the names, abilities and general achievements of all ruling monarchs and successors as well as some other important nobles.”
“That sounds super difficult to learn.”
“It is! And the most annoying thing about it is that so many of them have such short life spans! It’s like I constantly have to learn about a new Sir Irreleventus or Lady Forgeta Boutme.”
“Then what is your bloodline ability?” Sher Aka asks.
“It’s a domination type ability. I can’t tell you more than that, only my family is allowed to know what it does and how it works. So, I can only tell Rayla and Rose.”
“And what about the royal family of Tera Flora?” Rayla asks.
“It’s called the ‘Emperor’s Sword’. It’s a destruction type ability that allows you to cut anything.”
“When you say anything do yo-”
The sound of loud heels on wood interrupt her as Miss Kǒngquè enters our room with my two sets of clothes in hand, “My apologies for making you wait, your Highnesses. There were some problems I had to deal with on the way here. As requested, I have enchanted these sets of clothes with shapeshifting properties and I have also given them an enchantment that both mends damage to the clothing and cleans them when exposed to mana. I also gave it simple temperature regulating properties but it won’t protect you from extreme temperatures.
But there is one thing I was a bit confused about. If her Highness only turns into this other form when she falls asleep, how will she try the clothes on now?”
“Oh, I can change into my cursed form freely.”
“I see…”
Jumping off of Scarlet's lap I pick up the clothes and walk to the changing cabin where I turn back to my cursed form and put my clothes on. They don’t feel strange or weird, in fact they feel a bit more comfortable than before.
Leaving the changing cabin I ask Miss Kǒngquè, “Do I need to activate these or do th-”
Looking at Miss Kǒngquè’s face she looks shocked to the core so I say, “Oh…Sorry, I probably should have warned you about how I look in this form…”
Switching from a shocked to a determined face she answers, “Please don’t apologize, your Highness. I was just surprised about how this curse affects you. There is no need to activate it, just change as you usually do and the clothes will follow suit.”
Heeding her words I close my eyes and imagine transforming into my small form. I can feel my clothes change without a problem and when I open my eyes again I seem to be wearing a dress.
Looking at Miss Kǒngquè she seems to have a satisfied grin on her face, everyone else seems to have a surprised look on their faces with Scarlet and Sher Aka also showing a big smile.
“Uhm…So…What do you think? Do I look okay?”
“You don’t just look okay, you look amazing, oko! You’re so pretty!”
“R-Really!?”
“Yes really!”
“Kikikiki, well it is to be expected isn’t it? Everyone in my family is extraordinarily beautiful after all.”
“A-are you sure? You’re not just saying it to make me feel better, right?”
“No, they’re right. You are very pretty~” Sher Aka answers.
“Uhm…Thank you. What do you think, John? Please be as honest as possible.”
“Hmm…I dunno. It’s kind of hard for me to see you like this after all the time we spent together but I do have to admit you look pretty like this.”
“Really!? You think so, John?”
“Yeah.”
“Then…It might actually be true…”
“It very much is, your Highness. Please look at yourself in the mirror while I explain my thought process in choosing this dress.”
Walking towards the mirror I’m filled with anxiety. Scared to see what lies in the mirror I close my eyes for a bit as Miss Kǒngquè rattles of facts about the dress.
“Since your Highness wanted a dress that works for everyday activity, I chose a knee-length puffed sleeve dress with a pinafore worn over the top and ankle-strap shoes. This style of dress is also xxx referred to as an ‘Alice Dress’. As for the colors, I chose colors complementing your Highness’ beautiful hair. Both the pastel blue of the dress as well as the white pinafore complement your hair well while giving you a kind and innocent allure. I have also decided to add a pink royal rose emblem on the pinafore to show your Highness’ rank and affiliation without needing to be extravagant. Completing the look is a pink rose hair ornament made from cloth. What do you think your Highness, have I chosen correctly?”
“I don’t know yet, I haven’t looked.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a bit scared of what I’m going to see.”
“It’ll be alright your Highness. I promise you that you are very pretty. So please take a look.”
Taking a deep breath, with my stomach feeling weird from my heart pumping so quickly, I open my eyes and find the image of a pretty girl in front of me.
“Is…Is that really me?”
“Yes, your Highness.”
My tail starts to wag as I feel tears flowing down my cheeks, “I…I really am pret-”
Suddenly I feel a stinging pain in my stomach as if my heart was pierced and I hear a booming male voice in my head saying, “...Never will you look in the mirror again and think you’re beautiful…” and my tears turn black. More black liquid then leaves my nose, mouth and ears as I turn around, “Help…Cough cough”
Rayla and John are the first to run towards me and prop me up while I vomit up a black liquid.
Scarlet and Sher Aka then run over and Scarlet yells, “Rose!? Are you okay? What's going on!?”
“I…I don’t barf”
John shouts, “Get me a cushion and some water! And no before you ask, I don't know what it is this time.”
I’m then put on my side with my head on a cushion as I vomit up more black liquid. I keep vomiting until a black pool surrounds me. It then begins to turn into smoke and disappear.
“Step back for now! I doubt it’s healthy to breathe it in.”
“But what about Rose!?”
“If it’s dissipating it’s probably a good sign.”
Smoke then completely surrounds me but instead of feeling worse or having difficulty breathing I’m feeling better than before.
Stepping out of the smoke I give Scarlet a hug, “I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”
“Rose! Are you-” Scarlet says before stopping, looking at me in shock and stepping back.
“Manya? What’s wrong?”
“R-Rose, you…”
“What? Did something happen to me?”
Rayla picks me up and says, “You changed again but I don’t think it’s a bad change. Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, I feel completely fine.”
“That’s good.”
“What changed?”
“Your ears got a bit longer, here let me show you.”
Rayla then carries me to the mirror where I now see what she is talking about. My ears have changed to Elf ears. Otherwise nothing seems to have changed.
“Eh!? But why Elf ears? And why are they so large? The tip almost goes up to the top of my head.”
“Hmm, I think Sher Aka’s are a similar length in terms of proportion. Yours are just angled a little higher so they look longer. As for why…Perhaps you were an Elf before you were cursed.”
“Hmm…I don't think so.”
“Why not?”
“I dunno, it’s just a gut feeling I guess. I don’t think I was an Elf.”