Chapter 4: A Masque Ball

Natalie was standing in the middle of the room, totally embarrassed, without knowing how Kat had managed, she had gotten Natalie into a tub, washed her hair, and was now telling her to sit down so they deal with all that hair of hers. Bitsy, Kimberly and Kat and were discussing hair styles amongst themselves, every once in awhile asking Natalie what she thought and not giving her a chance to respond. Natalie knew it was rude to stare but she was having a hard time just registering the fact that Bitsy was now a fairy and the young woman next to her, her daughter Kimberly was also a fairy. The consensus of opinion was that they needed to cut Natalie's hair. Natalie was adamantly shaking her head no, with a grin Kim stated she would go get a pair of sharp shears, then was gone. Passing the dining room Kim flew in and grabbed a piece of toast, in a bored disinterested voice Brand asked his daughter what she was doing dragging a pair of scissors with her, he knew if he appeared interested he would get a long dialogue on the word scissors and shears, never getting an answer to his question. In an off handed way as she left the room, Kim said "we're going to cut Natalie's hair off." Rav was all ready bounding up the stairs, throwing open the door startling the women, he almost yelled "you are not cutting her hair off." In haughty outrage Natalie snapped "get out!" Rav who had been staring at her since he walked into the room, raised an eyebrow at her and grinned, "make me," he drawled leaning against the doorframe. Rav knew he should leave, the second he had walked into the room and seen her standing there in a towel, her damp hair hanging to her knee's, her body still warm pink from her bath, his body had reacted instantly. All he wanted to do was pull the towel away from her and bury himself in her long hair, as he laid her on the bed. He blinked, realizing Kim was fluttering around in his face, "Rav, you need to leave, she isn't dressed." Rav leered at Natalie but said to Kim "I noticed." Kat coughed, Rav looked at his mother, grinned and left the room. It was a long time before he returned to the dining room. Natalie looked at the fairy and the scissors with a worried look, "my hair is just fine, you don't need to cut it!" she insisted. Nonsense, replied Kat, we are only going to cut off a tiny bit, no need to get upset. Then pushing Natalie down onto the stool, Kat picked up the scissors and started cutting. When Kat was done, there was hair all over the floor, Natalie who had kept her eyes closed tight, opened her eyes when she heard Bitsy's ohhs and ahhs. Natalie's hair was now down to her waist, with some of the weight and length off, her hair curled with long natural waves. Kat had cut the hair around her face shorter, so the curls framed Natalie's face making it look softer and emphasizing her high cheek bones. Kat grinned at Bitsy and Kim, now for the clothes, Natalie was becoming very upset, she knew she couldn't afford any new clothes, the hair cut was one thing but this was something entirely different. Natalie holding her clothes in front of her, shook her head at them, "I do not need any new clothes, I am fine with what I have." Kat grinned at Bitsy ignoring Natalie, the three then started talking dress design as Natalie was scrambling into her clothes, having every intention of collecting Hank and heading home as soon as possible. Bitsy tisking at Natalie waved her hand and Natalie was suddenly standing stark naked, Natalie looked around franticly for her clothes. With another wave of her hand and a thoughtful look on her face, Bitsy dressed Natalie. Natalie suddenly found herself dressed in a high collared white blouse, tailored violet vest, that emphasized her full bust and slim waist. Her skirt also violet with dark purple small stripes, it was very full and swirled around her thighs as she moved. On her feet were walking shoes matching the violet of her outfit, the ribbon ties of dark purple. The violet matched her eyes and emphasizing the sheen in her black hair. Her hair was now pulled back and braided half way with a purple ribbon, the rest hanging down her back in loose waves. Natalie could only stare at herself in the mirror, that wasn't her in the mirror, the woman staring back at her was lovely, she looked soft and feminine, not cold and harsh, not a Snow Queen. Almost fearfully, Natalie waited for everything to vanish as quickly as it had appeared. Kim laughed fluttering around "thats wonderful mother, you did a great job, now she needs a few more walking dresses and ball gowns, what do you think about a riding outfit? oh and undies, we can't forget those, something in satin would be nice." Bitsy giggling whispered something to Kat and the two grinned and winked at each other. Kim chuckled and looked at Natalie, "they are talking about something they think I'm to young to hear." Bitsy laughed "we were discussing lingerie, and how long it would last."

Natalie fearful she would suddenly be in something totally scandalous took a step back. They all looked towards the door hearing Natalie's, Aunt Patricia yelling at the footman. "I am here to take my neice and nephew home, how dare you stand in my way, you will move now." The door was thrust open and the woman shoved past the footman and stormed in, seeing Natalie, Patricia gaped at her, looking at the gorgeous fashionable young woman standing there, she was furious. "Remove those clothes at once, young lady, you look more everyday like that slut of a mother of yours." Kat gasped, she couldn't believe what she had just heard. "you will remove yourself from my son's home immediately, how dare you speak to one of my guests like that." Patricia puffed up in outrage "it's true and she knows it, if she isn't careful she will be selling her favors on the streets, since she doesn't have the money her mother did to keep her legions of lovers, its in the blood, I've had to remind her repeatedly of that, its a moral woman's duty." Before her Aunt Patricia could say more, Natalie quietly picked up her cape and turned to her Aunt, "My clothes were ruined, these will have to do until we get home, shall we go, Aunt Patricia." walking towards the door. Natalie turned to Kat "thank you for all your care and help." Kat looked at Natalie, seeing her back once again stiff, her look haughty, her eye's ice cold and sighed. Furious Kat turned and snapped at Patricia "its moral women like you that curse all womankind." Seeing that the two were close to blows, Natalie stepped in, "it's true, my mother was a woman with lovers, my father caught her with a lover and killed her and her lover, then in despair he shot and killed himself." Not finished Natalie looked at her aunt "we also both know that father had a mistress and many lovers himself, so that must of made him a male whore." she said in her coldest tone of voice. Then she walked out of the room. Patricia followed behind her "he was a man, men are expected to have mistresses and women, its their bestial nature." Natalie just looked at her Aunt "so you have repeatedly said." walking down the stairs, Natalie asked the footman the where abouts of her brother. Stephen had come out of the study, he smiled at Natalie and kissing her hand he swept her a bow and complimented her on her fine looks, then told her that Hank and Rav had gone out shopping. Without giving Natalie a chance to reply, Patricia informed Stephen with an ingratiating smile that it would be very kind if Hank were returned home after his little shopping was done, then grabbing Natalie's arm, the two left. Kat was so furious she could hardly talk, as soon as Patricia had left, Bitsy and Kim appeared, both had heard everything and were just as furious. "who is that horrid woman?" Kim wanted to know. Bitsy sat Kim down and tried to explain the whole situation to her. Confused Kim asked "why doesn't Rav just take her back to the keep? or to the lair, get her away from that nasty old woman." With a sigh Kat said "its not that easy, Kim, Natalie is a young woman who thinks herself, ugly, unwanted, uncared for, she thinks she is only good enough for the likes of nasty old lechers, who have the money to pay off her aunt's debts. Even though I think she is very attracted to Rav, she thinks someone like him could never care for her, and after hearing what the aunt has been putting in her head, more then likely thinks all he wants is a play toy." Bitsy nodded in agreement. "its not going to be easy to change her mind." A very thoughtful Kim went in search of her brother and Trink. Rav walked into the study and looked at the three with their heads together, giggling and chuckling, "just what are you three up to?" he asked grinning, "Welllll now, as to that, we're planning a little kidnapping and wedding." Rav raised his eyebrow and looked at the them "and just who are you going to be kidnapping and marrying? Trink" Trink thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard and chortled, slapping his knee, "not me, you!" "Your going to kidnap me and marry me? Trink, won't your pretties be upset about that?" Seeing Trink's look of confusion, they all laughed, "just who am I supposed to kidnap and marry? the information might be helpful, just so I don't get the wrong lady, " casually asked Rav. "Why your lady Natalie, that's who." said an exasperated Trink. "Oh, and why do I need to kidnap the lady in order to marry her?" asked an interested Rav. Kim explained to Rav what had happened with Natalie's Aunt, and how pretty Natalie had looked with her hair all fixed and the new clothes, and what her mother and Kat had said about it going to be very hard to get Natalie to change her idea's about herself. Rav sat deep in thought for a few minutes then looked up "when does this kidnapping take place and where?" A very long debate took place with that question, until they all finally decided on a good plan of action. Natalie stood staring at herself in the mirror, the costume her aunt had picked for her was so horrid, she just wanted to rip it off and throw it in the fireplace. Bitsy let out an unladylike snort, "If you go dressed in that Natalie, you will be the laughing stock of the ball." Natalie looked up and saw Bitsy sitting on her dressing table, "I know but I don't have a choice it's either wear this or not go at all, which would be my choice, perhaps I can become suddenly ill, I've never run away before but maybe there is a first time for everything." - "No need for such extreme's, I've brought you an outfit that Jacquilt had made just for you, he thinks you will be the success of the ball in it." Seeing her doubtful look Bitsy smiled, "Jacquilt has an inborn sense of style, you can never go wrong with his suggestions."

Bitsy pointed to a large box on the bed. Natalie opened the box and gasped, she slowly pulled out a dress, but not really a dress, it was layers upon layers of chiffon, in a white silver color shot through with gold, just picking up the dress made it sparkle in the candle light. At Bitsy's urging Natalie put on the dress, it draped over one shoulder, leaving the other bare, it gave a hint of how full her breasts where without revealing them, it was full length once again with the layers almost like scarves overlapping, as she walked it floated around her, the layers opening just a tantalizing bit. Also inside the box was a pair of fairy wings, made of fine gossamer netting, the same color as the dress and tiny matching slippers, the mask was silver with little tiny wings at each corner. A tiny leather bag contained handfuls of glitter in every color imaginable. At the very bottom was a note from Jacquilt it read: To a beautiful woman who can sparkle on her own, if she will only let herself. Jacquilt. Smiling, Bitsy said "its true you know, you are an extremely lovely woman, you should be proud of that and show it off, not hide it." "I can't wear this, Aunt Patricia would never allow it." said Natalie, almost sighing, her hands kept smoothing over the dress, then she started to take if off, Bitsy could see the regret in her eye's. Laughing Bitsy said "leave your aunt to us, you just make sure that your in the carriage with your cape on and the hood pulled up." Natalie hugged the little wings, just once she wanted to feel soft, and womanly, was it so wrong to want to see admiration in men's eye's and know that look was for her, then she thought of Lord Barkley and the life ahead of her, she picked up the slippers with a determined look. - Patricia was almost screaming in frustration, nothing was going right, she finally got downstairs and looked for Natalie, when the footman informed her that Natalie was waiting out in the carriage, she snatched up her wrap and went out to the carriage. As Patricia was getting out of the carriage at the Carington's, there was a terrible ripping noise, she let out a shriek and grabbed her dress, one whole side seam had come undone, snapping at Natalie, she told her to go inside without her, that she was going home to change and would return as quickly as possible, then climbed back into the carriage, her dress almost falling off. Natalie stood watching the carriage drive away, she was about to go up the steps when she heard her name, turning she saw Bitsy and Brand walking towards her. Bitsy winked at her, "Rav and the other's are already inside waiting for us." Bitsy handed her cape to the footman and Natalie gasped, Bitsy had on a dress that looked like a flower, it was so lovely Natalie could only stare, Brand was in a huntsmen's costume and muttering about hating costume ball's. Winking at Bitsy he whispered in her ear "I should of been a bumble bee, dipping into your sweet nectar all night." The footman held out his hand for Natalie's cape, she stood hesitating. Brand didn't give her a chance to change her mind, "allow me" he said and suddenly her cape was off and in the hands of the footman. "My god," breathed Brand as he looked at Natalie, then turning to Bitsy he saw the grin on her face. As they walked to the ballroom, Brand leaned down and said to Bitsy "Rav is going to be doing a lot of roaring into the night after spending the evening with her, remind me to shut the windows tonight." With a wink Bitsy replied "Rav is going to be doing a lot more then that if everything goes right." Brand looked carefully at her "what are you up to? brat" Just grinning at him she whispered "I'll tell you later, here comes Rav, I want to see his reaction." Rav stood still staring at Natalie, he suddenly took a deep breath realizing he had forgotten to breathe, She was standing there saying something to Bitsy. Her dress shimmered, with every motion it gave a hint of bare flesh underneath, her hair had been brushed out until it seemed to float around her head, it had sparkling glitter in it that added to the impression of her hair moving about her head, The wings on her back added to the magical look, the dress ended just above her ankles, the matching slippers had tiny wings at the heels, drawing a persons eyes to her feet and ankles. Natalie saw Rav slowly walking towards her, she saw the look on his face, startled she took a step back, he looked so intense. The only thing she could think of was that he didn't like the dress, she felt such deep disappointment, it startled her. Then stiffening her back and putting on her haughty look, she smiled at him coldly. So what if he didn't like the dress she certainly hadn't dressed this way for him, she told herself. Rav got ahold of himself when he saw her stiff cold look and reminded himself that he didn't want her bolting and running home. Brand and Bitsy had also seen the look on Rav's face, Brand grinned down at Bitsy "this should be a fun evening, in a minute your going to tell me what's going on, brat." Rav smiled at Brand, told Bitsy how lovely she looked without ever taking his eyes off of Natalie, taking her hand in his, he bowed to her then kissed the back of her hand, the tip of tongue licking sensuously. Natalie gasped and tried to pull her hand away from Rav's, he wouldn't let go, he smiled at her "You look enchanting tonight, Natalie, I've always found fairies very alluring." with a wink at Bitsy he went on to say "you know fairies are very sexual creatures, and looking at you, I will never doubt it." Brand laughed at Rav "just be careful, they have a tendency to bite, and watch out for little claws." then Brand winked at Natalie, who was still trying to pull her hand out of Rav's, Brand seeing the look of confusion on Natalie's face, only laughed more. Bitsy pinched Brand and gave him a look, he gave her a look back and grinned. Rav tucked her arm around his and almost literally pulled her into the ballroom.