"The young miss looks the prettiest in dark green." Estile said to the royal seamster.
"Black suits her too but I don't think a black dress would be suitable for her coming of age ball." said Estile.
"And I agree." The Queen said behind Estile and Estile almost broke her back with how fast she bowed.
Curtsying and bowing her head immediately, both her and the royal seamster said "Greetings to the moon of the empire."
"Greetings." The Queen said with a smile.
"You heard what she said." The Queen said standing beside Estile.
"Bring as many green dresses as you can." The Queen said and Marina's jaw dropped at the sheer number of dresses that materialized out of thin air.
Glancing at the dark green dresses, the Queen picked ten dresses and handed them over to Marina. Marina was shown to a make shift dressing room and the Queen was given a couch to sit on. After the Queen made herself comfortable the Queen gestured for Estile to sit beside her.
The first dress Princess Marina put in was promptly rejected.
"I thought it would look marvelous on her but now that I see her in it, I realize that the dress is a little too loose at the stomach region." The Queen said and gestured for Estile to say her opinion.
"The green isn't dark enough and it barely compliments the young miss." Estile said and both her and the Queen high fived.
The second dress was also rejected and so was the fifth, the eight the sixteenth and twentieth!
"Don't you think the V neck is a little too low?" The Queen asked Estile.
"Yes!" Estile said with a gasp.
"A long silver necklace won't save it and the hands are unflattering on the young miss." Estile said, and both Marina and the royal seamster sighed as the fiftieth dress was rejected.
"How about this one?" Estile gestured to another dark green dress before a female servant walked into the room.
Curtsying first then bowing her head, the female servant addressed the Queen.
"The royal dance instructor awaits Princess Marina." The female servant said and the Queen squealed in joy.
"I can't wait for your first dance at your coming of age ball." The Queen said with glee and Princess Marina smiled awkwardly.
It's not like she didn't know it had to be her left foot before her right but every time she danced with the royal dance instructor, Princess Marina always stepped on his feet.
"This is the tenth time Princess Marina." the royal dance instructor noted.
"Are my teachings difficult or are you not comfortable with the dance?" The royal dance instructor asked and Marina shook her head quickly.
"I can do it!" Marina said firmly but the royal dance instructor shook his head.
"Dance isn't forced." The royal dance instructor said as he bent down to Princess Marina's level.
"You dance perfectly without a partner." said the royal dance instructor.
"We can make it a solo dance and we can-" the royal dance instructor said before Princess Marina interrupted him.
"No!" Princess Marina said with a little force.
"It's customary for I and my father to do a pair dance together." said Princess Marina.
"But it's obvious that you are uncomfortable with it." The royal dance instructor said but Princess Marina remained adamant that she could do it.
Shaking his head and slowly getting back up, the royal dance instructor sighed.
"We will work on posture." The royal dance instructor said and Princess Marina repeated the same dance moves without a partner.
Sitting in the pavilion opposite the courtyard, Princess Marina sipped her tea under the light of the fireflies. Restraining herself from crying Princess Marina watched the full moon under the light of fireflies. Lost in her thoughts, Princess Marina didn't notice the King had sat down beside her.
"I heard-" the King said and Princess Marina jolted in shock.
Gathering her bearings, Princess Marina tried to greet the King but the King said "It's okay."
"I heard from your dance instructor that you were doing poorly in the pair dance." The King said and Princess Marina kept silent.
"Is that how much you don't want to dance with your father?" The King asked as he put a hand on his chest and Princess Marina blanched.
"Am I that uncool that my little princess doesn't want to dance with me?" The King asked woefully and Princess Marina sputtered out and apology.
Laughing at the little princess's action, the King declared with an outstretched hand "I won't be mad at you if you allow me this dance!"
Laughing because she was tricked into this, Princess Marina grabbed the King's hand and as the King twirled her under the moon light, Marina recalled her dance with Gale with fondness and a light heart.