It\'s today. The \'Big Day\'.

I spent the last day taking language and mannerism lessons. I was to take them side by side to the dance lessons but because I was lacking more in the dance field, the Emperor said to prioritize them more.

"After all," he had said, "royal behavior and the official tongue must come naturally to you."

On top of all that, Martha suddenly asked me about my progress with the speech.

"I have to deliver a speech!?" I asked, appalled.

"Customarily."

Since then I\'ve been extremely stressed.

"Your Highness," Martha sighed. "Do stop pacing the floor and come sit down. Have a little bite before resuming the preparations."

"Martha." I turned to her, stopping briefly in my tracks. "If I eat anything right now, I\'m afraid I\'ll throw it all up later today. Don\'t want to ruin the dress, right?"

Martha\'s eyebrows furrowed as if she was about to argue my point but then eased back as she realized that I was right.

"At least drink some water," she said.

Popping with nerves, I extended a hand to her and she handed me a goblet of water which I downed in a second.

Today, I was too nervous to be calm. I wringed my hands and kept looking at the window, perplexed. It was already the afternoon and Reynard was nowhere to be seen. So wasn\'t Yvonne.

"Martha," I said, "has Yvonne come to visit today?"

She looked confused at my mention of her. "No, Your Highness."

I sighed loudly and plopped on the bed.

"Has the dress arrived?"

"Yes, Your Highness. The butler brought it in this morning. We\'ve had it all set in the special dressing room."

"And my shoes? The accessories?"

"All set."

The fact that everything was already prepared was making me even more anxious. I was hoping that something could be amiss and the ceremony would get postponed but I guess everybody was just too efficient today.

"Has the ballroom been set up?" I asked, hoping to get a negative response.

"Your Highness, you mustn\'t bother about such matters," Martha said, trying to be assuring. "Everything is all in place. We\'ll get you ready right in time and the guests will start showing up by 7 pm. You need not worry."

7 pm. That was in five hours.

I had five hours to meet up with either one of my mastermind-planners-strategists-partners in crime and brief over the final course of action. None of them had made an appearance yet and I had started to worry that maybe they\'d bailed on me.

Just then, a knock came at the door. Martha went over to open it and immediately fell down in a curtsy. I walked to the door to see who it was and was relieved to see Yvonne standing there in all her glory.

"Your Highness," she smiled and curtsied, one leg behind the other. "I\'ve come."

I nodded. "Martha, could you give us a minute?" I asked quietly.

When she finally left, I shut the door and quickly turned to Yvonne.

"So," I began, "did you..."

She anticipated my words. "The decoy is ready."

I sighed, relieved. But then tensed up again as I thought of something.

"Okay, listen here," I said. "This decoy- will she pass off as me? Does she look even remotely similar to me?"

Yvonne thought. "Well, the only thing she\'s got going for her," she said, "is the eyes. She\'s got pretty sea-green eyes. Not as green as yours, though. But green enough, I\'d say."

"And…?" I prompted. "How old is she?"

"Older than you," was Yvonne\'s answer. "23?"

I started sweating.

"And...hair? What about the hair?"

"Brown."

I slumped down on my bed.

"Yvonne, I thought you said your plan was foolproof! What are we to do? The decoy will never pass off as me."

Yvonne- with a hint of humor in her voice- said, "I never said my plan was foolproof. Besides, no plan\'s ever foolproof. But we can make this work."

I looked up. "How?"

"Listen carefully," she said. "And make note of the important points."

I sat up, my dress clenched in my hands.

"Your maids- Hetty and Marilynne- I heard that these two are to prepare you and Miss Martha is to see over all processions."

I nodded.

"Hetty and Marilynne," she said, deep in thought, "are these two well aware of your face? The particular features?"

I nodded again.

"Okay, so this is what we\'re going to do," Yvonne said, clapping her hands. "Say you get ready for your grand entrance at 6 pm, yes? You\'ll make sure that your maids get to see a lot of you and you convince them that it\'ll be you who\'s going to be at the ceremony. No one else, but you."

I nodded, making a mental note.

"Then right before your entrance, you\'ll change attire with the decoy, alright? She\'ll be the one to enter, not you. Meanwhile you and I will quietly slip out of the palace."

"But," I spoke up, "won\'t the guests at the ceremony be quick to notice the difference? The hair-"

"I\'ve a wig," Yvonne said firmly. "I\'ll ask your maid what hairstyle you will be going with for the night and I\'ll prepare the wig accordingly in advance. You\'ve nothing to worry about."

That\'s well and all...

"But," I said again, "what about the first dance?"

Yvonne looked confused. "What dance?"

"I\'ve to dance. With a partner. Guy. Close contact. Exposed." I was throwing out words at this point for Yvonne to understand.

Yvonne remained silent for a while but I could see the wheels turning in her head as she thought about a solution. Then suddenly she clicked her fingers as if to say \'Eureka!\'.

"There isn\'t any way to avoid the dance," she nodded. "So you\'ll just have to go along with it, won\'t you?"

I groaned and she smiled.

"We can get you changed after the first dance and you can quietly slip away while the guests are busy," she said, laughing at my misery. "Remember, Your Highness. There\'s always a way."

I laid my head down and thought over the plan.

"What\'s going to happen to me then?" I asked quietly. "Why am I even escaping in the first place?"

Yvonne sat down next to me.

"Because you\'ll be killed next year, otherwise."

"But why do we have to leave today?" I asked, not understanding. "They\'re not going to kill me today. Even if they do get to see my powers, they\'ll not instantly harm me, would they? So can\'t we leave a few days later when things aren\'t so hectic?"

"Your Highness," Yvonne started, "have you forgotten? After the ceremony, you\'re not going to get a day of rest in your life. Ever."

I furrowed my eyebrows, confused.

Yvonne continued to explain. "The prophecy stated that you\'ll work hard for one whole year before your \'sacrifice\' to gain the favor of you people. It\'s an important clause for the absolute success of the ritual and to avail eternal blessings."

I didn\'t say anything.

"Ok, whatever!" I spoke after a long time. "Who\'s this girl that\'ll be taking my place? Is it someone I know?"

Yvonne looked surprised. "Hmm? Yes. I\'m sure you\'ve met her. She works at the palace."

✿

"Zoie?" I asked incredulously. "Zoie!?"

Yvonne looked amused. "Zoie is a good friend of mine. She was actually an employee back at King Irvin\'s castle. I\'d say she\'s a pretty good build to be mistaken for you at first glance, don\'t you reckon?"

Zoie stood there nervously as she fidgeted with her apron and looked from my face to Yvonne\'s and back.

Yvonne and Zoie seemed to be pretty well acquainted with each other, as if they\'d lived together for a while.

Yvonne saw me wondering so she spoke, "She used to attend to me back in Clatoise. I had her apply for the job when I heard there was a sudden opening."

It pained me to think about how this opening had happened and I longed to say something about it but decided to keep my mouth shut. I couldn\'t risk getting on Yvonne\'s bad side when she was going the extra mile while trying to assure my survival.

"Right, Zoie," I said, turning to her, and was surprised to see her suddenly curtsy once again.

She said with her tiny but strong voice, "Yes, Your Highness!"

"I need you by my door after the first dance today, alright? Make sure you keep check when it ends. I definitely can\'t tolerate any late-comings today. It\'s an important event and I can\'t miss this opportunity."

She nodded along with every word. "Of course, Your Highness. I will make sure not to inconvenience you in any way."

"Good," I said as I turned on my heel.

Let the show begin.