Pearl POV
The gown lay across the bed like a heavy shadow, shimmering with gold threads that caught the candlelight and mocked me with their brilliance. My hands trembled as I reached for it, but before I could pull away, the door creaked open.
Three maids entered quietly, each bowing with practiced reverence. None dared to look me directly in the eye at first, but the weight of their presence pressed against me.
“My lady,” one whispered, her voice soft, almost fearful. “It is time.”
I wanted to scream at them that I was not their lady. That I was no bride, no queen. That I was nothing but a prisoner wrapped in silk. But the words stuck in my throat, bitter and useless.
They guided me gently, as if I might shatter if they were too rough. Their hands, practiced and careful, slid the g
