Silk

Natasha held her breath as the maid squeezed her into the dress she had finally decided on, after two hours of screaming and throwing things. It was a sleek pale lilac gown, with an open back and a long skirt that perfectly showed of her curves. She didn't want to be the belle of the ball, she wanted to be everything the men wanted. The dress was a tight fit, but Natasha insisted that she wear it anyway.

She stood up on the pedestal and twirled, pleased as she saw how lovely she looked from all angles. She reached up to take a couple pins out of her hair, letting her long black curls fall down her back. The maid had curled her hair for her, and pinned it so it all flowed to one side. Her makeup was done perfectly, with dramatic black eye makeup to bring out her green eyes.

There was a knock on the door, and the maid opened it to let in a middle-aged man with slicked back salt and pepper hair and a sharp business suit. He clapped his hands together and smiled when he saw Natasha up on the stool.

"What do you think, Daddy?" she grinned, twirling again for her father.

"Absolutely beautiful," he recited his rehearsed line. In reality, he didn't like seeing his baby in something so revealing. Of course, there was no telling her that if he wanted to keep his head.

Natasha picked up her skirt and stepped down, stepping up to fix her father's tie.

"So, I see you've invited the council as well," she cleared her throat. "All of them."

"Well, of course I did. I may be an advisor to only Emelio, but I can't ignore the rest," he said sternly, knowing exactly where his daughter was going.

"You could've just not invited Emelio," she muttered.

"It's not your place to say," her father snapped, startling her. "They're not strangers to you, so why are you uncomfortable? Especially that son of his. You two have been together since you were four years old. You would think you'd be friends by now."

Natasha wrinkled her nose and shook her head, sitting down at the vanity and touching up her makeup.

"Louis used to be my friend," she rolled her eyes. "Before he became vile. There's only one thing he thinks about now, and he'll take whatever he can get. Even the maids. It's disgusting."

Her father opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by a woman bursting through the door. Natasha noticed through her mirror that it was her Aunt Eleanor, who was visiting from what used to be Pennsylvania. She looked furious, and was tugging a terrified Sonja by the arm. She shoved Sonja forward towards Natasha's father, who stepped back in surprise.

"Harrison Grey!" Eleanor yelled. "Your daughter's maid just shattered my favorite perfume. On purpose. How could you hire such a person?"

Natasha turned pale. Her father didn't know she had hired a new maid.

"I demand," Eleanor turned to Natasha, "That you fire her this instant! She's nothing but a menace!"

Natasha turned, looking from her startled father to Sonja, who was nearly about to pass out. She bit her lip, standing up. She hated when people told her what to do, and even though she agreed that Natasha was clumsy, she was too proud to give in so easily.

"Aunt Eleanor, I think you've had a little too much to drink. Why else would you take my personal handmaiden away, without my permission?" she said in her sweetest voice. "Perhaps Alice can help. Alice, please take her back to her room."

"What?" Eleanor's expression turned surprised. She had never seen her niece so sympathetic.

"You heard her," Natasha's father nodded towards the door. "This maid isn't going anywhere."

Sonja breathed a sigh of relief, but looked down at her feet. Natasha looked at her father, who nodded in approval.

"Well handled, my dear. I trust that you've matured enough to keep this one with you," he came forward, kissing her forehead. "I will see you tonight."

Natasha watched silently as he left, then turned to look Sonja over.

"Keep your dumb job. You're lucky," she muttered.

"Thank you, Lady Natasha," Sonja bowed her head, smiling.

Natasha stood up, looking back through her closet. Sonja was smaller than she was, but there was no way she was going to be seen followed by a girl in that hideous yellow rag. She picked out an old, plain frock and handed it to Sonja, who looked at it in wonder.

"Put it on," she ordered, looking through her shoes for something that will go with the dress she was wearing. Sexy strappy heels for a sexy dress.

Sonja came out dressed in the frock, and though Natasha despised the plain old thing, Sonja seemed to be having a wonderful time wearing it.

"Keep it," she rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Sonja's jaw dropped, but she quickly snapped it shut. "I mean, thank you, Lady."



Natasha watched as glamorous people talked and laughed around the great hall of her house. Each one was dressed in nothing but designer gowns and suits, but none looked at stunning as Natasha did. Several boys had come up to her, but Natasha found something wrong with every single one of them.

Too fat, too skinny, too short, too tall, too smart, too dumb, too sweaty, too happy, too sad...

There wasn't a single one to her liking. She complained about it to Sonja nonstop, and Sonja patiently listened to every word while playing with the hem of her new dress.

"Nat!" Louis poked his head out of a group of rather good-looking boys, waving her over.

Finally, Natasha gave them a dazzling white smile, walking over. Some of them might be worth my time.

She smiled and nodded as the boys talked about some kind of sport, but she really wasn't listening. Rather, she was busy scoping out the crowd she was in. There were five of them, all tall, muscular, and drop dead gorgeous, including Louis. Though she couldn't stand looking at him in that way, and though he was disgusting, she had to admit that his tanned skin and bright blue eyes were incredible.

He was talking, but he kept glancing over Natasha's shoulder at Sonja, who didn't seem to notice. She was about to scold him for eyeing her maid again, when all of the boys went silent and turned away to look at something in the doorway.

"Oh my gosh," Natasha whispered sharply, grabbing Sonja's hand. "It's-"

"Wow," Louis said dreamily. "Blue satin..."