"Ugh, it just doesn't look right..."

  "Spin around for me again, your majesty. Hmmm, I'm not sure I understand what's upsetting you."

  I push the hefty door to The Queen's bedroom open and peek inside. I realize immediately I should have knocked first, but it's too late for that.

  The Queen is standing in front of a tall mirror set up in her study, books and scrolls pushed against the walls to make room. She's wearing a beautiful ballroom-like dress, deep blue and accented with silver trimming. It complements the natural color of her hair and horns, and it makes me take in a breath. The striking combination is hard to tear my eyes from.

  A professional-looking dragon examines her up and down while Alcina watches nearby. Based on the rack of other equally as extravagant dresses she keeps glancing at, I deduce she must be a seamstress.

  Alcina catches my eye and waves me in before I can back out. I tentatively enter the room.

  Finding her here was a bit of a whim. I was in my own room when a sudden onset of some feeling struck. I still don't know exactly what it was—or I suppose, still is. It started with a deep emptiness opening in my chest like a sinkhole. Then the silence of my room seemed ready to crush me under its weight. It wasn't long before a cascade of unexplained and possibly irrational thoughts started to sweep in—things about how I'm useless, how my every word is awkward and stilted, how nobody could ever love me, the usual stuff.

  Then, a strange thing happened. I started thinking about The Queen. Our conversations, tame and brutally honest alike, started playing through my head, though not in their usual catastrophic kind of way. No, I wasn't searching for something I had said wrong or ruminating on a stray comment. I was just hearing her words again. Then I imagined myself talking to her. Not about anything serious, just...talking. The bad thoughts and feelings started to subside. And in that moment, I knew I needed to find her.

  Though it seems this is a bad time to be a bother. I stand next to Alcina and watch on as The Queen and the seamstress continue their work.

  "I'm sick of blue!" The Queen says suddenly. "Blue clothes, blue jewelry, blue everything!"

  The seamstress sighs. "Well, it's a bit late for me to create a new garment. Perhaps we could find a warmer color?" She gestures to the rack, which sports an array of different shades that could go with The Queen's unique features. Although her voice is understanding, I sense a hint of dissatisfaction, presumably by all the complaints.

  "No, no, it's no good." The Queen begins to pace. "It's these horns...these blasted horns! They're too bright and thick and hideous and they don't go with anything! Anything but more mind-numbing blue!"

  I step back at her outburst, almost hiding behind Alcina. The stress of the eclipse has completely unraveled her.

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  "My Queen, we don't have time to create a new outfit," Alcina says, stern. "It's no use stewing. You'll corrupt your magic at this rate." She runs a claw through her dark hair, eyes closed for a second, face completely neutral. "Why don't we take a break to clear our heads?"

  "I don't have time for a break!" She whips around toward us. "I have to practice the—Ashura?" Her ears perk up when she sees me. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

  I wave, stepping away from Alcina. "Don't let me interrupt." I pause. I'm not sure what the archmage means by "corrupt your magic," but it doesn't sound good. "But...I do agree with Alcina," I say slowly. "Perhaps a break would be..." The Queen blinks, eyes fixed on me. "N-never mind. Sorry."

  She tilts her head, and her silver tail flicks. Then, she sighs. "Okay. I will take a short break. No more than 30 minutes, though."

  The seamstress behind her sighs quietly in relief. "Prince Ashura." She looks at me. "While you're here, why don't you try on the clothing I've prepared for you?"

  "What?"

  The Queen sits down at one of the small tables, bundling her length of fabric off the floor. "Oh! Did I forget to tell you? I had an outfit ordered so you would have something nice for the festival. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to, of course."

  The seamstress looks slightly ticked again as she pulls an outfit off the rack. She walks over and drops it in my arms. "I do hope it fits you well. I didn't have a chance to take your exact measurements."

  "Oh." They're all staring at me.

  "Are you going to change?" Alcina prompts.

  "Right here?" I say with alarm.

  "Why not?"

  The Queen speaks up, "Ashura, you can change in my bathroom. It's past the stairway over there." She tilts her head toward Alcina and the seamstress. "It's a human thing."

  I bow quickly and shuffle away to find the bathroom. Past a large door, the room itself is big enough for a full-size dragon to fit inside. The ground is made of stone tiles fitted together, and in addition to a tub, a large stream of water runs through the back of the room in a sort of canal. The scent of salt water rises from the stream, mixing together with the smell of various soaps, oils, and bath salts sitting on a stone shelf behind the river. The dragon-sized jars and vials are all bigger than I am. I hastily change.

  The fabric feels expensive; it's silky and comfortable yet sturdy. The outfit is a matching pair of dress pants and a folded top, like a tunic cut short. It's colored a deep blue so dark it's almost black, complemented by gold lining and a gold sash. I take an extra minute to fold it together correctly so I don't embarrass myself. It's a little more fitted than the other clothes I've been wearing lately, reminding me more of a suit. At least this one doesn't have an awkward tail hole.

  I walk out of the bathroom, fidgeting with the cuffs a little. It's almost addicting to touch, making me wonder what the material is.

  The seamstress circles me for a moment. "Hmm. Seems to fit. What do you think?"

  "I'm very happy with it."

  "Good, good." She steps away. "You're an easy client to please."

  "Prince, could you stand next to The Queen for me?" Alcina says suddenly.

  I straighten. "Ok." I walk over to the table and catch The Queen's eye. She is gawking at me, only her eyes flicking over my form. Her gaze is so intense, it's like I walked out wearing nothing at all.

  I look away when I reach the table, trying not to sense her eyes on me. Is this how she feels when I stare at her horns?

  Alcina's mouth twitches into a smile. "Ah. You two look like a real couple."

  "Oh, do we?" I glance back at The Queen again, who has snapped her attention back to Alcina. She smiles, and the exhaustion on her face softens. "That's nice."

  I catch myself staring at her now. Tracing the shape of her face with my gaze, examining the complexity of her dark skin, counting her subtle freckles. I pull my eyes away.

  Gingerly, I sit across from her at the table. "Twenty minutes left in your break, or so?"

  Lantana looks at me and nods. "Don't worry. They'll go fast while I'm talking to you."