Destiny could hear her personal servant bustle about the luxurious chamber. The efficient woman laid out her gown for the day and a much more elaborate gown for the evening. She mentally went over the check list for the day. Dress in the clothes set out, get hair combed and set, eat what is proper for a young lady, embroider till lord knows when, sneak out to the stables to ride with Brian, her stepbrother, get cleaned up for lunch, eat lunch, learn how to be a â€œgood wifeâ€, go to the cobbler to fit her new dancing shoes, go over the steps to all the boring, proper dances for two chimes, and start getting ready for the ball.<br/><br/>She didnâ€™t even want to begin thinking about the ball. Balls included being seen for her wealth, not personality, and eager young nobles who gossip. Destiny<span style="font-style: italic">hated </span>gossip, and gossipers for that matter. The only highlight of the evening, it seemed, would be being escorted by Brian, who always made boring stuff palatable. Once again she found herself wishing that they were not related through marriage. â€œOh well,â€ she said to herself. â€œIâ€™m not doing myself any good by laying here.â€ So, she got up and went about her day.<br/><br/>When it came time to leave for the palace, her father stopped her. â€œDestiny, could you come here a moment?â€ She went to him, her lush velvet skirts and draping sleeves swishing as she moved. â€œYou look terrible, do you not want to go?â€ Destiny nodded solemnly.<span style="font-style: italic">Was it that noticeable?</span>she asked herself. â€œI think you just need something to brighten your night,â€ he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he produced a necklace and bracelet of unsurpassed beauty. â€œThey were your motherâ€™s, she would have wanted you to have them.â€ Putting them on, Destiny felt tall with confidence and filled with an authority and elegance she never would have had alone. Smiling at her father, she turned and whisked out the door to the coach awaiting her outside.