"They were dressed in the most comely raiments, you must understand," says the Prince, swallowing convulsively.
"I am glad you have decided to begin with the most important details."
"After choosing the thirteen, the castle handmaidens reminded me that it wasn't meet to differentiate by their choice of dress from the very beginning. And so on the first day, they were asked to wear matching white dresses and satin slippers. And on the first day, by their own mutual decision, they all wore crowns of crimson roses in their hair."
"How interesting."
"It was interesting," said the Prince. "Seven of them refused, in whole or in part. Oh, what was it they were picky about... uncovering their hair, or taking off their favorite shoes, or wearing women's garb, or showing a little decolletage--"
"Oh?"
"She bit the woman who was supposed to be helping her dress, screaming and crying. With her shaven head and sackcloth robes, the tears running down her cheeks, her bloody lips trembling out benedictions, she muttered something about obligations to the goddess and ran. Another who had refused to change her dress left with her--I remember that she was very tall.
I had been fond of her, and--and I was sorry."
"You were going to marry a nun?" asked Vektor.
"I have not lived a life free of mistakes. The worst was yet to come."
Vote Count
Griffinpup - Jim Groovester
Solifuge - Okami no Rei
Rangercado - Ottofar
Toaster - Webadict
Griffionday - NotQuiteThere
NotQuiteThere - RangerCado
Okami no Rei - Leafsnail
Leafsnail
Tiruin
Lenglon
Jim Groovester
Ottofar
Webadict
Not voting: Griffinpup, Solifuge, Toaster, Griffionday, Tiruin, Lenglon