#Chapter 24: Etiquette Lessons

Agnes I was jolted awake by the sound of my bedroom door swinging open. Squinting against the early morning light, I saw a group of maids bustling into the room, their arms filled with piles of fabric, brushes, and all sorts of random beauty tools. “Good morning, Luna Agnes,” one of them chirped, setting down a tray of ornate hairpins on my vanity. “What’s going on?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I glanced at the clock, and I still had a solid two hours before I was supposed to get up. “It’s time to prepare you for your etiquette lesson,” another maid replied, roughly pulling back my covers. The cold morning air hit my bare skin, making me yelp with surprise. Before I could protest, the maids suddenly whisked me out of bed and began their work. My hair was yanked this way and that, twisted into an elaborate updo adorned with too many bows to count. Layers of makeup were applied to my face, making my skin feel heavy and uncomfortable. “Is