Ann awoke once with a nightmare, but it wasn’t severe, and she was even able to go back to sleep. Only Andy had been aware of it. His mood had helped calm her so she could sleep more. The next morning was busy. There were people in and out constantly. Servants brought their dresses. Other servants came in to bathe and dress them. There were people bringing food, people doing their makeup and their hair. Sapphire was not happy about being bathed. Ann understood. She’d rather do it herself too, but you couldn’t fight it on a day like today. ‘Ann, what’s happening to Sapphire?’ Pt’this asked. ‘The maids are bathing her.’ ‘I could help if she’s being too difficult.’ Ann laughed. “What are you telling him?” Sapphire demanded, guessing she was talking to Pt’this telepathically. “Just that you’re being bathed. He offered to help.” “Why do you tell him these things?” She asked turning even redder than she already was. “He was worried about you. He feels your discomfort but can’t talk to you. Just relax, close your eyes. If it helps, imagine it’s him washing you.” “Shades no. I’d probably get excited. What would he think then?” “That you’re trying to get him excited. You can do that through the bond.” “I can? How?” Ann looked at the maids. “We’ll talk later. Or ask Pt’this about it.” She squirmed. Andy was being bathed too it felt like. ‘Is Andy having problems?’ She sent. ‘Andy’s causing problems,’ Pt’this replied. ‘He hasn’t been bathed by someone since he was a baby. It’s kind of personal.’ She felt Andy’s embarrassment grow. ‘Shades, hold on.’ “What’s going on? Pt’this feels upset.” Sapphire asked. “I don’t know. We were talking, and then Andy got embarrassed by something and then Pt’this to stop talking to me.” ‘Sorry, they sent in a maid to shave us. We’ve gotten that taken care of.’ ‘You poor guys. Should we come and help you with that?’ There was a pause. ‘Andy says only if you come as you are.’ ‘Let me ask Sapphire.’ “They apparently sent in a maid for shaving them. I offered for us to go do it for them. Andy says only if we come as we are.” Sapphire gaped a moment until she realized they were kidding. “I’d hate to get water down the hall. Besides, I’ve never shaved anyone before.” “Should I tell them that?” Sapphire nodded. ‘She says she doesn’t want to get the floor wet. She also said she’s never shaved anyone before.’ ‘We’ll fix that soon,’ Pt’this sent. Then it was time for getting out of the tubs and getting dressed and the rest of the preparations. ‘Andy’s demanding dinner,’ Pt’this sent. ‘He wants to be courted before someone gets so personal with him.’ ‘He’s confusing the valets. They keep trying to tell him dinner will be served after the ceremony. One is trying to guess Andy’s native language so they can explain in that. Another thinks he may have a head injury.’ Ann laughed and explained to Sapphire what was going on. She laughed too, appreciating the distraction. The hairdresser had a difficult time with Ann’s short hair. She started over several times before Ann got impatient and took the brush from her. Her makeup didn’t go much better. The servants had never figured out a way to do Ann’s makeup so that it didn’t look odd against her albino-like skin. She and Joanne had worked to figure out something for a wedding they had gone to on Andy’s world. She instructed the woman doing her makeup what to do. The woman argued with her, but Sapphire pointed out nothing she’d tried was working so it wouldn’t hurt to humor the bride and at least see how it looked. Steve cut Andy’s hair, much to the dismay of the barber. He offered to do Pt’this’s too, but the dragon declined, saying it was short enough. Andy explained how long it had once been and how he cut it to make a sick child a wig.