A restless night later...

Isabella woke with a start, her breath ragged. Sweat-soaked hair clung to her forehead, and her wet nightgown stuck to her chest tightly, her nipples standing out clearly through the fabric.

It was still dark, but the faint gray light filtering through the window told her it would not be long before sunrise.

She could not sleep. Her nightmares were full of **** and doom, with images of her father's corpse in a pool of blood, Secretary Romero and Eduardo Valdés emerging from the darkness and tearing at her body -

No. She would not dwell on it.

With a sigh, Isabella tossed the covers off her bed and headed to the closet, waking up her handmaid Bianca who had been sleeping restfully in her cot nearby. The young girl was a loyal friend and companion, being the same age as Isabella, and they were close since childhood.

"Come help me get the dresses ready, Bianca. I have an important day ahead of me."

Bianca hurried to turn on the lights, and the two girls went about their work in silence. Before long, the outfits were laid out in an organized fashion, each one carefully checked and inspected for wrinkles or blemishes.

When the first rays of sunlight finally peeked through the windows, the last finishing touches had been made and Isabella was satisfied with the results.