time
to learn what they mean.
“ Thank you,”
I say.
“ You're welcome,
Milady,” Sahariel says and sits in a chair to my left. Perul
and Samir sit to my right.
Food is serves and
everything smells so amazing. It all tastes so perfect and I can't
help but stuff myself.
“ Milady.”
A servant appears at my
side with a tray.
“ Someone has just
dropped this off for you,” she lifts the domed lid and reveals
a small chocolate cake.
I reach for the platter
when Sahariel stops me.
“ Who left this?”
Sahariel asks.
“ I don't know,
sir,” the servant says, “He did leave a note though.”
The servant produces a
piece of folded parchment which Sahariel takes and reads.
“ I sincerely hope
you enjoy the necklace,” he reads.
I try not to laugh and
take the cake before anyone can stop me. I take a bite and see a
horrified look on Perul and Samir's faces.
“ Necklace?”
Perul asks.
I pull on the chair with
my thumb, exposing the emerald as I try not to appear too gluttonous.
“ A man in the
market gave it to me,” I say.
“ Which one?”
“ I don't know his
name, but he didn't want payment,” I say, “he just told
me he made it for me. Like he knew I was coming.”
Samir and Perul exchange
knowing glances.
“ Please,”
Perul says, “next time, let someone test the food before you
eat it.”
“ Why?”
“ Because it could
be poisoned,” Sahariel says.
“ Oh.”
Perul sighs.
“ Well, if it makes
any difference, the cake is tasty,” I say.
Samir chuckles and
Sahariel rolls his eyes. I finish the cake, loving how I somehow
managed to save room for it even though I didn't even know it was
coming. I sit back in my seat and pat my stomach.
“ Full?” Perul
asks.
I nod.
“ Okay then, on to
business. I hate to have this move so quickly, but tomorrow we have
to have your coronation.”
“ Coronation?”
I ask.
“ We need to make
the public aware that you've arrived. We need to crown you.”
“ Why so soon?”
“ Because a land
without a leader is on a dangerous path. Aside from that, there will
always be decisions that only our leader can make.”
I sigh and make a
noncommittal noise but it's smothered under a yawn. I look at the men
around me and try not to look too embarrassed.
Chapter
Fifteen
I stand there as brushes
are pulled through my shoulder length hair. Four women who rudely
woke me only hours ago are now plaiting and decorating my hair with
what, I don't know. I haven't been allowed to look in a mirror yet,
and every time I try I get tutted at by a supposedly older woman.
“ No,” she
slaps my hand away as I'm about to touch my hair, “I'm sorry,
my Queen, but no touching.”
I sigh.
I've never had my hair
done, not even once. Then the first time I do, I can't even look at
it.
“ Are we done yet?”
I ask.
The woman says nothing.
She only shakes her head.
The pinning, tying,
bowing and banding eventually slows until eventually they stop.
“ Okay,” the
woman says, “you're done. Now you can look.”
I'm about to step down to
look in a mirror when I hear a low whistle come from the doorway. I
look over and see Sahariel leaning against the door frame.
“ You look amazing,”
he says.
“ Do you really
think so?” I ask, “I haven't had the chance to look yet.”
“ You really do.”
I step toward the mirror
and look into it.
“ Wow,” I say.
I lightly touch my face
and then my hair. I can't say anything. The women had managed to take
my hair and pin, tie and tuck until my red hair was tousled and black
raven feathers were tucked in elegantly. I look like a wild woman; an
extremely well dressed, elegant wild woman.
Sahariel laughs, “Don't
look so worried. You look great. Everyone's going to love you. We
won't really know that for sure until you actually get out there,
though.”
Sahariel pulls me from
the room and I step out onto the balcony. The sea of faces below
rises up to greet me. I fidget as they stare at me, trying to
convince
to learn what they mean.
“ Thank you,”
I say.
“ You're welcome,
Milady,” Sahariel says and sits in a chair to my left. Perul
and Samir sit to my right.
Food is serves and
everything smells so amazing. It all tastes so perfect and I can't
help but stuff myself.
“ Milady.”
A servant appears at my
side with a tray.
“ Someone has just
dropped this off for you,” she lifts the domed lid and reveals
a small chocolate cake.
I reach for the platter
when Sahariel stops me.
“ Who left this?”
Sahariel asks.
“ I don't know,
sir,” the servant says, “He did leave a note though.”
The servant produces a
piece of folded parchment which Sahariel takes and reads.
“ I sincerely hope
you enjoy the necklace,” he reads.
I try not to laugh and
take the cake before anyone can stop me. I take a bite and see a
horrified look on Perul and Samir's faces.
“ Necklace?”
Perul asks.
I pull on the chair with
my thumb, exposing the emerald as I try not to appear too gluttonous.
“ A man in the
market gave it to me,” I say.
“ Which one?”
“ I don't know his
name, but he didn't want payment,” I say, “he just told
me he made it for me. Like he knew I was coming.”
Samir and Perul exchange
knowing glances.
“ Please,”
Perul says, “next time, let someone test the food before you
eat it.”
“ Why?”
“ Because it could
be poisoned,” Sahariel says.
“ Oh.”
Perul sighs.
“ Well, if it makes
any difference, the cake is tasty,” I say.
Samir chuckles and
Sahariel rolls his eyes. I finish the cake, loving how I somehow
managed to save room for it even though I didn't even know it was
coming. I sit back in my seat and pat my stomach.
“ Full?” Perul
asks.
I nod.
“ Okay then, on to
business. I hate to have this move so quickly, but tomorrow we have
to have your coronation.”
“ Coronation?”
I ask.
“ We need to make
the public aware that you've arrived. We need to crown you.”
“ Why so soon?”
“ Because a land
without a leader is on a dangerous path. Aside from that, there will
always be decisions that only our leader can make.”
I sigh and make a
noncommittal noise but it's smothered under a yawn. I look at the men
around me and try not to look too embarrassed.
Chapter
Fifteen
I stand there as brushes
are pulled through my shoulder length hair. Four women who rudely
woke me only hours ago are now plaiting and decorating my hair with
what, I don't know. I haven't been allowed to look in a mirror yet,
and every time I try I get tutted at by a supposedly older woman.
“ No,” she
slaps my hand away as I'm about to touch my hair, “I'm sorry,
my Queen, but no touching.”
I sigh.
I've never had my hair
done, not even once. Then the first time I do, I can't even look at
it.
“ Are we done yet?”
I ask.
The woman says nothing.
She only shakes her head.
The pinning, tying,
bowing and banding eventually slows until eventually they stop.
“ Okay,” the
woman says, “you're done. Now you can look.”
I'm about to step down to
look in a mirror when I hear a low whistle come from the doorway. I
look over and see Sahariel leaning against the door frame.
“ You look amazing,”
he says.
“ Do you really
think so?” I ask, “I haven't had the chance to look yet.”
“ You really do.”
I step toward the mirror
and look into it.
“ Wow,” I say.
I lightly touch my face
and then my hair. I can't say anything. The women had managed to take
my hair and pin, tie and tuck until my red hair was tousled and black
raven feathers were tucked in elegantly. I look like a wild woman; an
extremely well dressed, elegant wild woman.
Sahariel laughs, “Don't
look so worried. You look great. Everyone's going to love you. We
won't really know that for sure until you actually get out there,
though.”
Sahariel pulls me from
the room and I step out onto the balcony. The sea of faces below
rises up to greet me. I fidget as they stare at me, trying to
convince
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