The Tyrant's Queen

29: the smiling priest

"The only reason our heads are not hanging on the palace doors now is because of you, Your Majesty." Ulla's lower lip was quivering.

By her twin's side, Viva dipped her head in acknowledgement.

"We thank you for bringing us back to your chambers, Your Majesty.

"It is the dream of any palace maid to wait on the royal family personally, and you gave us another chance."

Despite the placidity of her tone, Viva's hands, clasped in front of her, were squeezed into a tight knot.

Thalia hadn't had appetite even for the soup, or the milk. Now, her throat prickling at the appearance of the visibly gaunt looking twins, she put down her spoon.

"No, I brought you back for my selfish reason of wanting my own people in the palace. And you- you two were the subject of His Majesty's wrath because of my actions. I apologize."

Firmly, Viva shook her head. "It was our duty to watch over you."

"Actually-" Ulla's eyes brightened. Thalia smiled, seeing the familiar glint in the girl's eyes that signaled she was about to spill a delicious piece of gossip. "If I might daresay, Your Majesty-"

Despite her twin's subtle elbowing in the ribs, Ulla persisted, deftly wriggling away from the attack. "He might have been angry with us, but he was not with you. It was not anger."

Not anger? Remembering the knife in Lucien's hand, and the flashing of his eyes, Thalia smiled, only to appease Ulla.

Would this be how it felt, having a clumsy, immature younger sister that she could not help but love? "Then what was it?"

"His Majesty looked so...panicked. And scared." Ulla lowered her voice and shielded her mouth with her hand, as if they were being eavesdropped on. "I've never seen him like that before. He was so scared something might have happened to you- umph-"

With practiced ease, Viva had clamped a hand over her twin's mouth.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. She is just happy to see you well. Do you not have an appetite? Should we serve you something else?"

"No, I'm not hungry. I might eat after the High Priest's prayer." Thalia couldn't help but smile, glancing at the clock. "Please go ahead and eat."

In about fifty minutes, the High Priest would be praying over her mother. Such luxury Letellia would laugh at.

What would Letellia would've said, if she was conscious. Perhaps something like-

"Nothing in life is free! What does he want? My money? I don't have bloody money. Or me? I know I am a looker, but I have no use for boring priests!"

While Ulla started to enthusiastically help herself to the breakfast and Viva cautiously followed suit, Matia entered the room with a curtesy, wheeling in a cart of dresses and jewelry.

It was clear she'd been informed of the event- all the dresses were in muted colors of beige, white, cream or dark blue.

Even the jewelry consisted of short and inconspicuous earrings.

Her mouth quirking into a distinctive shape of displeasure that Thalia had grown to spot- an ever thinning and compressing of the lips, accompanied, occasionally by a flare of the nostrils seeing Ulla pick up some of the food with her bare hands- Matia started dressing Thalia.

"Which color would you prefer, Your Majesty? I have prepared dresses of colors and designs suitable for the prayer, as well as a veil.

"It is a formal occasion- oh!- and you will be in the same room as priests," added Matia, with apparent effort to tear her horrified eyes away from Ulla's happy munching with an open mouth.