The Tyrant's Queen

34: the perfect excuse

Thalia's eyes snapped open to the sound of two loud cracks at her ear. Standing by the bed and about to clap one more time, was Matia.

The sun hadn't risen, and Ulla and Viva, who were carting in dresses and jewelry into the room, were taking their turns to yawn.

It was only about ten minutes past five in the morning.

"Wh.." Thalia mumbled, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"Good morning, Your Majesty. There is a long day ahead of you."

Raising herself up to a sitting position, Thalia looked around the room.

The other side of the bed was clearly untouched, with the sheets as crisp and neat as they were last night.

There was no pillow on the sofa, either. Lucien hadn't slept in this room.

"There is a long day ahead of His Majesty as well," added Matia crisply, following Thalia's gaze. "He rose at three to carry out his tasks for the day."

He'd come into the room soaked in sweat- presumably from a training- past twelve.

Thalia then remembered the piece of paper and empty vial she'd stuffed under her pillow. Three or four, she would not care- could not care.

Under the unusually watchful eye of Matia, the day's activities were carried out precisely according to plan.

After getting Thalia's attire and hair done by the twins, Matia carted in a stack of scrolls containing details for events to host the monarchs of Heathera and Shahark.

Although the events had been planned with great care by butlers and officials days in advance, explained Matia, final approvals by His Majesty and Her Majesty were necessary.

Violet purple or indigo purple, for the curtains at the main feast hall? Was the height of the chandelier all right? Should the plums be stacked in a circular manner, or in a pyramid shape? The carpet with frills, or without frills?

How could Thalia decide what was in "good taste", when she had no aristocrat taste at all?

As randomly as she would picking one side of the coin over the other, she made the decisions and signatures swiftly and tediously.

The signing of documents, was promptly followed by a walk around the palace grounds with Matia.

As Ulla and Viva followed them with arms full of the signed scrolls, Matia pointed out and showed how the approved curtains, chandeliers, prepared food, carpets, even the floors- looked.

Before Thalia could recover from the flurry of activities headed by Matia, she found herself sitting in a tea room, across none other than the candidate handpicked by His Majesty to be concubine- Lady Casarine.

Such a swift choice. Was this lady the reason Lucien hadn't slept in his room last night?

He seemed to cope very well around young women as long as he was intoxicated.

"It is custom for the selected concubine to offer her greetings to the queen," Matia explained breathlessly as they almost jogged along the corridors after checking the lengths of curtains in the main hall.

"She would have prepared a gift, so I have prepared a gift that you will be bestowing upon her, Your Majesty.

"They're traditional Aesnanian gifts, given by the queen to the concubines. Two carvings in the shape of swans."

"Swans?" Thalia panted.

Concubines. How many others would come after Lady Casarine?