Azalea The Queen

Azalea

"Everyone, welcome your new princess, Azalea." I looked down the whole time, trying, by all means, to seem uninterested in this introduction. My husband was nowhere to be seen, he didn't even know his wife was already chosen. He was in for a shock alright.

I felt like my chest was burning, was I having heartburn? I wouldn't have known, I didn't really know what heartburn felt like. I took a look around the enormous lounge to see the whole staff staring at me, some whispering amongst themselves.

I suddenly felt like my head was spinning. I didn't want this, I didn't mean for this to happen.

But it did.

30 minutes earlier

"I see." the queen mother smiled at me. Something about her smile rubbed me the wrong way, it sent unwelcomed shivers all over my back.

"Well, I will help you." I sighed, beamed at her, and thanked her repeatedly. She held her finger up to silence me. "Of course, I suppose I also get something from this." My mood immediately dropped as my heart stilled. Anticipation gnawed at me.

"This something would not happen to involve my marriage to the prince, would it?"  I looked at my fidgeting hands on my lap.

"Dear, your alliance with this family was already decided. There's nothing you can do about it. However, I would still like to give you that chance to willingly agree to it." She became serious as she came to sit next to me.

"I trust that you will make a wise decision. You know I can help that girl, Zona. I can help her beyond what you have asked me, of course, if you take this leap of faith." She took my hands in hers. "I see a lot of potential in you, just give him a chance, he's not all bad."

I looked down at our clasped hands. What was this I was feeling, compulsion? I didn't know what my future entailed but I was going to make sure I made the best of it.

"Okay, deal." I looked into her eyes. She smiled, a proud look on her face. Maybe she saw the determination in my eyes.

Present

"I expect each and one of you to show her the same respect you show everyone who's from this family, she is after all a part of this family now." The stern in the Queen's voice almost made me tremble. Every staff member bowed and scurried away to continue their job.

Now, left in the large room was me, the Queen, and her personal maid. My soon-to-be mother-in-law took my face in her delicate hands and made me face her.

"I'm glad you took this path, I promise to be by you all the time." She assured me. A tiny part of me felt reassured. I nodded.

I really wanted to be alone, just away from this, and take a long nap. This was all too much. I had so many questions about this alliance. Where was my mother, what would be of me now? Would I stay in the palace forever, where was my room? Was there going to be a wedding? Hell, where was my so-called husband to be now?

"Noma will take you to your room, and you'll be assigned a maid by tonight. For now, you'll be sleeping in your own room till the wedding." The queen caressed my cheek. "I'll have someone bring you something to eat," she smiled and nodded at Noma, her personal maid.

I guess I was also getting one of those tonight. She left us in the lounge, Noma bowed to me and held her hand out for me to go on. "I'll escort you to your room, Your Highness," she said.

"Azalea is just fine please," I felt uncomfortable being addressed by that. It felt wrong for some reason.

"I can't dare do such a thing, Your Highness," she led the way to my new room. I waved her off.

"Well, I am telling you that you can. Besides it's not like I have already married into this family, so until then please.." I gave a smile to ease the tension. She smiled back and nodded, seeming less stiff. Good.

___

I groaned as I felt the sunlight shine through the windows and penetrate my skin, waking me up from my slumber. Gosh, why me?

"Your Highness, you need to wake up." a voice I didn't recognize said to me. I rubbed my eyes to rid of the sleep still lingering. I sat up and leaned against the headboard.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my room?" I felt cranky, especially in the mornings when I was woken up by strangers.

"My name is Zanokuhle, and I'm your newly assigned maid, Your Highness," she bowed her head. I threw my head back against the headboard. I totally forgot about her. I was supposed to meet her last night.

"I thought I was supposed to be assigned you last night," I slowly threw the covers off me, creeping out of bed. I stretched my arms out to relax the stiff muscles.

"Yes, that's true, your highness, I was assigned to you last night but you were already sleeping. I didn't want to disturb you," She said politely. She sounded professional. She didn't look like the type to bend the rules when needed to be. Great, I was assigned a robot as a maid.

"Oh, okay. Why did you wake me up so early then?" I whined, rubbing my eyes some more. I felt groggy. "It's like.." I looked at the clock on the wall, "..7:25. It's so early." I walked to the bathroom to begin my morning routine.

"In the palace, you are to be awake at 7:00 AM sharp and be ready to start your royal duties at 8:00 after breakfast." She kept her stoic face.
I paused, the toothbrush still in my mouth, and white foam all over my lips. I was a messy teeth brushes, don't judge.

"When do I have breakfast between those allocated times then?" I peeped out the door to see Kuhle finishing making my bed. I was gonna do that.

"You will have time, between those times. You only need thirty minutes to get ready and the rest you eat breakfast," I spit out the water and drained the dirty contents. "I have picked your outfit for today." I walked back to the room to see a traditional dress sprawled over my bed. It was nice but why?

"Well, I'm already late so?" I didn't see the point of waking up at all when I wasn't even married into this family yet.

"You don't have any royal duties yet, I let you sleep for the extra 25 minutes. But you do have to attend your membeso ceremony, hence the preparations." I gaped at her, that soon?

"Isn't too soon for Umembeso though, I mean I was selected just yesterday." I sat at the table which had breakfast. It was a variety of good-looking food but I wasn't hungry, I just wanted something to fill my stomach for the day.

"Yes, everything will happen fast for you in the palace. This whole week will be full of ceremonies. Your lobola will be held the next day and your wedding will hold the day after."
She spoke like it was something as easy as ABC.

What the hell?