Queen

II.

I was awakened the next morning by a clatter. My instincts had me bolting up to a sitting position and grabbing the candlestick from my nightstand as a weapon. But it was only a kitchen maid, a rather young terrified looking one who looked horrific at having woke me. The clatter had only been the board for carrying all the dishes from breakfast today.

Cook never told me when she hired a new maid or when she dismissed one either. The kitchen of my own palace was the one place in my empire where I had no power.

"I'm sorry Queen Mathilda Zelda," the maid said in a Sheva accent, falling to her hands and knees. Defiantly a new maid, and a new citizen of my empire based on the accent. "Mistress," she added, "Mistress, I meant Mistress. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

The second kitchen maid, one I recognized but didn't know the name of yet, came over from where she had been putting away the clothes I took to war. "Get up," she said to her friend gently, "She's not mad. I've told you that she's kind."

I put the candlestick down and peeked over the side of the bed. Arne had a habit of rolling around in his sleep and he had rolled off the bed in the night again, taking most of the blankets with him. He didn't mind, he was still sound asleep on the floor wrapped in a nest of blankets.

I scooted to the other side of the bed and set my feet on the cold floor. I stretched and the trembling maid let out a whimper. I looked at her. "Get up," I told her as gentle as I could to the person who woke me up, "I'm not going to get mad about something as small as a dropped tray.

The trembling maid only sniffled. I looked to her friend. "Take her somewhere quiet," I said.

The second maid bowed and knelt to whisper something to the trembling maid. I turned to my closet as she eased the trembling maid to her feet and out the door. I heard the door close as I got dressed.

Arne was still sleeping in his little blanket nest as I sat down to breakfast. I let him sleep, I would make sure he ate later. The morning was calm. I could hear the soldiers on the wall, a few animals from the market outside the wall, my lion Kitten let out a roar, and I poured myself a cup of tea.

I took the tea onto my inside balcony. My inside balcony gave me a clear view of my throne room where my court lingered next to one of the indoor rivers some past king had put in.

A loud yawn came from the bedroom behind me. I smiled. Arne had woke up. I turned back. The curtains let me see a half awake Arne feeling around him, trying to figure out whether he was on the floor, in bed, or on top of me as sometimes happens. "Good morning Baby," I told him, "You're on the floor again."

"Good morning Mistress," Arne yawned, sitting up with a stretch. He pulled himself from the mess of blankets and gave me a wonderful show. Arne shivered, then he realized why he was cold. "Mistress," he asked as a blush spread across his face and down his neck, "Do you happen to see my clothes?"

"No," I told him, "But I can get you into your clothes for today. How does that sound?"

"Good Mistress," Arne said, "Will you make use of this beforehand?"

How could I not? "Couch," I ordered, "On your knees."

"As you wish Mistress," Arne told me.

*****************************

I helped Arne dress once he recovered from what I did to him. He looked darling in his robe and the lion's head armband I gave him slid easily onto his arm. Arne tied his own hair back into the knot style he liked and smeared rouge on his cheeks. The rouge was tradition for the lovers of royalty and he had asked for rouge, so I gave him rouge.