Queen

XIV.

Nine more kings, seven queens, twelve of their sons, ten of their daughters, and I wasn't even going to try to count all the servants, soldiers, and slaves who all arrived the next day. King Buna Ziua, his sons, Arne, and I watched from a balcony above, though only King Buna Ziua, Prince Geaman, apparently the older twin, and myself were really watching. Arne had fallen asleep at my side and Prince Gemello watched the pretty serving maid nearby.

I slid a grape into my mouth as King Chizu and his wife Queen Regina got out of their gold covered litter, their daughter, Princess Malcriado, nearly falling off her horse behind their backs. The courtyard was a mess of royalty trying to show off their riches to one another, and now I didn't have to be a part of that mess. Children were tripping and straining with all the gold, the women looked ready to faint in their heavy layers upon layers of silks, and who knows how many innocent bystanders had been hit with a sword, thankfully the swords were sheathed. The mess below was one of the many reasons I wanted to come early. I didn't know how many would arrive today or how many were invited, but most of the guests would arrive today or later tonight. A few might come over the next few days, but with four days until the wedding, this was the big day for arriving. All I had to do was wait until this to be over.

I grabbed more grapes. At least while being a visitor instead of the host for once, I could eat.

Nevi walked onto the balcony with a royal guard in her shadow. I had seen the royal guard in the shadows and there was something strange about them. Dark armor with irregular lines, dark hoods over their heads instead of helmets, and white masks with no facial features. Strange, probably some religious thing. I knew that Veleno had asked Nevi if she wanted to welcome the new guests, I didn't hear Nevi's answer but it was clear now.

"Is he sleeping?" Nevi whispered, pointing at Arne curled up around a pillow.

I couldn't help but smile. "Yes," I said normally, "But you don't have to whisper. He'll sleep through the end times."

King Buna Ziua and Prince Geaman eyed Nevi distastefully. I knew those looks. To most royalty, children were like gold, decoration. Royal children were trained how to behave. As the daughter of a maid, Nevi knew nothing about the many rules she was now expected to follow flawlessly instantly. Having grown up under those rules, I could honestly say that Cook was the only reason I actually have a mind of my own and I prayed that Nevi had a Cook of her own as well.

Nevi wandered over to the railing and peeked over on tiptoes. "So pretty," she gasped in awe. She better have a Cook of her own if she could look down at that and call it pretty.

"I believe this is the first time you've been a guest and not the host, isn't it Mathilda?" King Buna Ziua asked.

"It is indeed," I answered picking up a wine goblet. The maid Prince Gemello had his eye on filled it with the weak almost garbage stuff she had. The good stuff had to be saved for the ball, wedding, and coronation. I thanked her, she blinked in surprise, but I turned back to the men. "Sad that it took you this long to realize that I am in fact your equal, isn't it?" The king and his sons said nothing. I was their equal, no if, ands, or buts, but to admit it would be to admit that they were wrong to leave me out all these years.

Nevi pulled away from the railing and took a seat by Arne's curled up form. "Could I have some of that?" she asked, eyes on my goblet.

Knowing children shouldn't have wine no matter how poor it was and not knowing how to explain it, I looked to the maid.

The maid got my hint. "Miss Malus," she said sweetly, "What her majesty has is wine. Wine isn't to be drunk by children. You'll make the fairies angry."

"I knew fairies were real," Nevi hissed under her breath.

The maid put the wine-skin down and grabbed a pitcher of tea. "Here's some fairy tea little miss," she said, pouring the tea into a goblet, "A drink made by fairies just for children."