𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄: 𝐀 𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍

❊

— SANDRIA, 45 AP

DIANNE VI

  It had been four months since Dianne had met the king, which meant it had been four months since the prince had properly spoken to her. If it didn’t come to the discussion of their unborn child that was ready to pop out any given day, or occasional formal greetings when crossing paths in court, Deonidas wouldn’t say a word to the lady, not even sharing a glance for longer than a few seconds. And, at first, it tore at Dianne. How could her husband go so long without speaking to her? Was her outburst that bad that it resorted to a silent treatment that seemed everlasting?

  It seemed so.

  If it weren’t for the friend she gained out of the prince’s twin, Sabrina, Dianne may have never been able to withstand those four months in Sandtower.

  She was also given four new handmaiden’s during this time, all daughters to lord’s from around the realm. Princess Amaryllis saw it fit for the lady to have trained these women to become elegant and virtuous of the kingdoms just as she once did, claiming the four would have much to learn from a future queen. And so her husband’s mother selected such women herself, one from The Isles, one from Sandria, one from Riviera and the last from Rosegarden.

  Dianne went out onto the terrace in her bedchambers, exhaling deeply and rubbing her large stomach in soothing circular motions. A few more days and I will soon see your face.
There was a knock at the door.

  “ Enter,” she said, and the voice on the other side did as asked. “ My lady, I came to let you know that your last handmaid from the Isles has arrived and that the other’s are showing her around and teaching her the ways of court and your rules.” She nodded and turned to face the servant, entering the room with slow and careful steps. “ Very well, make sure her chamber is freshened up and that she has everything acquired to feel comfortable.”

  With a small nod of understanding, the servant girl bowed and left the room, shutting the door as she left and leaving Dianne to get ready. As accustomed by the princess, the family would dine together each morning to break their fast and offer blessings to each of her children and loved ones. Dianne had brought new dresses from Amaryllis’s seamstress, especially now that she was much larger than her earlier months during pregnancy, and had been dressed by the help of two servants into a gown made of blue silk that was coiled through a thick, collar-like silver necklace. Her hair had grown thicker throughout her pregnancy, and to deal with the humidity of Sandria, she wore her black hair up in a maze of a dozen braids.

  During breakfast, she was seated beside her husband, and she was adamantly thankful for the other’s seated around them at the table or else a wave of deafening silence would have sieged the inner courtyard. After Lord Jaerades prayed before their meal of sorted fruits, potatoes mashed to bits, and chicken egg’s diced with bits of ham and fiery peppers, everyone began to eat off their plate’s yet Dianne’s mind had been elsewhere so her food remained untouched. Well, except for the salted, pepper and ham filled eggs, but that was only a nibble.