The Queen of Dawn

Chapter 6

Azora's banquet outfit above ^^

The headdress next to the dress is a french hood and it covers most of the hair except the front.

Azora unwrapped her finger carefully, making sure that if it was still bleeding, she could just put it back on with ease. It wasn't bleeding anymore, and she sighed in relief. She placed the bandage on her dressing table carelessly and flopped onto her bed. Today had been tiring, and she was glad there were no pressing matters at court that day so she didn't have to go.

She threw off her french hood, and undid the exquisite braided bun. letting her inky black hair fall past her waist. She ran a hand through her hair, undoing all the knots and tangles before lying down and closing her eyes.

Her slumber was interrupted by the opening and closing of her bedroom door, and she quickly sat up on her bed, alert and fully awake. She relaxed when she saw it was only a maid, and she nodded her head, giving the maid permission to speak.

"I apologize greatly your majesty for waking you, but Lady Madeline is here to see you."

Before Azora could give permission for the maid to let the visitor in, Madeline burst through the room, the biggest grin on her face, and her face bright in excitement. She skipped around the room, as the timid maid left with a red face, before Maddy jumped onto the bed next to Azora, out of breath.

"Whats got you all excited?" Azora teased.

Maddy shifted her body to face Azoras, and tried to catch her breath before speaking.

"You should know! I love Banquets!" She squealed.

Azora scoffed before rolling onto her side so that they were facing each other.

"Well you would be disappointed, we haven't had a banquet in a long time and we wont be having one."

Maddy furrowed her brows.

"Well surely you must know, we are having a banquet tomorrow! Haven't you heard everyone speaking about it?"

Azora rolled back onto her side before closing her eyes. She tried not to cry.

"Well in case you haven't noticed everyone turns silent as soon as I go a foot near them!"

Maddy had an odd little satisfied smirk, but Azora decided to ignore it, but when she spoke, Maddy's voice went a pitch higher slightly, and she avoided Azora's gaze.

"I wonder why." Azora could tell Maddy was lying. She knew exactly why. No one wanted her at this banquet and Maddy had been prepared to leave her out just like the rest of them. Azora bet her 'best friend' was kicking herself now for letting out the courts little secret.

"Well I'll be off now, got to try on my new dress!" Azora sighed in relief as Maddy left the room, and she felt as if she could finally breathe again. She beckoned for the maid who stood at the door to come closer, and the maid obeyed.

"Tell the King I accept his invitation to his banquet."

***

Azora sat in the chair in front of her vanity, as the maids did her hair  in a low bun. They left tendrils out the front of her face, and placed the french hood over the top of her hair, securing it down. The maids pulled the tendrils that got caught in the hood out from underneath, and they were done. Azora stood up, and smoothed out her skirt as she stood up.

She admired herself in the mirror, her dress was by far her favorite outfit. It was a wedding gift from her mother, and she had never worn it till now. It was a bit foreign, and was quite fashionable in her old country, but she felt jittery and scared to see what the people of Navalia would think of her Cavian attire. Azora suddenly felt she should just stay in her room. Why did she decide to wear this now? She had made sure when she married Kalian, she threw out every piece of old clothing she had packed, and bought a whole new wardrobe, but she couldn't bear to throw this dress away.

She shook her head. No she wouldn't give her husband and the ladies at court the satisfaction of her absence. She dismissed her maids, and made her way down to the banquet hall, her personal guards escorting her.

She got to the big wooden double doors, and ignored the shocked looks of the guards at the door. Her personal guards commanded the guards to open, and they did. As per usual they sounded the trumpet and called her title, causing everyone, including the musicians, to turn quiet.

Azora walked forward through the path that was made by the large crowd separating. She noticed a court lady who had lazily been lounging in her throne, quickly get up and scamper back in to the crowd, giggling. Azora felt jealousy surge through her body but she made sure not to show her emotions on her face, and instead kept her face neutral and emotionless.

She reached the stairs that lead up to the throne, and stopped. She curtsied deeply in front of the King. Blushing when she realized her low neckline, had gotten even lower as she stooped to curtsy. Azora straitened and held her chin high as she addressed her husband, who had a shocked facial expression on his smug face.

"I would like to thank you, my Lord, for your gracious invitation to your banquet." Her voice was lo8ud and clear, everyone could hear her perfectly, and her statement sent a murmur throughout the congregation.

She moved towards her smaller throne next to her husbands throne, and made a show of cleaning the throne, that the court lady had been lounging on, with a handkerchief as if a disease was on it. Azora sat down.

Then the music started back up, and the party began.