The First Queen *Sample Only*

Chapter 7

I was ushered through the castle by two large, burly guards who had intimidated me at first. However, I was now grateful for their help. This palace was enormous, far beyond anything I could imagine and I felt like every time I looked around I was being led down a new hallway, through a different door, and into another corridor. It was dizzying at the best of times, and completely overwhelming at the worst. Thankfully, we did reach my room eventually and I nodded my head in thanks when the two guards announced my arrival. I didn't know who they were announcing me to until I saw three young women all curtseying to me, their heads bowed in respect and their skirts lifted in the tips of their fingers.

I stared at them in shock, not reacting at all when the guards shut my door behind me. Mere hours ago I had been nothing but a slave and now I had women bowing to me in the most stunning room I had seen yet. This could not be real life. I must've been dreaming.

"Who are you?" I blurted out, my manners vanishing.

"We are your maids, my lady." A tall woman with black hair explained. She tried to hide it under a serious expression but I could tell that my question had confused her. When I looked at the other two I saw a similarly masked emotion as well. Though it was clear they had been expecting someone it was clear I didn't fit their vision.

"Oh, yes." I breathed, trying to recover. "Of course."

"Would you like us to fetch a bath for you?" The tall woman continued.

With those words I became aware that I looked worse than the maids who were here to serve me. I had dirt caked under my nails, my hair hadn't seen a brush in many days and my skin was oily and dusty. My dress now had a muddy ring on the bottom skirt, several seams were beginning to fray and the style of the gown was probably considered fashionable when I was an infant. I wasn't certain of my social standing at this point, but I was quite sure that I was above maids so looking so awful made me feel terrible and vile. I knew that I looked exactly like what I was, a slave.

"A bath would be lovely, I've had a long journey." I agreed, "But only if it's not too much trouble."

The woman looked stunned, her mouth falling open for a second, but she snapped it shut an instant later and gave me a smile, "No trouble at all."

I had no idea what to do with myself as I watched the three women dash around my bedchamber. The moved with grace and spoke softly to each other, clearly used to serving royalty, but they worked very efficiently, leaving me to stand in the middle of the room while I watched them begin to lug buckets of hot water to a bathtub that was housed in its own room. I tried to hide my shock and awe as these women already thought I was acting strangely, but when I prepared baths for my master and his wife it was just a small wooden tub. It was nothing this large and beautiful.

A startled yelp leaked from my mouth when I felt fingers pulling at the corset that secured my dress in place. I whirled around, thinking I would come face to face with the king who had changed his mind about giving me time to settle in. But when I saw a little woman standing in front of me, looking as surprised as I felt and not a king filled with lust I became ashamed. It seemed that acting like royalty was not my best performance.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry." I rambled, "I thought-" I cut myself off, not knowing what to say. I had thought it was the king, but what, was I going to tell them that I had agreed to let the king bed me for an old horse and marriage? That even sounded odd in my head and these women already thought I was a walking disaster.

"I just thought that you would need help." The fragile woman responded.

"I do." I blurted, "I'm sorry, I just..." I couldn't finish yet again so I just fell silent and turned away from her, allowing her to tug at the laces.