The Questioning

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Hazel was directed into a line. A guard with a scowl set on his face was questioning the women. After they finished, he told them whether they were staying or not. As the line grew shorter, Hazel felt a pit in her stomach grow.

     When it was her turn, Hazel flashed the guard a small smile and gave a curtsy.

      "You seem to be well-bred," the man said. "No other women has shown me such manners. Let's see if your answers are similarly eloquent. Are you a maiden?"

     Hazel colored and fanned herself. "I have never known a man," she said. "I have never been betrothed."

      The guard smiled. "Why would you make a good queen?"

      Hazel bit her lip. "I'm not afraid to say what needs to be said."

     The man raised his eyebrows. "Last question. Why did you enter this competition?"

     "My parents asked me to," Hazel said.

      "You can go mingle with the group of women staying," the guard said.

     Hazel exhaled and made her way over. When the questioning was over, there were only a few dozen women were left and they had not even spoken to the king. Hazel felt a burst of anger. How was this competition even fair?

"The 37 of you are the finalists," King Frank announced. "You have been chosen at random."

The women exchanged glances. The whole questioning had been a ruse? A woman raised her hand. Hazel realized with a start that it was Bianca. "What of those who were not chosen?" Bianca asked.

"Several of them have been offered jobs," King Frank said. "As will many of you."

"You will be staying in my palace and by the time of planting, I will choose my queen," King Frank continued. "Here you will learn the customs of court. You will get to know courtiers as well as I."

"Will we all stay until your wife is chosen?" one girl with long braids asked.

Frank shook his head. "You may be dismissed earlier."

Chattering broke out among the women. King Frank waited for it to lessen before raising his hand for silence. "You will be housed with another woman," he said.

"But there are 37 of us!" Bianca cried.

"There will be one group of three," King Frank said, "housed in a slightly larger room. You may choose your roommates, ladies."

Bianca and Hazel locked gazes and both nodded. When everyone had chosen a roommate, they were led to a suite of rooms by a retinue of guards. Hazel heard Bianca gasp as the door to their room was open. Hazel covered her mouth. It was beautiful. There was a large bed carved of cedar. A figurine if the goddess of love and war, Ishtar, was placed in a niche. A rug spun of many colors brightened the floor.

"It's wonderful," Bianca said.

"It's a room for for the gods," Hazel agreed.

"It for you two for now," the guard who had led them in said as he left. "Enjoy these luxuries. They won't last."

Hazel ignored the slanted comment at the end. Enjoy these luxuries — how could she not?

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