The Queen of Luania

Chapter 9- Brunch

Arabella's POV

I wake to a knock on my door. "Your Majesty, it is time to prepare you for the Ladies Brunch," a maid calls. I groan. Even though the brunch isn't until eleven, I have to wake up at six to oversee everything.

"Come in," I call, dragging myself out of bed. I look in the mirror. My hair is in a rat's nest around my head, and yesterday's mascara makes me look like a raccoon. The maid, accompanied by my handmaidens, hurry into my room.

"I made you some green tea, your majesty," the maid sets a teacup down on the vanity in front of me.

"Thank you," I reply. She rushes off. My handmaidens get to work on my appearance.

"Did you forget to take your mascara off last night?" One of them asked me. Her name is Lacy. She was my Mother's handmaiden, and then became mine when I was ten.

"Yeah, the Noble Meeting ran later than I expected," I apologized.

"You know that will ruin your beautiful skin, right?" She laughs. I chuckle. I like having someone to talk to that won't betray you. I love Yaz like a sister, but being nobility means making tough choices.

Lacy takes a cotton ball and wipes off my remaining makeup. Another handmaiden, Hannah, tackles my hair. I should have brushed it through last night.

One of them, Georgia, picks out jewellery. She holds out two necklaces, gold and silver. I choose the gold one. She picks out matching earrings and bracelets.

The other two, Kelly and Rachel, pick out a dress for me to wear. "What color do you want, your majesty?" Kelly asks.

"Pink please," I answer. Georgia clasps the necklace around my neck, and the bracelet on my wrist. My ears are sensitive, so I put the earrings in myself. Hannah has finished detangling my hair, and she pulls it into a half-up half-down style.

I close my eyes as Lacy applies my foundation, concealer, brows, eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick. I look in the mirror. She went with a simple look. Light brown eyeshadow sits in the crease of my eye and my lips are a pinky-nude. I smile. At least I look less dead. Kelly and Rachel walk over with a long pink dress. They pull it over my arms and button it in the back. I stand up and walk to the full length mirror.

The dress hangs off my shoulders. It is mostly sheer tulle with bell sleeves. Pink and gold flowers embroider the bodice and swirl around my feet. I decide to wear another pair of nude heels. Finally, the handmaidens place a golden flower tiara on my head. I hold my chin up. As annoying as many of the Lords are, the Ladies can be worse. Everyone knows everyone's business, and there will probably be more than one conversation about my wedding. I can't wait to see their faces when Killian and I call it off.

"Thank you, you are dismissed. Guards, take me to the garden parlor." The handmaidens hurry down a hallway and the guards form another box around me. We walk downstairs and out into the gardens, where lots of servants are preparing the final touches. It is seven-thirty. The brunch doesn't officially start until eleven, but sometimes the Ladies arrive as early as nine.

After answering some brief questions about curtains, trays, food placements, and other boring topics, I sit down to a little pep talk.

Just smile. The Ladies speak their minds, and most of what they say will be offensive. Don't listen to them. You are a Queen, born to rule, not become a wife. You are perfectly capable of leading Luania to a brighter future, I tell myself. The clock strikes ten. All the maids, servants, and I stand still, waiting for our guests to arrive. The first one is Yazmin. I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"Yaz!" I call out and hug her. "How are you?"

"Good! I have some news I want to talk about, but we should probably wait until the Brunch is over. I nod. She walks over to sit at a chair. Then the crowd arrives.