AYLETH

Bleary eyed and exhausted, Ayleth groaned when a servant girl woke her after only a couple hours.

"The Queen wishes to share breakfast with you in your private chambers," the girl whispered, looking very nervous. Her mother must be in a mood—no doubt after too much wine the night before.

"Very well. Please send in my maid," she said, her voice rough with lack of sleep. The girl darted off, looking relieved, and Ayleth forced herself to sit up and wake.

An hour later she regarded herself in the mirror and winced. Her hair looked wonderful, but her eyes were shadowed with bruises from lack of sleep. "We must finish up. The Queen will be here in a moment," Ayleth said, straightening the wisps of her gold-red hair around her face. The maid went very still. "You have done very well, do not worry," she added softly to the girl whose face had paled. "Just, finish quickly."

Moments later, as the servant girl twisted the final copper curl and allowed it to fall to her collarbones, the door opened and a uniformed footman stepped through announcing, "Queen Rozanne of Zenithra attends the Royal Princess, Ayleth!"

Ayleth rolled her eyes, but as a good Princess should before the witness of servants who needed the security of tradition, she rose her feet and turned to face the doorway where her mother swept in across the cobbled floor—a vision of ice-cold beauty in a velvet dress so deeply blue it was almost black. The dress fit like a second skin from the Queen's tiny waist, all the way up to cover her neck to the chin, and even her head in a stunning cap so slickly fitting, Ayleth wondered if her mother had shaved her thick blond hair.

Ayleth nodded and barely curtseyed, but the servant girl sank so deep her forehead almost touched the floor and Ayleth feared she may tip over. But the girl held the pose as the Queen straightened her skirts and examined them, her sharp eyes missing nothing.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, stand up girl. We'll be sending you to the healers if you hold that much longer," the Queen snapped.

Ayleth fought a smile. The only thing the Queen hated more than nervous servants was a servant who comported themselves perfectly, leaving her no room to criticize.

"It is an historic day. I wish to speak with the Princess privately," the Queen said. The maid immediately dropped another curtsey, then walked quickly for the door with her eyes on the floor, backing out of the doorway before she turned and darted down the dim hall.

Ayleth's mother glared at the footman holding the door. "I said, privately, Giles," she snapped.

"Oh! Yes, ma'am!" The man leapt so quickly his buckled shoes clomped on the floor as he galloped out the door, turning to bow quickly and close it behind him.

Ayleth didn't let her curiosity show as she waited while her mother glared at the door.

When her mother did finally turn towards her, her features softened only a little. She did attempt a smile. Ayleth rather wished she hadn't. Her mother's attempts at affection were always somewhat chilling.

"You look beautiful, Ayleth," her mother said quietly.

Ayleth blinked her surprise at the compliment. "Th-thank you, mother."

The Queen inclined her head once. Her smile stating clearly that she was aware of how generous she'd been and was pleased with herself. "How are you feeling?" she asked Ayleth, scanning her daughter from crown to toe. "You didn't seem to be feeling well at the end of the night."

"I'm fine, mother," she replied carefully. "I was only tired."

"And yet, you do not look rested, dear."

Ayleth dropped her eyes to her hands. "I will admit to some… tension about all the people here and what I face in the coming weeks," she said, praying her mother would take it as her nerves about finding a husband. "There were many strangers present last night. And as I told you, I had a bit of an incident in the maze. Do all the rulers plan to stay for the full month, do you know?" she asked casually. Some would likely leave after the Accord was signed, and she prayed Etan's family didn't plan to.

Her mother snorted in a very un-Queenlike way. "Yes, unfortunately. Even those blasted Summitrans. I, for one, hoped they would have met with disaster on the roads, but alas, they are safely settled into the North Wing and planning to stay for the duration."

The North Wing? It was the furthest from the Royal quarters—for a King and his Court to be housed there… it was more than a snub. No wonder Etan had been so bitter when he'd spoken about their arrival.

Ayleth blinked. Her mother was frowning, which she rarely did because it brought about wrinkles. She realized she was waiting for Ayleth to respond to her complaint. What had it been? Oh, that's right. The blasted Summitrans were here.

Ayleth rushed to say, "I'm sorry to hear that, Mother."

"It does not matter," the Queen dismissed the problem with a wave of her hand. "What matters is that today will be the beginning of your ascension to the most powerful ruler the Continent has ever known. How are you feeling?"

Ayleth's stomach dropped to her toes, but she did not allow the feeling to show on her face with the Queen watching. "I am apprehensive, of course." The Queen nodded. "But I do anticipate great fun during the festival."

"Yes, yes, it will be a great time," her mother said through her pretty, perfectly straight teeth. "But what of the men? I told your father about your… unfortunate meeting in the maze. He was… quite forceful about it," she smiled, and her eyes went distant for a minute. Ayleth rolled her eyes. Then her mother cleared her throat and blinked. "He will come soon and will expect a full report so that he might address the Lord involved. But it seemed you met more than one young man last night—have you identified the Lord you danced with, yet?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to do that today," she said hurriedly. "But there are so many here, I am happy to spend time with as many as I can and see… see who rises to the top." It was her strategy—meet and be seen with as many of the men as she could without becoming close to any until she and Etan could reveal their vows to their parents. It would be torturous, but she couldn't fathom allowing the men to actually Court her when her heart was already given away.

"That is a good idea initially," her mother said, gesturing towards the table set up for them in the window. Ayleth waited for her to sit first, before taking her own chair. "But if any should catch your eye—even early on—let us know. We have a lot of information about the men, and we can help you focus your attentions on the best prospects. We must make an alliance with a strong Kingdom, Ayleth!"

"Yes, mother." Ayleth wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and pull the quilts over her head, but the look in her mother's eyes… she sat up straighter and waited.

The Queen had a plan that Ayleth had to at least pretend to follow.