His Majesty, King Wilhelm, watched his daughter with keen interest for all of the weeks preceding the ball for his send-off. He smiled as Cordelia marched about the castle all week, checking that all was prepared and bossing around the servants. This was what his daughter had been trained to do, and he was relieved to see her execute her duties with the same passion and gusto for which she did everything. A lingering doubt paced in the back of his mind just out of reach for real contemplative thought, but real enough to give King Wilhelm pause. Was it really a good idea to leave his idealistic and sometimes flighty daughter alone to rule over the workings of the castle? It was true that since her mother's death, Cordelia had been managing the upkeep of the castle, but there was something that made the King uneasy.
It was no matter, he thought, shaking himself from the doubt. Cordelia would have to manage because—like it or not—he would be leading his men into battle. His doubts would have to be buried under the business of war and what needed to be done in preparing for it because there was naught else that could be done. Cordelia was capable of managing the castle as she'd been doing it for years, so King Wilhelm had nothing with which to worry himself.
The doubt, however, refused to move from the back corner of his mind, and an uneasy King turned his mind to matters of state, making sure to leave enough troops to defend the capital should Erubis think to send its navy.
Cordelia entered the library and found the new steward pouring over the household ledgers. At once, she noted his deformity and tried to occupy her eyes with something else, lest he find her staring. The conversation was brief, and finding that all had been ordered for the meals and the upkeep of the rooms that her guests would be occupying, Cordelia set out to make certain that the rooms were being aired and cleaned.
A cursory jaunt around the castle informed Cordelia that all was in order, and as the tailor was to arrive shortly that day, Cordelia removed to her chambers to prepare herself for royal scrutiny. She found that much of the time, her contact with the outside world often exposed her to the most pointed and vicious of criticisms. At one time Cordelia was too aloof, too cold and unfeeling, but in the very next minute, she was attacked for being too humble and taking no pride in her position.
Cordelia had learned that no matter how hard she tried, the people would find fault, so while she took care with the appearance and comportment, she would not exert herself trying to accommodate every perceived flaw. She had neither the time nor the inclination to put herself so out of sorts.
All was prepared to complete readiness, and with that elated thought came a squeeze of sadness that seemed to close off her throat. "Oh, Mother," Cordelia whispered to the empty ball room, "How I miss you."
Although her mother had been dead for years, a tear escaped the corner of her eye when Cordelia thought of all the things that her mother and she had missed because of the parting. Well, she said to herself, I will see her again one day. She wiped the corners of her eyes and went off in search for some activity that would keep her busy until dinner.