The next day, I willed myself out of bed and went to the palace. The Empress would want a report on how the night went. I'd decided to ask the Empress to change the courtesan job description to ambassadors, even though we technically never left Utania. I didn't want to go through another night trying to explain that what we did was entertain in a polite, educated way.
Hapsia hadn't returned to our room when I left, which could only mean she had found someone to leave with during the ball. She hadn't even talked to the Paguans last night. I swore she'd get back at her some day.
When I arrived at the Palace, the Empress was sprawled on a chaise lounge in her parlor. A droid fanned her hair, which was fading into its original brown color. Hapsia was napping on another chaise lounge, still entirely green. None of the other courtesans were there.
"A droid found Hapsia passed out near the pools this morning," said the Empress when she realized I was there. "I think I'm too lenient with you girls."
I said nothing and took some cakes from a hovering table and sat on a futon. I wished I could have slept until moonrise. The Empress' parlor was too bright, and my head hurt.
"At least you seemed to have made an impression on the Paguan Emperor. He requested you join him for a tour," said the Empress after a short silence.
"Can't someone else go?" I asked. I hadn't spoken to President Solano after our discussion in the terrace. "Where is everyone?"
"They're with the other members of the Paguan crew. Emperor Solano asked for people to guide them around the Institute. I don't know what he wants there," said the Empress and yawned.
"He calls himself President. And you were right about his culture shock," I said. "He seemed to be disturbed by the fact we could marry people of the same sex, for some reason."
"Dear, that wasn't permitted in Utania either, ages ago."
"I don't understand why. When did Utania colonize their planet?"
"I believe it was four or five hundred years ago. I can't recall," said the Empress. She patted the droid's head and sat up. It stopped fanning her and stood immobile near her chaise lounge.
"Were the Paguans native to the planet?" I asked. If I had to spend another evening with President Solano, I might as well learn about them. The last thing I needed was another awkward exchange like the one during the ball.
"No, we placed them there. Just like we did with most of the star systems around ours," said the Empress.
"How come they have no wings then?"
"I don't know, dear. Ask a geneticist," she said.
Hapsia groaned and turned around.
"Why don't you go ask Chancellor Hayn about the tour? I think they planned on leaving tonight," said the Empress. She walked towards Hapsia and poked her. Hapsia groaned again.
"I will have a talk with her in the meantime," said the Empress. She gestured for the droid to come to her. "Spray her face with water," she told it. The droid pointed its finger towards Hapsia's face and sprayed. Hapsia sat up drenched, spitting water out of her mouth. The green tint of her face had begun to fade, and she looked sick. Hapsia met the Empress' eyes and then glanced towards me. I gave her a wicked smile and got up and left.
The freedom to roam the palace was one of my job's perks. It was a gorgeous labyrinth of towers and terraces, constructed on top of a hill. Golden tapestries and silver gilts decorated the walls of most rooms and hallways. The sun's light was reflected by the crystals that covered the palace from outside, and they cast rainbows over the city and Ryla's beaches.
I found Chancellor Hayn in his gloomy office. He didn't seem too keen on windows. Rumor was that he was the one who really ruled Utania, the brain behind its last century of peace. The royals handled diplomacy and he presided on all official matters. No one knew how hold he was, but he had been around since the last great Utanian expansion.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Chancellor. The Empress said President Solano wanted to go on a tour and requested my presence," I said. His head was hidden behind a tall brown chair, facing a large screen. It was full of numbers and graphs that I couldn't decipher.
The Chancellor turned his seat around. "He did. You'll be excused from your duties to the Empress for the time being. We've arranged for him to hire some experts in exchange for some of Pagua's flora. The Institute's botanist department has been bothering me to get them new specimens, so there we go. Win, win situation."
"What do you mean excused from my duties? How long will the tour last?" I asked.
"If he decides to visit every island on the planet, which I believe is what he wants, you'll be gone for at least a month."
"I don't want to leave for that long," I replied. Yes, I was bored of the capital but touring the planet with President Solano wasn't an agreeable option. I wanted to practice my flying and I'd have three free weeks before another entertaining duty.
"Well, he asked for you and the Empress approved. So you're going. I suggest you take warm clothes. It gets chilly in the north during this time of the year," said the Chancellor, as he spun his chair around again and faced his screen. "Oh, and you leave at ten and three quarters. He wants to be in Tartua by tomorrow."
Assuming that was my dismissal, I left the Chancellor's office. I went to my chambers to pack, thinking about how I'd get back at Hapsia when I returned.