It didn't.
The next few days were filled with Alessia reteaching all of the lessons taught to me by Mistress Daksha, meeting with my future ladies in waiting with which I had no idea what I was doing or what they were supposed to do.
"What queen am to be known as?" I asked Brigitte one afternoon.
"Pardon me, your highness?"
I was sitting at the desk near one of the windows poring over scrolls and scrolls of history records.
"What will my title be as queen? The Beloved, the Cruel, the Kind, the Avaricious? What will I be known as?" I stood holding the records of the Cruel Queen, Daeva. She was called so because at her coronation ceremony she allegedly caused a dignitary from a neighbouring country to trip into a fountain and then laughed about it, and she was also not nice in general.
"I believe that is up to you to decide, your highness." Brigitte replied as she prepared the tea for the next lady in waiting interview. Alessia had decided that I could handle this one myself.
"Maybe. But it is always decided on the day of coronation, which will be the Union. What if I make a mistake and am known as the Clumsy Queen or the Foolish Queen?" I asked.
"Your highness. I know that you have many charming traits, be kind and careful on the day and I'm sure all will be well." She finished with a patient smile.
I was being rather pushy and whiny.
I smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Brigitte."
A knock sounded at the door, I nodded for her to open it.
I put the scroll down and rose my head.
The woman that entered was maybe a few years older than me, most of them were, she was the same height as me and a little stouter but graceful and elegant just as the others had been. She wore a simple gown with small, gold, birds embroidered along the sleeves and waist. The light blue colour was not well suited to her complexion but she looked well anyway. Her mahogany brown hair was pinned at the back and draped along her back and shoulders.
"Your highness." She curtsied. My shoulders sank in annoyance.
'Why must everyone curtsy or bow? I've not even been crowned the Queen.'
I nodded.
"I am Lady Daphne, daughter of Lord Stone." She said courteously.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Daphne. May I call you Daphne?" I said as I walked to sit on my settee.
"Uh, um… yes, if you wish it your highness." She replied still standing.
I gestured for her to sit on the seat across from me.
"No, no. I will only call you by your name if you're comfortable with it." I said as I began pouring the tea prepared.
She nodded as she sat, "I am comfortable with it, your highness."
"Excellent! You may call me Hydrangea or Hydie, whichever you prefer." I said as I raised the fine clay cup to my lips.
"I daren't!" She exclaimed, "I mean, pardon my outburst, your highness, but I cannot call you by your given name, only by your address." She explained.
I nodded glumly.
I inhaled and thought of how to phrase my next question.
"How? What kin-? No, no. What do you believe my title will be as Queen?" I asked setting my cup on the saucer.
"Title? I assume you do not mean your majesty?"
I smiled and shook my head, "No, I-I I mean as in the Beloved Queen, or the Cruel Queen. What title do you believe I will receive?"
Daphne looked down observing the cup still resting on the low table, "I believe," She began as she reached for the clay cup, "If you'll allow me to speak freely, your highness?"
I nodded, "Of course."
She cleared her throat, "That I'm afraid I don't know you well enough to answer that." She said with a nervous smile.
I laughed, "Alright then, I will make you my first lady in waiting."
We talked some more and nothing she said made me regret my decision.
~~~~~~~~~
I had just finished my afternoon meal and was getting ready for yet another interview as I only had one lady in waiting so far, when a knock sounded on the doors.
"She's early." I said to Brigitte, who was preparing the tea.
I walked to the doors to open them.
"Hadok!" I nearly squealed. I don't know why but I was so excited to see him.
He was wearing the normal dress of a eunuch; coarse brown fabric with red leather straps. He had an earring on his left lobe same as all the other eunuchs, he'd told me that it was a symbol of his loyalty to the Sovereign. I'd frowned, it seemed like such a permanent symbol.
His burnished face remained impassive but I could see a glint in his dark eyes.
He bowed his head, "Your highness."
I smiled at him calling me by my 'title'.
"Come in, come in please." I opened the door wider to allow his broad frame entry.
"Thank you, your highness." He said as he walked in, his hands clasped behind his back as always.
I shut the door and turned to face him. He was standing just a few feet from the door with his back to me.
I walked around him to stand by one of the chairs, "What can I do for you?" I said with a smile. This was the happiest I'd been in weeks.
He was silent, pondering his words, "I now serve her highness." He bowed his waist, "Since her highness has not yet been to see the harem, of which her highness is now to maintain, would she like to?"
I smiled, "Yes, I would love to. I should put some shoes on though." I looked down at my bare feet resting on the tassels of the gold and red carpet on which the settee and chairs sat.
"That would be best." He said in a soft tone.
I smiled and skipped off to the closet to pick out a pair of flat cowhide shoes that fit my feet comfortably.
I was wearing a simple dress, I preferred simple dresses, of a soft grey blue with splashes of embroidered thread of a darker shade along the hem and neckline.
"Your highness, Lady Tanuja?" Brigitte's soft voice broke my thoughts.
"Right. If she comes to the door tell her that I… had business… elsewhere?" I looked up at Hadok unsure of my words.
He bowed his head in assent.
I nodded to Brigitte feeling surer of myself.
She smiled and waved me off saying as she did so, "Good luck, your highness."
Then it dawned on me as so many things have, 'I'm going to the Sovereign's harem.'