The older woman inserted her middle finger in between her thigh, "Och, what the….!" Jaelyn groans when she felt the cold finger underneath her, she held her tongue in other not to cuss out.
The woman stands straight and smiles at Jaelyn as if she was pleased with what she discovered.
Jaelyn stares at her with an intense gaze. The woman tilts her head as the maids pull Jaelyn's garment back on and lead her to another chamber in the same hall she was in before.
This time around she managed to have a glimpse of where she was. There was a bathtub filled with some white liquid and red petals spread on the surface, there were four other maids there waiting for her. This must be the milk bath Demelza was talking about she thought.
"This way your majesty," one of the maids said in a sweet tiny voice, Jaelyn stares at each of them on their faces. "Can I, hmm, I mean you can wait outside I will take my bath by myself,"
Jaelyn hissed trying not to sound like she was asking for their permission, she never had to order anyone in her life, and now she is a queen, yes a mother of a nation.
She has so much power she can literally, do anything she wishes well at least no maid will dare disrespect her unlike in her father's palace. She still needs time to process how to use her powers as the queen of Zalvon. She still can't believe it.
"Your majesty, this is the custom, we have to bathe you," one of the maids insisted, Jaelyn looks at her furiously, now that it has come to this she has to survive somehow, and by doing so her birthmark must remain hidden.
"Your majesty I understand all this must be hard for you and you are shy to get naked in front of us, we can't go outside the bathhouse, but we can stand behind the curtains, call us if you need us,"
the maid said leaving a clean undergarment on the stand, Jaelyn nodded slightly with gratitude, and the maid smiles gracefully and ordered the rest of the maids to stand behind the curtains turning their back to her.
Once they weren't not looking, Jaelyn blow out the candles and took off her undergarment, and dunk into the milk bathtub slowly, she was enjoying the fragrance and how smooth it felt on her skin never in a lifetime would she have imagined she will be enjoying something like this. She starts to feel her life here won't be hell after all once she survives the wedding night.
The old woman sneaks on them and watches Jaelyn plays in the water as she smiles gracefully, she looks happy, "She doesn't act like a queen at all, were all the rumors about her intelligent and elegance all untrue?" Consort Suva finds her childish act unbefitting of a queen.
"She is quite different, besides she is still a child, and her childish act will make this palace happy again, it has been so long since this cold palace had a touch of genuine love and smiles," the old woman replies, she has high hopes for Jaelyn.
"Child? She is 18 years and not a child but a queen she needs to know her place," Consort Suva reprehend, "She has her whole life ahead of her to become cold and bitter like everyone else in the palace let her enjoy this moment," the old woman replied as Consort angrily leaves, even as the consort there are a few things she the consort can't do and one is putting the old woman in her place.
She understands her words were clearly directed to her but couldn't do anything about it because she is among the few people King Jetaime doted on. The arrival of a new queen makes her shiver, she will gradually loses her power in the palace even though the king has told her she can continue her duties as before, she still couldn't help but feel threatened by her presence in the palace.
The old woman clears her throat, Jaelyn feels frightened, and slips under the water to hide. "It's about time you come out from there your majesty, we don't want the king to be the one waiting for you," the old woman whispered making Jaelyn nervous again.
She came out of the bathtub and wipes herself dry with a towel and puts on her undergarment the maid left behind, she was then taken to another chamber to get dressed.
She sat in front of the huge mirror as the maids moves up and down to get her fixed. They were done fixing her in no time. "You look like an angel your majesty, you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my entire life," the maid whispers, she seems to have liked Jaelyn the moment she saw her and is trying to be in her good books.
Jaelyn smiles admiring herself in the mirror, she indeed looks gorgeous with all the ornaments she adored.
she never fancies them before and each time she sees Oaklyn dress with many pieces of jewelry she tells her she looks like an expensive Barbie doll but now it seems she only said that not to feel bad for not having any of that.
"What's your name?" Jaelyn asked the maid with a soft smile turning to look at her, "Pana, Panarita your majesty but you can call me Pana like everyone else," the maid replied with a wild smile.
The rest of the maids looks at her annoyingly she was trying to win the queen over and that was obvious.
"You can all wait outside, Pana you stay," Jaelyn hissed, the rest of the maid's eye Pana angrily before leaving, "Yes your majesty," they chorused walking out of the room.
"What next Pana?" Jaelyn asked nervously fidgeting with her hands.
"Relax, your majesty, we are waiting for the auspicious time and you will walk the Milky Way to the bridal chamber and that should be any moment from now," Pana informed with her contagious smile that lighten up the room with positivity.
"The auspicious time is here!!" a loud male voice from nowhere yells, it's time, "Your majesty," Pana whispered assuring her everything was going to be fine,
"I know I might get killed for saying this but you just close your eyes and everything will be over soon just think of beautiful things and not the king's face.
Also, do everything he orders you to do, don't argue with him. I will light a candle and pray with the other maids that everything goes on fine because your fate lies in that room," Pana says boldly, Jaelyn is also concerned but not about his face, she only hopes whatever Demelza is planning works out just fine.
Pana leads her outside where the other maids where waiting. Once they go to the long hallway, the milky way the maids halt and allow Jaelyn alone to walk on the beautifully decorated hallway with flowers and candles, on the floor were scattered rose petals and gold coins, this was indeed beautiful, she happily looks around and for a moment forgets what lays ahead of her behind those doors.
She reach the end of the hallway and in front of the door stood the old woman, Consort Suva, and some other officials from the court. The old woman covers Jaelyn's head with a veil and made way for her to enter.
"I believe you are away of what is expected of you tonight? If anything goes wrong the king will have your head," consort Suva reminded.