The arrival of the queen had hit the natives like a sea storm, they didn't know what to feel about it. They were jealous and hostile to accept an outsider as their queen but her intimidating personality and army had them feeling nervous about their future.
Their foreign queen didn't look like the one to 'only' rule the internal court.
"Will there be new laws?"
"Is she going to take over the military of Hanna?"
"She must have been to war. She must be brutal."
the new rumors were spreading across the city along with the old ones, in perfect harmony.
[In Hanna, the queen is in charge of the internal court i.e. maintaining law and order inside the palace, listening to complaints of those below her like royal concubines, secondary concubines, and palace staff responsible for the maintenance (maids, court ladies, servants, etc).
Whereas the king is in charge of everything, everyone is below him, even the queen. His power is absolute.]
Jwala accompanied by Mitra, was checking out her mini palace called 'the queen's residence', which was a separate and exclusive section within the larger royal palace complex.
It was designed to provide the queen with privacy and security while offering spaces like living quarters, meeting rooms, gardens, and a ceremonial hall. A place for the queen to carry out her duties, entertain guests, and engage in cultural and social activities befitting her status.
"Aren't these walls too weak?" Jwala tapped the wall of her chambers. Hanna was a much colder place compared to her home kingdom or Maythene but still, the wooden chambers didn't feel safe enough. "A wooden palace for the Queen!?" her interest was piqued. 'How can wood provide safety?'
Mitra stood outside of the chamber's doors. With her stoic expression as she examined the structure.
The queen's residence had multiple buildings arranged around a courtyard and 2 gardens. It was all made of wood without the use of nails, that's how it appeared from the outside. The roof had a curved profile and was covered with clay-like curved tiles and the floors were made out of wooden planks as well.
Mitra had a highly skeptical look on her face; even though it was a palace inside the palace it wasn't safe enough for her queen.
A group of women dressed in navy blue blouses and dark green voluminous skirts arrived in a square formation and stood in front of the chamber's entrance.
Jwala noticed the commotion. "Who are you all?"
'Is it their uniform? What an eye sore…'
The group of ladies deeply bowed to her saying in unison, "Welcome to the palace, your royal highness. We are here to serve you."
A middle-aged woman came forward, she had a bird like hair accessory sitting on the top of her head while the others hadn't. "I am Arin, your highness. The court lady Arin, and the in charge of maids and attendants serving in queen's residence." She said with a polite smile and a gentle bow.
"Attendants" Jwala murmured to herself. She looked across the garden and found the group of her personal attendants glaring at the group in blue.
Jwala pressed her lips, "You all are dismissed. The job is taken." She gestured at her group of maids that she had brought with her.
"Your Highness, A queen must be attended by the 'palace's' attendants." Arin objected.
"No." Jwala's voice was stern. She stood close to Arin as she looked at the group. "A queen must be attended by whom she can trust."
"…" Arin didn't have a reply for that.
Queen's maids were grinning. They had been serving Jwala since her princess days, no one was qualified enough to replace them.
Arin addressed the concern of her group, their job was to serve the queen and if she didn't need them, then they would all lose their jobs and be kicked out of the palace.
Jwala thought for a while then said, "You all work together, for now. I will see to it later."
The groups of the attendants were hostile towards each other but they had to work together as per their mistress's order.
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In the king's palace:-
"A warm welcome to, my queen." Maan said as soon as he saw Jwala entering his residence called the 'king's palace'. It was much like the queen's residence but with more buildings and was bigger and grand. He was walking around his gardens when she arrived.
"Yes… a warm welcome to you too." She said dismissively and went straight towards his chambers.
He chuckled at her response and followed her.
She took off her shoes, walked inside his chambers, and examined the room.
The guards and the king's servants outside the chambers were staring at them in surprise.
"Are they going to share a room without being married?" Arin mumbled, same were the thoughts of other court ladies that had followed her in the building but the queen's personal maids had no reaction.
"Is something wrong, my queen?" Maan asked.
"Why is the king's chambers made like this too?"
His straight eyebrows twitched with confusion. "Like what, my queen?"
"A king living in a palace made of wood. I thought it was just my residence…" she said with a frown. "What if someone set it on fire?"
"They will be punished… harshly." He wasn't sure if he had answered correctly judging by her expressions.
"But the king will be dead." She had an expressionless face.
Maan gave a loud, hearty laugh, "How thoughtful, my queen. Is this what made you visit me as soon as you arrived?"
He then explained that the walls were made with wooden frames filled with mud and clay. It provided insulation from the cold weather and was sturdy, resilient as well as safe.
"The clay used inside the walls and on the roof are fireproof… so, no I wouldn't be dead." He smiled as he answered.
Her gaze traveled from him to the wall behind him, she pulled out her dagger and threw it at the wall, missing him by a good few inches.
But the royal guards outside didn't see that, they drew their swords and ran to their king's side, surrounding Jwala and Maan.
They were all waiting for the king to give orders, they couldn't lay a hand on a queen unless the king commanded.
As soon as the queen's personal maids saw this, they too rushed to their queen's side, pushing aside the royal guards and making a safety circle around her. They were ready to die protecting their queen, they joined hands as they glowered at the men with swords.
Another surprise for Maan as well as the palace staff – unarmed maids shielding their queen and challenging the armed king's guards.
Outside the palace, all the staff were shocked to see the commotion, curious to know the reason.
Maan waited a bit before telling his guards to back off. "She was concerned for my safety. Everyone, go back to your posts."
'Was this intentional?' Maan thought while his guards gradually retreated outside.
The guards had retreated but the maids were still shielding Jwala and one petite maid had been giving death glares to Maan. They had made it obvious that they served the queen and only her orders mattered.
"Bano, leave with the girls," Jwala ordered to the petite maid staring at Maan.
Maan walked to the wall behind him and pulled out the dagger from the wall, "See for yourself, my queen. The safety isn't an issue."
He was pointing at the wall but there was a hidden meaning behind it.
Jwala took her dagger. She ran her index finger through the punctured wall. The dagger didn't go further than the wooden plank. The clay filler had stopped it.
"Yes. the safety isn't an issue…" she slowly repeated his words. There was an underlying message.
"I am touched to see your concern for me." He placed a hand over his chest.
"I have a question for my queen, that I can't find an answer to."
"I am curious?" she said placing her dagger back in its scabbard.
"What made the queen change her mind?" He was referring to the night he had proposed to her and she had left abruptly. "Was it my sincerity?"
"Change my mind regarding what?" She said walking out of the chambers towards the garden after crossing the royal guards.
He scoffed inwardly and followed her, "About the marriage proposal. I remember you were upset."
She chuckled; it was melodic in a way. "I was upset that you offered the political alliance under the guise of a marriage proposal and over a leisurely drink."
He decided to play innocent. "It was a marriage proposal."
She smiled and nodded. 'he wants me to believe that!!'
"An alliance should be announced, In the courtroom in front of the audience. Like the offer, Hanna received from our side." She turned to face him. "Let's address things for what they are… it will prevent misunderstandings."
'She doesn't believe me.' He gathered that from her words and actions so far. It made him question, how was he going to use her if she keeps seeing through his motives.
"It makes me happy to see that the queen chose to reconsider the proposal. I will keep what I promised." He needed her to trust him for his plan to work. She was the important piece of the puzzle.
"I would like to see that," her voice was playful like she was calling his bluff.
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Jheng House:-
"where is Rumi?" Sumin asked a servant as soon as he strode through the house gates.
"In her room, young master."
Sumin rushed to his sister's room. "Rumi!" he called standing outside the door. His sister had been upset since she returned from the palace after the dismissal of the queen selection process. She had a high chance of becoming the queen if everything had gone as it was supposed to.
The door opened. Rumi was still upset. She returned to sit by the window, gazing outside.
"Have you eaten anything?" he stepped closer to her.
"um," she hummed.
He smiled and crouched down. "I am meeting you after two days. Is that how you will greet me?"
No response.
He sat down giving a long sigh. "I have been running around preparing the city for the queen's welcome, didn't get time to sleep well, came home late at night… left early. I thought seeing my dear sister would ease my tired eyes…" he sighed again, "… but maybe I will have to leave again without getting to talk to her."
"Why were you doing all that? The king doesn't have other people to do it!" she said angrily. "Are you the Inspector General or his servant?!" she scolded.
"That's what I thought. But I had orders to ensure security around the city with all the rumors going around," he complained with a long face. "The welcome should go smooth, that's what Queen-mother said."
"Aunt ordered you... Don't listen to her. First, she kicked me out then orders my brother around. Huh," she was fuming, letting all her frustration out. "She doesn't care about her niece at all..."
He smiled at her scornful look. "I would have been known as the queen's brother if that fool hadn't accepted the marriage proposal."
"Let's not talk to Queen-mother from now on. Anyone could have dealt with the security but she personally asked me to do it."
"She should favor us but she is making you overwork." She was yelling like the queen-mother was there. She took an angry breath.
"It serves them right to have a scary Queen like her. I wish she makes them suffer." She said in one breath.
"Yes. I am sure she will." Sumin enthusiastically supported his sister. he suppressed his smile to look grumpy like Rumi.
"She looks like she will. She is too proud to…"
"You saw her?" she cut him off.
"Yes. I escorted her to the queen's residence." He added. "She had a scary look on her face, eyebrows arched, big piercing eyes and she had an even scary-looking bodyguard."
Rumi was listening carefully, as he added more details her small almond eyes grew bigger and bigger.
"Her guard, is he tall and hairy like the soldiers in her army?" Her waves of anger were washed away by curiosity.
"No!" he made his eyes bigger like sharing a secret. "It's a woman. She is tall and has wood for a face. No expression, no emotion, nothing."
"A woman guard?!" she gasped. "I want to see her."
"Who? The guard"
"Yes. And the queen too. Take me with you when you go next time," she grabbed his hand. Her almond eyes twinkled with hope.
"I can't. Even palace officials aren't allowed inside Queen's residence. I work in civil department... 'outside' the palace," He stated.
"And even if I took you there, what will you say? I have come to see the queen as if she is an exotic horse?"
"Her guard will run her sword through your tiny head." he gently slapped her head.
"Please, I will be discrete. Just watch her and go home." She pleaded. "I lost the king to her. I should at least know what she looks like. Please…"
He contemplated. "Alright. I will take you with me tomorrow. The wedding ceremony is open to all higher officials."
She squeezed into him happily. "My sweet Brother. I have the best brother."
"But don't leave my side," he demanded.
"I won't" Rumi promised, nodding her small head happily.
Sumin was pleased to see his younger sister smiling and excited after so long. He kissed her forehead as he shared more of what he knew about the queen, her guard, and her army.
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