The next morning the light had long since given way to the golden hues of the afternoon when the rush of servants barged into my chamber, their hands upon me before my mind had fully grasped the urgency of the hour.
"Is it still early?" I murmured, my voice thick with sleep as I rubbed the dreams from my eyes.
"No, Lady Aaliyah, it's 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and you must be ready by 7," one servant implored, her eyes wide with a panic that seemed to seep into the very air. With a firm grip, she ushered me toward the bathroom, the door closing with a soft but firm click behind me.
"Hurry up and take your shower," she called through the wood, her tone brooking no argument.
A laugh escaped me, a sound that felt out of place amidst the haste. "This must be the first time I've slept in so long," I thought, the warm water cascading over me, washing away the remnants of slumber.
