Valeria savored the next few days. At night, she slept in peace, unburdened by the fear that the king might appear at her door. She smiled more, chatting and laughing with Gloria and Beth. Gloria even brought her a few books, which Valeria devoured as she sat by the window, treasuring these quiet moments since her forced marriage to the king. She pushed all her worries to the back of her mind, treating this as a brief, stolen reprieve from her new reality. Perhaps it was wrong to cope by ignoring her problems, but if she didn't, she feared she would lose herself in the isolation of this room.
Every day, she eagerly awaited Gloria or Beth's arrival with her meals, craving even the smallest dose of human interaction. Sometimes, the walls around her seemed to close in, pressing down with a suffocating weight. It had been nearly three weeks since she was locked in this room when, one afternoon, Gloria and Beth hurried in, their faces alight with urgency. A dreadful chill spread through her at the thought that something had happened. Had the king returned?
"Speak. Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?" Valeria asked, her eyes darting between the two maids, noting their wide-eyed expressions.
"My lady, the other wives… they've invited you for tea," Beth said, excitement evident in her voice.
Valeria didn't know if she should share in Beth's enthusiasm. She knew the king had four other wives besides herself, but had never met them. The invitation felt both like a potential reprieve and a trap.
"Why? And… am I allowed to leave this room to meet with them?" Valeria asked, wary of this unexpected situation.
Gloria answered this time, her tone calmer than Beth's. "They want to meet the king's new wife. They would have invited you sooner, but since the king isn't here, they were unsure. However, they decided they shouldn't wait any longer. And yes, my lady, you're allowed to leave your room—since the wives have given their permission. While the king is away, they hold authority in the castle, and they've arranged for you to join them for tea this afternoon."
"This afternoon?" Valeria's pulse quickened. "But I'm not prepared! What will they want from me? What will I have to do? Are they… are they like the king?"
Before her anxiety could spiral further, Gloria cut in, her voice steady. "My lady, you can ask all the questions you like, but first, let's get you ready for the meeting. The king's wives will be waiting."
Valeria nodded, and soon enough, the maids began fussing over her. She was given a long, luxurious bath, scented with oils as they scrubbed her clean. Then, as they started working on her hair, Valeria continued her inquiries about the king's other wives.
"What are they like? What are their names? Who holds the most power among them?"
Gloria answered as she and Beth arranged Valeria's hair. "As you may know, there are four other wives. The first is around the same age as the king, so she's thirty-five. All of the king's wives are roughly the same age as him; none, aside from you, is under thirty. His first wife's name is Lara. She was promised to the king from childhood, so they've known each other a long time. She's cold and reserved, never showing any weakness, but as long as you don't cross her, she won't trouble you.
"Then there's his second wife, Aisha. She was given to the king as a gift from a distant country. She's very reserved and hardly speaks to anyone. The third wife, Athea, could be dangerous. She's cunning and always seeks the king's favor, willing to harm others to achieve her goals. And lastly, there's Lydia, the fourth wife. She's actually Athea's cousin. That marriage happened purely so Athea could have an ally at court. Her family's estate is far from the palace, but they pushed persistently for Lydia to be married to the king, and he eventually agreed."
Valeria took in all this information, puzzled by the king's decision to marry her when she was so much younger than his other wives. She couldn't know that the king had preferred her to be older, but her spirit and character had intrigued him so deeply that he couldn't resist. Even so, Valeria knew little about these women, unsure whether to regard them as friends or enemies.
"So, is Lara the queen of Castell?" Valeria asked. "Doesn't that mean she has the most influence?"
"No, my lady," Gloria corrected gently. "The king hasn't appointed any of his wives as queen, since none have borne him an heir."
"Why doesn't the king have an heir yet?" Valeria pressed.
Beth leaned in, ever the one for gossip. "It's said that the king doesn't… share his bed with his wives. He only spent a single night with each, just to seal the marriage. Another maid told me he's still searching for the right woman to bear his heir."
Gloria shushed Beth with a sharp look, chastising her for spreading rumors, but her words had already ignited a spark of hope in Valeria. If this was true, then perhaps she might be spared. Perhaps she'd only have to endure a single night, after which the king might leave her alone as he had with the others.
But then another thought struck her.
"Does that mean… that my marriage to the king isn't sealed yet? Since we… didn't complete the wedding night?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her voice.
Beth and Gloria exchanged surprised looks, considering her question. After a moment, Beth nodded. "Now that you mention it, that might be true…"
But Gloria, noticing the spark in Valeria's eyes, quickly tempered her expectations. "But it won't be long before the king corrects that, my lady. Once he's back, he will… consummate your marriage."
Valeria's hope dimmed but didn't disappear entirely. She just needed to find a way to escape before the king returned. Another question, however, weighed on her mind.
"I… still don't know what exactly it means to 'consummate the marriage,'" she admitted, looking up at the two maids.
Beth shrugged, glancing awkwardly at Gloria. "Don't ask me—I've no idea either!"
Valeria and Beth turned their curious eyes to Gloria, who huffed in mild exasperation. "Shush, you two! You're not supposed to talk about things like that."
"But I am already a married woman," Valeria argued, a hint of pleading in her tone. "Beth can cover her ears while you tell me."
Gloria shook her head firmly. "No, my lady. That's something your husband will explain when the time comes. Now, let's finish preparing you. The king's wives are already waiting."
Valeria saw the determination in Gloria's gaze and knew that arguing would be pointless. Resigned, she let them finish her preparations. They dressed her in a simple yet elegant emerald-green gown that perfectly complemented her dark brown hair, which they styled with a few delicate braids. When she looked at her reflection, she barely recognized the woman staring back at her—a lady of grace and poise, even if her heart was still weighed down with apprehension.