universality
"My Queen, you___."
"If this is important, Dez, then you damn sure need to pause my Buffy before you start droning on. I thought we had established that since I was the only one in the house, I was spending the entire day binge watching and pigging out on food of my own choosing. I can't do that if you're interrupting me, so if this isn't about my family then I don't want to hear it."
"It is, my Queen."
Since she was choosing to watch her show upside down while her head was hanging off the bed, it took her a minute to sit up. "Is it an emergency?"
"No, my Queen. You have company at your front door. Since you have not moved into your room on board the ship, I cannot give them entrance."
She materialized at the front door. "What does this have to do with my family?" She asked as she opened the door.
"It is your family standing at the door, my Queen. Along with Frick."
Frick grinned at her and shoved a bottle of purple liquid at her. "My fee for entry."
She frowned. "That's not exactly the way it works." She had to move over and let him in or be run over.
"If you move to the ship, then I wouldn't have to lug heavy jars of drink around. Greet your brother and sister because I'm staying to take the midday meal with you, but they have other people who require their attentions."
Her brother and sister would seem to be Frey and Alric.
A frail and sad Fray. Her smile lied and held joy.
The boy and girl bowed their heads.
"It is with much gladness that we welcome you to the family, my sister, my Queen. It is tradition that the occasion be marked with the giving of drenassas." Fray removed a necklace from around her neck that resembled many scarves tied together. "Once upon a time one could wear so many of these that their necks would be covered up to their chins, but now families are small, and we are lucky to have any. This one represents that you have a sister now. Another sister. It will be an honor if you will accept me into your family and I will make it a life's quest to only bring you honor."
She bowed her head so that Frey could slip the necklace over her head. Afterwards, Frey smiled and held her hand up. Seeing that she wanted her to do the same, Jess held up her hand. The other girl placed her hand just shy of touching hers.
"My mate before all, then my King and Queen, then my family."
Frey bowed her head again. "I am your servant, my Queen."
"Sister is good enough, Frey."
She raised her head and offered a small smile. "As you like, my Queen."
"Any way you can just call me Jess?"
"You will have to get over it, Jez. Other than me and the humans, no one else will ever call you anything else other than my Queen. It is the way of things. There are some big changes coming, but that will never change."
Alric removed a drenassas from around his neck. "It is with much gladness that I welcome you to the family, my sister, my Queen. This one represents that you have a brother now, and I have been blessed with two more sisters. You do me an honor if you will accept me into your family and I will make it a life's quest to only bring you honor and to make you proud."
As soon as his necklace was around her neck, he held up his hand for hers. "My mate before all, then my King and Queen, then my family."
Instead of bowing his head, he took out his sword and repeated the ceremony the guards had done two days before. "All Hail the Queen."
"You may rise."
Frick smiled. "Good, now go away. I want time with her."
"My Queen, if it pleases you, may we return this night and offer our drenassas to our sister Meline? It is truly an honor to have a sister who is so young."
"You can." She liked Frey and she hated seeing her looking so lost.
"My Queen, may I request a chance to glaze upon Thaddeus this night as well? It has been so long since my eyes have set upon a baby."
"Eat your heart out, though I wouldn't be much of a sister if I didn't warn you about the little dude's mood swings."
"Can I see him as well?" Frick asked with entirely too much enthusiasm.
"Sure. And you both can hold him too. My aunt would love a chance at a long hot bath. I'm not crazy enough to take on that chore, and even Julian runs and hides when Aunt Sarah is looking for someone."
Frey's eyes lit up.
