She Sings at Dawn

XVI. Dinner Announcement

There's only time for a partial bath before dinner, so I spend half an hour in rose-scented water. Afterward, not a trace of "dusty road smell," as Matilda remarked when she first saw me, remains.

Matilda slips from my room to get another towel, and I decide to start dressing in a plain, dark blue dress. There's a quick knock at my door before Matilda reappears.

"Can you get the laces?" I ask.

Matilda pauses, scanning me from head to toe. "Are you sure you want to wear that dress?"

"Yes, why not?"

Matilda squeezes the towel. "Perhaps you should wear something more special."

"Why?"

She shrugs and offers a nervous smile. "Just a thought." She wraps the towel around my head, then opens my wardrobe. Hangers scrape along the metal bar holding them up. "What about this? There's still time to change." A red evening gown sweeps from the wardrobe. I blink at it, then at Matilda.

"I have no reason to look nice tonight," I say. "Unless you know something I don't."

"Well, it's just that we have so many guests these days...you want to look your best and make a good impression."

My chest deflates with a sigh. "Fine." I know Matilda means well, but my attire isn't my top priority these days.

I duck into the bathroom. Silken material slinks over my waist, rippling outward at my knees. The sleeves hang off my shoulders, and the bodice dips into a banded sweetheart neckline. I don't want to wear this around guests. It feels too revealing.

"Five minutes!" Matilda calls.

And there's no chance to change. I guess I'm stuck in the red dress.

When I exit the bathroom, Matilda's waiting with a diamond necklace. The stones and metal chain cool my skin as she sets it around my neck. I grab a black shawl from my wardrobe before leaving to dress the look down several degrees.

I enter the Imperial Dining Hall just as everyone else finds their seats around the long table. For some reason, the amount of people around the table seems to grow each time I enter. Now, instead of barely using a third of the space, the table is nearly filled with guests. The strangest part is how unfamiliar the people look. I can usually recognize the members of the Royal Court due to my lessons, but many around me I can't place, though I'm certain some are from visiting kingdoms.

Clemaina smirks as I find my seat across from her. "Well, isn't that a fitting dress?"

She's probably making a pun about how tight it is, but I don't let it bother me.

"My maid picked it out, and there wasn't enough time to change."

"She picked well," Clemaina says. I can't tell if she's trying to irritate me or if her definition of a compliment differs from mine.

A hush sweeps through the room. All are seated except Uncle Rothbart, who stands on my right.

"I have a very important announcement to make," he says. "This has been a very difficult time for our kingdom. The death of King Ivandor came as a shock to all. I don't anticipate that our mourning will abate anytime soon. However, we do need to appoint a new leader to the throne. The Royal Court has decided to hold a ball in two weeks in order to crown our next queen."

A sprinkling of applause rises from the table.

"All of you are invited to this banquet," Uncle Rothbart continues, "As well as the other kingdoms we are allied with. Hopefully, after a month of mourning, we will be able to enjoy the coronation of our new ruler. Until then, I will continue to be the acting executive."