The Dawn of the Aurous Blade

13~ The Wreath Upon Pleated Hair

Sophie's hair was tucked into a careful plait before being rolled up into a crown about her head. The ceramic sculpted flowers and pearls softly complimented her rosemary-scented hair.

The handmaid was silent, almost quivering at times. Whether it be in awe and appreciation for dressing the almost queen for her coronation or in fear of the rumors of Sophie's character, she did not know. The maid tucked the billowing white chiton beneath the red corset, carefully laying the pleats to fall in perfect symmetry.

The bard in the corner carefully plucked at the strings of his lyre, gentle lyrics falling to the quiet women's ears like feathers resting atop a finally still river.

The maid carefully lifted her hand, freezing when Sophie's head instantly trained on it as if it were a loose arrow. Her eyes were fierce and trained on the maid. The maid stared at the gentle wet lashes cushioning the dulled brown eyes that had people talking around the corner of corridors and the deepest of gossiper's tongues. The maid swallowed and carefully lifted the eyeliner brush and pot of rich black pigment. Sophie muttered a soft apology and closed her eyes. The maid gently lined the red-rimmed eyes, the brush hiding the evidence of any torment of the queen with black.

"You are ready, my lady," The maid's head dipped as a goodbye, just as she had been taught to do. The maid's eyes were trained on the fine edge of Sophie's coronation dress. But when the assassin made no move to leave the room, the maid's head hesitantly rose.

Sophie stared in the mirror with an emotion that no one could truly place. Whether it be hesitance, terror, or maybe agony, all three bodies knew in that room was the minute Sophie left, all would change. Sophie stared at herself with the unrecognition reserved for a stranger. Yet it is a face she often wears now.

Sophei blinked once. Then again, before finally turning to the maid in bewilderment at returning to the world of the living.

"I-I'm sorry, my mind wandered. Thank you, Iris. Tell the Senate I shall be out in a moment," The maid stiffened at her name. They didn't tell her in the training school that the nobles she would serve would know her name. Iris's mouth opened and closed momentarily before clearing her throat for Sophie's attention, "The Senate could not attend today, my lady. It is a small coronation, highly exclusive. They decided that there were other matters that needed attention."

Sophie opened her mouth to push further information, but Iris fell back into a deep bow and waved to the bard to leave the woman in haste. The door closed with a soft click, and Sophie was left with her thoughts once again.

The Senate wasn't at the Coronation? They were the ones who pushed her to be the Queen, but they couldn't even attend the defining and name-altering event that puts her in the spotlight?

Two soft knocks at the door, and Sophie spun to meet it. Iris's head poked in once more. Her fingers tapped against the wooden frame as she whispered like a barn mouse, "The other maids in the chambers say they are dealing with the fallout of Senator Vincenzo's removal. It has created a bit of an uproar in the... community he was involved with."

Ah. That would take anyone's attention. Sophie blinked, and Iris was gone once more. Sophie turned to the massive mirror before her.

She liked it. The dress, at least. The plait on her head was too tight for her liking. And the perfume was smothering her in a pillow of rose and other feminine flowery scents. The council had chosen everything for the official coronation of the soon-to-be Queen Amalia, first of her name.

Everything except her shoes. They had left that one up to Sophie. Maybe they thought it too inconsequential to worry about. But they hadn't expected her to go without them entirely. If Sophie had any choice, any little thing that belonged to herself, it might as well be her shoes. Or lack thereof. They were the things no one saw tucked beneath her long flowing dresses. So that means no one would see her forgo them. It was like her own little secret.