Into the Villain's Mirror

Chapter 5 - Longing for Life

Living as a Queen in a medieval fairy tale land was not all that bad, Lucy decided after a while in her new body.

Lucy never learned the name of the original Queen because she was only ever addressed as 'Your Grace' by her retinue of servants, all who were cowed and frightened in her presence. Every morning she was awoken by one of them, carefully knocking on the wall panels that apparently hid the servant stairs (and would make a great place for assassins to enter or hide, Lucy thought silently). Then she was bathed either in steaming water that had been infused with fresh flower petals or in goat's milk mixed with honey - which Lucy quickly decided she didn't like, not only because it was a ridiculous waste of food but also because it made her skin all sticky. Afterwards different creams were applied to her face and oils to her hair (both out of unlabeled glass bottles from the Queen's vanity), the hesitant, light fingers of the young servant girl's never daring to even rip out a single strand with their brush strokes. Sometimes they even ground up actual pearls, big as Lucy's teeth, and dusted the powder over her skin. It was astonishingly decadent and an outright waste, as the powder was washed off the next day with her daily bath.

The most ridiculous thing about it was that Lucy didn't even like baths that much. She much preferred a quick, efficient shower and if she wanted to relax she would simply turn the water on hot and spend a few more minutes under the massaging spray. She had never understood why some people were addicted to stewing in what was essentially a big bowl of people-soup, full of dirt and sweat that had sluiced off their skin.

But Lucy never once told her servants to stop their daily, strenuous task. Though the pale faces and trembling fingers made guilt roll through her stomach like a ball of lead, she didn't want anyone to suspect that their mistress was no longer the same.

Acting in front of the servants wasn't too difficult. Lucy simply remained cold and stand-offish and snapped a few cruel warnings whenever she encountered the slightest inconvenience, like her most-elaborate robe having a small crease. But she could never bring herself to actually administer physical punishment, despite knowing that the original Queen probably liked handing it out like it was candy on Halloween.

(If you can't even bring yourself to punish them, how will you ever kill anyone?)

Thankfully her (questionable) acting talent wasn't actually required for more difficult tasks, like interacting with her husband. Through carefully worded inquiries she concluded that the King was currently out of the castle on a campaign, though she wasn't exactly sure what for. Was there a fight he needed to spearhead? Or was this simply one of his kingly duties, riding through the land and waving to his loyal subjects?

She didn't know who was handling the administrative part of the job in his absence, holding court or whatever was required of a King, but as no-one ever approached her with any questions, Lucy was happy to let sleeping lions lie. Tax and troops and whatever else needed to be decided were left to some of the king's trusted advisors, who all bowed low and deep whenever they crossed Lucy's path and never tried to pester her for any input. Sometimes she imagined she could detect a sliver of apprehension in the corner of their mouths, in their flitting eyes, but Lucy never paid it any mind. Whatever reputation she held among them wasn't one she wanted to contradict or accidentally deepen.

Sadly, it wasn't like no work was awaiting her. As Queen it was now her task to make decisions about the up-coming spring banquet (what types of flowers should be used? What food? Who would be invited?), organize multiple debutante balls for young girls to be introduced to court for the start of the season, when to next gather the ladies of the court for an 'intimate' (read: lavish and superficial) get-together and, strangest of all, when to go hunting.

Apparently the original Queen had been an avid and skilled huntress. No surprise there, really.

What was a surprise though was when Lucy suddenly found herself staring at a never-ending list of expenses, all detailed in finely written script. Apparently the King had decreed that his queen was responsible for the royal coffers, making decisions about everything within the castle, from the wages of the knights down to the produce that was to be purchased.