Lady of Power

Arrival at Greyscalde Palace: Spring, year 286

        The horses and carriages pulled into the palace courtyard as the sun was setting over Embalta the capitol of Norgaard. The king was hailed by trumpeters and heralds and soldiers bowing to him and greeting him with effusive praise. Fine ladies and Lords, servants and pages gathered"Well you cannot fault her for that." "She has been in the forest all these years." "She is probably wearing what she used to in those days." "That's not entirely her fault."
    "She looks angry and scared." Said one of the servants, "I would be." Said another of the maids as grooms came to take the horses, "I thought you'd be enjoying all this." The other maid said, "Well no." Said the first watching a stable boy shovel horse droppings, "If I'd been used to being in my home and told I couldn't go back."
    "But to be Queen and be waited on by all these folk." Said the second maid Uria, "That's all fine but if she's Faerie she'll be used to the wilderness and all the energy of the forest, the freedom to go about picking apples and helping in the village." "I'd be worried if she wasn't scared."
    "Don't you two have other things to do?" Asked one of the noblewomen coming to stand near them, "Yes Milady." They murmured, "Then get to it then." She said sailing past in a perfume of roses. "See there, a noble just says this and you do it." "The queen, her word is law."
    "You will want a bath perhaps Highness." Said the marchioness Belinda as several of the ladies entered, "I'll get it." Said Réalta, "Where's the tin bath." The ladies all chuckled. They led her to a marble bath with a ledge all around it filled with the scent of candles. It was already filled with hot steaming water. Rose petals floated on top. "Thank you." Said Réalta, "This is better than back home." "I'll just put my clothing here, it could be washed but I don't have much to wear."
    "Ah your Highness." Said another of the ladies, "There are some garments, five gowns from one of the Queens past." "They might fit you." Réalta looked around for somewhere to drop the clothing, "Just droop it there your highness someone will pick it up." "You there girl."
    A timid girl with golden hair came forward severely braided back under a hood of green pushed back a little. "Yes Milady." She said sweeping into a curtsey, "Take those garments and." "Not the cloak." Said Réalta, "Its my favorite." "Brush the cloak after its been washed but take the rest of these garments and distribute them amongst each other." Said the noblewoman. "Why must you all stay in here while I bathe?" Asked Réalta, "We must attend upon your every need and one of those is bathing you and seeing your hair washed." Said the Marchioness, "I've been bathing myself since I was six years old." Said Réalta with a laugh, "But if you all insist."
    Once she had been bathed and her hair brushed and braided there was a gown of blush pink silk with ivory lace for her to wear.Trumpets sounded throughout the palace, "That is the summons to the evening meal." Said the Marchioness. She paled at this. "You will not sit by the king as you aren't married to him but you will sit near him."
    Courtiers all walk toward the great hall. The Marchioness gestured to the dais. The hall was large with fluted columns and marble floors. Tapestries of gold and silver thread and woven expertly showed the grand courts and all the amusements of the court. A balcony ran along the upper part of the hall with stairs flush against the wall. those not allowed to dine in the hall with the king or wanted to see the royals eat walked up and down watching the gathered throng eat below.
    People were quiet as she approached the dais and stepped up the three steps to the table and sat a few feet down the table. She was joined by no one and she signaled to the Marchioness to join her.
    Several ladies looked quite angry at this but the Marchioness rose and knelt before the king's chair then rose and sat beside her. "Was that not allowed?" Asked Réalta as another trumpet sounded and the king entered the hall helped by his pages. "You are a Princess, not just a princess, there aren't any Princesses at the moment but even if there were as future wife of the king you would be highest in the land beneath the king, and the highest lady in the the land." "You may command what you will."
    "But isn't there etiquette about such things?" Asked Réalta, "There is such but it it is fashionable for the Queens to dictate the etiquette of the realm." "As long as someone isn't dining with you every night and you give others the chance to dine with you you may do as you please." "I don't know." Said the Marchioness, "If you are aware of proper dining etiquette."
    "You wonder if I am a savage?" Asked Réalta darkening, "Well highness no one would blame you for not knowing." Said the Marchioness, "Well I know how to eat ordinary food." Said Réalta, "So will you help me?" The marchioness bowed her head, "It is my pleasure to help you."
    "I could have anyone dine with me?" Asked Réalta, "Anyone you like your Highness." Said the Marchioness, "Then I should like that young girl who's pouring water over people's hands to dine with me." Said Réalta. "But Highness she's a servant, surely." "You say my word is law here." Said Réalta. The Marchioness ushered the girl close, "Find someone else to do that, the Princess wishes you to dine with us." Said the Marchioness cooly.
    The girl wearing the severely cut black gown of a servant curtseyed and ran off but realizing where she was she slowed taking steps daintily. She returned and curtseyed to the ladies and sat. the king looked their way, eyes widening but he turned as the first courses were brought in by kneeling page's.
The girl Marda looked overwhelmed as she sat there as the corses were brought toward Réalta's end of the table. "Only take what you like and send the rest down the table. The marchioness whispered as a platter of stuffed capons-were presented to her. "The King especially loves those." Réalta nodded to one of the pages who placed one on her plate then nodded to the king. The page went to serve the king from that platter. "Now." Said the Marchioness, "Cut the meat from the bones with your knife then nod to the page to take them away. "Bones will be used in soups to feed the poor." Réalta nodded and watched as the servant did the same.
"How long have you lived at the palace?" Asked Réalta as the servant ate, "I have worked here since me ma got a post before I was born." "I started working here when I was nine, as kitchen's maid." Said the girl, "Then twas 1 year ago when I was made hall maid, serving the ladies be like." "How old are you now?" Asked Réalta as her fingers were washed a bit later as the second corses were sent in. This time some venison and bear, and more game birds. The Marchioness pointed to her which were the King's favorites. Réalta sent t these to him and he distributed these among his favored friends.
"I be thirteen Milady." Said the servant, "You are speaking to Her Royal Highness Princess Réalta who soon will be your Queen, show some respect girl." Said the Marchioness. The girl bowed her head and ate the foods given her. "This food be fine and rich, better nor I thought it was."
Wild boar, joints of beef, and fish came next. The King was positively beaming as he first sent dishes to her first and those he favored were sent to him after she made her selections. As the fruits and cheeses were served between the meat corses and the desserts the Marchioness looked pointedly at Marda, "Perhaps its time you went about your duties." "No she may stay." Said Réalta. The Marchioness only nodded, "If it is your pleasure, but this will swell her head among the servants."
The dessert course was presented. "The king likes the custard and jellies." "Well he may have them since I couldn't eat those." "They look, a bit, odd to me." Said Réalta selecting some marzipan swans, a slice of pear and walnut cake, and a wafer spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Tea and fine cordials were poured around. The King rose after eating his dessert and withdrew.
"What now?" Asked Réalta, "You will be introduced to your ladies who will serve your household." "Tomorrow there will be seamstresses who will come and discuss a wardrobe with you." Said the Marchioness. Marda rose a bit giddily from her seat and curtseyed before leaving the hall. "She'll have a sore head tomorrow." Said the Marchioness, "I might have one as well." Said Réalta as she rose, "But you don't have to work tomorrow and the girl does." "All you will do is choose gowns and meet your household and perhaps discuss the wedding feast with the king between meals."
The next morning she did have a slight headache but rose and greeted her ladies. There were so many and they all did different things. Ladies of the bath helped her bathe and select scents for her bath, Ladies of the chamber kept it pristinely in order and ordered the chambermaids to tidy up. Ladies of the privy chamber served her in her private rooms and laid out garments the mistress of the robes selected for her to wear. then there were ladies of the day who walked with her, played games with her, hunted, or otherwise entertained her. Then there were the royal ladies who conversed with her shopped with her, helped with charity work, kept her company at night if she couldn't sleep, accompanied her on journeys with the king and so forth. Then there were the Maidens of honor who weren't quite royal but were usually the daughters of the royal ladies. these were supposed to brush her hair, play music for her, entertain her by singing, grooming any animals she might want to have, reading to her, or otherwise amusing her. These young girls were about her age or thereabouts.
All these ladies and maidens of honor were positions in her household who would all move up in importance once she became Queen. The Marchioness of course as lady of protocol-and etiquette was the Lady of honor who was in charge of those Maidens of honor. The lady of her household in charge of her day ladies and royal ladies was a woman, a Duchess by the name of Linerva.
The seamstresses came with cobblers furriers and milliners to make sure she had all she needed as Queen. "His Majesty has given you a generous allowance for your outlay." Said the Duchess as she showed the account books to Réalta. "For the payment of your servants you've also been given a nice stipend, and for your expenses you have your lands of course." Two of the maidens of honor were giggling over some furs laid out for Réalta's approval. "That reminds me?" Asked the Marchioness, "What colors for your livery?" "The king has green and white, but you may wish something different for your Maidens of honor." "Blue and white." Said Réalta looking through samples of fabric. She paused to eye cloth of fine threads which looked to be gold. As a forester she'd seen gold on one occasion. "That is cloth of gold." Said Duchess Linerva, "And this." She held up a silvery cloth, "Is cloth of silver." "The cloth is woven through with gold or silver thread to make this cloth."
"I would like that gold and silver." "But of course Highness." After all as the most powerful lady in the realm you are allowed to wear anything you wish." "For Winters I would like this." Said Réalta nodding to a plush snowy fur. The furrier looked pleased and bowed. "Highness you cannot just pick sturdy gowns." Had been the gentle reminder that had prodded her to choose more elaborate gowns, "That white fur is to line a set of winter wear for me, cape, gloves, and boots." She said peering at some silver damask cloth, "I want that made into a gown." She said.
"Your royal highness would you like to see what your wedding gown will look like?" Asked a seamstress, "It was the last queen's but we have designed it to look new." Réalta paused in the middle of talking with a cobbler about making some sea green shoes. She sighed. She'd forgotten that all this came with marrying a complete stranger, "Yes of course." She said after a few moments.
The seamstress brought out a doll. She wore a white silk gown decorated with diamonds and the sides had panels of cloth of silver. Her veil was more layers of a thinner material they called mist linen sewn with tiny seed pearls formed into blossoms with a silver pearl in the center. She would wear a simple chaplet of white flowers in her hair while she was being married, but be crowned once married.
"Its beautiful." She said softly as she eyed the doll. The next day the king invited her on a hunt. There she was presented with a selection of horses tho choose from. She chose a white mare and a fine Gyrfalcon for hawking. She knew of course how to ride. Any villager worth her salt would know how since many market days were spread out so that at one week they might be in one then another village the next turn about. Riding also allowed one to go to different places around the village to call on neighbors. Those who didn't ride were soon encouraged to ride. She'd had a pony when she learned to ride. But a year ago it had been put out to pasture to enjoy its old age.
As they rode they were greeted by people stopping to see their king and the soon to be Queen riding through the streets, "Tomorrow you and I will be ed, and you will be queen." The king was smiling broadly as he signaled some of his men to toss coins to the crowd. "Then we will have a feast for you."
"Why me?" Asked Réalta, "Because you are my last hope." Said the King, "I'm getting old, and I have no heirs to keep the line we have had since the beginning of the founding of Norgaard." Said the King. "We also need magical offspring to bring magic back into our kingdom." He glanced at her, "So why haven't you demonstrated your power yet?" "Your guardians said you had magic since you could toddle?" "Because its not a toy." Said Réalta, "But you must demonstrate your power to us." Said the king. "We must know it lives inside of you." "No one else knew magic, except for this older woman who died when I was thirteen." "She taught me all she knew." Said . "I will demonstrate my power if you wish though." She bent her head in concentration. After all her purse was full of coins. She could do this one thing, and it might help the poorer citizens. Suddenly a golden cloud rose from her cupped hands and floated over the citizens who lifted their heads to glance at its slowly revolving quality. Then with a puff of air it dispersed sending coins to rain over the people.
"I hope Majesty it meets with your approval?" Asked Réalta as the cloud and coins vanished.