The Queen's Girl

Kal and Lianne

Lianne narrowed her eyes. She was watching a maid she didn't recognize take a pile of neatly folded linens to the Queen's Suite. The ebony doors opened, and the Mistress of the Household let her through.

Lianne frowned. Who in all the worlds was this? She waited.

When the maid came back out, Lianne scrunched her nose in distaste. She looked like a kitchen drudge, her hair wrapped up in a kerchief, ash smudged on her cheek. She waited until the maid got close enough to her, then held out her arm and stopped her. "You. What's your name?"

"Kal, ma'am, and what's yours, eh?" Her country accent was thick.

"Nevermind you who I am. Where did you come from? Who are you attending?"

"Aw, they got me when they picked up the new Girl," she said casually. "Did I do summat wrong? I gotta get back down to the laundry."

"What do you know of the new Girl?" Lianne asked directly.

Kal smiled coyly. "I might know something. For a price."

The lady's maid advanced on her. "I can crush you, little laundry drudge."

"I hail from farmland, bitch," Kal retorted sharply. "Try me. Want a morsel of information? Pay me." She held out her hand.

Lianne, who had never physically hurt anyone beyond a slap, paused. She didn't like this ugly little barbarian one bit, but she wasn't about to risk the humiliation of a black eye from an uncivilized fist. She curled her lip. "Fine, slag." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few coppers, which she dropped into her outstretched palm.

"That it?" Kal asked sardonically. "Thought the lady's maids had deeper pockets than this pittance." She pocketed the coppers. "Her hair is blonde and her eyes are blue."

"That's it?"

"Want more? Pay more."

Lianne snarled. "Get out of my sight. I'll see to it you learn your manners, too. Don't think I can't touch you."

Kal grinned toothily at her. "Try me any time, turnspit. You want some more information? Pay me better."

Lianne scowled. "Country pisspot."

Kal grinned, and pushed past Lianne's arm.

"Wait!"

Kal turned back and raised her brow. "Time is money."

"Here's three gold coins. Tell me what you know."

"That's more like it," said the drudge. "They say the Queen is infatuated with her, and I can see it. She knows what makes Her Majesty happy. She comes from modest upbringing, likes flower tea, and fucks the Queen with abandon. Fresh linens are a routine cycle."

"I'll pay you handsomely for more information over the course of the next two weeks." Lianne stepped forward threateningly. "But it had better be good information. Something useful. You need to bring me what you're worth, if you want more gold."

The drudge stepped forward as well, closing the distance between the two women. "You'll get what you get and if you want it, you'll pay." She jutted out her chin. "Got it?"

Lianne scowled. She huffed. She hated doing business with characters such as she. "Tomorrow. Same time. After you deliver the linens."

The drudge said, "I'm glad you understand." She turned and left.

Lianne huffed, but she did not tarry. She needed to get this information to her princess as fast as possible. Yulia would want to know everything she could possibly glean. Blonde hair, blue eyes? She must be from the north. Most of the people from the area the drudge was brought from were brunette or black haired. She began putting together a picture of this strange new Girl for her mistress.

Kal rounded the corner and ran down the hall. She skidded to a stop, quietly hit a hidden button in a panel, and disappeared into a hidden door.

When she emerged, she was in the Queen's Suite, pulling the kerchief from her raven hair and using it to scrub the ash from her face. The Queen was still asleep, and Madge was there watching over her. When Kal returned, Madge stood and helped her out of the maid's uniform and into a soft robe. "How was it?" The Mistress asked.

Kal grinned. "Just fine. And after two weeks, I'll have a nice donation for a charity."

Madge shook her head, and smiled. "You're full of surprises, My Lady. Will you be requiring this anymore?" She held up the uniform.

"Yes. For a little bit longer, at least."

The Mistress of the Household folded it, and placed it into an unused drawer in a bureau. "Remember it rests here."

"Thank you very much for your help tonight."

"I think you and I shall get along. I like your spirit, and you are already vastly different from the Princess Yulia. It is good for Her Majesty. It is good for all of us."

Kal blushed. "Well...I..."

Madge smiled, and gestured. "To bed with you. Your Queen needs you even in sleep."

Kal turned even redder. "She does."