The Queen of Aramdeau

Chapter 6: The Dowager Queen

Daniela's ladies brought her a pale green dress that shimmered when it caught the light. Flowers were embroidered so delicately in matching thread that you could only see them from certain angles. It felt like she was drowning in fabric when she put it on, but in the mirror she actually looked taller than usual, and rather stately.

Lynnette brought out two long strings of pearls, one to wind in her hair, and the other with a large green gem that hung as a pendant.

"It's called tourmaline," Lynette said.

"That is exquisite. The king is quite generous with you, my lady," Marie smiled.

"It is what a princess deserves," Paulina said stiffly.

"And a queen deserves even more!" Nicole laughed, admiring the jewelry.

Daniela thought it was excessive. But maybe it was how things were done here. Given her upbringing in a convent, she doubted her own ideas on the subject.

"How many new dresses have been prepared for me?" she asked.

"Perhaps twenty?" Marie said. "There is one for each day before the wedding and for all the festivities afterwards."

"Would you like to see the wedding dress?" Lynette offered.

"Oh, yes, please! Let's see it!" Nicole exclaimed, earning a pointed cough from Paulina.

"Very well." Daniela laughed at her friend's excitement. "Please bring it, Lynette."

Lynette returned with a bundle of crisp white fabric. She laid it out on the bed while the women gathered around. She pulled the white fabric back, and they saw that the white fabric wasn't the dress at all. Beneath the white protective wrap were a thousand tiny, diamond-like jewels. Silver thread bound each jewel together, and in the spaces between them it twisted into wispy vines and delicate leaves.

Daniela ran her hand lightly across the surface of the crystalline dress. How could human hands craft such detail? It was bumpy like a thousand little pebbles, but there were no sharp edges or roughness. And the inside was lined with smooth, slippery silk.

Truly, it was all too much. Of course the Ternhaligon family was rich, but surely they did not have this much wealth to throw around. Brasador's royal family certainly did not, and Aramdeau was the smaller of the two countries.

There was no time now to think on the matter; she had an appointment with the dowager queen. As Daniela walked to the queen's sitting room, every hall she passed was buzzing with wedding preparations. There seemed to be many guests staying at the castle.

Queen Imelda smiled openly when Daniela joined her. The table was set with ceramic cups and small bowls filled with dried plants and herbs.

"I hope you are settling in well? Nothing has been overlooked?" the dowager queen asked. As they spoke, she took a small spoon and scooped rose buds into two little cups. She poured hot water over the flowers, then drizzled honey into each cup.

"No indeed, Your Highness, everyone has been most attentive."

"Please, call me Imelda, dear. There are very few people I get to hear my name from." She picked up a square of shortbread and bit into it casually, so Daniela felt at ease to do the same.

"I prefer Daniela, as well. I'm used to it. I think it will be hard for my lady, Nicole, to remember my title."

"Ah, that friendly young woman! Yes, I believe I met her last night. She tried to tell me a joke about a toad and some other animal. I'm afraid I didn't understand it at all."

"Yes, she is outgoing, I hope she was not impertinent."

Queen Imelda shook her head. "You are very lucky to have a friend like that. It will not be easy for either of you to adjust to life here. Having each other will make all the difference."