Right to the Night

Chapter Twenty-Six

Elisabete laid in her tub as one healer was washing her hair as another was filing her nails and cleaning them. Once that was finished, they scrubbed down her body and made sure every inch of her was clean. They then waxed her underarms and legs, much to her disliking, not liking the pain.

"As the king's mistress, you will have to get used to the pain, my lady." One healer told her.

Elisabete nodded her head and they allowed her a short break to eat her lunch. Elisabete sat on the balcony in her robe with her hair wrapped in a towel as she ate with Iona across from her. Iona kept her eyes down on her plate as she barely ate any of the food.

"Iona, what's the matter?" Elisabete asked.

"It's nothing." Iona replied.

"Surely, it is something." Elisabete chuckled.

"If I say you'll hate me." Iona spoke.

"Iona, whatever it is you have to say, I'd never hate you." Elisabete told her.

"Alright. It's just... I don't enjoy working for you knowing that we once left this palace together going back to the same old dingy houses and lifestyle. Now, I have to work for you like this. I have to work for someone who once was like me in every way, constantly making me think I'll never be in a better position. Working for you makes me think I'll always be a maid. I'll never get anywhere in life and I hate thinking that way." Iona explained to her.

Elisabete stared at her in disbelief. She couldn't believe that she had been so obsessed with everything going on in her life that she forgot about her friends and family around her.

"I didn't know you felt that way. I'm sorry." Elisabete replied.

"It's not your fault. They're my own feelings and I don't want to feel that way. I love you and you're my best friend, but I can't help it." Iona told her.

"What do you want me to do?" Elisabete asked.

"There's nothing you can do. You can't make my feelings go away. I have to do that. I know all it is is jealousy but I can get over it. I just don't know when." Iona replied.

"I'm sorry I've made you feel this way." Elisabete said.

"It's not your fault, Elisabete. It's not your fault you and the king fell in love. But trust me, those in the court will be even angrier and more jealous than I am." Iona told her.

"Why?" Elisabete asked.

"You were born as one of the baser people of this realm and have made your way to the top, above all of them. Everyone in that court was born rich. They will all be envious of who and that is never a good thing." Iona explained to her.

Later in the day, as the sun was beginning to set, Iona helped Elisabete into one of the dresses. It was the most extravagant one. It was a light pink dress that was form fitting to her body. There was a dark pink strip around her body under breasts were the dress' body began. On the bottom, the middle of the chest, and the hem of the sleeves of the dress, it was embellished with purple, gold, and green gems and crystals. The sleeves were short and round and the chest was in a square shape, a little high on her as not to reveal anything. Iona chose gold and purple earrings to wear. The necklace she wore was simple. It consisted of small gold beads that met where a gold triangle, pointing downward, was placed at the center of her chest. Her shoes were golden with pink jewels all around it. Due to her already short hair, Iona kept her hair down but kept it behind her ears to show off her jewels. She then placed a simple pink headband in her hair and did her make-up.

"No make-up." Elisabete said.

"Why not? You'll be washed out and gossiped about. All the women wear it." Iona told her.