Lily of the valley

27

Queen Thea heard sweet whispers dripping from the fleshy tongues of her handmaidens, they lounged together on the roof of the palace under a red canopy. They drank wine and ate fresh imported fruits. The message reached the Queen in the midst of playing cards, her ringed fingers were laced around the Queen of diamonds. They had a panoramic view of the entire city from its highest point, it was a sea of glinting gold and vibrant busy humanity.

"Bring them to me." Thea commanded, she would see for herself whether the claimant was legitimate. She had met Katherine only once, as a babe, but thought she could remember the fair eyes of her beloved sister anywhere. Her message was passed backwards, down through the same channels that Katherine's message had used to rise.

The commander of the city guard burst through the doors of doctor Swift's surgery, his face was red from rushing through the desert streets. He was panting and relying on the stone wall to hold himself up. All the years of smoking and drinking had wrecked havoc on his fitness.

"Commander welcome. How can I help you?" Dr Swift emerged from the back rooms where he had been entertaining his esteemed guests. Sir Robert followed the doctor at hearing the voice of his superior, he had great hope that along with the commander came an invitation to the palace.

"You have her here?" The commander looked around the rustic chambers, it was no place for a royal, he almost couldn't believe it. "The flower of the mountain?"

"Yes, come." Dr Swift beckoned for the commander to follow into his lounge where Katherine and Lily waited. At the sight of the princess the commander dropped to his knees and kissed her hand, his beard tickled her skin. To him she was a beacon of shining beauty, a rare jewel, he could see her regality through her ragged clothes and matted hair and knew that the Queen would see it too. She was also a symbol of enterprise, of climbing the ladder, he had the same thoughts that had rushed through Robert's mind. In a city made of gold ambition is a stranger to no man.

"Yes, this is surely the lost princess." The commander paused, privately exalting his find. "Come at once, the Queen is not a patient woman." He stood from his kneeling position, wincing at the pain in his knees, he was not as young as he once had been. He took in the attire of the ladies of the mountain, they were filthy and ragged. "First we will stop by my house and get you cleaned up." The commander beckoned for Lily and Katherine to follow and they did, though Lily was slowed and her mind faint.

They stepped out into the glaring heat of the city, the streets were winding and alive. They passed more people than they had seen their entire lives, there were stalls of fruit, fabrics and jewels. The men behind the goods tables called out to them, offering deals and prices. Katherine and Lily scurried after the commander, struggling to keep up as he effortlessly weaved his way through a crowd of nobility. They all wore clothes of light silk, and styled their hair loosely, each of them was decorated with mass amounts of gold. The ladies of the mountain were drenched with sweat.

"Nearly there, hurry along." The city streets opened up into a vast square, the grandeur of the buildings was breathtaking. There was a temple that glowed red with rubies, its domes reached so high that low wisps of cloud wrapped around the turret peaks. The commander lived around the back of the cathedral, in a small, highly decorated manor.

A stocky elderly woman with two grey plaits down to her waist greeted them at the door, she was carrying a woven basket of freshly washed clothing.

"Harold, you had better have a good reason for being home from work already! And who have you dragged back with you?" The woman was instantly likeable in her scolding, she had a matronly warmth about her.

"I do Marsha, put that down please, I need you." Marsha huffed at the request but set the basket down on a chair by the door regardless.

"You'll only complain later when your clothes aren't done. What do you need?"

"These two ladies have a meeting at the palace later, would you get them cleaned up and put them in some nice dresses? Use Matilda's if you must, Matilda was the commanders wife. I'll be back in an hour, I have some errands to run. Look after them." And with that the commander ducked back out of his front door and disappeared down the street.

"Well I suppose you had better follow me ladies, this way." Masha set off down the corridor further into the manor and the travellers followed suit. At the centre of the commanders house was an open topped courtyard, climbing roses adorned the columns that held up the roof. There was a bubbling marble fountain in the middle of the square space.

Masha took them into a room coated with wooden panels, it had no windows, the only light came from gas lamps. A gift from the elves to the city of sunlight that they so adored. A large circular pool of lukewarm, fresh water was set into the ground.

"I'll go get you some towels, go on get in." Masha left the private baths, giving Katherine and Lily some privacy to get undressed. They gladly peeled off their ripped and filthy clothes, they were still dressed in the serving garb from Queen Isolde's castle. They had not had chance to wash in weeks and in the desert heat it had become extremely uncomfortable.

The water refreshed and cleansed the ladies of the mountain, they felt renewed, revived. Masha seated herself in a wooden rocking chair in the corner of the room. She occupied herself with knitting, though woollen goods were

"A meeting at the palace, fancy that. What did you do to deserve that?" Masha enquired, her questioning was friendly and unthreatening.

"Have you heard of the flower of the mountain?" Lily asked back, their situation was somewhat difficult to explain.

"Afraid not dearie." Katherine fumbled for the right words to explain how they had got to where they were, but Lily cut in before her.

"It's the title of the mountain princess," Lily pointed to Katherine and Marsha understood that she sat in the company of royalty. Though it did not phase her.

"And how did you end up here?" Marsha asked, not taking her gaze away from her needles and yarn.

"We ran into some trouble on the road to Maequil... but hopefully the Queen will help us." Katherine answered, running her fingers through her wet hair.

"I'm sure she will. Now best get you both prettied up, come 'ere." Marsha stood and set her knitting down on the chair, she had brought in two of Matilda's best gowns and some golden jewellery. Though compared to the fashion within the palace walls the garments were drab. It would do. Katherine and Lily dried themselves as Marsha prepared to dress them, for Katherine she chose red silk and pale blue for Lily. Lily had never had someone dress her before, she had always been the one to dress Katherine. Though it was strange at first she found a delight in it. The jewels were heavy and their hair dried quickly and in healthy waves due to the heat. Side by side in their equal finery Lily outshone Katherine, Lily's bright hair and dark eyes brought vibrant attention to her face.

"That's much better, you both look beautiful." Marsha squeezed their shoulders and they began to feel nervous. Now they were ready, all preened and pampered, to face the infamous Queen of sunlight. She was said to possess otherworldly grace and beauty, with a wicked sense of cruelty and manipulation.

The commander met them in the drawing room, their transformation stole his breath. No longer were they lost, desperate girls but powerful women.

"Are you ready?" The commander asked the ladies. They nodded in response and so he led them out into the evening light towards the palace.