AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Two years ago Sienna hated that he thought about love in such a way, but now—he was right. Not that she had any intention of telling him that. Carefully she slid from the blankets and placed her feet in the silk slippers next to her bed. She walked to her window and pushed the curtains aside half expecting to see the girl from last night standing somewhere on the lawn watching her back.
The grass and the gravel road were empty. She breathed a sigh of relief, making her way toward the table. She brought her hand up and chewed on her nails, an old habit that wasn't fitting for a queen. Sienna wondered what the outcome of the two that escaped yesterday was. No news had come in about them so she assumed the guards were either out searching or they were all just too scared to come in to tell her what happened.
She really, really hoped that they were still searching because she needed to know if what she saw yesterday was real or if it had been a trick of the light. Maybe it was some part of her brain that couldn’t deal with what had happened. It would explain why the night had been so riddled with nightmares. She was starting to convince herself that the girl was only a figment of her imagination. She didn't actually know her.
With the tip of her finger, she traced the edge of a red rose. There were seven vases all overflowing with different floral arrangements. It wasn’t like any of her suitors had any idea what her favorite flower actually was. Sienna from two years ago had a thing for lilies, but Sienna now? Did she even really care about flowers?
Small tags were tied around each vase and the queen took her time opening each one. There were a couple from suitors who she hadn't asked to stay in the castle but had likely been at her party; she just hadn't gotten to meet them quite yet. Then there were flowers from Jack, Thomas, Lucian, and Leo.
Flowers weren’t the only thing she had received. There were a number of wrapped boxes scattered across the table as well. She ripped up the paper as she opened the presents. A new pair of shoes, a stunning sapphire necklace, a diamond bracelet, gourmet chocolates, and a book of poetry that appeared to be signed by the author.
Not a single gift had Hollis's name on it.
Her shoes whispered against the floor while she circled the table making sure she hadn’t missed anything. Was Hollis too poor to send her a gift? He didn’t look poor. If he still held the status he held the last time she’d seen him he certainly didn't have the money to be sending her diamond bracelets. Yet she still expectedsomethingeven if it was only a note.
"Guard?" the queen called, settling herself away from the mess with a cup of tea. The door opened and a man stepped inside. He was often posted outside of her bed chambers but she had yet to learn his name. "I'm awake. Send for Ophelia."
He bowed and disappeared from the room. Sienna had just enough time from then until the moment when Ophelia entered to sip on her tea and glare at her gifts, stewing over the fact that nothing was from Hollis.
"I'm here, my Queen," Ophelia said, keeping her position by the door.
"Has breakfast been arranged?"
“Yes.”
Sienna turned sideways in her chair, taking one long drink from her cup before setting it down loudly on its saucer. "Any word from the guards?"
Ophelia cursed under her breath. "Has no one else informed you?"
"No, I suppose they're all too spineless." The queen drummed her fingernails impatiently on the table and stared up at Ophelia. The girl’s hair was still wet, likely from her shower this morning, and it had been neatly braided down her back.
"Some of the guards have returned. They said that they lost the girl on the edge of town and there was no sign of the warlock after they tracked them there. Des followed them into the woods. He has not returned."
So maybe there was hope after all. Or maybe she needed a new head guard. Only time would tell and there were far too many tasks that needed to be done for Queen Sienna to be sitting here pondering if what she saw yesterday was part of her imagination or not. She already knew there were small uprisings throughout all of Pasia, so what happened shouldn't have been a surprise.
Sienna would have to talk to Des when he returned or whoever was appointed in his position to make sure that security was tightened up for the next event. Especially when the girl could've just been a figment of her imagination anyway.
"Please have my suitors sent to the dining hall for breakfast and then you can help me dress," the queen said as she rose from the table.
Ophelia turned toward the door. She whispered quickly to the guard and by the time the queen was standing at the wardrobe staring at her dress the door was already clicking shut behind Ophelia and she was closing the space between them. Sienna looked up at the gown that had been selected for her today. It was stunning for a simple dress with a bodice made of silk. Clearly, it was fitting for breakfast with her suitors. A pearly-white ribbon was sewn under the bust and down the torso into the wide hips of the gown that flowed down to the floor. It was meant to help give the illusion of a womanly form. She didn't think she needed much help in that department but apparently her seamstress did.
"Your guests should be in the dining hall by the time we get you ready," Ophelia said while she grabbed the hem of Queen Sienna’s nightgown.
Sienna lifted her arms above her head as the satin nightgown was lifted off of her. At first, she'd been ashamed or maybe she was just a little bit nervous when people started helping her change. She'd always been taught that her naked body was for her husband's eyes only. Now all sorts of people had seen her naked body. She was beautiful and young and it felt right to show it off while she was able to.
The gods may have given her power to rival any warlocks, but it still didn't make her any less human. It would comfort her just like it did everyone else. Sienna remained quiet as Ophelia helped her out of her undergarments and then into her dress. The queen planted both hands against the wardrobe as Ophelia tightened the corset. Air hissed through her clenched teeth as the strings were pulled tighter and tighter. She thought this was Ophelia's favorite part because it was the only way she could make her queen squirm. Sienna didn't really hold it against her because she knew she put Ophelia through so much more than Ophelia could ever do to her.
"All done, my Queen. Should I get some of your gifts for you to enjoy today? Those shoes look as if they would match quite well with the bracelet."
"Yes, that would be fine."
Ophelia moved almost as quietly as a mouse as she walked back over to the small table and gathered up the shoes and the bracelet. She slipped the heels onto the queen before rising and then reached for Sienna’s outstretched wrist. She said nothing. Placing her hands on the queen's back, she guided her to the small vanity just outside the bathroom.
Sienna tucked her dress down under herself, then pulled the thick curtain panels off to the side of her mirror and stared at her reflection. Gods she really was beautiful! Sienna knew that she'd always been lovely but it was diminished by the dirt that streaked her face and the knots she could never get out of her hair. Now she had someone who made sure she always looked perfect. Ophelia started in on Sienna’s hair, dampening it before she pulled it up into rollers. With the last curler in the queen’s hair, she picked up some blush for her cheeks.
After a few minutes, Sienna could no longer hold her questions in. "Did Mr. Weebly accept his invitation to stay?"
Ophelia glanced at the queen in the mirror. "Yes, of course he did. Why do you ask?"
