Chapter Five

Chapter Five

 

 

A

 pop in the hall startled Lira.  She figured that it would be a few minutes until Jake could compose his party and escort them to the throne room. 

“Your Majesty, what are you going to do about this imbecile stealing my land!” 

“She can’t do anything, you fool!  It is my land, not yours and my land doesn’t sit in Pacifica.  It’s in Encantada.”

The two dukes continued bickering.  Not being able to get a word in edgewise, Lira stayed silent. 

 

********************

 

Malinna glanced around and thought, ‘This is Lira’s castle.  There is no doubt about that.’ 

Jake dusted himself off and spoke, “Lira is in the throne room trying to re-solve a dispute between two the borders of two dukes.”

Malinna looked at Chrisha.  Horrified by what she saw, she turned her eyes to herself.  A maid stepped forward from beside one of the throne room’s gigantic carved doors. 

She bowed and said, “Princess Malinna, my name is Cilissa.  I’m a lady’s maid to Her Majesty Lira.  If you would like I could show you the servant’s quarters so that you can change in there instead of walking all the way to the other side of the castle to your rooms.”

Malinna nodded her acquiesce and said, “Will you grab my blue evening gown with the diamond accents, Chrisha?” Malinna unhooked the wardrobe key and handed it to Chrisha, “As soon as she is done, we can go, Cilissa.” 

Chrisha unlocked the wardrobe and walked into it.  After a couple of minutes, Chrisha walked out of the wardrobe with the dress and the crystal bottle in hand.  She returned the key to Malinna, and then they followed Cilissa down the hall. 

“I’ll have your things taken to your quarters, Malinna,” Jake promised. 

“Thank you, Jake,” Malinna acknowledged. 

The three women walked quickly to Cilissa’s room.  As soon as the door was closed, Chrisha unlaced the back of Malinna’s dress. 

Malinna slipped off the dress and said, “Chrisha, leave me be.  I can dress myself.  You need to make yourself presentable.  I didn’t have time to have clothes made for you for occasions such as this.”

“Majesty, I have something that might fit her.  She is pretty close to my own daughter’s size.”

“Thank you so much, Cilissa.  You just saved me a lot of trouble.  Will you please make sure that it is green?”

“Yes, of course.  I will send the seamstress to your rooms in the morning when she gets here,” Cilissa said, as she pulled out an emerald green velvet dress. 

Malinna and Chrisha slipped on the dresses.  Chrisha laced up Malinna’s while Cilissa laced up Chrisha’s.  Malinna ran a comb through the tangled locks of her naturally curly hair.  Cilissa brushed the dust out of Chrisha’s straight blond hair and fixed it into the customary ponytail, adding a green bow. 

Malinna sprayed the vanilla scented perfume on Chrisha.  Then she concentrated on how she wanted to come across as powerful and true to her blood.  The fragrance changed to smell like cinnamon, which she quickly sprayed on herself.  Since sorceresses are the only ones permitted to wear cinnamon, Malinna would seem untouchable, but tempered with the vanilla that Chrisha was wearing, she would appear fair and wise in her judgment.  Added to the youth of the two women, you have a quite mesmerizing picture. 

Malinna and Chrisha followed Cilissa back to the throne room. 

“I can accompany you no further, Princess,” Cilissa whispered. 

Malinna checked to make sure that her cloak was securely pinned to the shoulders of her dress.  Then she raised her hood so that her face was hidden, straightened her shoulders and walked through the doors with Chrisha following two paces behind her. 

She walked proudly between the two dukes and up to Lira.  Chrisha mimicked her movements.  They curtsied and Malinna looked Lira in the eyes.  Lira smiled with relief filling her eyes.  Malinna rose and stood beside the throne with Chrisha following suit. 

“Silence!!!” Lira snarled, “I have listened to the two of you for long enough.  Michael of Tacaño, you have come to me for judgment as you should.  Gabriel of Orléan in Encantada, you have also turned to me in this but refuse my solution due to the fact that you are not my subject.  I see only one solution to my problem.   I brought someone here who neither of you can ignore.” 

Malinna pushed back her hood and said, “I will listen to both sides.  You will not interrupt each other.  Once I have heard both of you, you will leave the room while Queen Lira and I discuss what to do.  Am I understood?” 

“Yes, Princess,” Gabriel said. 

“Yes, My High One,” Michael answered. 

“Duke Michael, you have one minute.  Starting now.”

“Last month I purchased thirty head of cattle from Gabriel.  I paid four thousand gold pieces for them; But Gabriel claims that I have not paid him in gold.  He says we agreed that twenty acres would go to him,” Michael said. 

“Duke Gabriel.”

“Princess, I have nothing to add except that I have never received payment for my cattle.”

“Go to your quarters and stay there until we call for you.  Queen Lira and I shall discuss.  We shall give you the verdict in the morning,” Malinna said, dismissing them. 

Gabriel bowed once and ran out of the room, stumbling over his own feet.  Michael backed out of the room, bowing every few feet. 

Lira rubbed her temples and asked, “What do you think about this?”

Malinna replied, “I think they are acting like children and I plan to treat them as such.”

“I have no idea how we can do it.  I no sooner get one of their problems solved, and they come back with practically the same thing,” Lira admitted.

“I know exactly how to handle it,” Malinna stated, “I just wish I didn’t have to go to this extreme.”

“Keep it to yourself until morning.  Cilissa will show you to your rooms.  I’m sure that you are tired.  It’s late, we should all be in bed” Lira replied. 

“Thank you, Lira.  I really appreciate you letting me stay here for the duration of my training.  Um...I need to get a few things situated before I will have time to finish this,” Malinna told her. 

“That is fine.  The wait will do them some good,” Lira stated, “Will you need me to send someone to your rooms first thing in the morning?”

“Cilissa will be sending the seamstress, but I will also need to speak with a merchant,” Malinna said. 

“A merchant of what?” Lira queried.

“Fragrances and linens.”

“They will be there with the seamstress.”

Malinna nodded her thanks and motioned for Chrisha.  They left the room.  Cilissa walked at a slow pace in front of them until they met Jake. 

“I’ll take them from here, Cilissa.  The rooms they were assigned to were in no shape for visitors.  You should be ashamed,” Jake scolded. 

“Yes, sir,” Cilissa said with her eyes downcast. 

Jake led the two young women toward the South Tower.  He opened the door to a beautifully designed anteroom that served as a study, and lounge.  A rosewood desk stood to one side of the room.  On the other side was a silver coffee table and two couches; one blue and the other silver.  All in front of a beautiful stone fireplace.  Near the desk was one door, another was near the fireplace, and a third was directly across from where Malinna now stood looking with a criticizing eye.  There were torches all along the walls with a mirror by the desk and portraits of dragons and sorcerers all over the place.  The floor was covered with a plush, dark blue carpet. 

“Malinna?  What do you think?” Jake asked. 

“The anteroom looks fine.  What are the doors to?” Malinna inquired. 

“The door next to the desk is to your room.  The one next to the fireplace is to Chrisha’s room.  Across from us is the door to the library.  Chrisha has her own bathroom in her room, a wardrobe and a vanity with a mirror.  Of course these are just temporary.  Your actual rooms should be ready soon,” Jake said. 

“Thank you Jake, I believe we can take it from here,” Malinna said curtly.  Fatigue had finally caught up with her and she was quickly becoming cranky. 

Taking the hint, Jake left securing the door as he did.  Chrisha walked over to the fireplace and lit the kindling that had been placed under three logs.  She repeated the process in Malinna’s room and her own. 

While Chrisha was working, Malinna walked over to where her suitcase, which had been placed on the desk.  She unlocked it, and started to unpack it.  She placed the books on the shelf beside the desk.  She slid all of the journals into the bottom drawer on the right side.  Above that she found several bottles of ink in different colors.  She found quills already in the drawer above her lap.  The top left drawer was filled with paper.  The bottom left drawer was the only one with a lock, so she laid the Blank Book inside for safe keeping. 

With that done, Malinna went to her room, changed into her light blue nightgown and crawled into bed.  She was asleep almost before h