Chapter 32: Introducing Marley

Twenty candidates, young girls between the ages of twelve and sixteen, were arriving at the Arquix castle from all over the land. Each was a member of the nobility, from the daughter of the smallest Baron to the highest Marquis. Each came with the purpose to win the position of lady-in-waiting for the new Duchess Cosaria Evengeline Arquix. 

Marley Von Garlikson was one of these candidates. As she sat in her carriage on her way to the Arquix castle she thought, This might be my only chance to prove myself. Even though I'm just a Baron's daughter I have to succeed. I have to be the one chosen.

༻✧༺

Marley Von Garlikson arrived at the Arquix castle around midday. She wasn't the first to arrive nor the last. As the spirited fourteen year old bounded out of the carriage, she was greeted by two maids. The first was an older woman with a slight smile, probably the head maid, the other was a plain maid with brunette hair done up in a wispy bun. 

The plain maid spoke first, "Welcome to the Arquix manor Lady Garlikson."

"Call me Marley -er, Lady Marley. Sorry, I'm just excited to be here."

The plain maid, who Marley would later learn was named Tilda, said, "Well, we're glad to have you. I'll escort you to the room and then interviews begin tonight."

"Tonight? I'm going to meet Lady Arquix tonight?" Marley fretted as she followed Tilda inside, "I'm, oh man, I've gotta, I've gotta prepare. What do you think she'll ask me? No wait, don't tell me, I don't want to cheat." 

As they passed by the lavish doors in the guest wing Marley asked, "Are there a lot of other important nobles?"

Tilda said, "I think the highest ranking noble here is Paggie Paferster, daughter of Marquis Paferster." 

"A Marquis! Oh man, oh man, oh man. That's okay, I've got this. I'm awesome."

Smiling, Tilda enjoyed watching Marley's quirky way of talking to herself. As soon as Marley became self aware, she blushed from embarrassment. 

Marley said, "Sorry, I'm just excited to be here."

"We're happy to have you," Tilda repeated.

"Thank you. You're all so nice. Not what I was expecting. Oh man, this is a big opportunity." 

"I'm sure you'll do great."

Marley fiddled with one of her red braids, saying, "Yeah, I… yeah."

Tilda stopped and gestured to the door as she said, "Here is your room. Your stuff will be brought up in just a minute."

"Oh, there's not a lot. I… yeah."

Tilda put her arm on Marley reassuringly, and looked into her freckled face, as she said, "I'm sure you'll do great."

Marley nodded and went inside her room.

Tilda thought, Treated me, a servant, with respect. Has a good drive to succeed. She lacks tact, but she's promising.

Inside the room, Marley flopped on the lavish bed. She mumbled to the bedpost, "Oh man, I hope that's not the Duchess's personal maid because that was a disaster."

༻✧༺

The fashionable, sophisticated, basically-all grown up, Paggie Paferster waited outside Cosaria's drawing room. She was feeling quite pleased with herself in showing how patiently she could wait for an interview with the Duchess. 

From around a corner appeared Tilda, just another common maid not worth any noting. 

Looking around, checking that they were alone, the obtrusive maid approached Paggie, and asked, "You're going to see the Duchess, right?"

Through the corner of her eye, Paggie looked at Tilda and snickered.

Tilda held out a small folded note, saying, "Will you give this to the Duchess?"

At the mature age of sixteen, Paggie knew she better than to be put upon by commoners. She glared and thought, Who is this servant to tell me what to do?

Paggie picked the note out of Tilda's hand, saying, "Ugh," as she flicked the note in Tilda's face. Paggie then proclaimed, "Tell her yourself, maid."

In submission, the maid picked up the note and left down the hall, disappearing down the corner that she had come from, while Paggie had watched in sneering triumph.

Suddenly, the door to the drawing room opened and maid Bess opened the door, saying, "The Lady will see you now."

Paggie entered the room with her silver hair flowing behind her. Anticipating their conversation, she was sure the Duchess would like to know all about her expertise on silk and modern fashions.

Around the corner, Tilda waited till she heard the door shut before she picked up a piece of paper where the names of all the candidates were listed. Taking her pen, Tilda wrote 'failed' next to Paggie Paferster. Practically all of the names above had a similar 'failed' written next to them as well.

Tilda sighed, thinking, So far, most are a bunch of busts.

The interview was not the real test in this scenario. The real test was to give each girl a note to give to Lady Cosaria without reading it. So far, the majority of the candidates were unable to accomplish the task. For one, they were all too prideful to take a request from someone in a lower status than them.

Tilda looked over the list and remembered her encounters:

After Tilda had given Lady Kelma Smiffleheim the note, Kelma had said, "What's this?"

Tilda said, "Don't open it."

Kelma opened it and read, "'The jewels will be delayed four weeks.' What's that supposed to mean?"

Kelma Smiffleheim had failed.

Brigit Vanloy, another candidate, had taken the note and responded with a sly smile, "Now, if I do this for you, what will you do for me, hm?"

Brigit Vanloy had failed.

Tilda tapped on the name Sara May Finklehead. Written next to her name was a check mark. Tilda thought, A few of them seemed to catch on that it was all a ruse.

Tilda remembered holding out the note to Lady Finklehead. 

She was a stoic girl of sixteen with long hair, narrow eyes, and a graceful posture that exuded elegance. With a tone of suspicion, she asked, "How do I know this isn't some kind of trick?"

Tilda responded, "Please, it's urgent."

Lady Finklehead took the note, saying, "Very well."

Tilda's eyes moved to the spot on the list that said, 'Marley Von Garlikson' and the check mark next to it. She thought, But there were a few that managed to succeed.

Marley had been so nervous as she stood out front to meet Duchess Arquix. She kept running over different scenarios in her mind, thinking, I wonder what she's going to be like? Maybe the Duchess is a quiet, strict, and sullen type of Lady. She could be boisterous and beautiful. Or intelligent and strong. I hope I can make a good impression.

When Tilda approached, Marley said, "Oh, hey."

Tilda said, "You're going in to see the Duchess, right?"

"Yeah. As soon as she calls me in."

Tilda held out a small folded note, and said, "Will you give this to the Duchess?"

Marley took the note and said, "Sure thing. Should I tell her anything else?"

Surprised, Tilda said, "No."

"'Kay."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

After Tilda had left, Bess invited Marley in.

Next to Marley's name on the paper, Tilda wrote a check mark. 

After the encounter with the maid, the ladies met the Duchess.

Marley nearly gasped upon seeing Cosaria for the first time. The Duchess was adorable, beyond adorable. Blushing, Marley thought, She's so cute! Like a little porcelain doll. She looks like she could break at any moment.

Cosaria said in her sweet and innocent voice, "Please, sit down."

Marley said, "Oh, yeah."

I was distracted by how cute she was. That's so embarrassing! Marley thought.

Remembering where she was, Marley handed Cosaria the note and said, "Oh, this is for you. The maid wanted me to give it to you."

Cosaria smiled, saying, "Thank you."

SO CUTE!!! Marley thought as she sat down. Her face could not hide a full expression of awe.

Cosaria asked the question she had rehearsed with Tilda, "So, why would you like the position of my lady in waiting?"

Marley gulped then started, "I think, well, you know, I think it would make my family proud. You see, I've got five older sisters and they're all more beautiful and graceful, talented and smarter than I am. I've never really fit in with them so I need this job to prove myself." Marley stomped her foot. "That I'm just as good as any of them." Marley blushed at her expressiveness, then twiddled her hands as she said, "Thanks." She had never really had a chance before to express herself so openly like that. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. 

In turn, Cosaria was delighted by the young woman's enthusiasm.

༻✧༺

The interviews with the Duchess continued on till late evening. After the last of the young ladies had been interviewed, Tilda entered the drawing room and sat down beside Cosaria.

Tilda started the discussion asking, "How did it go on your side?"

Cosaria said, "They're all so adorable! I feel like I'm getting a new little sister, it's so exciting. They were all so nice. Like the cutest little rays of sunshine."

Cosaria always had the highest opinion of everyone she met. She rarely, if ever, found fault in anyone. 

Tilda glanced at Bess.

Bess said, "If you want my opinion, they all seemed overly anxious to get in the Duchess's favor. Only a handful even gave Lady Cosaria the note." 

"Same on my end."

Cosaria said, "That red-headed girl."

Tilda asked, "Lady Marley Garlikson?"

"Lady Marley, yes. I like her."

Tilda nodded, saying, "She's promising, but so was that Lady Finklehead. We'll have to see how they are at the tea party tomorrow."

Cosaria nodded in agreement. The tea party would be a crucial deciding factor.