Chapter 6

Albert's hands were clenched into fists, hidden away from her line of sight. He still kept his smile and repeated his words.

"I'm a lowly servant. I can't wake Her Majesty from sleep. Wait patiently for her to wake up. I will send refreshments to you while you wait," He said those words flatly, then bowed and left regardless of her reaction.

Rose fumed, glaring at his back with a murderous gaze. 'You old coot, it won't be long before I get my hands on you; patiently wait for me,' she thought darkly, envisioning the moment when everything would be in her hands, and then she would deal with him.

She leaned back in the armchair and waited for her niece to become aware of her presence. From her side view, she saw the city lords- all prestigious families coming to handle their city's profits and information to the newly crowned queen.

She made eye contact with three people, and they secretly nodded respectfully to her and greeted her with the rest, pretending they had no further interactions with her. They passed by, heading to the throne room to wait for the queen.

A tray was brought to her: Tea bags with a self-heating teapot, with a small dessert to go with the tea.

She waved the maid away, dropping a tea bag into the cup. Her hands glowed green as a spell was written teapot, heating it instantly.

She poured the water over the tea bag, watching it change to a light golden hue as the smell of tea washed over her, calming her emotions.

She stirred patiently without rushing, squeezing all the tea from the bag before removing it.

Bringing the cup to her lips, she sniffed it before taking a few sips. The richness flowed in her mouth and she savoured it.

Good tea. These words floated in her mind as she indulged in her refreshments as she waited for the queen.

Meanwhile, the queen showed no signs of waking up anytime soon. Her hair was scattered on the bed, with drool marks at the corner of her lips. Her chest rose and fell as the air from her mouth blew a few strands of hair away from her face. She had no queenly elegance whatsoever.

The butler went to her quarters to check on her but he was stopped by the guards.

"Butler, we advise you not to wake the queen," The black-haired guard advised the butler with good intentions; the thought of that maid's death flashed through her mind.

The butler nodded, not wanting to wake the queen anyway, and prayed for her to sleep longer so that person would have to wait even more.

"In case she wakes, inform her that the lords are here." He turned to leave but stopped, remembering something.

"The Maid at the square?" He asked, wanting to know the duration of her punishment. He had gotten the full story of yesterday's events from the terrified healer, and he found nothing wrong with the queen's judgment.

He needed to know if a new maid should be brought in for the queen. They were short by four maids.

"Wait for the queen to decide," the guard responded. She didn't know how long the maid's punishment would last either.

Albert rubbed his chin, his gray eyes flashing thoughtfully. he seemed to be considering employing a new maids for the queen to choose from. He nodded to them and left to tend to his duties.

In the throne room, the thirty stared at each other, wondering what was keeping her Majesty. Some familiar women spoke softly among themselves; others closed their eyes, waiting, while the rest ate the refreshments brought to them.

On Rose's fifth cup of tea, she couldn't hold it in anymore, her patience snapping. What's holding this girl? Doesn't she know she's keeping me waiting? How dare she! Her hands trembled with anger.

Even though she was furious, she couldn't enter the queen's quarters; it was frowned upon, even with her status. She could only wait begrudgingly.

She exhaled and leaned back, shutting her eyes as she waited.

****

The afternoon sun shone through the curtains. Elora, on the queen-sized bed, stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She yawned and stretched, feeling well-rested and full of energy.

It's been long, she had felt what sleep felt like. She got down from the bed, her bare feet sinking into the soft rug.

She pressed her feet firmly against the floor, enjoying the warmth. She rang the bell to summon the maids to come and dress her for today. Then she recalled she had killed one, the other was being punished.

She walked into the inner room, opening the door to her bathroom where she approached the huge bathtub and turned the tiger-shaped faucet. Clear water began to flow into the tub.

Her eyes searched for the soap but found none, only glass bottles of flower-scented oils. Have humans been evolved from using soap? From this body's memories, there was no such thing as soap.

She couldn't help but pick up the bottle and, with a curious mind, she dripped some drops into the water. Immediately as it came in contact with the water, a pleasant smell burst into the air.

Elora felt her mind relax as the scent filled the room. She undressed, revealing her milky, sculptured back- her body was toned as the result of the Palaverda women's training.

She dipped her legs into the water and, with a click of her fingers, cast a spell to heat the bath. Then she slowly sank into it.

She lay in the water with a sigh, letting the warmth relax her body. Using a cloth to wash herself, she rubbed her body but couldn't experience the feeling of being well lathered with soap. So she lost interest and quickly washed herself.

She clicked her fingers again, casting a drying spell that dried both her body and hair. She then cast a reflection spell, allowing her to finally see what she looked like.

She clicked her tongue, admiring the goddess standing before her.

Her hands cupped her breasts, feeling her hands couldn't fully grasp it, her stomach had few lines of abs. She caressed her thighs and admired her voluptuous but toned body. Despite their fullness, her breasts showed no signs of sagging.