Chapter 5

I lay on my new bed, still thinking of the oddity of my situation. My mother had sold me, I was now here, in a beautiful palace. I was fed, small amounts, and clothed, scantily. And was being treated fairly well.

Sure we were basically being prettied up for the Sovereign, but what are the odds that he would choose me. One of the girls before me would surely catch his eye. I pushed the thought away and decided to focus on the present.

I looked outside the archway of my room and saw the other girls bathing in the strong smelling water that the attendants had called perfume.

They were pouring it all over their bodies in their hair, they'd invited me to join them but it looked disgusting and wasteful to me.

So I contented myself with sitting and pondering my thoughts.

We had another class later in the day and we learnt about etiquette. How to eat at meals and speak to other officials and nobles.

After having my mind filled with more information than I was used to, I went to sleep feeling wired from today's activities.

I raised my head from my soft, silken pillow and saw the perfumed pool. It looked soothing and relaxing now, so I sneaked out through the arches and into the small courtyard that held the large rectangular pool. It was covered with flower petals and it did smell heavenly.

I slipped off my silken robe and eased myself into the shallow pool. As I did so, the lukewarm water immediately calm my frayed nerves. I rested my head against the tiled floor above it and closed my eyes.

I must've fallen asleep, because when I awoke there was a faint light in the sky. I hurriedly scrambled out of the pool and gathered my robe. My black hair which had been kept in a tight bun for the past few days was still dry.

I grabbed a cloth and tried my best to dry myself before we were called for a class or treatment.

Once dry I put my robe back on and tied it securely over my slightly damp body.

Almost as soon as I had laid down on my bed the door to the room opened and a eunuch walked into the room, "Follow me." He said.

He led us to yet another new room, but similar to the previous class room, where another new lady stood. She looked younger than Mistress Daksha, but older than me and the other girls.

She had long, dark brown hair that was kept in a long, magenta scarf atop her head. She wore a sari, same as Mistress Daksha, but her's was a bright red. Her lips were painted the same colour. Her smooth brown skin shimmered gold as if she had been dusted with the it.

She spoke, her voice sweet and beautiful, "Hello ladies. Sit." She spread her arms indicating the cushions on the floor.

"I'm sure you all know why you're here by now." She spoke with a dazzling smile on her face.

"I am Adhira, one of the Sovereign's concubines." She said with pride. 'What's there to be proud of?' I asked annoyed.

"I will teach you how to please our Sovereign."

I stiffened. 'I don't want to learn that.'

She began talking and I blocked most of it out, she said most things that my mother would tell me when she was in the mood for talking.

"The most important thing is never to ask him to do something, do not go to his quarters without him calling for you, and most importantly, never complain." She stared all of us in the eyes very seriously. "Each of you will be chosen at one time or the other to be tried by our Sovereign. If he does not like you, you will be brought to the harem." She was becoming very blunt. "When you are brought to the Sovereign's quarters you will be dressed appropriately, not in these silks rags, and you will present a skill of yours to please him, and make him appreciate you. It may hurt for you, it may not. But whatever happens remember, do not question anything he does."

She went over a few more rules and instructions, but I could hardly pay attention. If he didn't like you, you will be thrown into the harem. I felt ill. Only one, of these hundreds of girls, would become the Sovereign's queen. And the ones he didn't like would be discarded like an object he didn't care for.

Evil, evil man!

"You!" Adhira's voice shook me from my thoughts.

"Yes, my lady." I said politey and nodded my head to her.

"We're you listening to what I just said?" She asked accusingly.

"I'm afraid I wasn't." I replied honestly.

"Hmm, you repeat what I said." She pointed to another girl.

The girl stood and repeated, "Don't speak unless spoken to." Then she sat down with a smug expression on her face.

"Do you understand?" Adhira said her eyes narrowed.

"Yes, my lady." I nodded at her, my face not revealing my emotions.

"Good."

The lesson finally finished and we were led to the dining hall, and were fed a green salad and a small portion of chicken.

Once done with that we were led to the treatment room where the female attendants spread a fragrant oil on my body. I was getting used to having my body touched, but I still didn't love the feeling.

While the female attendant who had been serving me was massaging the oil into my legs, I asked, "What's your name?"

She didn't look up from her work and answered, "Hannah."

Her dark veil covered her mouth but I could still see her eyes. They were a deep blue in her pale skin. She looked like my sister Periwinkle.

"Thank you, Hannah." I said gratefully, she always appeared upset, I felt as though she needed to be thanked, even though I wasn't particularly enjoying what she did.

She looked up and stared at me with a confused emotion, then hurriedly looked back at her work and stayed silent.