***Translation: “Yes, my king, I live for your command.”
****Translation: “As you command.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Affairs of State
I was lounging on the mats and cushions with Sabine and Narinda watching the sun set over Korwahn. Ghost was lying on her belly on the mats by my feet, front legs stretched out before her, head up, blinking and sniffing the air.
From my vantage point, I could see the weakening rays of the sun striking deep pink, gold and vermillion through the sky, the last shimmers striking the gold on the statues of the Avenue of the Gods.
My eyes moved from the breathtaking view to slide across the roof where I saw my girls gathered around the table at the opposite corner. I saw the sun twinkling off the bangles at their wrists and their earrings.
Gaal was on her knees draping a bolt of fabric around a standing Quixa’s hips. Vibrant swathes of different colored cuts of fabric were strewn everywhere around the table, the bolts of fabric I bought my girls in the marketplace that day.
I had decided some weeks ago that a queen’s girls did not wander around in drab, threadbare sarongs and bandeaus but they wore jewelry, makeup and brightly colored, fashionable clothing. To their delight, they each had received four pieces of fabric since the first one I bought so many weeks ago and a new piece today as well as their jewelry and pots of makeup for their own. They also had more than one candlestick by their bed and each had mirrors in their rooms as well as small pieces of art and brightly colored quilts on their beds to break up the monotony of cream adobe in their quarters.
Movement caught my eye, I looked to the winding, black, wrought iron staircase that led to the roof and I saw Twinka was arriving.
Twinka disapproved of me outfitting my girls and made this very clear nonverbally, as she was doing now with a tight-lipped look in their direction.
I ignored it and so did my girls but I watched as she made her way to me.
She stopped two feet from our mats.
“Does my queen actually need a slave to do something?” she enquired.
We’d already had dinner and I looked down at the plate of carob drops, candied fruits, honeyed almonds, the jug of wine, the jug of mango juice and Sabine, Narinda and my silver chalices that were littering the mats, all of which my girls had brought to us before they’d settled with their fabric.
Then I looked up at Twinka and replied, “Me.”
Her lips got tighter and she inclined her head.
Then she turned and walked three feet away.
That was when I called, “Twinka?”
She sighed visibly, audibly and heavily and turned back then she lifted her brows.
“I bought three bolts of fabric for you today. Gaal will make you dresses,” I told her for she didn’t wear sarongs around her h*ps and bandeaus or halter tops to cover her br**sts but a long, wrap of material she crossed under her neck and tied at the back.
She had one. It was always clean but also threadbare.
“Your kindness is extraordinary, my queen,” she lied about her opinion with obviousness, “but my clothing is fine.”
“I disagree,” I returned.
“The old Dahksahna gave me this fabric,” she informed me.
“Well, the new Dahksahna is giving you more,” I replied, she opened her mouth to retort but I got there before her. “Fine, if you want to wear that in the house, that’s your choice. You leave this house; you do it representing your Dax and Dahksahna and wear your new sarongs.”
She glared at me. Then she inclined her head. Then she turned and moved quickly off the roof.
My girls watched her and waited before they emitted their low giggles, doing so only after she was well out of sight.
I smiled down at the mats, picked up my chalice of juice and took a sip.
“You’re very hard on her,” Narinda muttered, I put my chalice down and looked at her in surprise.