The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Twelve

I opened the door to find three young women waiting on the other side. All of them were wearing ankle-length navy-blue dresses with long sleeves. The dresses had thin ruffles of white lace that stood up from the round neckline and decorated the end of each sleeve.  Each one wore a small navy veil that was pinned to their hairline. These veils let me see their eyes, unlike the one Regina wore.

Finally, my rapt perusal took me to their faces and hair. All the women wore a hairstyle similar to my cousin Regina's: a tight high bun. It looked uncomfortable and made their brows arch high. Their uniform appearance even echoed in their height because all the women were about as tall as I was. But, despite the plainness of their attire, the dresses looked adorable on them, and I wanted one.

The women curtsied as one with a hand gracefully laid on their hearts. "We welcome the hope of our world, Our Lady Elect Madeline."

My drooling over their dresses turned into nervous fidgeting. "Uh, don't go bowing and scraping to me. I don't know what to do with that. And look, you don't need to help me with my bath. I'm fine. I've been bathing for nearly eighteen years."

Then the girl on the left, who had light brown hair, twisted the skirt of her dress. "Please allow us, My Lady. Master Luke will reprimand us if we don't help you with your Elect robes and your hair." Her cupid's bow mouth turned down with distress. She was adorable, and I wanted to cuddle her.

The maid on the right gave a brief curtsey. "Elect Madeline. Please allow us, My Lady" She had shiny black hair and eyes like copper pennies shone behind her veil - also adorable. Those eyes were staring holes into my face. She must have realized how intense she looked, for she blushed suddenly and bowed her head.

The one in the center had hair the color of wheat, and her eyes were amber-shaded with vertical pupils, like a cat. Her stare was open and hostile, which made me raise a brow. When she realized that I was noticing her attitude, she looked away.

Her expression remained stony, even if she no longer directed it at me.

"Did I steal your cat or something?" I asked her with a cross of my arms.

She returned her attention to me with a challenging glare. "No, My Lady," the girl said in a sullen tone.

Hmm. Weird. 

The girl with black hair stomped on the blonde girl's foot and hissed. "Apologize to the Elect, you awful child!"

"Oh, Whoa! Don't do that!" I touched the blonde girl's arm. "Hey, you okay?"

She stepped away from my outreached hand. "It's fine." 

"Please forgive us, My Lady," Jeanne said with a sidelong glance at the blonde. "Beth is new, and we'd no idea she'd behave so."

The rude girl was trying to burn a hole in the carpet with her eyes. I shrugged at her puzzling attitude as I came to my own conclusion. "I get it. New girl - still learning the ropes. Hate your job -- and since I'm the job, you hate me too? That about right?"

She bobbed a curtsey but said nothing.

So I gave up trying to be nice to her and addressed only the other two women. "What are your names?"

Then the women gave each other furtive glances. Instead of giving me their names, the black-haired maid gestured at the garment rack. "We have brought the Elect's gown for you to wear, My Lady."

I noticed the rack held the same gray gown that Regina had been wearing. Really? I had to wear a big grey gunnysack? "I wanted to wear a nice dress. Is there anything like that I could wear?"