A Throne of Fangs

6 - Up To The Task

We spent more time than I thought possible getting ready. Once, we all agreed on a dress, a deep green. They set my hair and pulled it back from my face with dainty golden and diamond pins, but it spilled down my back in tighter curls than the ones I was born with. They helped me back into a dressing robe so I could have my dinner, which I was told would be in the comfort of my own room.

I was exhausted somehow, even though I wasn’t the one doing any of the work; the ladies were in and out all day.

As soon as they left, a knock came on the door, and I tied my robe tighter around me before calling for them to come in. Even the dressing robe was adorned with intricate gold designs starting at the cuffs and trailing up the sleeves. I did actually like it.

To my horror, my father and Bethany strolled in ahead of a team of servants. Well, Bethany waddled, pushing out her stomach that still only looked a bit bloated, and that was if you were looking.

“Since there’s no dining chamber here, we will eat at that table by the window,” Bethany instructed, disdain evident in her voice. Bethany turned to my father, saying, “You would think to give her an apartment of rooms instead of just this.”

I looked around at the massive room. Even the bedroom was separated into different areas for sleeping, dressing, and relaxing. There was also an adorned alcove that led to the bathroom, which was of no trivial size.

“It’s temporary, dear,” My Father replied. “Just meant to be slept in, not lived in.” He patted her hand.

“I want the best and only the best for my daughter.” Bethany beamed at me.

I slowly blinked at her. “Welcome,” I said to my father only. The smell of food wafted behind me, and my stomach grumbled.

“You may leave. We can serve ourselves,” Bethany told the servants as if she were the one becoming royalty. But I didn’t want them lingering and had little energy for a fight I wouldn’t win.

When the servants retreated, I thanked them, and Bethany waited only a short moment after the door shut to turn on me. “We heard a vile rumor,” she said.

I turned my back on them and took a seat, piling my plate high and pouring myself a glass of wine.

The food was absolutely delicious. There were many small things about this place that I could learn to love, perhaps. One day. I decided that I would focus on the moments that did bring me joy and string them together until I could possibly make something out of them.

“You don’t want to know the rumor?” Bethany asked.

“If it’s a rumor, then it does not matter. Gossip bores me,” I replied, not looking up from my plate.

Bethany served my father; at least she had the decency to pretend she cared. But in her state, I knew she would be demanding to be waited on hand and foot in a few weeks.

“It pertains to you,” My father said.

I set down my fork and looked at him. “It seems you both want to tell me, so why not go on and let me go back to my food?”

Bethany pursed her lips and stood behind my father the way she did when she changed the fate of my life entirely.

“That you inquired about the…” Bethany took a shaky breath and pinched her nose. I grabbed my wine glass and took a long sip. Gods, that was also fantastic. “The dignity of the Head of Household and asked her about her purity.”

I stared at her above the rim of my glass before slowly setting it down. “I did no such thing.”

My dad relaxed and started to eat. Bethany looked between us, and I couldn’t tell if she wanted the rumor to be true or not.

“I only asked that I be shown the process of what the doctor was about to do to me.”

My father coughed, thumping against his chest. Bethany stood rigid.

“Might want to help him. I think he might be choking,” I said, motioning to him.

Bethany put on a concerned face and rubbed his back and shoulders, fussing over him as I went back to my food.

“That was improper,” my father wheezed out.

I shrugged. “I only asked of them what they asked of me. I just wanted to understand, see a visual.”

“And the other thing?” Bethany asked.

“I have not left this room today. You must be more specific,” I told her.

“That you wanted the prince to have his b.utt…” She covered her mouth. “His b.utt tested.”

“Oh.” I picked up my fork. “Yes, that was true.” I looked up at them, spearing a potato. “Is there any news on the progress of that?”

My father slammed his hands on the table, and I jumped. “You will behave as my daughter,” he seethed with more inflection in his voice than I had heard in ages. “This is our bloodline you are upholding. You are to be royalty.” He pointed at me, his face red with anger.

“And I will not belong to you anymore,” I shot back, matching his tone.

We stared at each other, my jaw set. I hated that this was what we had become. I hated what had been taken from us and how we had handled it, but more than anything, I hated how it felt like he betrayed me.

“When has this change happened?” he demanded.

I blinked back tears. “When you started to see me as property instead of as your daughter.”

_____

The ladies returned after, and I tried to shrug off my lingering anger. They helped me dress and rearranged my hair, and I thanked them, trying to remember their names and match them to the personalities I had seen from them, even if they all seemed to blur together.

One stood out to me if only a little. I found out her name was Leona, and she tended to hang back while the others were quicker to be the first to hand me something or suggest dresses. She interested me, or maybe she was just the only one who acted differently from the rest. However, I did note her opinions, and they actually seemed to be decent.

“I have appreciated all your help today,” I told them all once I was finally finished. I spun on the pedestal in front of my mirrors and looked down upon them. “I can trust you, ladies, correct?” I asked.

I was met with fervent nods; some eyes met others.

“Then can someone explain why a private conversation had in my chambers got back to my father's ears, of all people?”

The room was silenced; the only sound was the swishing of dresses above shifting feet.

“I understand little of court life so far; that is true. I ask for your grace as it is my first day here,” I explained. “But I am of Alpha blood. I was trained from a young age to take over a pack in the arts of strategy, battle, and some duller topics such as politics.

“I understand more than you know,” I told them and let a bit of hardness creep into my voice. “Things that you cannot even comprehend.” None of them dared look at me now. “I also would be looking for any insight into a stranger coming to move into your house and eventually lead you.” I tried to meet their eyes, and most looked back up at me. I noted the ones who didn’t.

“I know how gossip travels and how dangerous and wicked of a thing words can be turned into, something that can not be squashed, even with the truth.” I clasped my hands and let them lay on the billowing skirt of my dress. “But if you are to be chosen as one of my ladies, there are some things that will not be repeated. I would hope that I could trust your discretion of which things those would be, but it seems some of you have failed that task.”

“It is important to know who you can trust,” I went on. “And that goes for you as well. I would re-evaluate those you have in your confidence because some of those do not keep yours. Or maybe you thought your Prince’s asshole a topic of public conversation?” I asked.

A few of them teetered, but there were a few laughs. The quiet one, Leona, with honey-brown hair and dancing eyes, bit down on her lip.

“If that is a commitment too far out of your scope, I understand. That is all,” I dismissed them.

They all left, but the one hung back. I raised a brow at her.

“May I?” Leona asked me, motioning to the door. I nodded slightly, and she shut it behind her. “I think you played that very well,” she commended me. “Polite, generous, yet strong.”

Her cheeks were rosy, and her easy smile and bright eyes gave her an air of innocence the others didn’t possess

“Thank you, Leona.” I kept my face impassive.

“You have no reason to trust me over others. I know that. But I just wanted to warn you against saying anything, even in front of those you might think you can trust.” Her rich brown gaze never dropped from mine. “Everyone has their own agenda, and gossip about you will be traded like coin.”

My lips thinned. “I understand that; that is why I tried to quash it today, even if it wasn’t true gossip.” I didn’t care if that word spread; I actually enjoyed that it got to Bethany, but I would have to stop these things the first time.

“The power you hold will be strong, but it will need to be enforced. It is more than the golden crown you will wear or the title that it represents,” she said. “You must earn it, and that is far harder to do at court. More than that, decide how you want it to be earned.”

I tilted my head for her to go on. “Fear, love, acceptance, even things as fickle as compliments and gifts can foster loyalty here. In a place where loyalty can be bought, I will say that fear goes further in this court than love does.” Her brown eyes flickered.

“Thank you for the warning,” I responded.

“I think you are up to the task,” she said and curtseyed before backing out of the room.