Rising from her knees, Orihime tried her best to fight off the wave of dizziness that hit her like a ton of bricks. Not having what normal people called a 'proper meal' in three days and spending most of that time on one's knees in fervent prayer will do that to a person. However, her time of fasting, praying and mental preparation was finished. Now, she had to act.
Turning to her servants, whom she also considered friends, Orihime smiled and said, "I would be grateful for a bath and change of clothes."
Letting out a dramatic sigh of relief, Orihime's chief handmaiden, Rangiku, clasped her hands together and declared, "Thank the gods! It's about time!"
To the other handmaidens, Rangiku clapped her hands twice and snapped out a series of rapid fire orders, "Momo, inform the steward that Her Majesty requires bath water on the double. Rukia, go to the herbalist and tell him to mix together an extra special aromatic blend for Her Majesty to bathe in. Isane, you are to select a gown and jewelry that will properly decorate Her Majesty's person and strike envy into the heart of every lady in the kingdom and everywhere else besides."
With nods of understanding to Rangiku and deep bows to Orihime, each young woman hurried away to complete their assigned task.
Inclining her own head to Orihime, Rangiku asked, "Your Majesty, may I send another servant to fetch you proper nourishment to partake of as you wait for your bath?"
"Yes, Rangiku," Orihime said with a smile, "I would be most grateful to be able to break my fast now."
Sinking into a lower bow, Rangiku started to leave the room when Orihime said, "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, please tell the cooks that since I have only been drinking water and eating a minimal amount of vegetables, it may be unwise to partake of heavier foods too quickly."
"I hear and obey, Your Majesty," replied Rangiku as she bowed again and then left the room to find a servant and relay the beloved queen's instructions.
After Rangiku left, Orihime remained still a little while longer before she turned back towards the window she had been looking out of for the past three days. Her gentle smile and composed features gave way to an expression tinged with doubt and anxiety.
In a voice barely above a whisper, Orihime said, "If this doesn't work, then…"
As her voice trailed off, Orihime's focus was drawn toward the gate and her face lost all traces of uncertainty. In its place was an expression that spoke of conviction and determination.
"If I die, I die. As the Lord wills, so it shall be with me."
Hearing approaching footsteps, Orihime once again arranged a pleasant smile on her face. Though she was unsure of what the future held, one thing was certain. She had been put in this position for just such a time as this. If she couldn't accomplish this task, then there was no one else.
"The food is on its way, Your Majesty, and the bath will soon be filled," said Rangiku as she reentered the room.
Giving Rangiku a grateful smile, Orihime said, "Thank you so much, Rangiku."
Lowering her head in acknowledgement of the expression of gratitude, Rangiku replied, "I humbly accept your thanks, my queen."
A few minutes later, the steward entered and informed Orihime and Rangiku that the bath had been fully prepared. Thanking him, Orihime allowed Rangiku to proceed her to the washing chamber, disrobe her and then assist her into the deliciously warmed and perfumed water. Sitting on a bench inside the tub, Orihime allowed Rangiku to gently tip her head back and work on her hair. Knowing she was in perfectly capable hands, Orihime closed her eyes and sighed in contentment.
Rangiku had never once failed in her task of pleasing the king's eye when it came to Orihime's appearance. As her muscles and mind began to relax, Orihime sent up a quick prayer that Rangiku would somehow be able to outdo herself as it was vital that Orihime look extra special for the king today. She was about to break a crucial rule of etiquette and she needed to look her best in order to tip the scales in her favor in the eyes of the king.
Orihime's heart began to race slightly as she thought about her husband. Not for the first time did she wonder how someone as powerful, handsome and important as him could choose someone like her over a woman who might add to his power or prestige with her own social standing. As it was, she had only been able to give him her heart in exchange for becoming queen, yet she had given it to him willingly.
Her love for her husband had not begun as a passionate flame as might be found in epic stories or poems. Rather, it had evolved from admiration to respect to curiosity and then finally to love. What the king's feelings for her might be, Orihime did not know for sure. She could only pray that he had some small portion of respect for her and trust that she wouldn't do what she was about to do if there were no other way.
In her mind's eye, Orihime saw her husband's half-lidded brown eyes looking at her with their usual regal and yet slightly amused expression. She only hoped those eyes would remain amused when she approached him without being summoned. His previous wife had been banished for not appearing at his request, so Orihime could only hope that by doing the unexpected and forbidden, her husband may forgive her.
Releasing another sigh, Orihime forced herself to quit thinking about what she was about to do and instead consider the circumstances that had unfolded and brought her to this point.
Author's Note:
And once again I show my inability to control and pace myself when it comes to starting a story before I have finished others...so sue me...not really.
Anyway, this is another story I have considered doing for quite some time, but I always thought it would be something I would do with Ichigo and Orihime in the main roles. However, every time I considered it, something felt quite off about having Ichigo play the role of the king. I would have to jump through some major hoops in my opinion to have him fit the role. Just recently, though, I was struck by the idea to try Aizen in the role and suddenly things started clicking together in my mind. Once an idea starts coming together in my head, it's not long before the first part is getting typed out and then posted.
So, by way of explanation, in case you haven't figured it out, this is a version of Esther's story from the Bible. Just like my recent story 'Conquering Emperors and Empires', my personal beliefs and values are going to come out as I construct this story. If things become a bit too 'religious' for some of you, I will not be at all offended if you chose to stop reading or following the story. I'm not going to force my beliefs on you, but just giving you fair warning that it will be coming and actually has already begun in this prologue.
Well, as always, I hope you enjoyed this part and are excited as I am to see how things develop from here!
