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Frost deftly laced up the stays on the corset. Her long fingers stung as the thin strips bit into them. Biting her lip to keep from gasping, Frost continued up the long back.
The woman in front of her sat regally on the stool, waiting expressionlessly as the stays were laced. A long, oval mirror stood directly in front of her, reflecting her image on its flawless silver surface. Next to the mirror a rich crown lay on piles of velvet cloth.
Frost laced the last stay, biting her lip hard as the strip sliced through her skin. The familiar, salty taste of blood trickled into her mouth.
The woman rose gracefully as Frost stepped back. A heavily embroidered gown was carefully slid over her head and zipped into place. Without taking her gaze off her face in the mirror, the woman spoke.
"My crown."
Frost carefully lifted the crown off the velvet and placed it securely among the piled masses of shiny black hair. Bowing, she waited until the queen flicked her hand absentmindedly toward her. Quickly exiting the room, Frost closed the massive door quietly behind her and allowed herself to take a deep breath.
Everything was going smoothly. Her back still ached from the whipping Grosh had administered yesterday but the bleeding had stopped. Smiling slightly, Frost pushed a small pearl earring out from underneath her tongue into the side of her mouth. And immediately winced as the cut on her lip started bleeding again. Her vision blurred slightly and she didn't notice Grosh until he was standing right next to her.
Grosh smiled as Frost turned her head and looked at him. Pure hatred blazed in her eyes. She was beautiful, this one. A wild fire waiting to be tamed.
"Are you just going to stand there?" he asked roughly. Frost dropped the door handle behind her and moved out of the way. Grosh opened the door and entered the queen's chambers.
"You wanted me, Majesty?"
The queen turned toward him and smiled. Again Grosh marveled at her beauty. She sat down on the bed.
"Yes, I did."
---
Frost slipped into the lower servants' chamber and glanced disparagingly at the scattered bedrolls that lay on the stone floor. All of the "lower" servants-mostly drudges-were stuffed into this room at night. The lucky servants had bedrolls. Everyone else slept on the floor.
Being servants, they didn't own anything other than the clothes on their backs and therefore didn't have a place to keep anything. Not that they would use storage space if it were given to them. There was less trust between the servants of the castle than there was between the nobles. No servant missed the opportunity to steal from someone when given the chance.
Frost carefully took the pearl earring out of her mouth and studied it. This was worth a hundred at least. Lifting the corner of a worn bedroll, she spat twice on the floor. Lena would know where to find her.
---
The queen lay on her bed after Grosh had left. Her long black hair rippled around her naked body, knocked loose in a fit of passion. Curving her ruby mouth into a smile, she toyed with a strand of hair.
All of her male servants had to be good looking as a requirement. Grosh was one of her favorites. Slipping out of her bed, the queen walked over to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Satisfied, she slid her hand along the ornate framework.
"Mirror, Mirror on the wall,
Who's the fairest of them all?
In Your flawless world divine,
Is there a fairer face than mine?
Fuller breasts or redder lips,
A voice from which music drips?
Mirror, Mirror on the wall,
Who's the fairest of them all?"
Smiling at herself once more, the queen turned away from the mirror. The duke of Armedes would be arriving soon. There was much to prepare.
---