Here's the second installment! Hope you like it :)
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Audiara sat on an embroidered stool in the Queen's parlor,
waiting for Her Majesty to receive her. Closing her eyes, she recalled
what had happened after that nightmare of a fall. On her way down she
had heard the gasps and screams of the court, and a voice wailing,"No!
Cream, come back here!" She had passed out at the bottom of the
bottom of the staircase, and when she next woke up she was in her bed
in the room she was assigned. On her dresser was a note from the Queen,
requesting an audience. Now that she was here, Audie knew she was about
to be sent home. After all, who would want a lady who couldn't even
walk down the stairs without falling? Her father would kill her...Audie
jumped up from her stool as Queen Thayet entered the room.
"Please sit down, dear." Thayet smiled at the trembling girl in
front of her. "Now, first I want to apologize for the incident
yesterday. It was unfortunate that it happened during your first
appearance, but I think we can turn that to your advantage. Most people
feel nothing but sympathy for you." Audie gaped at Thayet in surprise.
"I'm not to be sent home? People don't think I'm silly or
clumsy or-" Thayet reached over and took Audie's hand, laughing at her
distress.
"No, no child! No one thinks you are any of those things, at
least not from last night. Some people will always dislike you, but
that's life. And it's certainly not your fault that one of the many
palace creatures got loose." The Queen looked over at Audie and said,
"That was what tripped you, by the way. One of the creatures Daine was
nursing ran off and managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
So you see, there was nothing you could have done." Audie's mind was
whirling from all the new information, but all she could think of was
the cry from the night before.
"Cream? Was that the cat?" Thayet looked at Audie in amazement.
"Audiara, you are amazing. All that has happened, and you can
still recall the name of the cat! Yes, Cream was the cat. Now, we have
decided not to do another formal introduction, but there is a ball
coming up at which we will present you to the court. Is that alright
with you?" Audiara nodded. "Very well then. I hope to see you again
soon." Thayet rose and took Audie's hand. "You are very welcome here,
Audiara."
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Audiara sat on an embroidered stool in the Queen's parlor,
waiting for Her Majesty to receive her. Closing her eyes, she recalled
what had happened after that nightmare of a fall. On her way down she
had heard the gasps and screams of the court, and a voice wailing,"No!
Cream, come back here!" She had passed out at the bottom of the
bottom of the staircase, and when she next woke up she was in her bed
in the room she was assigned. On her dresser was a note from the Queen,
requesting an audience. Now that she was here, Audie knew she was about
to be sent home. After all, who would want a lady who couldn't even
walk down the stairs without falling? Her father would kill her...Audie
jumped up from her stool as Queen Thayet entered the room.
"Please sit down, dear." Thayet smiled at the trembling girl in
front of her. "Now, first I want to apologize for the incident
yesterday. It was unfortunate that it happened during your first
appearance, but I think we can turn that to your advantage. Most people
feel nothing but sympathy for you." Audie gaped at Thayet in surprise.
"I'm not to be sent home? People don't think I'm silly or
clumsy or-" Thayet reached over and took Audie's hand, laughing at her
distress.
"No, no child! No one thinks you are any of those things, at
least not from last night. Some people will always dislike you, but
that's life. And it's certainly not your fault that one of the many
palace creatures got loose." The Queen looked over at Audie and said,
"That was what tripped you, by the way. One of the creatures Daine was
nursing ran off and managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
So you see, there was nothing you could have done." Audie's mind was
whirling from all the new information, but all she could think of was
the cry from the night before.
"Cream? Was that the cat?" Thayet looked at Audie in amazement.
"Audiara, you are amazing. All that has happened, and you can
still recall the name of the cat! Yes, Cream was the cat. Now, we have
decided not to do another formal introduction, but there is a ball
coming up at which we will present you to the court. Is that alright
with you?" Audiara nodded. "Very well then. I hope to see you again
soon." Thayet rose and took Audie's hand. "You are very welcome here,
Audiara."