Luna brought Serena a fresh pot of coffee and breakfast. "Luna, don't you have more important things to do than bring me breakfast? You know I can get it myself," Serena said.
"Yes, but I like seeing you first thing in the morning. I feel wanted by you. I never did by your mother," Luna said as she sat the tray down.
"Well if it makes you feel wanted, then be my guest. At least join me for my first cup of Java," she said.
Luna smiled and sat down. "This place looks better than I've seen it in a very long time. You started to mention something about cleaning maids yesterday, would you still like some sent? I have a few that I trust highly," Luna said.
"Ahh, please. Hot water and white cloths so they know when they're spreading the dust and dirt and when their wiping it off," Serena said.
"Good thinking. Just straight hot water?" Luna asked.
"Yes. As hot as they can stand it. I want it changed often, too. Don't worry about the soap right now, just get the main dust and everything off. Take the rugs out for dusting, and if they can be salvaged, bring them back in. If not, give them to someone who might still find use for them. There's plenty of shelters out there. Today I also need you to hire on a full cleaning staff. I want this scrubbed with hot water from top to bottom and aired out. It's stuffy," Serena said.
"Thank God someone with sense. Your mother never opened the windows," Luna said.
"Well we'll open them now," Serena said.
"Good. Consider it done. There are many things that were stored in the attics, as well as the gymnasium downstairs in the basement. Would you like those things gone through as well?" Luna asked.
"Yes. Just stay out of the offices until I can get to them," Serena said. Luna nodded. "Luna, would you mind if we did this every morning? That way I don't have to drag you out of important things, and you don't have to come looking for me," she said.
"That is a wonderful idea," Luna said smiling.
Serena smiled back. "Will you send Artemis in?" she asked.
"Sure. Will you need anything else?" Luna asked.
"Nope. Just more coffee from time to time. Oh, and start in the attics so you're not dirtying the clean downstairs. I forgot to mention yesterday that Seyia and his wife will be coming for a visit the first weekend of next month. They'll be staying for the whole weekend, so if we can have things pretty well organized on the surface by then, it would be appreciated," Serena said.
"No problem. Artemis has the records of the accounts. You can trust him. He wouldn't let anyone else look at them. He doesn't trust anyone else," Luna said.
"Good. I'm glad that hasn't changed, but I need to know where we sit financially before I have you hire more staff," Serena said.
Luna nodded in agreement, and sent Artemis in after she left. "You wished to see me?" he asked.
"Sit. I need to know where we are financially," Serena said.
"I haven't let anyone else near the account ledgers," Artemis said.
"I'm not asking you to either. I just want to hire on a full staff and some temporary staff. I'm asking for an account balance to do so," Serena said.
"I see. Would you like to see them for yourself?" he asked.
Serena wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I don't like numbers unless they're on a check," she said.
"Would a piece of paper work?" Artemis asked.
"Like a current printout?" she asked.
"Yep. I do it all by computer. I have everything backed up three times," he said.
"Can I have a copy of the most recent statements?" she asked.
"That I can do. I always keep one with me. No one can get into it unless they know the password," he said.
"I'll bet I know what it is, too," Serena said.
"Give it a shot then," he said as he logged into her laptop that she'd brought downstairs. She typed in LunaArtemisDianaMoon and everything popped up. "You're good," Artemis said.
"I know you well enough," she said as she made sense of the numbers staring at her. She shut it off. "Very nice. Thank you, Artemis. Do me a favor?" she asked.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Send Lilly in. I need to do something about the maids' uniforms before they drive me crazy," she said as she pulled up her design program.
Artemis sent Lilly in, and they worked out five different styles and different colored uniforms for the various sets of staff. "That's a lot of variation. Do you think they'll like them?" Serena asked.
"Yes I do. They have five different styles for each area," Lilly said.
Good, I need five hundred of the selection sheets printed off. One hundred for each area," Serena said.
"Isn't that a bit much?" Lilly asked.
"We're hiring on more staff," Serena said.
Lilly looked relieved. "You're going to open the whole palace back up, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes, including adding a museum to the parts that haven't been used in a couple millennia," Serena said.
"Can I help there? I love old things," Ari said from the doorway.
"Ari, come in, sit down, have some coffee. Do you think you could draw up an idea if Lilly showed you where I was talking about?" she asked.
"Yes. Will I have to order things to put in there, or do you have them?" she asked.
"I don't know. Luna is supposed to get staff to start in the attics today. If you know anything about it, thae maybe you can help direct people. I don't want anything tossed that doesn't need to be. If it can be used but hasn't been in a long time, and you have no use for it in the museum, then send it to a shelter. Can you do it?" Serena asked.
"Yes. Thank you, Serena. You wont regret this. I promise," she said excitedly.
"Well gee, if I'd have known that's all it took to get you excited, I would have let you at it yesterday. Can you catalog the stuff we have? I need pictures of it for insurance purposes," Serena said.
"Not a problem. Do you have a digital camera?" she asked.
"If I write you a check, will you go get one that you want?" Serena asked. She nodded. Serena pulled out the checkbook that Artemis had sent to her, and wrote her sister a check. "Do you think three will cover it?" she asked her sister.
"It should," Ariana said hesitantly.
"Well, if it doesn't, come back and I'll write you another one," Serena said. "You may be surprised to find things aren't as expensive as they were on the surface of Earth." she said and handed her the check.
"Lilly, will you come with me? I'm not familiar with the planet and I know you'd love to get out for a bit," Ari said.
Lilly was surprised. She looked at Serena, who shrugged. "If you stay, I'll put you to work," Serena warned.
Lilly stood. "We'll be back in a bit," she said. Serena nodded.
Luna came in with fresh coffee after they left. "I think you're doing the right thing opening the whole palace again. Will there be a charge for the museum?" she asked.
"Yes. A dollar each to benefit the missing children's organization. Three and under are free," Serena said.
"You're a great queen, Serenity. I admire you. Why the missing children's organization though?" Luna asked.
"Simple. Ari and Gabe. I want every family to have a chance to find their missing child," Serena said.
"I hope you never change, Serena," Luna said.
"Luna, go ahead with the hiring of the new staff. As soon as you get enough applicants, let me know and I'll help screen them. I'm not always trusting," Serena said.
"Nor am I, Serena. What did you have in mind?" she asked.
"Expensive room, lovely little knickknacks. The front parlor," she said.
"I see. We'll know then if something comes up missing before they leave. I assume then, that you want them in one at a time?" Luna asked.
"Please. I assume the ladies will be in here shortly to start cleaning?" Serena asked. Luna nodded, and at that moment five ladies, each carrying two buckets of streaming water, strode in.
"Its about time someone decided to clean this place up. It's such a shame to let it sit for so long collecting grime and dust," one of the older women said.
"My thoughts exactly. Luna trusts all of you very much. I hope that you don't mind being pulled away from your regular duties to do this, but I assure you that you will be quite compensated for your time and efforts," Serena said.
They turned and looked at her. "Your Majesty, we didn't realize that you were still about," the maid said.
"It's quite all right. I was just leaving. Should any of you find anything while you're cleaning, have Luna bring it to my attention please. If you should find more papers, please set them gently in the top drawer of the filing cabinet, and I'll get to them later," she said.
"Very well, Majesty. Is there anything else?" she asked.
"Yes. Starting next month, you will no longer be wearing those ugly outfits. I have designed different styles for you to choose from. One color for each area," she said.
The maid smiled. "Thank you," she said and curtsied low.
Serena nodded, shut her computer, picked it up, and went to start work on the upstairs office. Luna followed. Luna unlocked the heavy doors and they pushed them open. Serena frowned. "It's worse than I hoped," she said.
"I've said before, your mother was never very organized, and she liked to drink. Shall I gather the papers into one pile?" Luna asked.
"Yes. I'm going to wipe off the desk real quick before I set the computer down. I have no intention of letting any crap get into it. Is there any chance that somewhere someone has all the information from these old computers?" Serena asked.
"I can ask, but the doors have stayed locked since before the final battle," Luna said softly.
"She would have at least had everything backed up, right?" Serena asked.
"I would hope so. I did it for her sometimes. She had a problem keeping secretaries," Luna said.
"And listening to her head advisors. What do you think, Luna?" Serena asked.
"I think we have a great deal of work in front of us," Luna said.
"I'm going to start in here myself if you don't mind," Serena said.
"Then I will see to getting some staff to help in the attics before your sister and Lilly return. Ring if you need anything," Luna said and started to leave.
"I do need one thing, Luna," she said.
"What is it?" Luna asked stopping in the doorway.
"Am I doing the right thing?" Serena asked.
Luna smiled. "Yes, my dear, you are," she said with a warm smile and walked out.