This is Prompt No. 16-Beauty

Three and a half weeks later, Mitchie's new shoes, the ones she had worn for her second wedding in Virginia, were touching European soil for the first time in over a year. As she glanced up at the sky, cloudy and dotted with seagulls, Mitchie felt that all-too-familiar pang stab at her heart and work its way down to her stomach. She had thought that the grief she had felt when leaving her family would dissipate, but it had become more and more painful as the days had ticked by. Watching miles and miles of Atlantic Ocean disappear under the prow of the ship had left Mitchie with plenty of time to think.

"Watch it, Miss!" someone called out, and Mitchie stepped out of a sailor's way just in time.

"Forgive me," she apologized, startled that she had been so involved in her thoughts that she had forgotten where she was walking.

A well-dressed man appeared at her elbow, making her jump again. He raised his white-gloved hands to show that he meant no harm. "Are you Madame Gray?" he asked her politely.

Mitchie placed one hand over her pounding heart. "Yes," she told the man. "Please forgive me. I am not quite myself at the moment."

The man, who appeared to be a footman, smiled indulgently and nodded. "And no doubt tired from your long journey," he added as he led her towards the carriage. "This way please."

Mitchie allowed herself to be led through the busy port to the waiting carriage, smiling gratefully as the footman helped her into the carriage. "Where are we going?" she asked, wondering if they would need to stop at an inn for the night before reaching the palace.

"We're heading to Queen Victoria's court where she will personally greet you," the footman told her, his voice indicating that the very fact that the Queen was personally willing to meet with her was an honor in itself.

"Oh," Mitchie said, wincing as the word came out slightly flat and sounding unimpressed.

The footman said nothing and left to retrieve Mitchie's bags from the harbor master. Mitchie knew that she had a while to herself, for the general had told her that members of the Queen's court would go through her bags, looking for any weapon against Her Majesty. Mitchie's hand unconsciously slid down her leg to touch the hilt of the dagger she wore there. She felt the silver hilt and blade, warmed from being placed next to her skin, and felt a sense of safety and confidence. She could protect herself, if need be.

A thud above her signaled that the perusing had been completed and her baggage loaded onto the carriage. The footman appeared again and opened the door to the carriage to say, "All is ready, madam. We shall be going now."

Mitchie tipped her head slightly and smiled. "Thank you," she said.

The coachman nodded and slipped away. Soon, the carriage lurched forward and the journey began. Mitchie watched for a while as the streets of London flew past her, but then she turned away from the window, drawing the curtains and leaning her head back against the plush seat. She knew her mission inside and out, but she couldn't help going over and over the procedures "one last time."

She was still going through her list mentally when the carriage halted and she heard footsteps on gravel. The door opened and the footman gave her an encouraging smile as he held out his hand for her to take. She smiled back and held onto his hand as she stepped down from the carriage only to find a whole entourage waiting to greet her on the front steps.

"This way, madam," the footman said and led her over to the little group of people.

One woman, dressed more formally than the others, stepped down and curtsied. "Welcome, Madam Gray, to Her Majesty's court. I am Maria Budovie. I will be escorting you during your time here." She smiled shyly and explained, "The court can be a confusing place."

Mitchie tipped her head. "Thank you very much," she said with a smile of her own. She looked up at the huge, grand buildings that loomed in front of her and said, "I have a feeling that I'm going to need your help."

Maria smiled and some of the other servants smiled as well. She waved her hand to include all of the servants standing in front of her. "These people are here to serve you during you stay," she informed Mitchie. "These four are your ladies in waiting," she pointed to the four young women standing on the outside of the group in a cluster. "They will be the ones that serve you the most, but the rest are here as well should you ever need them."

"Thank you," Mitchie said softly, embarrassed by the attention she was receiving.

"Come with me, please," Maria said, and the servants parted like the Red Sea to allow Mitchie to pass through. "I will show you the way to the hall. Queen Victoria is waiting for you."

Mitchie couldn't help but feel slightly nervous that the Queen of England was waiting for her. She gulped and obediently followed Maria as she led the way into the castle. "Okay," she said quietly.

As soon as she stepped into the interior of the house, Mitchie was struck with its beauty. There was not a corner in the palace where something expensive had not been placed, not a windowsill left without the garnish of French lace. The beauty captivated, yet overwhelmed Mitchie. It was very easy to understand that not everything in the room had been placed there because it fit, or added to the charm of the room, but because it overwhelmed the visitor and sent the very clear message that the monarchs that resided there were in charge, and very powerful.

She could tell that Maria was waiting for her assessment of the room, so Mitchie tore her eyes away from a particular gold vase and said, "It's very beautiful."

Maria nodded. "So it is. Queen Victoria has the utmost of taste."

She began walking again, with Mitchie following, and all Mitchie could think of at that moment was, "I wish I was back at home, however 'unfashionable' it might be." She was lead through two other rooms before Maria said, "Through those doors is Her Majesty's court."

Mitchie nodded, and the guards in front of the doors moved aside and pulled the heavy obstructions out of the way. Maria was the first to enter, whispering to a deep-chested man standing just inside the room.

"HER LADISHIP, MICHELLE GRAY, DIPLOMAT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!" the man bellowed. Mitchie felt her whole face flame as all eyes turned on her, thanks to the loudmouth at the door.

Maria took an almost imperceptible step backwards and whispered, "Don't look at anyone. Follow right after me and curtsy when I do."

She began walking, so Mitchie had no choice but to follow her. She was never sure afterwards how she made her way through all those people without looking at anyone, or tripping, but she managed, and she even curtsied when Maria curtsied. When she arose from her proper curtsy, taught to her by Caitlyn of all people, a murmur swept through the crowd of courtiers.

"Silence!" a voice commanded, and Mitchie allowed her eyes to slid up to focus on the face of the woman in front of her.

Queen Victoria, arrayed in a gown of dark blue silk, sat before her, bejeweled with diamonds of all shapes and sizes. Her face was round, like her body, her mouth drawn in a slightly puckered line, but her eyes were what made Mitchie quite uneasy. They seemed to probe, peering through Mitchie's body straight to her heart and judging her intentions. Mitchie made a mental note to herself that she would have to be very careful what she said.

Mitchie had expected an almost immediate questioning as to why she was here as America's diplomat, but once again, Queen Victoria surprised her. "What do you think of my castle?" she asked.

Mitchie blinked. She hastily tried to remember back to the rooms Maria had showed her. When she tried, she remembered the extravagant use of gold, silver, and other metals. She remembered the ivory and the lace. She remembered the vase, and wanting to go home, back to her own home that had seemed much more tasteful than this palace, even though it was stories under the ground and not nearly as expensive.

"I found what rooms I saw before I arrived in here to be very lovely," Mitchie told her.

Queen Victoria stared at her and then asked, "Do you not find them most beautiful?" she asked.

Mitchie heard murmurings behind her. She knew to most that Queen Victoria's question seemed to be repeating itself, but she recognized it for what it was: a test. She saw the ghost of a smile threatening to take that slight pucker away, and realized that she must think quickly.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Your Majesty," Mitchie told her after a moment's pause. "I am not the right one to ask," she went on, "for we have nothing as grand and extravagant as this in America to compare it to."

Queen Victoria looked amused, disappointed, and smug all at the same time. "Very good," she said, her smugness taking precedence.

Mitchie bowed her head respectfully and lifted it again, chancing to look at the rest of the people seated before her. There were plenty of people standing around Queen Victoria, all watching her intently, but none sitting. Queen Victoria was the only one seated on a throne, yet there was one throne next to her that was empty. A black silk cloth was draped over the back of the throne, but Mitchie dared not ask what it was.

"I'm sure you are tired," Queen Victoria said, bringing Mitchie's thoughts back into focus. "We shall speak another time when you are feeling more rested." She lifted a handkerchief to her nose and said, "Maria will show you to your room now."

Maria curtsied, and Mitchie curtsied as well, and they both left the court behind. "Why is there an extra throne?" Mitchie asked curiously as soon as the court doors closed behind them. No one at the base had ever mentioned that Queen Victoria was married.

"Queen Victoria's husband, Albert, died last December," Maria explained.

"Oh," Mitchie said softly. "Thus the black cloth over the chair?"

Maria nodded. "Right," she said as she turned yet another corner. "Queen Victoria is still in mourning for him, though she no longer wears black. She's now wearing dark colors."

Mitchie nodded and continued walking next to Maria silently for a while before asking, "How long will I have to wait before she speaks with me?"

Maria shrugged. "Who really knows? Her Majesty speaks with people when she chooses." She stopped in front of a door and pointed to it. "This is your room. I'll come for you when it is dinnertime." She curtsied slightly and then turned away, only to turn back again. "If I may," she said slowly, "I would get used to living at court. It may be quite a long time before Her Majesty decides to talk to you."

Mitchie nodded, and then Maria was gone. "Great," she said softly as she pushed open the door to her room. An indefinite time away from home, a mission of relative danger, and a queen that ignored you until she decided she was ready to acknowledge your presence. What could be more fun?

A/N: Yes, that last sentence was indeed sarcasm! Hope you liked it, please review! It's really important to me! :D