"Laugh if you are wise" - Latin saying
The First Dinner
Rachelle led them along the path. Josie watched as Mariska stepped in foot right behind her, ready to be the first to enter the palace. Josie waited as Estora and Maria almost ran in behind her. Mirra glanced at the line then shrugged; "First or last, that's all that matters." It seemed many others had worked that out too. While another dozen girls came forward, like a mass of white birds talking flight, the rest stayed, looking at each other waiting for someone to give up and follow.
Josie sighed and grabbed Lexa and Mirra. "So ones got to get this started," She said as the gap grew, she pushed through the crowd; who parted easily. A smile on all their faces. Josie ignored them; she doubted the exact order that arrive would actually matter. A few others seemed to think the same thing because they began to trickle out. "First lesson, ladies, do not walk, float. Drift over the ground, do not stumble or get dirty. All good ladies know this."
The tone of the group changed instantly; all the girls in hearing distance began to walk slower, attempting to drift instead of walk. To Josie they all looked like lost lambs in need of a sure handed farmer to guide them. Lexa took her hand as she stumbled on a stone. Josie supressed a laugh, this wasn't the time or place. While the garden was alight with baby birds flying and singing songs; butterflies flickering from place to place, clinging to the canopy of flowers that arched above them every five metres. The ground they walked on was clean and grey, straight and elegant, there was nothing like it in Bonita. Despite the activity and beautiful scenery no girl made a sound, not a mutter or a gasp. Only the rhythm of thirty feet on soft stone filled the air.
Josie held on to Lexa, trying to talk through her eyes, expressing her amazement of the place she was in. As they turned the corner everyone gasp in a strange canon. Josie froze in her stop and Lexa hugged her arm, coming up close, "Beautiful," was all she whispered before pulling Josie lightly along again. Josie nodded stunned, her eyes trying to take everything in. If places like this really existed, she now understood the fascination some people had with buildings.
The house was four stories tall, with two wings. Spiral towers stood at the corners. The windows were large and open. A lake glistened next to the building. While the walls seemed plain they were perfect in their plainness, an almost white against a blue grey of the roof. Brick chimneys rose from the roof adding an accent that was better than any silver or gold. They crossed a bridge of angels, marble statues, there wings glowing, each one unique, each one perfect and life like.
Stairs rose up to the second level, in the centre a huge brown door; the symbols of the royal family guarding the sides. The door was carved in a thousand different images, so detailed they told a story that sucked the viewer in, to never let them go. Over the door, two stories up was a tall round tower, on the top a gold statue of the royal family itself. It shone in the light of the setting sun. A thousand more things caught her eyes but only for a second. She cupped her open mouth; this was a different world from where she had come. How could she ever understand some on who lived in such a building? Seeing a picture was nothing, she realised, than being in the middle of that world, that reality.
The three girls took the left stairs up together. Passing a flag of blue that meant the family was in residence. Mirra breezed past it, her eyes on the door. Mirra had mastered floating in the minuted that it had taken them to reach the front door. Josie and Lexa weren't naturals but managed to make it up the stairs without looking stupid. They had learnt quickly that copying Mirra was a mistake.
A man opened the door for them, standing inside in a half bow. The girls hurried in when they saw the person standing at the top of another set of stairs. While the room around them was lavish and grand – without seemingly trying – all eyes were on that person. The first thing she noticed was his eyes, light green and reflective. They gave away nothing about how he felt about the thirty girls who were they're in an attempt to marry him. The second thing she noticed was his clothes; he wore a dark, Prussian blue version, of the military uniform. The colour of it made the red in his hair brighter. The third thing she noticed was the slight curve of his lips a few degrees from being a smile or a flat line, she couldn't tell if he was happy to see them or if he thought this was all a funny joke.
"Good evening, ladies, welcome to the Summer Palace, allow me to be the first to ask you to make yourselves at home; who knows, this may become you're home one day." One of the girls laughed softly, and Prince Xavian's smiled, his lips going the few more degrees. He began to glide down the stairs – not float; perhaps that was reserved for females – but glide. He stood in front of them and bowed, taking Mariska's hand, "You are all so beautiful," he kissed his thumb on her hand, then looked her in the eye. Josie couldn't see Mariska's expression but she must have been overjoyed. "I am a lucky man to even be given the chance of seeing your faces; but to spend the rest of my life with one of you. Which is a gift only you can give me," Mariska's entire body was beaming as Prince Xavian straightened.
"Thank, Prince Xavian." Rachelle said, and curtsied. The prince nodded his head and took his hand away.
"I will see you all later, at dinner. For now, I believe Mrs Santos wants more of your time. If you'd all excuse me," Rachelle curtsied again, even lower. She gave the girls a look that said; you do this too, now. Every girl curtsied with varying effectiveness. One almost fell over, but the girl next to her caught her. Then they rose almost together and tried to look dignified, again, with varying effectiveness. Xavian smiled and stepped to the side, gesturing to the hall around them. "Good luck."
Rachelle stepped forward and took control, taking them; not up the stairs but through a series of doors, all carved and gilded. "Lesson two, etiquette and dinner manners," They entered a room with a long table, set and ready. They hovered at the door for a second before stepping forward and taking various seats. "All stop." Rachelle said, they froze, looking up at her. "When a lady enters the room, she is serene, she curtsies slightly at the door; she makes a full curtsy if a person already present is of a higher rank then her. If she is late she will say, 'Excuse me for my tardiness,' repeat."
"Excuse me for my tardiness." Was repeated at once, coming out like a chorus rather than an apology. Rachelle nodded, "Yes," she drifted from the door to the head of the table. Mariska moved instantly away, curtsying. "When she enters she must obverse the dictation of her standard, as you are all now considered members of the family for the period you stay with us you will have a precedence; however the royals all sit in specific places and so do all of you. No name card will be at your position. You will simply have to know." There was a murmur over that; Lexa glanced at her, alarm in her eyes. Josie returned the look.
Rachelle continued cutting off conversation, "Now, we will try this again, stand in front of your chair." Josie straightened and moved over a bit, standing in front of a carved wooden chair about half way up the table. Rachelle observed them, her eyes no longer of the teacher but of a wine grower deciding which grape is the best, and which belongs in the bin. It was a horrible experience. "You, Lady Mariska," She found her first victim in Mariska. "You have seen fit to choose the place of honour, tell me why."
Mariska smiled, "Oh that easy, Mrs Santos, Prince Xavian kissed me, he has singled me out as the leader of my fellow Selected." The room filled with hushed voices and disguised dirty looks. The issue was that Prince Xavian had singled her out, to say he kissed her was wrong, but he had addressed her no one could deny that. Rachelle refrained comment and moved on to the next girl, Katrina. "Lady Katrina, you have chosen the seat to the left of Lady Mariska. Why is that?" Katrina was less confident in her answer and simply said, "It seemed right, Mrs Santos."
"Interesting, shall we ask if the other Selected agree in your position here?" Katrina looked around the table but no one seemed to mind. Rachelle nodded, then asked, "Does anyone object to the seating positions as they are?" There was a mutter around the table and Estora made herself know.
"I do, Mrs Santos, you see I believe as I have relations within court, I belong near the head of the table, in the position Kallia of Clermont is trying to take." Kallia gasped and gripped her chair, as if that would save her. Estora began to circle the table, one chair, two chair, behind her Maria followed, riding the storm that was Estora.
Estora stopped in front of Kallia. "Does any object that my standard is higher? No, I didn't think so. Tell me Kallia of Clermont, what right do you have to sit here?" Kallia glanced fleetingly at Rachelle, who watched the scene passively. Estora placed a hand on Kallia's, as if nurturing a hurt child and slowly preened the girl away from the seat. Kallia's demeanour suddenly changed and she curtsied to Estora, then to Maria, "I see I have taken an incorrect position at this table, I beg your forgiveness and you friendship." Estora smiled and hugged Kallia.
"You may receive both," She said leaning out. Then Maria and Kallia kicked out the girls in the next two seat and sat. Rachelle nodded.
"Well done, however we will not have such discussions tonight at dinner, and bear in mind, positions will change in this competition. So always be alert." Rachelle began a circle of the table. "You may all sit." They sat. "We begin the meal with the entrée; there are three standard types of entrées served in the Summer Palace; the egg, the salad or bread. Each has their own fork or spoon, remember them…" The education continued like that for almost an hour, and by then Josie could almost hear her stomach rumbling. One can't talk about food so much and not wish to eat. They had an intermission period half way through were they got to practice the 'dinner tone' which was a tone and volume appropriate for dinner. It ended quickly.
At last Rachelle clapped her hands once and smiled, "Well done, ladies, you are now up to an appropriate standard for your first formal dinner inside the royal palace. You will now be shown to your rooms and dressed appropriately as well." They left one by one, greeted by their entourage and led up to their room. Vukan, Maisa and other, younger woman stood a fair ways back but Josie was happy for the distance. She might not have shown it but after an hour of learning about forks and plates; she had a horrible headache and desperately need to distance herself from the room.
Vukan took the lead showing her up a small set of steps and into an out of the way hall. At the end of the hall were a large window and a door stepping out onto a balcony. Beyond that was a small view of the beach and more gardens. The sun had set well and truly now, and lights were glowing along the path ways. "This room is yours, Lady Josephine. Lady Rue-Tia is to your right at the end of the hall, while on the other side of the stair case is Lady Mirra; alas you are the only ones in this section of the Palace." Josie nodded, wondering where Lexa had been placed but didn't ask sensing they were on a time table.
The young woman was named Thea, and she would be her handmaid for the stay. Josie shook her hand and let them take over. Maisa disappeared through a small door the same colour as the wall and returned with a dress. The dress was gold, a thousand shades flickering in the light. Josie stared at it, her mouth dropped and her hand didn't cover it. She watched it, looking from either side checking if it was real. "Did you…make this?"
Maisa smiled a little shyly and nodded, "Do you like it, my lady?" Josie looked at the woman is if she'd gone crazy; "Like it? How could one hate it? Where did you get this material?" Maisa looked around, "My lady, the material is black, the gold in embroiderer." Josie reached out to touch it and noticed a thousand diamond shapes stitched into the material. She shook her head, a dress such of this was impossible.
"How?"
"I, I thought it would look good on you, my lady. And I have had a lot of free time recently." She curtsied and Vukan cleared his throat. "Before I go, I would like to inform you that you will need to be a dinner in half an hour, I reckoned putting on that dress and getting your hair done before I came back to take you too it. One is not late for dinner with the King and Queen."
Maisa and Thea jumped up and hurried Vukan out of the door. Josie was lead into the other end of her room. She couldn't help but look out the windows to the sky. Despite the wonder of this place she could just imagine her family eating dinner at that moment, fighting over food and talking about a hard day's work. Tears began to well up but she wiped them away. A long free standing mirror let her watch as Marissa undressed her and then Maisa pulled the dress over her head and button up the back. It was comfortable and for that Josie was thankful. Her Sunday dress was pretty but scratched and didn't fix her well. The dress fell on her with ease and wrapped around her body like a glove.
Maisa smiled at her work, the gold made Josie's tanned skin darker, her eyes more obvious. For the first time in her life she felt beautiful. Not pretty. Magnificent. She wondered if she could keep the dress. Maisa and Thea waited until she was ready and then lead her over to a seat were they began to do her hair. They curled it and hung it in a simple pony tail and let her choose her jewellery. Not wanting to clash with the dress she picked small gold hopes with a complex knot engraved in it.
A knock on the door heralded Vukan returning and Josie jumped at the sound; she hadn't realised how fast the time had flown. Vukan bowed and led her out in the hall. Josie saw Mirra exiting from her room, and turned to Vukan, holding up a finger to her lips. Stepping softly and thanking Prince Xavian for his taste in short girls – as she wasn't wearing very high heels – she snuck up on Mirra quickly and quietly. Mirra had been made a long sleek black dress and wore her hair down. The bracelet around her wrist was inlayed with diamonds, real diamonds. She tapped the girl on the shoulder just as her attendant exited her room. Josie glanced inside noting that they had different coloured furniture but the same basic design.
Mirra jumped and caught her breathe, "You! You scared me. Why did you do that?" Josie smiled and shook her head. "Lesson one, Lady Mirra, we are friends and friends do not need a reason to have fun with other friends."
"A rather you have fun together with me, not play tricks on me for your entertainment." She said flicking her hair over her shoulder and turning away. The word entertainment had a softer tone, and Josie wondered if she had really scared her. She supposed friends didn't do that were she came from; which was odd, because they were both from the south. Josie sighed and touched her friend's arm, "I'm sorry Mirra. I didn't mean to, I won't do it again."
"Ladies, you are on a schedule. Best not be late." Vukan said tapping his watch. Looking at Mirra with a bit of guilt she moved over to Vukan and they descended the stairs and made their way to the other side of the Palace. While Maisa and Thea had insisted that Josie were only small heels, Mirra was wearing long ones and the difference in height was obvious. It was slightly intimidating, as she was the shortest one in the group.
However the girl named Rue-Tia, who was following behind them, slipped on the stairs and her attendant had to rush back to her room to find a replacement stair. Mirra ordered her attendant to make sure the girl was alright. Even though the girl had been caught before she fell, it was a scary thought, and Josie was thankful for her understated shoes.
They made it to the door and Vukan bowed to them. "This is where I leave you girls, good night and good luck." Then he held up the door for them and they entered the dining hall.
I dedicate this chapter to the love of public holidays all Australians have.