Preparations

TOVA

Birgir led the way back to the stable, not allowing me to take my time on the way back.  I was a little miffed at him and at the High King; it was my birthday and I certainly didn’t want to spend it in uncomfortable dresses with my hair pulled up too tight and shoes that pinched.  I wanted to wear my buckskin leggings with a shift over the top and my hair loose and not contained.  I wanted to be riding Bo through the glades.  I didn’t want to be a lady, the next Queen.  I wanted to just be Tova.

I was sitting in my bath after being fussed at by Frida for my black eye.  She had disappeared to gather supplies to make me presentable tonight and I lay back, sighing with relief.  I didn’t like being chastised like I was a child, though in their minds I was still the scared six-year-old that showed up smelly and cowed.  I lay back and let my feet float to the top of the water, idly watching my toes when the outer door to my chamber banged open.  I sat up and reached for a towel, sighing.  That noise was the arrival of Lady Ulka and by the noise she was making in my outer chamber, she was annoyed.

I barely had enough time to wrap the towel around me before she barged in. 

“I see the rumors are correct.  You have a black eye.”

It was swollen to a slit and I could barely see out of it.  I knew it wasn’t ideal for the dinner, but I was tired of the women acting like I had gotten it on purpose.

“I am aware,” I said, coolly.  Lady Ulka noticed my sassiness but said nothing, instead turned to the door and clapped her hands.  The two girls in the outer chamber came rushing in, one carrying a mortar and pestle. 

“The Medicine Man said to put these herbs over your eye for ten minutes and it should reduce the puffiness.  There’s nothing we can do for the bruise, so I am loaning you my lady in waiting who is amazing with the colors.” She indicated Suze, who was carrying what looked like a paint palate but with flesh colors on it.  I hadn’t ever painted my face before, and I wasn’t thrilled that my first experience was going to be to cover a black eye.  I sighed.  There wasn’t much I could do about it.

“We have one hour,” Lady Ulka announced, clapping her hands again.  I was swarmed, led out of the bath chamber and pushed on to my bed where Thaia smeared the smelly herbs on my eye.  I held my tongue though it stung like crazy and watched Lady Ulka invade my closet for the second time today.  She emerged with an ermine trimmed dress in the same blue color as my eyes.   Or, at this point, my eye.  I didn’t have high hopes that the swelling would go down and anyone would be able to see my other eye.

“Who was it this time?” Lady Ulka asked, curiously, pretending to admire the ermine cuffs.  I shrugged.

“Does it matter?  Nothing is ever done.”

“We can ask Birgir to take care of it,” she said.  I shook my head no, being careful not to displace the herbs. 

“If the King feels he has overstepped, he could be exiled.  Neither you nor I want that.”  I watched her with my good eye.  She played more with the trimmings and didn’t look at me.  For some time I suspected that she and Birgir had a special relationship, and today I was pretty sure I was correct.

“You are right,” she said, putting down the dress.  “I must go get ready.  Girls, take the herbs off from Lady Tova’s eye in five minutes and get her ready.  You will be whipped if she is not presentable in forty-five minutes.”  She put her hand on my arm.  “And Tova, one more thing.  This is not a birthday dinner for you.  It is a State Dinner.  We will have to celebrate your birthday another time.”  She looked sad for me, but I wasn’t upset. 

“That’s okay,” I said.  “I’d prefer to just do something with just you and Birgir to celebrate, anyway.” 

She looked pleased and reached down to kiss the side of my face that wasn’t covered in herbs.  She left the room in a flurry, much in the way that she came in.  Suze then looked at me with horror. 

“I won’t allow her to have you whipped, don’t worry,” I said, soothingly.  Truth was that Lady Ulka never had any of her staff whipped but she threatened it often enough that she had a reputation of being a hard mistress.  I knew better.  She was kind and loving and she cared about her people. 

The herbs helped, but not as much as I had hoped.  Suze got to work with her palate, trying to minimize the look.  Someone else was doing my hair and when both had finished, I was helped into my gown.  It was heavy and ornate and entirely unnecessary.  I hated it but everyone in my chamber clamored on about how well I looked. 

Birgir showed up for me at precisely 7:00pm and lent me his arm as we walked down the stone hallway to the great room where it had been set up for dinner. 

“You look very beautiful,” he said, smiling at me.  I grinned at him. 

“Don’t you mean I look well?”  I mocked my ladies.  He chuckled and I spoke again.  “I hate these slippers.  Silk looks pretty but it is no protection against cold stone floors.”

Birgir reached down and picked me up.  “Is this better, your highness,” he said, mocking me as I had mocked my ladies. 

“Yes, my page,” I trilled back at him, and we both laughed.  He put me back on my feet and paused before we entered.  I didn’t like entering the big doors of the Grand Hall, instead sneaking in one of the side doors, but I still had to steel myself before entering.  So many people in the room hated me.

I walked in regally, not scurrying like I really wanted to, and I hurried to take my place at the end on the far side.  It’s as far away from the head of the table that I can get.  The High King doesn’t like to see me, and I like it that way.  Birgir usually sits with me, and he talks with me so that I don’t get bored.

I started weaving my way to my spot when a High King Guard hurried over to me. 

“Lady Tova,” he said, bowing low.  “Your seat is next to the High King.”