Ch. 3 Silent Complaints

The rest of the day past in a huge daze, and Gregory, well let’s just say he totally and completely ignored me. From what he said at the table, I think that he didn’t like this idea just as much as I didn’t. The Queen continued to babble all through breakfast about plans for the ball and everything else.

Eventually it was time for me and father to go; I was happy when that time came. “I’ll bring Anjanique back for her stay tomorrow morning, Your Majesty.” Daddy said as we started to walk to the main hall.

“Oh that won’t be necessary. We’ll send Gregory over later to escort her back. We know you’re busy.” The Queen said and my eyes got wide and I was shocked that she would do that.

“Oh why thank you, Your Majesty.” Dad said bowing and then we left.

We walked home in silence. I was not happy that Daddy had agreed to do some of the things that the Queen had suggested that we do in preparation for this ball. Like me staying at the palace for two weeks for example. She said it would be necessary for teaching me proper etiquette.

When we walked into our house I walked straight to my room and practically slammed my door which I never did. I started to dig around in my room looking for my knapsack. Where was that stupid thing? As I continued to look I heard a knock on my door. “Anjanique, can I come in please?” I heard Daddy ask.

“If you must.” Was my answer as I kept looking for the bag.

Daddy came in and watched me as I looked around for my bag. “Anjanique please don’t be upset with me. I think it will be good for you.”

I turned around to look at him. “But Daddy! Cotillions are for girls who have court families! I don’t think I quite fall into that category! That and they’re for introducing girls to suitors, and to say its okay for you to ask for my daughter’s hand! I thought we agreed that I could choose who I wanted to marry if and when I wanted to!” I was frustrated with this I wanted to be me, not some fancy super dressed up debutant!

“I know we agreed on that, and that agreement is still in place. But honestly Anjanique, how many boys besides the Princes do you know? How many people from town do you get along with? Maybe if they see you in a gown and acting like a girl they will learn to like you a little bit more, maybe even be friendly.” Daddy said this as if he was ashamed and disliked the fact that I chose to wear leggings and not a skirt or dress.

“Daddy what are you saying? Are you trying to say that you don’t like that I wear leggings and like working with the birds? Are you saying that you would rather me be normal? I thought you liked me the way I am.”

“That’s not what I’m saying Anjanique. All’s I’m saying is that you should give this a try. Just try to like it and please be cooperative with the Queen. She thinks of you as the daughter she never had. She really does.”

I was silent and went back to looking for my bag. Daddy sighed and left, right as I found my bag. I placed my nicest tunics, leggings and bracers into it as well as my new glove and the blanket Mum had given me for my birthday before she died. I closed the string on the bag and went up stairs to the front room and looked at Daddy and smiled weakly. I bit my lip and the dropped my bag on the floor and ran to Daddy and hugged him around the neck and started crying. God; I could be such a girl sometimes.

Daddy hugged me around the waist and whispered in my ear, “Anjanique is going to be fine sweetheart. Nothing’s going to go bad everything is going to be fine, and you’re going to have fun with this. You’ll like living in the palace. Trust me you will.” Daddy moved my arms from around his neck and held my face in his hands. “Now dry away those tears before Gregory gets here. I know you wouldn’t want him to see you like this.”

There was a knock on the door and we both turned towards it. I ran my fingers over my face taking the tears off of it. Daddy laughed lightly and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked me to the door, where he opened it and we where not surprised to see Gregory. Daddy handed me my bag, kissed my forehead and pushed me out the door whispering quietly, “Have fun.”

I looked back at him right as the door closed with a pleading look. I rolled my eyes and swung my bag over my shoulder as the two of us started walking back towards the palace.

After a few minutes of sour silence, Gregory spoke. “Anjanique I just want to say I had nothing to do with this. I didn’t know Mother was planning that. Okay well sure I knew about the ball but I didn’t know anything about the cotillion part. I didn’t suggest it, or know anything about it.” As he finished he touched my arm.

I was shocked that he touched me in a non-jesting way and I pulled away from him. I didn’t say anything to him how ever. I guess that bothered him that I didn’t say anything because he asked “Anjanique is something wrong?”

I guess then I lost it to tell the honest truth, because I started yelling at him. “Oh like I can believe that! If you didn’t know anything about it then why would you have given me this?” I held my wrist out to him where his silver bracelet sat. Luckily we had made it out of the town by now and we where standing in the outer court yard of the palace.

His eyebrows pulled together into a single line. “I gave that to you because I… Oh never mind.” He looked to the ground and then looked back up and at that moment Simeon his tutor and his mother came walking up to us.

“Oh Anjanique! I’m so glad you are joining us! Its going to be so exciting!” The look on the Queen’s face was I knew true joy and excitement; I couldn’t help but smile at that point even though that just minutes before I had been yelling at Gregory.

“Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesty.”

“Oh Anjanique! Call me Alexandra!” The Queen or well Alexandra said as she placed her arms around my shoulders and started leading me from the court yard.

“Um. Okay, Alexandra.” As we left the courtyard I looked back over my shoulder and glared at Gregory, and her looked back at me with pleading eyes.

As we enter the halls of the palace, and where totally out of ear shot of Gregory and Simeon, Alexandra looked at me and asked, “Anjanique, I saw you glaring at Gregory. Is there something going on between you two?”

“Um it’s nothing. We where just arguing on the way over here.”

“Oh.” She stopped in front of a large set of double oak doors. “Well these will be your quarters while you’re here.” She said and then pushed the doors opened.
As the door opened my jaw dropped and my bag fell to the floor.

“Do you like it?” Alexandra said as she ushered me into the room. I hardly noticed that a girl that couldn’t be any older than me had picked up my bag and carried it into the room and placed it on to the bed.

“Oh yes your Maj…Alexandra.” I said as I wandered to the oak four posted bed and gently touched the carvings of falcons on the posts and foot board.

Alexandra clapped her hands together. “Oh good! I hopped you would! This is Colleen; she will be your room maid and such during your stay. I’ll leave you to get settled.” She then walked out of the room and Colleen curtsied to her as she left.

I turned to Colleen and smiled lightly and then went back to wandering around the room. It was so beautiful! Everything had been hand carved with falcons and hawks and it was all the dark wood I loved! The bed spread was silk and down filled, I was so use to the rough wool blankets of my home and these where so eloquent!

As I continued my wandering Colleen spoke up and said “Ma’am?” I turned to her slightly confused and she continued. “I’ve put your clothes into the wardrobe along with the dresses and skirts the Queen left for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

I shook my head and said “Oh no of course not. You’re just doing you job. Colleen can I ask a favor of you?”

“Of course ma’am.”

“Please don’t call me that. Call me Anjanique, and no curtsying. I can’t be any older than you.”

“Actually Anjanique you are. I’m only fourteen.”

“Really and you work her in the palace?” I was amazed that someone younger than me was working here.

“Yes. My parents are also servants. I grew up in this life and I don’t mind it.”

I shook my head and sat down on the bed and crossed my legs under me.

Colleen started walking towards the door. “If that’s all, I leave and come back to help you get ready for supper in a few hours.” She rested her hand on the door knob.

I nodded and Colleen left. I sighed and fell back onto the bed. This was going to be two really long weeks.