The sun greeted Aloe like a cold slap of water.
“Auuuugh!” The woman groaned like a dweller going into labor.
Whilst she lingered on the warmth on her sheets, Aloe raised her back from the soft mattress. Her vision was blurry, and her head pounded down on her, but her number one question was:
“When did I get here?” She brought a hand to her head. “Damn, I... fuck.” Politeness wasn’t the strong point of the scribe when drowsy. It took her a bit of time to get used to the light. “I can’t recall shit.”
Aloe tried to stand up in the middle of the bed, but her legs betrayed her, and she tumbled down. Thankfully, the bed was softer than a cloud and she barely felt the fall.
“Dunes...” Aloe sighed, leading a hand to her eyes as the light from the window beamed directly at her face. “I’ve never felt so sleepy...” Nor I have been awake that much time. Though she left that part unsaid.
She trusted that the maids would look for her if she didn’t show a sign of life before the audience, especially Lulu – she doubted the young maid would allow Aloe to fail her duties – but that was no excuse for lingering inert like a rock. Glancing around, Aloe found a glass of water on the nightstand, and even if it was rather stale and hot, she nonetheless drank it greedily as if she had been stranded in the desert for days.
“How ‘bout clothes?” Aloe said after jumping out of bed and stretching her arms. Only then did she realize what she was wearing. “Oh.” It was a silk nightgown. “Oh?” A green one. “Oh!” A translucent one.
Aloe embraced her torso, no matter that she was alone in the room. Her visage turned into a blush.
“Who changed me?” Even if she knew the answer, that didn’t make it less embarrassing.
The newly woman was too embarrassed of her body to let others see it, even if it was to change her into comfortable sleeping clothes after she collapsed.
“At least she didn’t remove my underwear...” Aloe sulked her way to the wardrobe.
She would have survived the shame of being exposed that way. Some people may like to highlight that more people had seen her naked before, that had been exactly the case yesterday, but that was in the bath. Where bath rules applied. And everyone knew people were nude in a bath, that was the place of nudity. Her own bedchamber on the other hand...
Her gloom disappeared like night on the day once she saw the wardrobe's contents.
“Oh!” She had seen them yesterday, but she hadn’t had the time to process it between her mental exhaustion and the fact that she ordered Lulu to ready the clothes for her. “Should I wear the same clothes? I’ve barely used them... Just for a few hours... Normally I would do so, but what if someone comments on it? I no longer need to do laundry, and there are a lot of dresses.”
Aloe wasn’t a vain person, but when you were exposed to more clothes than you could try and then told that they were yours, well, it would have been stupid to not try them out.
Considering how she had clutched her sheets during her sleep, Aloe opted for thicker clothes as it looked like a cold day was brewing. However, thicker clothes in Ydaz just meant long sleeves and no opening for air to flow around. She picked up a long-sleeved-and-skirt dress that looked fabulous. The emerald velvet not only was soft to the touch but also far more expensive than anything she could have afforded before her current job. She may not technically be the proprietor of the dress, but the fact that she could wear such clothing made her unbelievably happy.
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She still had woken up early, so Aloe decided to get a feel of every piece of clothing whilst she had time.
A mirror, a myriad of clothing, and free time did wonders for one's mood.
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“You shouldn’t be awake!” Lulu shouted alarmed as she opened the door, tray in hand.
“Good morning to you too, Lulu.” Aloe gave her a sarcastic smile with a gaze devoid of emotion.
In a rush, the maid left the tray in the first place she could and rushed to the scribe.
“Are you feeling well, Aloe?” She kept her hands to herself, but it was obvious that she wanted to touch as if to check for wounds.
“I can assure you I am perfectly fine,” The scribe affirmed. “Maybe a bit lacking in the sleep department, but you don’t need to be this jumpy.”
“You should have slept more. I was going to let you sleep late, waking you barely before the audience.”
“Well, there’s no need for that now. And it isn’t as if I did that intentionally, the sun woke me up.”
“Oh, heavens!” Lulu placed her hands on her cheeks, her expression was mortified. “I forgot to close the curtains. I am so sorry, venerable Scribe!”
“No titles, Lulu. Or else you are going to make me mad.” Aloe frowned.
“I... of course.” The maid bowed in acknowledgment and then changed the subject. “I was going to select your clothing like yesterday, but it seems you already did that.”
“Indeed,” Aloe smiled in content and performed a twirl, the tail of her dress’ skirt slightly waving. “The selection is quite delectable.”
“I am glad to hear that,” Lulu responded diplomatically yet actual satisfaction could be seen in her expression. Her posture was relaxed as she situated her clasped hands before her crotch.
“Though talking about clothing,” Aloe’s visage darkened a bit, “what’s the matter with that nightgown?” She pointed at the piece of clothing lying on the bed.
“Is... it not to your liking, Aloe?” While not as mortified as before, there was repentance in the maid’s expression.
“Ehm...” Aloe hadn’t expected that question, but she proceeded, nevertheless. “I do not partake in such... revealing outfits.” She explained in the most sterile way possible.
“I see.” Lulu did not make a fuss out of it, simply understanding that Aloe hadn’t liked the outfit. “I’ll select more opaque clothing for the future then. You intend to sleep in your palace bedchamber, right?”
“That’s the idea, yes.” She nodded. “And less translucent clothes are exactly what I wanted. However, that raises another question. You were the one who changed me into my nightgown, am I right?”
“Yes?” The maid stated in confusion, not understanding the scribe’s point. “There weren’t more people to do so.”
“That’s not the point.” Lulu tilted her head to the side still not understanding the question. “Alright, ehm... I would not like to be dressed or undressed without my express consent, is that clear?”
“Oh!” Lulu’s eyes shot wide open and bowed apologetically. “I am so sorry, Aloe. I... I honestly didn’t think about that, you had no problems when the head maid dressed you for your first audience, and nobody else does in the palace so...”
“I get your logic,” Aloe raised her hands defensively to calm the maid down, “but if were to fall unconscious again, I’d honestly prefer if you just left me in my clothes.”
“I understand.” The fair-skinned woman said whilst maintaining her bow. “But what if you are unconscious and dirty? Or worse, drenched? You could get sick that way!”
As Aloe peered into Lulu’s eyes, she saw veritable worry. Her paranoia led her to think of the worst possible outcomes for herself, but as it would appear, the maid’s paranoia did something similar. A sister in paranoia was the last thing she had hoped to find in the palace.
“Uhh...” The scribe was at a loss for words. “I guess that in that case, I could accept being undressed... But only if it’s you, Lulu! Only you! I won’t accept any other maid, do you got that?”
Her embarrassment was far from gone, notably after such shameful words, but her trail of thought led her to believe that if she had already seen her naked, then at least if the occasion that someone had to do that again, then it should be Lulu to do so. That didn’t make it better, but Aloe dealt with her shame as best as she could. If Lulu had been far less lovely it would have been way easier, or older. The maid was too radiant, unlike her.
“Absolutely!” Lulu responded ever-so-suspiciously excited but rapidly calmed down. “There’s still a bit of time for the audience, but the breakfast will get cold if you don’t eat it soon.”
“Oh, breakfast?” Now it was time for Aloe’s eyes to shine.