I followed the maid through the winding halls of the castle, doing my best to remember the layout so I hopefully wouldn’t need guidance the next time I needed to take this path. It wasn’t that long before we reached the throne room antechamber.

“Here you are, head inside when you are ready. I will wait outside while you meet with her majesty.” The maid gave another small curtsy before taking a standing position against one of the walls in patient waiting. I was confused as to why she didn’t take one of the several seats in the room, all of which were empty, but perhaps it was custom for servants to remain standing.

Looking towards the large double doors, I took in their pattern once more. I hadn’t paid much attention to it when I first entered through them, preoccupied as I was with my mission. It had a beautiful design depicting a landscape, I presumed local, bathed in the silver rays of the moonlight I was more familiar with. Careful not to touch the silver, I reached towards the handle, only to find it retreating away from me.

The doors swung open to reveal the grand hall that made up the throne room, the servants who opened the doors taking a stance on either side. The quartet of Braziers were lit with a crimson flame that bathed the room in a deep red. Interspersed between the braziers was the queen’s guards, dressed in gilded armor and resting ornate spears on the ground. It was a far more comforting sight than when they had ambushed me from behind the pillars that outlined a straight path up to the throne itself.

Turning my eyes upwards, I was reminded of who I was meant to succeed. A stately woman, who sat regally and far more relaxed than last I had seen her. The throne she sat on was made of a red-stained wood, inlaid with golden filigree in a design that suggested there was a soft light emanating from her. Her sheer dress shifted as she turned to see me, a smile quickly enveloping her face as she recognized who her visitor was.

“There you are, my sweet. I was worried you might not awake from your slumber.” Her voice was cool and calming. A far cry from the frigid intimidation I thought to be her only register. “Please, come take your place next to me, if only for a moment.”

“Th-thank you, your majesty,” I stammered out as I walked up the silken carpet towards a smaller throne of similar make, but inlaid instead with brass. It was angled in such a way that I would be able to comfortably talk with the queen and any guests in the throne room. Another responsibility I’d likely be taking upon myself.

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“Please, no need for such formality around me dear,” her tone was calming as her silvery eyes lighted upon me gently. “To my heiress, I am just Drusilla. Queen Drusilla, if you must be formal.”

“Yes, Queen Drusilla,” I shyly spoke out, copying the maid and taking a small curtsy in deference before taking my seat next to her. “You wished to see me so soon?”

“Of course I did!” Her words lilted with a tone similar to my own, the happiness of seeing me writ plainly upon her face. “You are now my heiress. And though there is much to teach you, not all of which am I best suited to teaching, I did want to see you on your first day as a proper woman.”

I blushed at her comment, being reminded of who I was just yesterday. “It’s strange to be in a different body, Queen Drusilla,” I admitted plainly, “but I cannot say I dislike it.”

“That’s good to hear, my sweet. And I’m hoping the other oddities you’ve been dealing with aren’t too troublesome.” I shook my head, which brought another smile to the queen’s face. “Lovely. And though I hate to keep our first proper meeting so short, I know Veronica is most certainly standing and waiting for you. She is a wonderful servant, sometimes to her own detriment.” I anxiously chuckled a little as she confirmed that the maid was as uptight as I had thought her to be.

“I’m glad you’re beginning to get comfortable in your new life. I’m sure Veronica has all the details for your day planned out, but I would like to remind you that you will need to pick out a new name soon. I can’t exactly announce my new heiress to the kingdom if I have no name to announce her by.” She gave a small laugh before reaching a hand to touch my own gently.

I managed a smile back, trying not to blush from being so cordial with someone who I knew could be so ruthless when she needed to be. “I’ll be sure to give it some thought, Queen Drusilla. When should I expect to see you again?”

“Sooner than you could wish, but later than I would like, my sweet.” She said it to me so kindly, like a mother would. I suppose, in a sense, she was my mother now.

I took a stand once more, offering a curtsy in farewell before turning to leave the throne room. As the doors closed behind me, Veronica left the wall she hadn’t moved from to offer me a curtsy of her own.

“I do hope your meeting was satisfactory, miss.”

“It was, thank you for helping me Veronica.” The maid seemed caught off guard slightly by me using her name. She was so dedicated, she hadn’t even bothered to give me her own name.

“If it suits you, we should make our way into the city.”

“Whenever you’re ready, we can go,” I responded. It seemed my more casual attitude caught Veronica off guard, as she didn’t have an immediate response to that. After a brief moment, though, she nodded her agreement and turned to leave the antechamber.