Particular Beauty

[Nanaki]

The castle was abuzz with activity as they prepared for the arrival of the king’s next wife. The usually dreary and dimly lit place was slightly more festive with prettily arranged bouquets of flowers, colored candles, and light blue streamers. The place was, as was custom with the arrival of a new bride, brighter than usual. All candles were lit in their holders casting dancing shadows on dark golden walls. On the kings request ornaments had been hung in bright blue and gold and sparkled in the sunlight coming from the tall windows, their curtains drawn back for the first time in a little more than a year. Honestly, it looked a little odd. The pretty, new, decorations clashed with the rather old furnishings that typically adorned the lavish palace and the brightness that filled the place was unusual and a bit unsettling to the staff who had grown accustomed to living in the dark.

They didn’t question it though; it was rather foolish to question the king’s orders…

Said king was currently up in his room. He had dressed in a rather nice set of light blue and gold robes and was currently working on his hair. He’d worked up a rather meticulous ritual for the preparation of meeting a new wife and was nearly done. The ritual went as such: bathe, select clothing, bathe again, dress, braid hair once, assess clothing, if something is amiss change if not stay, undo and braid hair again, adjust glamour as needed, braid hair again, check glamour one more time, braid again, glamour.

He was on the final braiding. Sliding his fingers slowly through his hair to remove any snags, thought there were none, he hummed softly to himself trying to quell his nervousness. Cronos was not a nice man, he was a proud man, but he was also a nervous man, and a self-conscious man. The constant unbraiding and rebraiding was not so much about hygiene as it was relaxation, as were the two baths. The repetitive motion was soothing to his jittery nerves and gave his shaking hands something to do.

“Fifteen” he muttered softly, under his breath. “This is number fifteen… will she leave me too?” Sharp teeth worried a thin lip almost piercing the skin and he let go, finishing the last twist in his hair. He secured it with a gold ribbon and stood, wobbling, from his bed. An attendant, tall and female, was beside him in a moment, silent as always. She led him to his vanity table and let him sit while he checked over himself. The glamour was administered properly.

“What a pain” he muttered. He hated putting on his glamour but, every time, he allowed his bride to catch a quick glance at him and he wanted her impression of him to be an at least semi pleasant one. He didn’t want to lose another really, it was starting to become too much and he was rather tired of being alone. He nodded and his attendant helped him up again, holding back the white canopy of his bed so that he could slide back in. It closed and he was once again blanketed in the snowy white that was and had always been his existence.

“When she arrives, bring her to me” he said softly.

Another attendant, one who had been standing by the door of his rather well furnished room, nodded and stepped out. She made her way from his room on the third floor of the castle to the court yard, where the sun shone warmly down through the canopy of leaves made by the ancient oak trees gathered all around and on the bright flowers the grounds keepers had worked so hard to plant, and that Cronos had never seen. She stood and waited in the unappreciated beauty for their new queen.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

"But, mother... do you really think this is a good idea?"

Lady Tam sat ramrod straight, shoulders tense and biting her lip nervously. She winced, though, as the carriage struck a rut in the road, causing her to bounce and draw blood. She reached up to wipe the offending droplets on the back of her hand, but stopped upon receiving an icy glare from her mother.

"Of course it is! You are always going on about making something of yourself, and this is your chance." The tall, thin woman plucked forth a handkerchief and dabbed at the blood on her daughter's lip. "Maybe now you can put all of that troublesome energy of yours into doing something truly great." The severe expression gave way to a softer one as she gazed proudly upon her daughter. "My dear, you will be a queen."

Tam took in a shaky breath and nodded nervously. "Right! Right... I'll become a queen and I'll accomplish great things, and do good by the people." But she looked doubtful and a little afraid. "But what about him?"

The carriage drew to a halting stop. Her mother ushered her out the door impatiently, "You'll be fine dear, just don't go giving the poor man any unnecessary trouble. Now, go and make me proud!"

Tam stepped gracefully out of the carriage, refusing the helping hand of the coachman, but giving him a small smile. The sunlight glinted off of her golden blonde hair as she stepped forward hesitantly. The blue lace at the hem of her elegant white gown brushed the grass of the courtyard as she made her way slowly toward the waiting attendant. Her eyes were wide as she gazed around the lovely gardens. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad - it certainly was beautiful at least. She clasped her hands neatly in front of her and approached the waiting woman. Ducking her head shyly, she gave the woman a nervous smile.

"H-hello. I'm here for my... appointment? Aheh, no, that's not right. I'm here to meet the King."

[Nanaki]

The attendant looked quickly over Tam as she approached, wondering to herself how the king found such beautiful girls. She dismissed the thought though, goodness knows how dangerous idle thinking could be in this place, and nodded curtly. "Of course ma'am" she said softly. "This way please, the king is expecting you."

She turned swiftly on her heel and went toward the house, wasting no time in getting there. The large double doors swung open before them, seemingly on their own, and revealed the festively decorated entrance hall. Several of the other staff stood by the stairs to greet their newest lady of the house and a few even managed friendly smiles as they chimed "Welcome Ms. Nandra."

The attendant guiding her bypassed all these welcomes, expecting the girl to follow behind, never looking back. She'd done this before and it was getting tiring. She mounted the stairs, reaching the third floor swiftly, and approached his room. "Your Majesty" she called softly.

Cronos, on the other side, jumped slightly at the voice coming through his door. He assumed this meant his bride was here. He drew his lip into his mouth again, nervously, and laced his fingers together. "Enter" he spoke, again quietly as he released his lip from his hold and sighed.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

Tam was a little bit intimidated by the attendant's impersonal greeting and curt nod. She wasn't one to attend court often, and was used to the friendly, familiar manner of her own family servants. Tam would have been glad to take her time and get to know her new surroundings, but it wouldn't do to make the king wait on her any longer than necessary. And so it was reluctantly that Tam left the beautiful sunny garden and followed the other woman inside.

She was quite startled to see the grand welcome that awaited her. The decorations were beautiful, and she would have loved to stop and study some of the antique furnishings that were overshadowed by the gaudy gold decor. This looked like a place full of history and intrigue and -- and the attendant was already heading up the stairs at the far end of the entrance hall!

Tam had to hustle in order to catch up to the woman, making her skirts fly around her and the glossy ringlets in her hair bounce wildly. She hid her look of panic and made herself slow down upon reaching the stairs. She put on her calm, polite and slightly vague expression and began striding up the steps in as dignified a manner as possible. She paused for a moment, double-checking the layer of makeup and concealer that her maidservant had plastered all over her face to hide any possible blemishes. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and continued up the stairs. She was only halfway up when she heard the attendant speaking and was bid to enter. She hurried the last few flights and then glided past the attendant and into the room.

She was glad that the thick makeup at least covered her blush and allowed her to look unruffled. Her eyes darted around the room curiously, falling on the white canopy and the indistinct figure behind it. She had to wonder what her mother would say about the propriety of greeting her betrothed for the first time in his bedchamber. Still, she swept a graceful curtsey and bowed her head, staying silent and allowing her thoughts to wander while she waited for him to speak.

[Nanaki]

Cronos nodded to the figure that had come before him, though the nod was more for himself than for her. "Tamineh correct?" he asked, his voice soft and low. "I am Cronos..." he had found over the years that most of them stayed longer if he addressed them more casually and hoped the case was the same for this one. "It is... nice to meet you." His speech came slowly because he was not used to speaking in a conversational manner, most words out of his mouth as of late were commands and those were never too polite. He realized this, realized his current pattern of speaking, and hoped she wouldn't think him slow, or worse, realize he was quite nervous.

He regarded her figure again, frowning a little at the realization that he could hardly see her between the cover of his hair, the canopy and his own terrible vision. "Step closer would you... My sight fails me often" he told her, the second sentence quieter because the first had come out in a mildly snappy way. "I... apologize for that... My health... I am not in the best of conditions..." He felt his face flush at this admittance of his own weakness, of his own bodies failings and for a moment questioned his actions in his mind. Why tell her that, isn't her impression of me already bad enough, won't she just leave like all the rest, won't she- he cut off that rather destructive train of thought and took a deep breath. He had told her that because it was best to be upfront with his wives about his condition, because it was sure to answer several questions they may have.

Another deep breath, best not to lose his temper, especially when she'd done nothing to him at all. "Are you... how are you... You may sit... here, by the bed... or on it... if you wish." His speech was still slow and his hands were shaking though the fingers were laced together. He released them from their hold for just a moment to wave at a chair set off to the right of his covered bed and hoped she didn't notice the tremble, all in him was steady save his hands and he cursed them for it clamping them back together.

He blinked his red, burning, eyes unseen and clamped down another order for her to come closer so that he wouldn't have to strain to see. Instead he added as an after though "I will not keep you long if you wish to rest." thinking perhaps it would be better just to send her off to her room.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

"Yes, my lord. Thank you." Tam spoke respectfully, if a little shy. Even her quiet voice seemed strong in comparison to his soft tone though. "Although if we are to be... wed, my lord, you may wish to call me Tam." It had been awkward to say it. She really couldn't fathom the thought of marrying any man, let alone one she hadn't met, or loved. "I don't generally go by my full title."

She swallowed nervously when he told her to come closer, and so she stepped forward. She felt a strange mixture of pity and fear for this sickly king. She wasn't sure how to appropriately reply to the comment about his health, and so she remained silent on the matter. It was her experience that men were prideful about such things, and she didn't want to say the wrong thing; pity him and get scolded, or brush the matter off and seem like an uncaring future wife.

She nervously seated herself on the offered chair, much to shy to immediately join him on the bed. She tried to hide the quiver of anxiety in her voice as she bobbed her head in a nod. "I am quite well thank you, your majesty." She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts and glance around the sterile but beautiful bedchamber. She considered taking the window of opportunity he had given her, and disappearing into what was to be her room. But that would hardly be fair, he had done nothing to cause her to run away. "And I would be pleased to stay and keep you company. The ride here was long, and I am glad to be up and about."

[Nanaki]

"Tam." He said it softly, a small mutter under his breath. She was not the first to have another, preferred, name and he set to reminding himself that was what she wished to be called. He almost cringed when she spoke of their immanent marriage but was able to restrain himself. Though he had been the one to send out the proposal and arrange all of this he was still rather wary of it, rather nervous about it. These things hadn't the tendency to work out after all.

He turned his head towards her when she came and sat at the offered chair, rather relieved really that she hadn't taken to sitting on the bed, he wasn't sure if he could handle such close contact and didn't quite know why he'd offered. He could see her a little better now, though it was still not a wonderfully clear sight. For a moment he considered having the canopy drawn but for the moment decided against it. To see her she would see him and he needed to take a moment to prepare himself for that.

He felt himself taken aback slightly when she told him she would stay. That was a first. All the others, upon first entering and seeing him, bedridden and veiled, took their first opportunity to get out... though he hadn't been quite so kind to the first few and ordered them off. He stiffened, not quite sure what to do, and frowned, looking forward again. He didn't like not knowing what to do, it was something that had always grated on his nerves and he could feel another hot blush creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.

He forced it down. Don't lose your temper...don't... He let his thoughts die and looked to her again, nodding slowly "well... thank you..." he wasn't quite sure how to continue and looked down at his hands, annoyed. I must say something... "I hope your ride went well... despite being long" he finally forced out, not quite sure if he was making proper conversation, he really didn't do this often.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

"The ride was well enough, my lord." She replied politely, keeping things quite formal herself even though she had already bid him to greet her casually. She also fell silent for a few moments, not knowing at all what to say. Her mind ran rampant with a thousand different questions though, and she was hard-pressed to keep it all in. The vague shape of him behind the white veil continuously drew her gaze though. She tried squinting to see through the veil, and when that didn't work she had to sit on her hands in order to stop from drawing it aside. That would be far too disrespectful!

"Do... do you get out much?" She asked, desperately grasping for straws at conversation. "Perhaps sometime, if you are feeling well enough, we could go out walking together. Or for a carriage ride if you would prefer." Tam loved the outdoors, and wished that this place were brighter and airier. Although she kicked herself for her stupid question. This man obviously didn't get out a whole lot. She frowned. No wonder he was sickly, if he just spent all of his time in bed like this! She would have died from boredom, let alone illness had she been bedridden like him.

"Why do you stay behind that veil?" She blurted out suddenly, her curiosity getting the better of her. Almost immediately after the words had left her mouth she squeaked and clamped her hands over her mouth as if that would withdraw the comment. "I'm sorry! Pardon my curiosity, I just... I'd like to see you if you don't mind." She bit her tongue, deciding to fall silent before she say anything worse and dig herself deeper.

[Nanaki]

Cronos felt himself tense a bit at her first question, but relax slightly at her offer. It didn't seem she meant any offense. "I do not leave often" he told her. "My room... I have not left it in the past..." he took a moment to consider "the past four months... and I hardly leave the house." He tried to keep his voice under control and did his best to keep his temper from rising. Talking about his physical failings was not something he was fond of and could easily put him a foul mood. "I will ask the doctor though..." he trailed off as her second question was asked and felt himself stiffen again.

Sitting ramrod straight on his bed he looked toward her, his jaw clenched. "Quite a forward girl" he said through gritted teeth. Never before had someone come outright and asked such a question. For a moment he was not sure how to respond and nearly ordered her out, his patience slowly leaving him, but then he reminded himself that she was only curious, she had said so herself, and once again meant no offense.

"I stay behind the veil..." he started, trying to regain his calm "because my eyes... they are sensitive to light... And because I am very sick... most of the time"and because I look like a monster under normal circumstances he thought bitterly. He watched her for a long moment, slowing his breathing that he hadn't noticed had sped up, and gave a slow nod. "I suppose... given the circumstances... that it would only be fair to let you see my face." He closed his eyes and gave a quiet sigh, forcing the hot angry blush from his face before speaking again.

"Draw it back." For a moment he considered undoing the glamour but decided not to. It would be rather unfortunate for both of them if he did and she reacted... unfavorably. Best not to give his shortening temper the opportunity to burst upon this unfortunate girl.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

Tam got to her feet and stepped toward the bed, her soft slippers making no noise on the floor as she approached. Standing closer than before, she paused and shifted from foot to foot nervously. She let her fingertips play across the sheer fabric for a moment before finally drawing the curtain back with baited breath. She let out a soft gasp when she saw him, and her expression softened. "Your hair... It's so long and beautiful." She sighed a little bit enviously, and she couldn't help but feel relieved as well.

She wasn't sure what she had expected. She had figured he might have some kind of hideous deformity, or some other such repulsive condition to keep him hidden away. But what she saw was nothing like that. Sure he was a little bit thin, and definitely... surreal in a way. But certainly he wasn't sore on the eyes at all. "There, now we can see each other." She nodded decisively. "I apologize for my forwardness my lord, my mother always said it was one of my failings." Her lips twitched in the smallest of smiles. "But I am glad to be able to look upon your face."

She couldn't fathom the thought of what her future would be like if she wasn't even able to see him. True, he wouldn't have been her first choice for a husband. But if she were to be wed to a man, she wanted to make an effort to get to know him. There was no way she wanted to be a cowed housewife who kept to her own rooms and never did anything.

[Nanaki]

Cronos cringed slightly at her gasp and at the sudden, still soft light that came to him when the curtain was drawn away. He looked at her, confused, when she complimented his hair. That was perhaps the oddest, and nicest, response he'd ever gotten from someone first seeing him. He reached up subconsciously to touch the soft stands that hung over his eyes and blinked twice, unseen. "Thank you..."

He looked at her for a long moment, she was very pretty, and nodded. His hair fell away from his forehead slightly revealing one red pink eye and he blinked at her curiously again, his expression almost childlike as he listened to her speak and saw the barely there smile tugging at her lips. "I am... glad to see you as well... you are very beautiful." Return a compliment with a compliment he hoped was the proper way to go about these things. He never was sure when speaking because he did not often speak. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a conversation go on for this long.

Quietly, he regarded her and her words. Glad to look upon my face he mused. Perhaps not if you knew my true appearance. With this thought he looked away, down at his lap, hair back over his eyes. While his differences weren't major, the claws, sharp teeth, and pointed ears, he found them painfully ugly and felt that if she were to see them she would be truly repulsed. He didn't want that... She was one of few that had taken the time to speak to him and the only one to continue on for this long. It was also the first time he'd been able to keep his temper so far under control, though he didn't know if he would be able to keep it up for too long.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

Cronos' almost childlike confusion made her ghost of a smile turn into an actual giggle. She covered her mouth politely with one hand to stop the chuckle. Her attention was caught by the unexpected flash of red that she caught from behind his bangs though, and she gazed curiously at his eye for a moment before it was hidden away once more. She realized that she had been staring, and had to remind herself to watch her manners better.

She blushed when he called her beautiful - a healthy, ruddy complexion compared to his pale and sickly one. It wasn't that she didn't have people calling her beautifull all the time, somewhat vain little creature that she was. But that this King seemed to be a man who didn't give a compliment lightly. "Thank you, my lord!"

She ducked her head shyly at the compliment, almost mimicking his actions as he also looked down into his lap. "So, um... I was wondering. Are there any special rules or protocol I should know to follow if I am to be living in your household?" An innocent enough question. Although chances were likely that Tam was just finding out what to avoid getting caught doing, as she fully intended to make a thorough exploration of this castle.

[Nanaki]

He caught her stare, heard her laugh, and almost frowned at them, was she laughing at him? Perhaps she found his appearance funny rather than ugly, he wasn’t sure he liked that much better… No, no that’s not it… No. He let it slide, distracted by the blush in her cheeks. Was that from his compliment? It almost made him smile, almost. Instead, he let himself watch her more, captivated by her lively look, the bright color of her pretty complexion. None of the others had been this… this… He wasn’t quite sure what to call it really. He wanted to see more of it though.

He nodded when she thanked him, still a bit distracted by her. He unlaced his fingers again and tapped them idly against his legs as he listened to her question and considered it. “There are two towers…east and west… you are not to enter west tower under any circumstance.” He paused for a long moment to think. “You may not enter the basement unattended… nor the alchemy lab… It would also be in your best interest to send someone to announce you about an hour before you come to see me… if ever you need to.” Another long pause “you are free to do as you wish… past those limitations… you are free to do as you please…”

He closed his eyes for a moment, berating himself silently for a quick consideration he had made. He had though, for just a moment, to prevent her from going outside. He liked her, at least so far, he had no idea how that view may change in the near or far future, and he was oh so very tired of having to find new wives. That would have been a cruel thing to do he thought. She’s expressed a want to be outside already… that would be cruel. And? So what if it were cruel, he knew he didn’t have a reputation for being kind, he was temperamental, it was a miracle he hadn’t yelled at her yet , he was cruel, childishly so some times but… he didn’t see any reason that she deserved that, not right now any way.

He drew his hands together again and looked at her. “Any… any other questions?” He was become a little surer in his speech but was tiring now. He wasn’t this social often and the activity was taking his strength rather quickly. He suppressed a yawn and closed his eyes for a long moment, gathering together the thoughts that had just tried to scatter. He may have to dismiss her soon.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

Tam listened to him list all of the rules for her, and though some part of her rebelled against the restrictions, she knew that these requests weren't all that unreasonable. She had expected things to be far more strict, really. She nodded along with each point, although her eyes lit with a spark of curiosity and excitement when he mentioned such places as the forbidden tower and, most of all, the alchemy lab. That sounded so exciting! She mentally added these places to her list of things to explore.

It made her feel a little bit sad when he mentioned about sending a messenger if she should ever need to visit him. It wasn't that she craved Cronos' company - it was fairly hard to carry a conversation smoothly with him anyway. But it bothered her to think that she was to be wed to a husband who didn't expect her to spend any time with him.

"Thank you for allowing me this freedom within your home, my lord." She replied politely when he had finished. She watched him curiously again for a few more moments, biting her lip nervously. She did have one more question, but... it wasn't one she was really sure she should ask at this point. 'When are we to be wed?' "No, thank you, that is all of the questions I have for now." She bowed to him and then looked at him questioningly. "Although I am ready to get settled in a little better. Might I be excused to my rooms?"

She was feeling surprisingly drained, although she hadn't initially felt exhausted by the trip here. Besides, he was beginning to look pretty tired and didn't want him to feel embarrassed if he had to admit it.

[Nanaki]

Cronos lifted a hand to wave off her thanks, though he was appreciative of it. "It is... no problem... you are to be my wife" he paused at the word "this will be your home as well... you should be... happy here." The word happy seemed to hang him up a bit too, his voice wavering slightly. Before, he'd never given much thought to the happiness of his brides, of his wives, for the few that had stayed long enough to be called that. He'd only wanted a companion, though he wasn't sure what for, and he'd been cruel, driven them away, might still.

He kept his eyes closed as he dwelled on these thoughts, missing her nervous gestures. He listened to her words, turning to look at her again slowly. "Your rooms?" he asked, dazed for a moment, his weariness now far more apparent, it really was a wonder how fast he could lose energy. "Y-Yes... of course. She will show you... Take her."

He waved at the door, the same attendant who had brought Tam up was standing there again, door open and waiting for her to come through. She looked far more calm than she had before, and a little friendlier, a soft kindness in her deep green eyes as she regarded the young woman who was to soon be her queen. And she did believe this one could make it that far.

Cronos looked up at Tam for a moment, hair falling away from his eyes again, now revealing both. He squinted at the light but didn't move to correct it. "Goodbye... Tam" he said softly, somewhat sadly, as he turned his focus back on his lap, ready now to sleep, waiting for her to leave.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

Tam watched as the king visibly seemed to lose even more energy, and she was glad to be dismissed from his presence for now. Even though she resolved to get to know him, and wanted to learn more about him, she had to admit that even just interacting with him was trying. Every moment she expected him to snap at her or show her some of his ill-famed temper. "Goodbye for now, my lord." She felt a little bad that she couldn't bring herself to call him by his name, although a tiny smile tugged at her lips when he bid her farewell by name.

Tam gave him a last small smile and bowed before turning to the attendant. She was relieved to see that the woman looked much more friendly now. That must have meant the exchange went well! Tam folded her hands in front of her once more and stood expectantly at the attendant's side, waiting to be showed to her new living quarters. She couldn't help but be curious and a little bit excited. This was such a grand castle after all, the rooms would probably be fabulous. But then she faltered, thinking that there would have been fourteen others in those rooms before her, and each one must have been miserable to have left...

She swallowed nervously and tried to distract herself by smiling at the woman. "So, what is your name?" She asked curiously. She would wait until the attendant had begun to lead her away from Cronos' room before speaking up again. "How long have you been serving his Majesty?" Now that she was done with the all-important first meeting, Tam's nerves caught up with her and she began shaking with nervous relief.

[Nanaki]

Cronos watched as Tam left, the door closing softly behind them. The silence of his room swallowed him again, thick and heavy and now oddly unpleasant after the sound of a voice, a kind voice, had been there to replace it. He let himself fall back, laying in the soft white sheets of his soft, downy bed and closed his eyes. This one... was different. This one should... she should stay. His eyes, heavy with sleep, dropped closed slowly as he let his thoughts slip away, becoming less and less coherent as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

"My name is Patience" the attendant spoke, her voice soft and airy as she began down the hall. She smiled at Tam, thinking on her question as they went. "My whole life I suppose" she answered finally. "My mother and father worked here before me, my family the king owns. I started work when I was four I believe, running messages between the others... I am twenty nine now, older than he, so I have been truly working for twenty five years." She brushed her short brown hair away from her eyes and turned a corner, coming to a much brighter hallway.

Tall ceiling high windows were spread through it at ten feet intervals and gave a view to a large and vibrant garden below. There were people scurrying about in it, dressed as the servants of this place did, working away to keep it beautiful. Patience looked down through the windows as they passed, taking her time as they went. "I'm sorry" she said, not looking at Tam, "for rushing you before. I did not mean to but..." she trailed off, not quite sure how to finish that sentence in a respectful way.
She turned again and the windows continued but doors lined the other wall.

There was one at the end of the hall, different from the rest. It was painted white and blue, the door knob silver instead of gold. "Here are your rooms... all of the ones surrounding are for your use and pleasure as well but this one" she touched the silver knob "is where you will sleep."

She pushed the door open revealing a beautiful bedroom, decorated in soft blues and creams and a touch of pink. It was large and spacious. In the far right corner there was a fourposter bed , it's sheets creamy white, comforter sky blue and stuffed with soft, warm down.

It was covered in fluffy pillows, large and small, soft and in different shades of pink, blue, and white. There was a canopy hanging over it, much like the one over Cronos' bed but it was tied back with blue ribbon, held out of the way. To the left of it was a small nightstand with an beautifully made, silver candle holder atop it. To the left, a ways away was a door that led to a clean and shiny marble bathroom with a large tub and several new bottles of perfumes, oils, and lotions.

In the middle of the room was a large rug, round rug, soft and dark against the light wood floors. It was a deep cerulean blue the same color as the couch and armchairs that surrounded it, all facing towards the far wall where the large window, it's white curtains slightly parted, let sunny light flow in. From that window, spanning almost the whole wall, one could see the garden and fountain below. Beside the window on its left side, closest to the bed there was a window, on its right side, in the corner of the room, there was a bookcase and then two more on the next wall, all full of books with varying titles and subjects, a desk beside them.

"The king hopes that you like it." Patience said softly, looking around this room that she had seen almost a hundred times, usually empty. "It is a little sparse at the moment, he was not sure how much room you would like... The others have had varying tastes and the last threw some of his things out the window." She gave a small nod to the glass and frowned.

"If you require anything more he will provide it... and you have the other rooms of course... A sitting room, music room, dining room, there is also a larger restroom, and a small library available to you in this hall."

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

[ SOOOO Busy lately. x.x ]

"Patience... I imagine the name is fitting, serving a King for your whole life." Tam fidgeted nervously before asking her next question. "Are you happy, working here in the palace? Or do you ever wish you were doing something different?"

Tam smiled and brushed off her apology. "Oh no, don't worry about rushing me. Frankly, it was probably best to get there faster so as not to dwell on my nerves."

Tam forgot what she was talking about as they entered the suite of rooms that were to be hers. Her eyes widened with glee as she took in the glamorous surroundings, with the lovely view out the large windows and especially the library. She did an excited little twirl in the middle of one of the rooms, making her dress flare out around her legs, and giggled. "This is amazing! So much more space than I had back home. I'll be kept busy exploring these rooms for days."

"I love it! - Er, why would she throw his stuff out of the window?" She asked, her excited look temporarily replaced with a slightly concerned one. "I mean true, he's kind of intimidating and..." She struggled with her words for a moment. "Different. But what did he do to deserve that?"

[Nanaki]

[Oh dear, well, it's quite nice to see you. ^^]

Patience smiled softly with a slow nod "thank you... I suppose I am. It is all I've ever known so I do not have the ability to compare it to anything else. It is a pleasant enough job though. We are well provided for, all of us working here, and as long as the king is in good moods we may do as we please within the castle at the end of our work... Granted it does not upset his condition or break rules." She looked thoughtful for a moment, as if still pondering the question, before the look faded and her soft smile returned. "He is a good man... just..."

She looked over at Tam and blinked at the joyful expression on her face as they entered the room, deciding she would make no further comment on her previous apology. "It is very nice to know you like it. There is quite a bit to do within this corridor." She gave another nod and smiled so glad she appreciated this place. The last few had been horrible, criticized the colors, the decor, the furniture, really it had bothered her to no end. While the king was not a particularly friendly man he did try hard to make these women happy.

"So glad you do, the last one" she gazed back at the window, a frown on her face. "She did not wish to be here was the most immediate problem, the other problem was that she had made that fact known... The King has quite the temper when provoked and dismissed her with rather harsh words. Once she came her she picked the place apart, criticized everything about the room and decided it fell upon her to get rid of the less desirable pieces of furniture before running away. Sad thing since many of them were old and irreplaceable." A shake of her head came after this, a regretful look in her eyes.

"Anyway she climbed the vine just outside that window you know, climbed all the way down and ran out the front gate. One of the shortest stays I do believe, a little under half an hour."

She sighed and let her gaze turn back to the blond. "He is a good man" she repeated "But he is not a friendly man... I feel I should tell you this now. He does have a short temper, he is easily tired out, easily agitated because of his condition and his moods change quickly and often... I found it amazing how well you two were able to talk today. None of the others have ever given him the time... nor have then been so forward in their requests to see him... I like you... but I... How long do you intend to stay?" She felt a little bad about being so forward with a question like that and hoped it didn't sound like she was trying to force the other out. She wasn't, she just wanted to know. While not terribly close she and everyone else in the palace cared for the king, he treated them well for the most part after all, and they didn't like him being upset, especially not her who saw him so regularly.

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

"What a distasteful thing to do!" Tam wrinkled her nose upon hearing of the previous woman's actions. Although she took note of the vine beneath the window. Not for running away necessarily, but for sneaking around. It would be an adventure to be able to get around and explore without anyone knowing. "Honestly. I'm all for making a statement but she could have had a bit more class than that." She looked around and then chose a comfortable-looking chair, taking a seat and gesturing for Patience to sit with her. It was quite obvious that Tam was happy to have another woman around, and hopeful that they could become friends. She wouldn't be able to stay here otherwise, she wasn't one to take being isolated or cooped up well.

She sighed a little and nodded when Patience mentioned the king's temper. "I know, I'd heard rumours of his temperament... I suppose our meeting did go rather well all things considered, didn't it?" She looked thoughtfully at Patience when asked how long she intended to stay. "What do you mean, 'how long'?" Tam raised a brow at the woman with a little smile, although the smile was a little bit shaky. "Marriage is supposed to be a forever kind of thing, is it not?"

She paused for a few moments and them ammended her statement. "Well, okay, maybe if he was some kind of stuffy, boring stuck-up greedy nobleman with a ridiculous moustache or something I may have decided to run off. But I think he's... intriguing. And I'm committed to this anyway. It would take something pretty terrible to force me out."

[Nanaki]

Patience smiled and nodded her agreement "quite distasteful. She was a rather tactless woman that one" she said with a slight laugh. She cocked her head to the side curiously at the gesture and then walked over, taking a seat on the couch. This was also quite the first, the others never did much besides ask her why he was so moody and then dismissed her, they'd never really wanted much conversation out of her and she'd been fine with it. This was a nice change of pace though. It was nice to be treated civilly by someone.

"It went very well, compared to most others... He can be quite cruel when he wants to be but he seemed to like you." She tried to keep her tone comforting and smiled a little more noticing the uncertainty in Tam's expression. She cocked her head again as Tam posed her question, laughing outright as she continued. It was the moustache statement that did her in really. It slowed a little though when she called him intriguing. That wasn't quite a first, one girl had though the veil around him was mysterious and alluring... it was kind of similar right... no not really, okay another first. She finally stamped it out completely though, clearing her throat. "Sorry... Um... Generally, yes, marriage should be forever binding but the six that made it to the actual marriage ran off and the other nine left before then. All of us here, including the king, have come to expect you girls to leave. The length of the stay just seems to vary... But perhaps you will stay... It would be nice."

She turned her gaze to the window for moment, blinking at the sunlight shining through. "It would be good for him I think... Good for his health and for him in general... We all worry quite a bit about him. Ask anyone here they'll confirm it. We'd like to see him doing at least a bit better."

[S h i n ` K ! S S E S]

"I guess the others have set the precedent for not lasting long." Tam replied, "I'll be honest, it's a bit daunting. I mean, as much as you and the staff care for him, he must have been pretty bad to them for all of those girls to run off."

She straightened in her seat, a look of resolve settling stubbornly accross her features, the light of a challenge in her eye. "But I won't stand for him to walk all over me!" She smiled ruefully at Patience, blushing a bit. "Even if he is the king! ...I hope I can stand up to him. He seemed fairly pleasant today though, so at least I have that going for me."

She stopped and took a deep breath, realizing that she had begun to ramble. Getting herself back on track, she ducked her head and clasped her hands in her lap, but peered up at the older woman. "In any case, what I mean to say is... I too hope I can raise beyond all expectations and stay. I think I'll like being here."

It made Tam feel good that she was able to make Patience laugh so. She already looked up to the attendant, and was beginning to view her as a potential close friend and ally. It would be very nice having another woman to be around - Tam's greatest fear of this place was becoming secluded and lonely, a Queen to be occasionally seen and not heard. So she was glad she was already making friends among the servants - by all counts, she expected them to be better company than the noble court.Come to think of it...

"Does his majesty ever hold court, host royal gatherings and whatnot? I suppose it would be very trying on him, as ill as he is."

[Nanaki]

Patience nodded "he is of short temper I will admit. And... he is a very proud man and quick to anger." She sighed softly and folded her hands in her lap, looking down at them as she recalled some of the more memorable and less pleasant first meetings with the king and short stays. He really had been through quite a few of them.

She gazed back at Tam as she straightened up and quirked a curious brow at her declaration. She allowed herself a growing smile as she continued speaking, nodding in agreement. She waited for a moment when the other stopped speaking and gave a gentler, more sincere smile at her final comment.

"I think you will too... I'm sure that everyone else will appreciate finally having a queen, especially one so kind and spirited... You'll be quite the nice comparison to our King." And she believed that, she really did. Her mother had once told her that the larger the difference between two people the larger the love they could share and Patience was quite sure they were both vastly different from each other. She saw a great potential in this pairing, and great potential in Tam alone, to be both a great leader and a great wife... Perhaps take some of the power from that stuffy parliament. She smiled to herself at that thought, and nearly missed Tam's question.

"No" she shook her head softly. "Though there are occasional gatherings in the kings name it is his parliament who organize and attend them. They do most things in way of organization and rule of the kingdom. As you said he's ill, far too ill to do much of anything that could be strenuous.