I stand on my bed without discovering myself of the sheets, in fact, I hold on to it, without wanting to uncover myself, as if staying under it I could, somehow, evade this day, dodge all the responsibilities that are about to be invested in me, as if this ragged piece of cloth represented in some way the last piece of my childhood, protecting me from the danger of the outside world..
- What a childish thought -I reproach myself-. Unworthy of a queen.
I realize that this is the day for which many people have prepared me for so many years, many people will attend, however, the one who I would have wanted the most, is not here. My throat is dry, I squeeze my lips and I can tell they're cracked.
I hear some strong steps approaching my room.
- Who will they be? -I wonder-. Sure Fausto will be among them.
I decide to accept the reality once and for all, whoever come through that door can’t see me like this, shy, hiding under their sheets, scared, and inept, I can’t afford that luxury, it’d only guarantee me to be the topic of conversation they will have with others, and then my aptitude will be put in doubt so soon in my reign.
- No! -I yell to myself, prematurely angry.
I take off the sheets, decisive. I watch my room, chaos reigns here. I hear Fausto's voice scolding me in his monotonous and calm tone. The steps approach to my room more and more with several voices following them, one talking on top of the other, I can hear several ideas about clothes, headgear, footwear and others.
With an agile movement of my hands I make the dresses that are on the floor rise and return to my closet, I approach my desk and place several loose books back in the shelf. I press the mirror of my dresser with my hand while with the other I order that all the jewels that are scattered on it return to their place. I finish cleaning the mirror, I see myself for a moment, analyzing myself.
- Will I really be fit for this?
I put my other hand to my forehead. A ring on the way to the jeweler catches my attention, and I take it. It is the same one that my father used all the time. I try it on several of my fingers and I still enjoy the fact that it’s a bit loose in each one, my father always had extra-proportioned fingers.
I hear how the handle of my door is turned. I snapped out of my pensiveness. I take the ring back to the jeweler and take a last look around. I think I'll be saved from Fausto's scolding.
A mess of ten men pass through the doorframe, all wearing the same clothing, white long cloaks and one odd-looking hat, also white. They’re all talking to each other, although it looks more like they talk to themselves since one doesn’t pay attention to what the other says, and vice versa. I don’t even know if they are paying attention to me and that they have entered my room.
- Gentlemen -Fausto says-. And everyone is instantly silent.
Faust makes his way through the crowd as he comes towards me, also with his same outfit, a long dark blue “” and a his saber on his hip. I try to put on my best face.
- Good Morning, my queen -He says-.
I'm more worried about how long it will take me to get used to that phrase than about the responsibilities of the title.
- Fausto -I answer-. Taking a tiny and slight bow.
I see how the gentlemen continue to whisper behind him, covering their mouths with the sleeve of their clothes. I can’t help but think that they are talking about me but I try not to reflect this concern on my face. Fausto looks at my room with his penetrating eyes, studying each corner calmly. He is a man of few words, so by not objecting to anything, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everything has passed his standards, being the royal counselor, it is his job to find the problem in everything, he was my father's right hand and on several occasions, mine too, so I will always be grateful and attentive to him. He takes his hand inside his tunic, which makes me doubt what he will say, to my surprise, he takes out a package beautifully packed in a cloth and wrapped with a strip of red.
- He would have wanted you to wear this -He says-. And he hands it to me.
It amazes me what Fausto tells me, but even more, the sensations that come to me along with the present.
- Did he already know that this day would come? -I wonder inquisitively-.
- I had to fight with all of them to let you put this -Fausto whispers in my ear, as he returns to the groups of men-.
Knowing that despite everything Fausto is always in my best interest lets me know that no matter how terrible he might be at times, he is probably the only one in this whole kingdom who bets for me.
- I will not disappoint you - I think decisive-.
I unwrap the package and unroll a beautiful red kimono, with a lovely design of flowers of various warm colors that go from the back towards the sleeves to meet a phoenix that adorns the front. I see this dress with melancholy and longing, but before plunging into these feelings Fausto brings me to the present quickly.
- There's a lot to do today -He says-.
All the men behind him divide in two groups, some go towards me, others towards my closet, some take several of my shoes and then others my jewels. I am hauled out of my room and driven to the royal bathroom, where a large tub awaits me with boiling water, and in front are three women kneeling, bowed before us. I had never been here.
The man next to me says to one of the women.
- She must be ready before noon -As he delivers me, and removes himself from the place-.
One of the women approaches me and gives me a brief bow.
- I don’t think I can get used to this anytime soon.-I think-.
The woman politely tells me to approach the tub, while the other two are placed on each side of me, one takes off my clothes which makes me feel very tense and uncomfortable about the situation but I don’t want to be a nuisance so try to surpass it and move on. One woman places a low chair in the middle of the large tub. I put one foot inside and the boiling water and it burns me, I give a slight squeal, but anyway, I enter it without replying, one of the women realizes this and walks swiftly to the other side of the bathroom, pulls a rope and after this, a small opening slides from the roof parallel to one of the corners of the tub, and from the opening begins to fall a strong jet of cold water, which tempers the water to a more pleasant temperature, the woman nods towards me, and I nod back at her with a brief smile. I am embarrassed by the momentary setback caused by me.
- I can’t cause this kind of eventualities -I scold myself-. If I can’t tolerate a little of hot water, how am I going to handle this kingdom by myself?. It is decided, no matter what comes, I will make my presence as little as possible.
Words that I would soon learn to regret, after a furtive cleaning session with the women washing my hair, pouring lotion after lotion to lather, rinse and comb until not leaving a single hair out of place. Followed by a rigorous exfoliation procedure until leaving my skin as I had never seen it before, the movements and use of force are so fierce that I think my limb would come off at any time. To culminate in my dress, three towels are employed to dry my body, face and hair separately and one last towel is provided to cover me.
- Finally -I think loudly-.
I hold onto it so it won’t leave my body by any chance, we head out of the bathroom and go to my room, before entering the women left without any saying. Being brought back to my room I can barely recognize it, it is clean as I myself using magic had never managed to make it look, the walls have been painted of a bone white with veins of gold, silver and dark blue, a very dark blue. My bed has been removed and now there is a bigger one, my library has been moved from its place and it seems to me that now it has more books, the chest was changed by a wider one, with three mirrors, one in the center and two lateral ones, and there’s a chandelier on the ceiling.
Despite the pain that inhabits my body I quickly go to my closet, when I open it the last breath escapes my body, all my clothes have been taken and replaced by other, several spring colors, others with pastel colors and some with a monochromatic style The jeweler, is what comes to my mind then, I get up and walk to my new dressing table, when I open the jeweler I see an extensive variety of silver necklaces, from the most modest tendrils to some with extravagant designs, bracelets decorated with precious stones, golden chains, and rings of all kinds, however, I search, and look, in each compartment of the jeweler, each drawer, each place, each side by the ring of my father. It is not. Also that has been taken from me.
- No! -I scream-.
And without realizing how, the jeweler lies busted on the floor with all its interior scattered everywhere. .
My breathing is unstable, I am agitated, angry, my skin feels hot, I don’t know if it is because of the emotions or because of all the punishment that it has taken in the last hours. My thoughts are all over my head but there’s one that finally pops up more loudly.
- I must go out, I must get ready, my coronation is ready, where is my kimono?
I turn to the bed and see it there, elegantly placed and with matching shoes at the foot of the bed, I take off the towel and quickly fix myself before the makeup and hair team come to my room. I enter my closet not to be interrupted and change, when I finish I listen as someone has entered, but not hearing immediately the usual scandal and chatter I worry about who will be. I poke my head out and see that is Fausto, standing still in front of the destroyed jeweler. Ashamed, I walk towards him, not knowing what to say, or if he even wants to say something.
He bends down and starts to collect all the jewelry, I immediately assist him to collect the jewelry also until we have put them all back in their place.
- It's good to know that you didn't throw all the jewels -And gives me a little touch on the forehead-.
He turns and walks towards the door. I look in the mirror, still unable, to put the pieces together of the puzzle that is in my mind this day.
- What if I can’t be…? -Before I finish the question, I interrupt myself-.
Fausto turns and walks towards me and says with a firm voice.
- You must not fear, do not fear, never fear. We are at a key moment in our kingdom. Your kingdom -He takes his hands into mine-. We need you more than ever, all of you.
Fausto's words make me tear a little
- I don’t know if I’ll be fit for this -I respon as I take my hands to my fase-.
- Do you trust me? -He asks me-.
- Of course.
- Then trust that I know you’ll do perfectly, Your Highness.
The ambiguous words of Fausto manage to revive me. He brings his hands to my face and dries my tears.
- The makeup and hairstyle will come at any time.
Fausto turns and leaves my room. This man is the only one besides my father who has been able to stop my crying. I go for my shoes and while taking one of the shoes I can’t believe what my eyes see, in my left hand, it’s father's ring.
- When?, At what time? -I wonder-. Fausto -I respond to myself-.
- Thanks Fausto.
Three knocks are heard at my door.
- Your majesty..
I get out of my head and I put on my shoes quickly.
- Come in -I order-.
A group of five women enter my room. I go straight to the chest. The women immediately step into action. They start by applying thin but several layers of makeup to highlight my features, they pull and arrange the hair in a neat bun and decorate it by binding a pair of floral and feathers designs, and finally I put a small semi-transparent veil that connects the clips around my hair. As a result I can barely recognize me in the mirror.
- I look beautiful
I see myself in every angle on the reflective surface. The women begin to collect their materials to leave so when no one of them is not watching I carefully drop the veil to cover my forehead a little as I want.
- Perfect.
The women leave and the same group of men who had entered at the beginning of the day with Fausto reappear, but this time there are only three of them, I don’t know if it is only a suspicion but I feel a lot of resentment emanating from these three people.
The youngest one of the group speaks>
- My queen. -He bows-. My name is Tobi, we are the Barons, and we represent the Feudals of the three districts.
The Feudals, I remember those old men well, I can’t allow them to try to order me to do what they want or threat me to take land and deprive the people of food and other goods if I don’t respond to their will as they used to do with my father. I should put them in their place as soon as possible.
- And we’ve been sent to…
- Today is the act of coronation - I interrupt him.
I see how the face of the other two men changes because of my perceived insolence.
- Today is a day of union, to celebrate the charge of a power and the beginning of a new start -I proceed-. So tell the lords that any demand or request that they have, they will have to do it strictly in the royal meeting that will take place in the next days, in which I wait for them, personally. There is no need for secrecy between us, right? -I conclude-.
- Yes. Yes, your highness -Tobi responds, stuttering a little-.
The two Barons and Tobi go bruising their indignation in a low voice and leave my room. I take one last look at my room, myself in the mirror, I see the change for the last time, as in less than twenty-four hours everything has gone beyond my reach, out of what I would have thought, out of control, it terrifies me that everything is like that, but without any more hesitation I leave my room.
To my surprise, my entourage is right in front of my door, a group of at least ten people, none of their faces seem familiar.
- Are this people from the castle, or even from this part of the kingdom?
Upon arriving I see that it has also been changed for the occasion, decorated in a predominantly dark red, a huge table that goes from one side to another is placed in the middle of it on which rest an infinity of food and drinks, music is present in the environment with a group conducted by a set of, lute, chorale, lyre, harp and flute.
From the moment I entered the room all eyes are focused on me, I can sense how the surprise, anger and a bit of indifference spread in the room. A short man approaches me with a trumpet and announces me.
- Honor the princess, Yoko -He sentencies-.
The room is filled with timid applause, forced obeisances and uncomfortable smiles as he moved towards the throne.
The ceremony is extended beyond my patience, beginning with a long and extended speech given by a man whose office or relevance in the meeting didn’t come to appreciate, going through a meal in which only I was the least self-conscious in eating, continuing with an ode to me, on the part of the musical group, the chords were splendid but the lyrics seemed to be describing another person. Finally, we conclude with the, so feared by all, including me, endowment of power. In the absence of the Emperor, who should be here for the appointment, the same little man who announced me at the beginning of the ceremony approaches me, carrying the heavy crown placed on a red pillow which matches the rest of the room and with my kimono but contrasts with the blue of the crown itself and its various sapphires. I bend down slightly to keep up with the little man. And after reciting the brief oath to the crown, I am appointed.
- I am pleased to announce to you, Yoko, our new queen - the little man announces loudly.
And just like that, the same crown that had once been used by my mother falls on me. The same one she betrayed us with.
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