Chapter 4
Chapter Four
RANA
“And this is where you will be staying.” The housekeeper, a lively, dark-eyed woman who had introduced herself as Samira gestured around the small, pleasantly furnished room. “If there’s anything you need while you’re here, let either me or one of the maids know.”
Rana turned in a slow circle, taking in the space, and let her bag slide from her shoulder.
Like the rest of the palace, the floors were done in a mixture of marble and colored tiles, and the tall windows let in plenty of light and fresh air.
A netted canopy hung over the bed, which was decked in a coverlet patterned with purple and mauve and piled with pillows of varying shapes and sizes. “This is beautiful, thank you.”
Samira clasped her hands together as her mouth widened with a bright smile.
She was younger than Rana would have expected, given her position, but she acted with a confident efficiency that made it clear she was more than competent in her role.
“I’m so glad that you’ll be joining us. I have to admit—when Zamar first mentioned the Queen’s Contest, I wasn’t sure how on earth I was going to manage all the contestants.
We’ll be stretched thin enough as it is with just the cleaning and attending to that many guests, and our meager mending and needlework skills would hardly be sufficient. ”
“I’m sure it would have been fine.” Rana crossed the room and set her bag on the bed.
Samira snorted. “You have more confidence than I do, then. Besides, ‘fine’ doesn’t cut it when the future queen is involved. Whoever wins will have the power to get rid of whatever staff she sees fit, and I would much prefer that all my girls keep their jobs.”
“Understandable.” Rana nodded slowly, her eyes seeking out the garden courtyard just beyond her window. A tiered fountain sat in the middle, its merry bubbling a soothing sound in the background, and she watched the water for a moment before turning back to the center of the room.
“Anyway,” Samira continued, “feel free to explore and make yourself at home here. I don’t have a dedicated workspace for you, but you can choose any of the sitting rooms as long as they’re not being used for the contest. You can get food from the kitchen whenever it’s convenient, but those of us who aren’t kitchen staff usually eat together in the evenings, if you want to join us.
” She paused for a moment, eyeing Rana’s dress with admiration.
“Though honestly, you could probably sneak into His Majesty’s dining room and no one would even bat an eye.
You look more like a princess than even some of the other contestants.
If it’s an example of your work, I can understand why Dan recommended you. ”
Her head tilted. “You know Dan?”
“I was a maid for Princess Aida when she first came to El-Huram. We all assumed she was going to marry His Majesty, and it was quite the surprise when she wound up with a tailor instead. But between you and me,” Samira’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I think she got the better deal.”
Rana hummed in agreement. “From what I understand, it wasn’t a hard choice.”
She jerked her chin down in a brisk nod.
“Indeed. But speaking of choices, if you’re ready, I’ll take you to introduce you to the contestants.
They’ll be presented at a formal dinner tonight, and I’m sure your skills will be required by at least a few.
At the very least, it will give you an idea of what you’ll be working with. ”
Rana’s head was already spinning with colors and patterns and fabrics that would pair best with each of the contestants as she settled into a quiet corner in one of the sitting rooms that Samira had pointed out during her tour that morning.
A fire crackled in the low hearth, providing light and ambience to the room and just enough warmth to stave off the chill of the desert air that blew through the tall, arched, pane-less windows.
The light reflected off the gold worked into the patterned walls, and the soft, luxurious blankets that draped over the long, curved divan gave the room a rich, cozy atmosphere that felt far too fine for a seamstress.
The divan cushion was just as comfortable as it looked, and she let out a sigh of contentment as she reached into the basket at her feet, pulling out the emerald bundle of fabric and finding her place again in the pattern.
She relaxed into the familiar tug and pull of the thread as she ordered her thoughts.
Though she was well-accustomed to working for clients who were more…
particular…about their preferences, she had never attempted to balance half a dozen at once.
Thankfully, all the ladies who were participating in the Queen’s Contest had arrived with their wardrobes already prepared, though Samira had warned her that some of the later challenges might require some adjustments or new pieces.
For the moment, however, her job was relatively easy.
“Rana!”
The shout broke the peaceful stillness, causing her to jump. Footsteps echoed down the hall, coming closer and closer to her door, and the next time her name was called, she recognized Jasper’s voice.
“RANA!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she muttered to herself as she rose, crossing the room and throwing the door open.
She folded her arms over her chest and glared at the quickly approaching page.
“We’ve had this conversation so many times, Jas.
You don’t have to bellow like an excited camel. You weren’t born in a stall.”
He shrugged. “I might have been.”
“Well, you certainly weren’t raised in one.”
“Nah. Just a tent in the slums of El-Huram where I had to pick pockets to find my next meal.”
He delivered the line with such a cool indifference that it took Rana a moment to register that he was being a teenage rascal and trying to get a reaction. She narrowed her eyes.
He beamed angelically.
“Was there a reason you were shouting in the hall loud enough to be heard on the other side of the palace?” She dropped her hands to her hips.
“I was looking for you.”
Her eyes rolled to the ceiling as she took a deep, measured breath before continuing, “Yes, I gathered that when you hollered my name. Why were you looking for me, Jasper?”
“I have a delivery for you.” Jasper looked over his shoulder and whistled, long and low.
A moment later, Spot emerged from one of the empty rooms further down.
He padded the length of the hall, with Zade trotting closely at his heels.
“Teta said that she thought you might want a familiar face while you’re here,” he explained.
Rana shook her head. “She just didn’t want to have to put up with him for six weeks.”
“That’s probably far more likely.” He grinned. “She practically threw him out the door when I came to collect him.”
Unbothered by their speculations, Zade skirted past her through the open doorway with his pointed nose held primly in the air and jumped gracefully onto the divan.
She watched as he used his forehead to nudge one of the pillows down from where it was angled against the low back, then curled up with his fluffy tail under his nose, looking like a furry replica of one of Teta’s honey buns.
“He probably got into her pantry and made a mess of the kitchen.” Rana turned back to the page boy. “But what am I supposed to do with him? I can’t keep him here.”
“Why not? Nobody cares when Spot comes to work with me.”
“Yes, because no one is going to argue with you when you have a tiger. This is different. Zade is the love of my life, but I’ll be the first to admit that he’s often a menace.”
Jasper waved her concerns away. “Nah. He’s cute, and they’ll love him. Samira will probably ask where she can get one of her own. Just watch out for the chef—Nassir will likely try to sneak him food, and then you’ll have to roll Zade home when all this is over.”
Rana pressed her lips together. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely!” he said, confidence lifting his chin. “And Spot will be so happy to have a friend.” He straightened his vest. “Now that I’ve made my delivery, is there anything else you need? Are you settled in here? Do you need a tour of the palace?”
Her face softened with affection at the edge of protectiveness in his voice.
For all his incorrigible exuberance, the boy loved fiercely and was sincere in his desire to help.
“Samira already showed me around, but I appreciate it. Really, as long as I can find my way from here to the kitchens and back, I don’t need much else.
It seems like things will be fairly quiet, at least for the next day or two.
From what I can gather, I’m just on call in case of a clothing emergency. ”
“Are you sure? No errands you need run, or messages you need me to take to His Majesty?”
Her lips curled as she scrunched her nose. “What in Adhavi could I possibly have to say to the Sultan?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I asked. Maybe ‘Thanks for the hospitality. You have a lovely home’?”
“No messages are necessary,” she answered blandly. “In fact, the less he knows of my existence, the easier my life is likely to be.”
Jasper nodded sagely. “You’re worried he’ll fall in love with you and you’ll have to turn him down and break his heart.”
“What?” Rana reared her head back. “No! I just have no desire to deal with him.”
“And then he’ll fall into a deep depression, and the economic state of the Empire will collapse, and it will be all your fault,” he continued, ignoring her protest. “I can see how not announcing your presence would be preferable to becoming responsible for the downfall of an entire kingdom.”
She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled slowly. “Jasper?”
“Yes?”
“Go back to work.”