CHAPTER 5 Geran Grim’s Ode to the Lace Kerchief

Henrietta

Chikli, the dark-green lizardman with the short gray mohawk, escorted me to my rooms on the second floor.

"Those rooms are out of bounds," he said, pointing across the inner veranda. "They are where His Viciousnesss residesss. Be warned, an alarm will sssound if you try to enter."

"I'm staying across from King Keith?!" I shot a look at the door to his room.

"Of course. These are the finest roomsss in the castle, Princesss," Chikli boasted. He opened the door to my rooms and ushered me inside.

I had not been expecting the beauty that I beheld once I walked into the Nightshade Rooms. The floors were covered in lush green-and-gray carpets embroidered in forests with a burbling stream stitched end to end. The bed lay in the middle of the room, headboard against the right wall. It was an elegant canopy-style bed with a silver inlaid leaf motif and green canvas pulled back by light silver tassels. A double bookcase took up the left wall, and a pair of vanities hugged the window to either side.

That's right, there were two vanities—one for jewelry, and one for hair and makeup. Jewelry hung on wire hooks on either side of the mirror, and trays of rings, brooches and jewels were delicately arrayed on the desktop.

Even if I knew how to wear makeup outside of "put this on lips," the cosmetics were old, crusty, and unusable. The place had recently been properly dusted, probably in the last month or so, and it wasn't too stuffy. Chikli scratched his cheek awkwardly. He assured me that a maid would be joining us shortly, and I could stay in one of the side rooms while they freshened things up.

"It's lovely, Chikli, really," I assured him. "But where am I supposed to hang up my sword and armor?"

"You can hook your sssword on the bed frame by your pillow, Princesss," Chikli replied.

I walked over and hung up my sword where he'd recommended. Just then, there was a knock, and we turned to see a young lizardkin maid in the doorway. She was tall, far taller than Chikli, with green-and-gold scales. Her eyes were also gold, and she carried herself with grace and poise.

"This is Lilith; she'll help you get sssettled in," Chikli explained. To the maid, he said, "The princesss wishesss to ssstore her armor. I'll leave you to it." Then he bowed and excused himself.

"We can put your combat attire in the wardrobe, Your Highnesss." Lilith curtsied primly, daintily holding the tip of her long tail as she did so. She spoke as her kind always did, with a love for the letter S. And I loved listening to it. "I'll go through everything as sssoon as possible and set aside thingsss that will fit you. Rinrin should be back next week to fix the master's buttonsss again. We can have her alter the dresses then."

"Dresses?" I asked in confusion.

"Through here, Your Highnesss." Lilith partially pulled out a copy of Geran Grim's Ode to the Lace Kerchief from the double bookshelf, and the whole shelf swung open into another room teeming with articles of clothing. "These are all well out of date, I'm afraid; no one has touched them since the Mistresss passed."

I stared at the collection before me: from pantsuits to ball gowns, hats to shoes, and fans to gem-studded purses. There were even sports clothes catered to fencing and hunting and riding, all in a variety of colors and fabrics.

Even while distracted by the finery, I remembered to stop and offer my condolences. "I'm sorry for your loss. Is King Keith really alright with giving me his late wife's room?"

Lilith coughed. "Beg your pardon, Princesss. These were Queen Vera's roomsss. Mother to our current Dark Lord and Master."

"Really? Is it alright for me to take Queen Vera's rooms? Won't I be intruding on a place filled with memories?"

I didn't know how long this room had been left unchanged, but King Keith looked similar now to when I'd first met him at my tenth birthday party. He had that "dark and haggard with a billowing cape" kinda feel. Ageless. I wouldn't assume to know his lineage, but there had definitely been a horn peeking through his dark hair. And some of the races lived hundreds of years.

"No, Princesss." Lilith shook her head. "Our Dark Lord hasn't any attachment to these roomsss. His mother died in childbirth twenty-four yearsss ago, and he grew up without ever knowing her."

The feeling of miscommunication clicked, and I realized with some shock that Keith Monfort, Arcane Sage, Shadow Magician, Evil Overlord, Dark Overlord, His Royal Viciousness, and the ruler of the Dark Enchanted Forest of Nilheim … wasn't even a decade older than I was. "Then his father?"

"Unknown. Her Eminence Feliwyn, our Dark Lord's godmother, raised His Viciousnesss, then left when he came of age."

"Is that also when my father started sending assassins?"

"Yes, Princesss." Having finished taking off and storing my armor, we left the hidden wardrobe. Lilith closed it and showed me where my private washroom hid behind a catch door between the bed and the right-side vanity. It was sparkling clean, with a golden mermaid faucet and everything else made of marble. It was a marvel.

"Her Eminence is ssstill asleep at Lake Loria," Lilith added.

"I see." And I did see. There was only one "person" I'd found sleeping at the lake. Wow. "One last question, Lilith."

"Yes, Princesss?"

"Where is the kitchen?"