Aseära's anger simmered down just enough for her to be able to get in a couple hours of sleep last night and this morning she is to ready herself to welcome her husband esteemed guest.
"My lady, are you alright?" Torva asked her as she styled her hair, she had just finished her fortieth brush strokes for the morning.
"What?" she asked coming to it, "Yes, I am just fine, Torva" despite the shallowness of her eyes from crying most of the night coupled with the little sleep she had, and the confirmation of her being the prisoner of the Darklord was still raw for her. But at the moment, she really was okay, she had cried herself to numbness last night just before the sleep took over.
"You don't look quite like yourself this morning" Torva persisted
"I am okay" Aseära said, rather sharply.
"Okay, my lady, if you say so" Torva finally let it rest as she returned to styling her hair. It was just Torva who had come to ready her for the day today, as Aslana was yet to return to the castle and Susrette was absent this morning for some reason.
Deciding to shift the topic from herself, Aseära asked, "What of Susrette? why is she absent today?"
Torva giggled as she does when there was something juicy she had to spill, Aseära turned back to face her giggling maid, her eyes inquiring of the matter.
"Oh my lady, you do remember our discussions last night, don't you?" Torva asked, looking conspiratorial
"About Aslana? Of course, yes, I do" she answered, more invested in what Aslana had to spill now.
"So then you remember Aslana's beau." Torva winked, looking conspiratorial once again. "Well, Susrette, you see, isn't just absent today, my lady, no, rather she went to go get fresh fishes from the lake some yards away from the castle building, as an excuse of course, to fetch Aslana and bring her back in time to meet her beau who would arrive soon"
"Oh really?!" Aseära seemed excited about the whole charade they were about to get into. She was really more excited about the fact that she would be part of something with the girls who were quickly becoming more than just maids to her, something that was privy to only the four of them. It was a welcome distraction from her present dreary situation.
"Yes, my lady!" Torva did however, seem more excited than her lady. "As a matter of fact, Susrette should have returned with Aslana by now"
"Who knows, they might be back already, we have taken quite some time styling my hair" Aseära said wiggling her brows playfully with amusement written on her face. Torva giggled again which caused Aseära to giggle as well. On the minds of both ladies was how entirely interesting the coming days would be, for them at least, it may not exactly be as so for their friend, Aslana.
"You really are of a different breed my lady" Torva said after she had sobered up, as she put the final styling pins in Aseära's hair.
"How so?"
"Compared to all the other nobles and aristocrats I have come across or heard about, you aren't so stuck up" Torva said. Aseära laughed at the way she wrinkled her nose a bit as she spoke.
"Really, my lady, you are a breath of fresh air, not all Ladies, especially one of such a high rank as your self would gist and laugh with her maids" Torva said truthfully, appreciating her lady. Aseära didn't really know what to say to that so she just offered her a warm smile as she got up from her dressing chair, finally done with styling her hair.
"The Darklord is expecting some visitor of high caliber today and Aslana's beau is also coming in today" Aseära noted, "Is he part of this visitor's entourage perhaps?" she asked Torva who was just making the same realization as she now and was thinking about it.
"Perhaps" she said nodding her head, and since that was the only definition that made sense to her, she said "That should most definitely be it my lady"
"Hmm" Aseära said in agreement as she gave herself a once over in the full length mirror in her bedchambers and decided she looked beautiful, flawless even in her silver dress with green highlights, and was more than presentable for the Darklord to show to his esteemed guest as his wife.
"You really are blessed in your craft, Torva" Aseära said to her, admiring handiwork on her hair.
"Of course, my lady" Torva smiled, looking too pleased with her work herself as she looked at how she had styled Aseära's dark locks atop her head, in a regal yet playful way, so much a reflection of how she saw her lady.
"Alright then, let's go welcome some guests" Aseära said as she stepped out of her bedchamber with Torva following behind with a playful smile on her face.