Chapitre 17: SEVENTEEN: Restless pt 1
"My Lady, would you care to take a stroll through the garden?"
"The Queen Candidate from the second best room is hosting a tea party later if you'd like to attend."
"What about going on a tour of the palace grounds today?"
The two light-haired maids and one of the dark-haired ones clustered around Esther as she sat up in bed.
"Run along and prepare the oils, girls," the tall, olive-skinned maid loomed behind them. "Give Our Lady a moment to wake up."
Since her hasty exit from the unruly garden party two days ago, Esther had hardly set foot outside of her room. The maids, understandably, were growing more and more restless, worried their lady had become a recluse.
Little did the maids know, however, that the most restless woman in the room was Esther herself.
After spending two days doing nothing except lounging, eating, reading, and then eating again, she felt she was on the brink of insanity. No wonder women in Shushan were always busy with parties and what not--there was nothing else to do!
"I believe I will walk around the palace grounds today," Esther remarked just as Baara finished rubbing oil into her skin. "At least, around the places I am permitted to go to."
From the other chamber, she heard a hum of excitement from the maids.
As soon as she stepped out from the washing chamber, the servants were already prepared with a flashy, impractical dress and silk sash in hand.
"Oh, this color will look so lovely on your fair cheeks!"
"Your auburn hair will best catch the sun's rays if we leave some of it down."
The maids fawned over her chattering excitedly while Esther sat, still feeling uncomfortable with the amount of attention given to her dressing.
She looked in the mirror one of the girls held up for her after they had finished, and again, she thought of how different the woman staring back at her looked from the woman who used to stroll around the local marketplace in a gray woolen dress with no jewelry save a simple woven band.
"I'm sure you will win the heart of everyone who sees you, My Lady," one of the dark-haired maids cooed. "They will all be begging the King to make you their Queen."
"Do you think everyone in the Great Palace has as much free time to ogle the way you do?" the tall maid rolled her eyes, once again shooing the younger girls away.
Esther smiled to herself. At the very least, the maids' antics had kept her from absolute boredom during her time spent in her room.
As she rose to depart, she noticed all seven of the maids watching her expectantly.
"My Lady, who among us will you choose to accompany you?" one of them asked with shining eyes.
"Ah." Esther paused. She'd nearly forgotten that it was customary for a woman of the palace to be attended to by at least two maidservants while she was out.
Having Baara constantly trailing alongside her was more than enough company, but now she would have to choose at least one other maid.
"Then, if you would please accompany me," she spoke to the tall maid.
The woman seemed to be the most experienced of them all, and she was quiet, which was imperative when trying to avoid drawing attention to oneself.
"It would be an honor, Queen Candidate," the woman bowed and then promptly excused the rest of the dejected maids to continue with their work.
Though Mordecai had spoken with her often regarding the palace and its layout, Esther found herself in awe of the sheer size of the place. Grand buildings spread as far as the eye could see with a steady stream of people bustling between all of them.
"Surely, this could be counted as its own city," Esther murmured, stopping to watch the passersby.
"The palace is very small compared to the rest of Shushan," Baara responded, "but it appears very large because it is so open."
"I see," Esther nodded.
The woman made a good point. The rest of the city was divided by walls, streets, and alleys. One could not easily perceive all the people and buildings around them, for only a few were in view from any given location.
Compared to the maze-like streets she had always known, Esther found the open air of the palace incredibly refreshing. Perhaps, she would have enjoyed the countryside much more than she initially imagined.
As her two maids guided her through the parts of the palace she, as a Queen Candidate, was permitted to pass through, she stopped many times to examine the splendor of the place.
"This is, by far, my favorite of all the places we've come to," she sighed happily, gazing up a wide staircase in front of her.
The building at the top of the stairs was certainly grand, but less garish than many of the other palace buildings. The entire surface was smooth stone with four identical pillars guarding the entrance.
"Baara," she addressed her handmaiden. "What is this place?"
"This is the record hall," Baara answered. "Though many things are stored there aside from records."
"Yes, there are large collections of paintings and fine literature in addition," the tall maid added.
"May I go inside?" Esther inquired, her eyes still glued to the pillars at the top of the stairs.
Compared to many of the other places they had passed by, this one seemed desolate. In the time they had stopped to admire the record hall, not a single soul had set foot on the staircase. The lack of commotion made this place seem more approachable than the others and piqued Esther's curiosity as to what mysterious things could be inside.
As she continued admiring the record hall, the two maids exchanged an uncertain glance.
"I'm afraid you cannot enter here, My Lady."
It was the tall maid who finally responded to her master's inquiry.
"One must be of the rank of chamberlain or higher, or have received permission from such, to go in."
"Hmm. Would Lord Hegai's permission be enough then?" Esther turned around to face the women.
"Yes, My Lady."
"Alright, I understand," she grinned. "Let us return with haste to the House of Women."
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone