Contest Announcement

Hector trudged his way along till he got to the servant's quarters. He knew it would be locked by this time, so he had intended on just sleeping outside it.

But as he got to the main entrance, he saw the maid who managed the keys coming in too.

"The door is locked," He said to her, finding it strange that she was outside even though the city bells rang 12 a.m. already.

"I can see that. I locked it." She gave him a cold sneer.

"Are you not supposed to be behind it instead of in front of it? Are you abusing your power as the person in charge of the keys to sneak out and do whatever you want?"

She scoffed and folded her arms in front of her. "Look who's talking. Why are you also out here? Where were you?"

Hector raised a brow. "I was serving the Queen."

"Of course. Serving the Queen." She turned away and opened the door quietly, and Hector hurriedly passed by her to his bunk. He figured Lana would already be asleep by that time, so he decided to just go to his own bed too.

The next morning started off busy, with the servants up as early as 4 a.m. Hector stayed snuggled on his bed. The Queen's handmaiden was exempted from all sorts of works, and he could stay in bed a little longer.

"Hector," He heard a familiar voice over him and he sprang up. Donald, the Queen's chamber's doorman was standing over him. "The Queen is looking for you."

He nodded, rubbing his eyes open.

Lana watched him as he hurriedly left the servant's quarters, after washing himself up. She had heard him when he came in last night, extremely late. He had also not bothered coming to her like he always did. How could he? The other female servants were around too when he came in, and it would be inappropriate. She sighed as she tried to focus on her work, rather than how she felt she was losing her man.

"Good morning, Your highness." Hector said immediately he walked in, his hand clapsed in front of him.

The Queen looked very healthy, her signature smile on her face as she watched him bow.

"Take a seat next to me, will you?"

He nodded. He was already used to sitting with her by now, and he no longer protested oe hesitated.

"How was your night?"

"It was fine, thank you, Your highness. I hope you are feeling better now."

"This is just a minor cut," She said, raising her hand. If you didn't know them, you would think they were equals.

"It is a relief, Your highness."

She smilef. "Are you ready for today?"

His eyes widened. "What is...today, Your Highness?"

"It is the contestant announcement. So everyone knows of your intention to contest."

The lightness he had been feeling quickly washed away as he heard that, and he blinked in uncertainty.

"Is it still hard for you?" She asked, and he looked up.

He shook his head politely and smiled, even though his nervousness was obvious in the cold sweat of his palm and forehead.

"No, your highness. I was just surprised."

"I understand." She turned sideways and brought a wooden box, then handed it to him.

He collected it and kept it on his lap, his palm protectively on it. "Who do you want this delivered to?"

She smiled, a small one sided smile. "I just delivered it myself."

He opened his mouth but said nothing, and resorted to nodding instead.

"There are a lot of people to see today. I am not hosting any contestant in my palace, except you. But you need to dress the part. That is my responsibility."

"Your highness..."

"Do not say anything. I would like to see you in one of those."

He scratched his head and smiled a little shyly. "Everyone will question me if I wear these outfits outside."

"I did not intend for you to wear them for anyone to see," She said, her eyes sparkling with the double meaning behind her words. She knew of he and lana, but unless she posed a threat to her, she would not say a thing. "I have a changing room here. I will ask Donald to escort you."

He bowed and waited for Donald, then followed behind the doorman who kept looking behind his shoulder.

The long list of contestants was outlined on a scroll, and it was next to her bed. She opened it and scanned through the names, her eyes lingering on Hector's name. It had been arranged according to status, and his name was right at the bottom of the scroll. Very soon, she knew he would be at the top.

"Your highness."

She turned to him as he emerged from her changing room. He was wearing a dark blue silk tunic, with a fur shawl in his right hand. He looked way different, and even though he left his hair still uncombed, he looked like the perfect king to be.

"I do not think it fits me well."

"You look absolutely charming." She said, the excitement in her voice carefully moderated.

"You flatter me, Your highness."

She smiled then walked to him and gave him her hand. "Come."

He hesitated. It was strange to him. Holding her hanf, being with her, receiving compliments from him. She stood on the pyramid of oeople where he was the bottom last.

She urged him with her eyes and he gave his hand. She closed her hand around his and walked slowly to the grand mirror.

"Is this not the perfect image of a royal couple?" She asked, smiling at their reflections.

He could not recognize himself, that was for sure, but a royal couple...would a change of clothes change who he was? A mere servant?

"Now that you are ready, we can attend the contestant announcement."

He bowed as she walked away, presumably to get ready herself.

Everyone, from commoners to royals attended the contenstant announcement, with the queen fashinably late to it. She walked to her ekevated stand where her makeshift throne stood and took her seat, amidst the bowed heads of everyone present.

Her eyes roamed through the crowds that had gathered, till she caught Hector's familiar mop of brown hair, the sun that was reflected on it causing it to turn almost dark red. She smiled and turned away, as they started to announce the names of the contestants.

Each contestant was announced with his rank, and even though the Queen knew Adrian has been sneaked out of the dungeons by his father, she didn't care much for it. It would be a bigger blow to him if he witnessed Hector taking her and everything she came with away from him.

"And the last on the list...." The announcer said. Then trailed off, uncertain as to whether he should say it or not. The Queen watched him, her expression closed behind her veil.

"Well, I think there has been some sort of mistake..." The announcer started to say.

The queen clapped her hand once and stood.

"A mistake? In the scroll I checked myself?" Her voice, low and cold resonated through he palace walls. Everywhere grew quiet and the announcer bowed.

"I am sorry, but there is a name here...."

"I put that name myself." She answered, then took her place again. "Announce it with as much respect as you did the others, if you wish to bask in the colors of the sunset."

The queen rarely threatened anyone, or talked in large gatherings like these, and now that she did, the announcer knew it was better to heed it.

He fell on his knees and apologized profusely, then called out the last name on the scroll.

"Hector. Servant."