CHAPTER THREE
 

Sivya looked at the immense outfit in pale cream with accents in blood red on the breasts and silver everywhere else, with a few green threads now and then.  Then she looked at the seamstress.  "I can't lift that much," she said dryly.

The woman laughed and shook her head, touching one of the anti-gravity hair pins.  "You will have things like this in there," she promised.  "It will help you some, plus your train will be carried for you."  She pointed at the length of fabric folded and piled up to their knees.  "There will be more such devices in there."

"I'm glad.  I heard children were supposed to carry it."  She grimaced.  "Is this like a marriage where children are paraded around to show the promise and joys of future fruitful multiplication?"  The woman laughed again, turning away to lean against the wall to hold herself up.  "It's the only reason I could ever see to have children at a wedding."  She looked at the outfit again.  "I don't suppose it'll be as light as my usual garments, even with the anti-gravity help?"  The seamstress shook her head, calming down.  "Oh, well.  What do I wear underneath it?"

"We have a pale green dress for underneath," she said, still smiling as she led the Empress off to the side to show the light silver and green dress.  It got a nod of approval because it was fitted, not too immense, and it looked comfortable enough.  "Your First Husband approved of it, Empress.  He said it would suit you very well."

"It looks like it would.  Do we have to fit it or anything?"

"No, Empress. You're forbidden by law to put it on before your coronation tonight.  For now, we'll measure you and then make sure everything should fit right, then do some minor adjustments tonight."  She snapped her fingers and two small flying creatures came out with a tape measure while another went to the outfit and checked it.  She smiled.  "The humans call them Fairies.  They came to us a few centuries back and offered their help as long as we didn't hurt them."

"I hope I don't.  Some things I do stick to," she admitted, trying very hard not to touch them lest she stick to them.  It only happened when she was uptight or stressed out.  Which she was today of course.  The fairies moved quickly, measuring her all over, then went to make some adjustments on the dresses.  Both hems were shortened.  "What about shoes?"

"Barefoot.  You'll have cold feet until you get to the altar."

Sivya shrugged. "I'm used to it.  It's not a problem."  She checked herself then the outfits.  "I don't think I'm that tiny," she noted.  The fairy let go of the fabric, showing that it was letting it out.  "Oh, okay.  I don't even try to understand such fashions.  My home fashions are much more simple.  Two magnets on each breast, two on each hip."  The seamstress looked impressed.  "Everything stays on until they shift."  Sivya looked at her.  "What else did my First Husband suggest?"

"He suggested that you look at some other things he picked out for you.  He said more would be coming depending on where the palace moved."  Sivya sighed and followed her, going to look at the outfits.  She turned on the light, showing the Empress the outfits in generous and soft fabrics.  Most of them were like her present clothes, only more fashionable and decorated.  A few were more like the green dress.  It had a full bodice and skirt plus sleeves.  They were all supposed to be loose it looked like, which would help her get used to wearing so much clothes.  "Well?" the seamstress asked.

"They're much more fashionable than I usually wear," she noted, looking at her and shrugging.  "I like them.  He has very good taste.  I don't think I'll ever get used to people wearing so much cloth however.  Perhaps we should move the palace to Riven."

The seamstress gave her a long look.  "Not for your first year, Empress.  Do it as an anniversary year.  Your fifth perhaps."  She smiled and patted her on the shoulder.  "Don't worry, you'll survive that long if you survive tonight."  She went to check on the fairies, letting the young woman check the clothes without her input and nagging help.

Sivya walked up to the nearest dress, feeling the soft fabric.  It flowed through her fingers like one of Brast's shirts. She liked those shirts so maybe she would like these.  Not that she was going to ever get used to wearing so much clothes, but still.  She left with a wave for the seamstress, following the mental call up to the throne room.  She found a small Ferganis cub sitting in the middle of the empty throne room looking bewildered.  "Little one?" she called.

I am a ferocious hunter, she said firmly, staring down the human who had dared speak to her.  I am Trismshah, it means Lead Huntress.  Who are you? She cocked her head to the side to study this bigger being who was radiating calm and reassurance.  You sound like a female of the clan. She sniffled.  I miss my clan.

Sivya sat down and picked up the poor darling, cuddling her and petting her.  "Shh, Trismshah, I miss my clan too and it's been a very long time since I lost mine.  It does get a bit easier.  You'll find others who care for you even though they're not of your clan.  They're the ones who make it all right."  The cub looked up at her.  "I am Sivya."

You're the new Empress? she asked.  Sivya nodded.  Wow.  She seemed to smile.  You're very nice for being a two-foot.

"I'm one of the good two-foots," she promised.  "I think you should all be given a lot of protected land and that no two-foots should be able to step foot on it without your permission."  That got a bigger smile-like look.  "I hope you don't mind, you're very soft and I like petting soft things."

I don't mind.  You do this very well. Trismshah settled into the comforting lap, letting herself be petted.  Will we be moving with you when you go?

"If you want," she promised.  "If you and Sethyanas want you're both welcome to come with us."  She noticed the older Ferganis female coming in and gave her a smile.  "The poor little one was lost.  She was putting out such miserable feelings.  I asked, she said she didn't mind being petted."

That is fine, the older female agreed.  The young are very soft and often need comforting. She walked over, bumping noses with the cub.  I thought I told you to come to me.

I got lost and this nice two-foot found me.  It was all alone and big, she said earnestly.

That's fine, Trismshah, you'll learn your way around the palace soon enough. She looked at the Empress.  Did you want us to move with you?

"I'll leave that up to you," Sivya told her.  "Even seeing you in the distance is good luck to my people and you know how I feel about setting up a sanctuary in the palace."  Someone coughed and she looked up to find Brast standing there.  "This is Sethyanas and Trismshah.  She was missing her clan so we talked about missing them."  She carefully gave the young female one last pet then put her back onto the floor.  "I thank you for humoring an odd two-foot," she said, smiling down at the young one.  "I hope to see you later.  Tell me if you want to move with us."  Sethyanas nodded and picked up Trismshah by the back of the neck, padding off with her to groom her.  She looked at Brast, looking self conscious.  "She's very soft and she needed the love."

"Of course she did.  Hunters got her whole clan."  He walked closer and took her by the hand, leading her back to their rooms.  "You have to start getting ready now or else you'll be showing up with wet hair."  He put her into the bathroom in the custody of her attendants and went to work on his nails.  He always liked having groomed hands.  They looked better and no one expected men with polished nails to fight.
 

~*~*~*~

Sivya let her helpers get her into the warm bath, wrinkling her nose at the scent of the water.  "What is that?"

"Thren flowers," one of the women told her, undoing her hair to start washing it.  "Very prodigious."  Sivya nodded, letting her go for it.  "First Husband picks out."

"I'm sure he likes the smell of it," she noted.  "It does stink though."  The girls all laughed.  "It does," she insisted.

"Smells better not in water," the woman doing her hair noted.  She nodded at the other to come measure it and then sighed, reaching for the scissors.  "Not long enough."

"It's breaking," Sivya complained.  They looked shocked. "I'm sorry, but it does.  I've been having breakage for days now."  One of them went running to inform someone of this big snag.  "What is the deal with my hair?"

"It must, by law, be at least twice your height," Brast said from the doorway he was lounging in.  "Thren flowers do smell better when they're not in the water as well."  She gave him a look.  "Trust me, Sivya, it's traditional.  It'll keep the slugs away from you."  He walked in to look at her hair, pulling up a particularly short piece so the woman with the special scissors could lengthen it.  "Did they explain about these scissors?"

"Not really.  I'm not that fluent in her language yet."

He sat next to her tub, taking some of the soft soap to work on her shoulders for her.  "The black scissors belonged to a founding species of the empire.  They're still around but they're generally reclusive.  The first pair was a gift to the Empress at that time when she moved the palace to their world.  Something about the metal makes hair grow.  Anything you cut will grow back again and add some more.  In this case, your hair seems to like it so it nearly doubles what had been cut."  He scooped some water up and splashed her shoulders clean.  "With the dictate that the Empress not cut her hair ever again they were put into use before each coronation."  She looked at him, eyes wide.  "Which is why you're also having some breakage.  There is a grace period if the nutrifying rinse isn't helping the breakage."  She nodded briefly.  "That's where that one went, to tell the person over that about the fact that it's still breaking."  He handed her a sponge.  "I won't do more than your arms and feet for you," he said with a small grin.

She gave him a look and went to her bathing.  "I was told all the new clothes were due to you?  If so, they were very pretty.  Thank you for sticking up for my home fashions."

"They'll be for off-times," he admitted, leaning in to move some of her hair out of her way.  "As time goes on, we'll worry more about your wardrobe.  No one expects miracles out of you this first year."

"Providing I make it through the coronation without tripping over my outfit and breaking my spine," she said bitterly.

He tipped her face up and saw the fear in her eyes, understanding the real cause.  There were going to be a great many unhappy people after the coronation if the crown did what it had planned.  "I will protect you from tripping over the heavy thing," he assured her, making her relax.  "I'll be on your left all night."  She relaxed more and smiled at him.  "Pisha will be on your right and we'll both be a single step behind you.  Henri gets to stand in the background, he gets to miss all the fun," he said lightly, making her chuckle. "You won't be alone up there by any means. "Now, you must be clean.  No new Empress can take the throne with the least speck of dirt or sweat on her."  He stood up.  "One last thing.  You cannot *demand* Rethna stay.  He will, but if you demand that he do so there are those who will decide he has taken advantage of his position and force him to move."

She nodded.  "I understand.  Thank you, Brast."

"You are welcome," he said, bowing to her.  "I'm going to find my clothes.  Pisha's getting her hair curled right now and Henri is pacing around his room."  He left her there, going back to his own preparations.  His outfit was a bit too tight and he needed the extra space to hide weapons.  She was in great danger if the crown pushed itself to do everything tonight.  He sat down on his bed, looking at the outfit.  It was thin, nearly see-through, light blue, and like the rest of his shirts in that human fabric called silk.  He had never worn anything that thin.  He discarded a few of his usual weapons because they'd show through the fabric.  Fortunately he could grab weapons off the guards.  They were there to guard the crown and the crown-wearer.  They would have to have weapons.  The Crown Guardians would have warned them that the crown was going to be outrageous tonight.  By the time he was dressed and armed to his own desires, Sivya was out of the bath and getting her hair and jewelry done.   He walked out to join her, looking at the underdress she was wearing.  "Your skin makes that color look beautiful," he assured her.

She blushed.  "Thank you."  She looked in the mirror, noticing that the shade of green did make her gray skin glow.  "It was almost perfect when I put it on.  They had to let out the chest some because it was too tight."

"It fit, but she claimed she could not breathe," the seamstress told him.

He nodded.  "She's not used to wearing so many clothes, I'm not surprised."  He pushed in a hair pin, watching her wince.  "Get your skull?"  She nodded so he shifted it some, making her relax again.  "Are we almost done?"  The women laughed.  "We've only got an hour."  They started to run around grabbing things that still needed to be put on, fixed, and adjusted.  He sat down and watched the women, it was fairly entertaining.  He nudged his wife.  "My mother used to do that when a new child came into the family," he shared quietly.  She laughed, shaking her head.  He had to grab some of her hair and get up to fix it again.  It had to stay still.  If she was going to have to run or fight, it would have to be more solidly put up.  He ended up undoing it totally and redoing it, leaving a nice space for the crown to sit.  The hairdresser whispered in his ear and he looked at her.  "The circlet?"  She nodded, helping him rearrange some of the mass.  "Well."  He looked down at her. "You're wearing the Warrior Queen's crown. I am impressed."

"I thought there was only one," she said, looking at him.

"There is, but it changes itself some to suit the wearer.  The Empresses who had nearly nothing to do but look beautiful and be a showpiece had one that was more high and ornate.  The Ki has her own, and it is halfway between the two.  Your style is meant to stay on, even if you have to fight."

"Then I guess I should tell you I have the dual gifts of the Goddess," she said quietly, looking at him in the mirror.  "The other half of mine is with water."  He looked stunned.  "I have been trained to use it as necessary and have had to use it against a pirate who wanted to take me during a trip to the main temple of Alia."

He smirked at her.  "I had no doubt you weren't as frail as you seemed, Sivya.  As time allows, I'll add to your self defense knowledge so you'll be able to get along without me when our marriage is over."  She slumped and nodded.  He tipped her face up.  "I couldn't stand living this life all the time," he pointed out.  "I'd wither like the cooks when Rethna growls."  She let out a nervous chuckle.  "It may last more than that first contract.  We'll have to see."

"Yes, we will," she agreed.  "Maybe we'll find something to make your life more entertaining.  I know I'm going to be bored all the time listening to people complain about someone else."

He snickered, kissing her on the forehead.  "Of course you will.  Though it can be entertaining.  Some of your Court will complain for some very odd reasons.  My father had one who came to complain about his milk beast following his son about and licking at him."  She laughed and he smiled.  "My father's reaction was to tell the father to have his son seen by a healer to see if there was some reason.  The beast loved sweet things and the boy was constantly eating that sap candy."  She chuckled harder.  "Good girl.  Are we nearly ready?"  The women gave him a horrified look.  "Now," he ordered.  "We have to go soon."  Her jewelry was finally finished and her outer robe was put onto her, making her moan at the weight.  "You will survive," he assured her, taking her left hand to hold as she walked out to where the ship was going to meet them.  It would take them to the Coronation Palace.  It was a created asteroid palace that had many clear walls so you could see the Empire in all it's glory and be awed by the sight.  Like the robe being so heavy, it was a reminder all she would be running.  The Coronation Chamber had the best view, now that all the air leaks and broken panels had been fixed.
 

 ~*~*~*~

Sivya stood at the doorway to the chamber, steadying herself as the ritual juice was fed to her.  She knew it would make her more open to the crown taking her over to speak to the assembled people. She looked over at where the crown was being held, then stepped closer to it.  "May I?" she asked.  The guardians shook their heads.  "Thank you."  She went back to her spot, glancing at it.  Please, Great One, do not get me killed tonight, she sent to it, knowing it would hear her.

I have no intention of it, Holder.  Calm yourself.  I have listened to your reasons and have seen some sense in some of it.  We will only announce some of the more drastic changes that are coming.

Great One, I would like to taste my husband before I die in a riot.  I really would, she said desperately.

You could have already done that.

I am not like that, she noted stiffly.  I could not do such things until I was sure it would continue.  I am not some libidinous creature.

Which is probably why I like you so much.  You do have sense and the ability to reason through things, plus the desire and knowledge on how to pick a mate who will help you and how to get around difficult people, the crown noted.  It laughed when it felt the embarrassment from its new Holder.  I mean no insult, Holder.  Your First Husband was a brilliant choice.  Not even I could have done better had I had him created.

I only hope he enjoys me as well as protects me.  He is anxious to leave my side already.

Not for much longer.  His life was adventuresome.  He will find plenty of that with us. The crown quit broadcasting as the doors to the chamber opened.
 

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