"Your Majesty, shall I assist with your preparations?" my sister cooed sycophantically.
"Unnecessary—I'll manage," came the confident reply.
Her voice trailed off to the adjoining room as she commanded the servants to douse all candles and dismissed them, leaving only Nanny Adams at the door.
Approaching the screen, my sister pinched my arm and shoved me onto the bed, whispering fiercely, "Don't you dare mess this up!"
She glared at me menacingly before slipping away quietly.
When the king emerged, the room was awash in the soft flutter of drapes and the eerie glow of moonlight.
"The queen does surprise me tonight," he murmured as he approached.
I lowered my gaze, waiting.
He extended his arms naturally, and I helped him shed his belt, layer by layer, revealing his royal attire beneath.
Clad only in his undergarments, he drew me close, "What's with the silence tonight, love?"
Anxiety gripped me—my voice bore no resemblance to my sister's. Speaking out would surely blow my cover, but silence would raise suspicions.
Resolutely, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself up to meet his lips.
His body tensed in surprise, then relaxed as his breath heated, pressing me firmly onto the expansive bed.
He wasn't one to prolong the inevitable, drifting to sleep almost as soon as the deed was done.
I waited several tense moments to ensure he was deeply asleep before cautiously getting up to switch places with my sister.
The glare she shot me as she took over was filled with envy that the night could not hide.
I made my way unnoticed back to the side chamber prepared for me by my sister but found sleep elusive.
Nanny Adams arrived in the dead of night, likely having waited for the change of the night watch to avoid detection.
She produced a bowl of some dark, thick potion from her food box, making sure I drank it all before she left.
King Samuel didn't visit every night, but I was always alerted beforehand on the nights he would. Thus, I wasn't constantly on duty.
Though not nightly, my duties to serve my sister were daily.
Any slight displeasure on her part led to severe punishment.
She took care not to leave marks, but the palace had myriad ways to torment without a trace.
Needles, wood torture, waterboarding... each method more excruciating than the last.