The soft thud of silk slippers crawled along with the fellow sounds of boots and hand-made leather shoes hitting the ground in the smallest and bravest of cacophonies, echoing down the long hallway walls made of wood painted to look like stone. Still, the floor was marble, white and polished, no doubt having been forcibly exhumed from the great mountains of Anthene, where it slept in waiting. The clack of the Mayor’s shoes declared themselves to be wrought with importance, hitting the glimmering stone with an impressive force as the man held himself tall; tall as he could, although the few wispy hairs floating up from his head, almost as smooth as the floor, barely reached the great queen’s solemn mouth, the pout of which naturally accentuated the fullness of her lips, which she made no effort to keep thin; simply showed, effortlessly, what she felt in the simplest of ways; through her expression.
Adam and the Mayor had met her at the gates, to walk her to the conference room where the negotiations would take place. Her stance was formal, tall for a woman of Pontun heritage, and she was wrapped and cloaked in layers of silks and fabrics the color of sunrise, and in truth the wildflowers of her land, which they had no doubt been dyed from; she had earlier removed her furs at the entrance to the building. Her eyes, covered in gold pigment along with her lips, watched the Mayor closely, curiously as he spoke, as if she were listening by sight rather than with her ears.
His voice was deep and guttural, and the gold eyelids blinked in surprise at his deep, throaty laugh.
“You do seem tired, rather put out, too, your majesty,” he says, a chuckle still heard subtlety under his breath.
“I do have a country to run,” she speaks simply, her gaze never leaving his face, as Adam watches a curl loosen itself from the intricate bun wrapped stop her head.
“Yes of course,” the Mayor laughs, chest rumbling, “but it must be difficult, you know, some days, with so many women working under you, I imagine, it could be quite draining, all that tension between so many beautiful women.”
The queen stops abruptly, silk sandals sliding on the stone floor, as she looks at the man intently.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean.”
Her eyes flicker up to Adam’s face, studying him quietly, before the Mayor replies.
“Oh, simply that, with so many gorgeous women such as yourself, it must cause some strife, must it not?”
“I see,” she says quietly, her mouth curling into a tight, controlled smile.
“However, you mustn’t worry, dear Mayor. The women in my court are all exceedingly capable, despite their overwhelmingly attractive appearances. There are disagreements, yes, as their should be; I am a monarch with an overseeing council; disagreements are inevitable.” She pauses, and looks to Adam again, and although her lips are sealed, her eyes convey the crack of a whip. “I would think, with so many men in your government, it would be more difficult. With all the stubborn, strong wills, it must be quite a burden.”
The Mayor, who opens his mouth once, and closes it before opening it again. “I meant no offense or disrespect, your majesty,” he projects, stumbling over his words, the crack in the mold of his erected figure beginning to show.
“You confuse offense with a dislike for ignorance, dear sir,” Malikeah says calmly, beginning to walk again. “And I should remind you, that in my life, I have been with child for almost a total of twenty-two months, and I never once left the court during that time.”
She begins to walk ahead of them, leaving the men alone, the soft padding of her silk feet smoothing down the hallway in a whisper.
Later, after their meeting, the Mayor corners Adam as he gathers his things, the shorter man pushing snuff into his hooked nose as he says, “Sensitive one, isn’t she?”