“This is some wedding dress,” I tell one of my attendants as she ties shut the green gossamer robe. It is completely sheer, and I have no coverage of any kind underneath.
I blush as I look at how big my bush has gotten. Jesus, what I wouldn’t give for a cheap razor to tidy up a bit. I wonder what kind of grooming the fi’len do... I mean, the only hair Ke’ain has is on his head. Maybe they think I’m some kind of hairy freak. The idea is laughable to me. I might be rocking one lofty bush, but my leg and arm hair is so light blonde that I rarely shaved it back home.
I part the robe and frown. “Should I, you know, shave before the ceremony?”
“You should go into the ceremony as the goddess made you. Is it human tradition to remove your crotch mane?” the eldest of the group asks me matter-of-factly.
I push my hand over my mouth to stifle a snicker. Jesus Christ—crotch mane? “Well, it’s personal preference. Some sexual partners don’t mind, but some prefer it hairless. They find it cleaner.”
“You are the future queen, if you wish to remove your crotch mane, we can assist you. I do not think King Ke’ain finds any fault in your current state though.”
“Oh my god, I wasn’t asking for help. I assure you if I decide to remove my, um, crotch mane, I can do it solo. But if you think it’s fine as is, I probably shouldn’t chance the razor burn, should I?”
“Even though you’re not fi'len, the goddess will want you as you are. Your human goddess surely gave you hair there for a reason; let’s assume she’d want you to keep it.” The leader of the attendants smiles as she grabs an ornate beaded headpiece from the dressing table.
The headpiece has a tall row of long, golden pointed shells. The shells are nestled into a cap of emeralds. Their raw edges, jagged and beautiful, remind me of the dark sand beaches of this planet. The attendant places the half-moon shaped diadem onto my coiffed and bouncy curls, tilting it forward so the shell spikes point true north. She ties a bow at the nape of my neck to hold the piece in place.
As the attendant steps back and I appraise my reflection, I’m stunned. If I could take away my shyness over my nudity, I would think I am some old fairy-tale beauty. I am drop-dead gorgeous and glad that the royal color of the fi'len suits my skin tone so well. The green of the emeralds and my dress bring out the rosy lips and cheeks my nervousness must have inspired.
“Thank you,” I say before placing a hand on each attendant's shoulder as they bow and exit.
“The king will be with you shortly, madam,” the last attendant says to me.
Before she makes her way out of the door, I ask, “Is it bad luck here for the king to see me before the wedding?”
“No?”
“Okay, thank you...” I pause. I was so busy worrying about my goddamn pubic hair that I forgot to ask their names.God, I’m going to be such a shit queen.
“Jes’inth, my lady.” She lowers her eyes as she shuts the door.
* * *
When a knock startles me from my daydream, I jolt on the chaise lounge.
“Ke’ain?” I ask.
A muffled voice speaks. “No madam, it’s Al’frind. May I come in?”
I’m decent enough. “Sure.”
The elderly fi’len man enters my chambers and dips into a deep bow. He’s incredibly graceful for having a face so filled with wrinkles and lines. The lines somehow make his face seem even kinder.
“You look beautiful, ma’am,” he says with an appraising smile.
His starched green uniform lacks the wrinkles of his skin.
“Thank you, Al’frind. Who would have thought I’d end up here?”
“Not me, that’s for sure.” His gaze softens. “But the goddess chooses our mates in mysterious ways, I suppose.”
Al’frind gestures to the space beside me. I pat the seat beside me, encouraging him to sit.
“You’re good for him, and I think you’ll be good for the realm. We need a grounding force for the monarchy. I loved Ke’ain’s father,” his eyes mist with memories, “but greed ruled him in the end. I know that won't happen to Ke’ain. With you to love, I don’t think he’d even care about all the credits in the universe.” He places a hand on my leg, leaving a small black box there.
“Is this for me, Al’frind?” I ask, palming the box and inspecting the little gift.
“Indeed, it was Ke’ain’s mother’s—there’s no one more fitting than the future queen to have it now.”
