Chapter 315: I was stolen!
The next stop on their journey was a spa. Sienna barely had time to protest before, fast hands stripped her of her clothes. The attendants were lynx beast women--sleek, quick and merciless in their efficiency. Lina had learned her lesson from Sienna’s last refusal to go naked in the bridal shop and given them strict instructions on how to handle her guest. They whisked her garments away as if they had vanished into thin air, leaving her standing in the perfumed mist of the spa.
The air was warm, humid and heavy with exotic scents: crushed lotus petals, rose petals, sandalwood and something citrusy that stung her nose.
From the changing room, Sienna was guided--no, shoved gently into a marble bath carved from a single block of shimmering crystal stone. The water steamed, infused with oils the color of gold. Soap was grabbed, but it was unlike anything she had ever seen: translucent, glowing faintly, with flecks of crushed pearls embedded in it.
When rubbed against her skin, it foamed into a silken lather that smelled of wild flowers. Sienna blinked, bewildered. She had never seen such extravagance attached to something simple like a bath. And, she was also discovering that there was a lot about this interstellar beast world she was yet to discover.
The lynx attendants dried her briskly with towels so soft they felt like clouds, then wrapped her in a warm silk cloth dyed royal blue. She was forced into a very big room, and settled into a wide, cushioned chair that seemed to swallow her whole. The chair was carved from dark wood, inlaid with gems, and its arms were shaped like roaring lions. Her feet were placed on a velvet stool, her hands stretched out on a lacquered tray.
Two female workers immediately began their craft: one a wolf beast woman with sharp eyes who took her hands, filing and shaping her nails. The other, a rabbit beast woman, focused on her feet, massaging scented oils into her skin with practiced precision. Sienna squirmed, unused to such treatment, but every complaint she voiced was ignored.
This left her to focus on the spa. It was dazzling! crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting glows across the polished marble floor. Fountains gurgled in the corners, their waters perfumed with rose essence. The walls were painted with murals of lion beast men locked in dance. Every surface gleamed, every scent intoxicated. It was high-end glamor, the kind of place nobles flaunted but commoners never even glimpsed.
A deer beast woman came to her and placed a pair of glasses over her eyes. "You can change the viewing station with thought command." She said, and walked away.
It was like a television screen had been placed over her eyes directly, but it didn’t make her uncomfortable. At the moment, a movie was playing but she had no desire to watch it. "Off," she commanded in her mind.
The glasses went dark. Sienna went back to looking around, observing her surroundings. Some of Lina’s other bridesmaids lounged in similar chairs like her, their eyes flicking toward her with curiosity. There were seven of them, all beast women, most lions.
She had seen their pictures and learned their names from the queen. The one with deep golden hair braided with jewels was a royal cousin named Liora. She looked regal, even in repose.
The lioness with a scar across her cheek was Saphira. Her eyes glittered with mischief.
The lion beast woman with a softer, rounder frame who wore a perpetual smile which didn’t reach her eyes was Mariel.
Tavira was also a lion beast woman, tall and lean, with hair the color of silver. She had an air of wisdom which the queen had mentioned five times.
There was Kessara, another lion beast woman and Princess Lina’s cousin. She was the youngest and most restless one, She was tapping her claws against the chair impatiently.
Danai, a sheep beast woman with black fur, carried herself with cold disdain.
The last was Erryn, a leopard beast woman whose black and brown hair gleamed under the lights.
Geneva was the only missing brides maid of this group, and she was a mer beast woman.
Those who were around eyed Sienna like she an intruder. Kessara, bold and restless, leaned forward. "Hey Sienna, why did you steal Amani’s place as the ninth bridesmaid?"
Sienna’s voice was flat, her patience already fraying. "I didn’t steal anything. If anything, I was stolen. I am here as a captive. I still haven’t agreed to be a bridesmaid. If you could get Amani to make up with the princess and resume her duties, I would be very happy. Heck, I would give you a free jar of honey."
The words hung in the perfumed air. The seven exchanged glances, some skeptical others intrigued. Mariel gave a small laugh, though it was tinged with unease. "Captive or not, you are here now. Best get used to it."
One by one, they introduced themselves, their voices carrying pride in their lineage. Sienna listened, but her mind churned. Seven best women, all tied to the princess by friendship or obligation, and she--an outsider, forced into their circle. If anyone was going to be isolated, it would be her.
She was human. She was not a friend to anyone there. She was not related to anyone there. "What do I care?" She muttered.
The wolf and rabbit attendants continued their work, filing, polishing, massaging. Sienna’s nails gleamed like polished gems, her skin gleamed and softened by oils she had never touched before.
She was pondering sleeping through the experience when the doors opened with flourish. Lina swept in, her cloak trailing behind her like a river of silk. Her voice carried across the room, bright and commanding. "Sienna! My bestie! You are almost done. How delightful! We will have time for tea."
"Where are we?" Sienna asked.
The answer did not come, but behind Lina, came another figure, one Sienna had never seen before. It was a lion beast woman. She was tall, imposing, her hair streaked with red, her eyes sharp as a hawk’s. She wore a thick fur cloak embroidered with golden threads, and her presence silenced the room.
Sienna’s eyes widened when she finally realized who this was. It was the king’s mother! No wonder she moved with the confidence of someone who had never been denied anything in her life!