She sat quietly in the women’s hall embroidering the final detail of the shirt Lady Emelia had asked her to complete. Rhyla remained silent at the edge of the circle of women as they chattered constantly and often excitedly about the forthcoming celebrations. The women's hall was suitably furnished with several well padded chairs for the ladies comfort, several smaller chairs and stools for the ladies maids, a couple of large thickly woven carpets, and an ornately carved table with matching chairs and sideboard. The carvings of the furnishings were predominately a floral and vine covered motif, occasionally a finely carved bird or small animal would be depicted. Queen Aletta, a handsome woman with the blue eyes of her mother that she had passed on to her son, along with her black hair, spent little time in the hall over those days as her time was diverted by overseeing the necessary preparations. She had spoken little to Rhyla in the few weeks that she had been in the Palace, aware of her presence but with little time to spread her attention to her mother’s new companion.
