The palace was abuzz with excitement. Every inhabitant, from the lowest page to the queen’s regent herself eagerly awaited the arrival of the long-awaited consort.

Every inhabitant that is aside from the queen herself who, at the moment, couldn’t be bothered less about the matter.

Queen Somi, in all her splendor, was currently in the middle of the throwing the biggest fit of her life.

“I want my hair brushed with my silver brush not

the gold with the little pearl inlay!”

She threw the offending tool across the room before hitching her silken layers up and storming away to lock herself in her bedchambers.

“Does she seem upset to you?”

Sohye questioned as she lied on a chaise, picking her way through a cheese platter. Her companions, , Yeunjung and Doyeon looked over to the servants pleading with the monarch through the door and turned to shrug in unison.

“It’s hard to say,” Yeunjung replied, “I've seen her in tempers over less. I give it a half hour at most before she wears herself out.”

Doyeon nodded her head matter-of-factly in agreement and the trio resumed their leisure.

Sure enough, their goblets of hot cider had just barely cooled enough to sip comfortably when the golden doors to the queen’s chambers were flung open.

Somi strode out, head held high and beaming as she showed off a glittering silver brush.

“It must’ve fallen under my bed.”

Sohye rose and walked towards her queen, took the brush into her hands and led Somi  towards her vanity.

She dismissed all the servants from the suite, leaving the monarch alone with only her three closest companions. As the bristles brushed through brunette ringlets, Sohye met Somi’s gaze in the mirror with a toothy grin.

From behind, Yeunjung moved to brave the question on everyone’s minds.

“Are you prepared to meet your prince charming today Som?”

Somi rolled her eyes as she stuffed a marzipan in .

“I am the only monarch in this arrangement. He is at most only a minor noble, and a human one at that.”

She stood and extended her arms out so that they might remove her night things and assist her into her ceremonial gown.

“A prince he most certainly is not”, she continued, “and as for charm, I seriously doubt the possible merits an eighteen year old boy could possess.”

“You speak as if you yourself weren’t scarcely a few months past your fifteenth birthday!”

Somi pulled a face at a laughing Yeunjung and took in a deep breath as her corset was slipped on.

“I’ve heard rumors that your betrothed is quite fine-looking,” Doyeon dreamily added.

Had Somi been able to breathe as Sohye viciously tightened her corset, she would’ve haughtily retorted that no one looked finer than her.

A sharp rap on the door cut short the girls’ chatter as a messenger brought word of the Kim caravan’s  arrival.

The servants were hurriedly rushed in and the young queen soon found herself at the center of a frenzy of perfumes and proddings.

As she took in Somi’s puckered expression, Sohye exchanged a knowing glance with the other two. For the young consort’s sake and sanity, he had best prove himself adept at keeping the queen entertained.