140

The sun was not yet up in the sky by the time Mila woke me up from sleep. Yawning loudly, I glared at her as I sat up in bed.

“Good gracious, Mila. Why have you woken me up this early? Classes with the princess begins after she has had breakfast and that is by 9am!”

“I’m very sorry my lady. I just wanted you to use the bathhouse first.”

“Use the bathhouse first? What do you mean? Is there only one bathhouse in this palace?”

“Yes, my lady, which is why I want you to use it first. The other concubines have their bath by five a.m. and seeing that you’re not yet comfortable in their midst, I woke you up by four, so that you can get clean before them.”

“And why can’t I do it later? You know, when I feel like?”

“I’m afraid not, my lady. Lady Igrith closes the bathhouse once it’s time for breakfast.”

Closes? Is it a shop or something? “And when is breakfast time?”

“By eight, my lady.”

“Just how many concubines are there that they need three hours to dress up?”

“They don’t use three hours to