Golden, curly locks were slwoly being unpinned by strong male hands.  Thothcapel watched her head eunuch gentley pulling the ornaments from her hair and lying them on the table.  The other three that she had summoned to her side dressing chamber knelt silently behind him.  As she removed the day's makeup in a water basin, she gave her diurnal orders.<br/><br/>"You have been summoned before me because I have a task that requires your immediate attention.  You shall observe and make connections with the servants of those who should wish to challange Us.  You shall each be given a satchel of gold and silver pieces, as well as a few articles of a more... hostile nature.  These items are quite forbidden within the confines of the realm by Our Most Noble Husband, your Lord and Master.  However, they are essential, for the safety of yourselves and for the old regieme.  Therefore, We expect you to use your wisest hand when using them in defense.  Do no kill anyone who does not threaten you directly unless Her Majesty has issued you the order.  Do We make Ourselves clear?"<br/><br/>The eunuchs kow-towed and chanted in unison "Yes Her Glorious Majesty."  With that she bid them rise and handed them each two bags, one large bag containing silver articles, a decanter of holy water, a small bag of gold and silver pieces and a brass cigarette lighter.  The small bag was their own payment for their servitude.<br/><br/>"You are dismissed, send in the maids and We shall confer with you in the evening.  Do not fail Us."  The last words were ice cold and sent chills up the spines of the males.  The man-servants already deified their Queen for her beauty and strength, and so the knowledge that she could kill them with one strike was ever-present in their minds, and for good reason.  They were holding bags full of things that could send her to her doom and she had to be sure that they were loyal and well under her control.<br/><br/>The men departed and several young women entered.  Some showed signs of having been weeping, others just looked horribly tired.  They too knelt and kow-towed.<br/><br/>"Maidens of Our shadowy council, you know why you are here.  You have been preparing through vigorous trainging.  It is time for you to prove your worth and earn your freedom to marry.  If you survive this challange, the most wealthy men of the realm shall be yours, and eternal happiness your reward."  For them, Thothcapel presented for them, smaller decanters of holy water and gords full of drinking water.  She warned them not to confuse the two or they would be punished with death.<br/><br/>"You know your duty, do not fail Us. Go!"  The ladies were dispatched, sent to the farthest corners of the castle and lay in wait within the grates and dumbwaiters of the castle.  The maidens were ordered to stay there through the day to catch what snippets of information comming from the inhabitants of the rooms, to monitor the comings and goings of humans and vampires alike.  The holy water was for an emergency, should they be discovered.<br/><br/>After the maids had gone, teh King reared his head into the Queen's dressing room, a happening he did not make a habit of, as it was her private quarters.  "Hae you set your pieces to the four corners of the playing space, my Chess Queen?"<br/><br/>"Indeed, my Lord.  The game as been set, and now We shall play."  With that, the two of them went to bed, and as the guards outside can atest, made quite the noisy display of confidance.