The door opened.

"Good morning, your majesty."

She walked in, carrying the breakfast tray and proceeded straight over to the small dressing table. She placed it down and then continued to walk over to the balcony window. She pulled open the long curtains and gently eased the window a jar to allow the warmth of the Dalmascan day into the room. It was nearly noon, but the young maid didn't mention the lateness of time.

Instead she proceeded back to the breakfast tray and began to pour some Neeva juice for the Queen. She picked up a napkin and folded it before placing it next to a plate. Then she added a small pot of butter to the plate and cut a couple slices of bread.

"It's a lovely day, miss." she said, laying the thick crusty slices next to the butter. "Warmer than usual, but quite pleasant."

Then the young maid took up a round china bowl and filled it with kava oats. She added a small drop of milk, a light sprinkling of sugar and placed a silver spoon next to it and the bread. Then she began to gently slice some fruit into biteable chunks, dropping them into another bowl and extracting any pips and husk.

"I hope you're feeling hungry, miss…." she said as she poured some of the remaining Neeva juice over the fruit. "Sorry…ma'am. I know it's nearly midday an' all, but you can't skip breakfast."

There was some frantic rustling from the bed, as Queen Ashelia rose up from her laying position. The maid placed the prepared fruit salad and then reached for two pots, from which warm steam wafted from the small spouts. She turned round and faced the bed.

"Which will you be wantin'?" she asked, smiling. "The Jav or the tea? I would recommend the tea this morning, miss…I mean majesty….it's the blend the Garif made, guaranteed to wake you up from any drowsy sleep, I'll tell ya."

There was more frantic rustling.

"Um…Pala. Do you think you could come back later?" Ashe asked, her voice quite panicky. "Now is not a great time."

"Aw..common, miss….I mean ma'am! You can't stay in bed all day. The council will be wantin' to speak to ya and I knows the Emperor Larsa has been enquiring as to where you've bin. So what'll it be? The Jav or the tea."

There was a deep cough from the bed. A cough to cover the word "Tea."

Ashe cleared her throat.

"Tea please."

"Tea it is then."

Pala bobbed her head and turned back to the breakfast tray. She then began to pour some of the tea into a cup. She added a couple of sugars and a drop of milk and stirred it gently, before picking up the entire tray and carrying it over to the bed. She held out the tray and waited for Ashe to take it. She never did.

"Is something wrong, miss?"

Ashe cleared her throat.

"Pala…do you not see that this is entirely inappropriate for you to come into my room when I'm not… "

"See miss?" The maid laughed.

"Is something funny?" asked Ashe, who did not sound amused.

"Course, miss…" Pala beamed. "Sorry…majesty. It's just you mentioned about seein'. I don't."

There was a silence. The bed creaked rather loudly and there came a grinding of teeth. Ashe was more than confused.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"See. I don't see, Highness….I'm blind. Did you not know that?"

"You're blind?!" Ashe was more than surprised. Even though this sweet Rabanastan girl was only sixteen years old, the Queen had known her for a while. "You're blind?! You can't see at all?!"

"No, ma'am."

"You…." there was another loud creak from the bed and some more rustling of the bed covers. "You never mentioned it, I never knew at all."

"Oh." Pala chuckled. "It don't matter, your Highness. It weren't ever a problem for me. Now, you tuck into your breakfast and I'll get yer clothes ready. Do you have any idea what you would like to wear today?"

When Ashe nervously took the tray, she watched as the blind maid quite confidently strode into the next room where her clothes were kept. She never bumped into anything. There were no cautious fumblings, nor did her hands reach out in front to feel for obstructions. Pala walked as normally as any seeing person would. In fact, Ashe noted she was a lot like Penelo, striding with a bounce in her step and her hands swaying at her sides in a care free and elegant joy.

From where she sat, the Queen could actually see the young maid going through the many dresses in her wardrobe. This was where Pala's lack of sight truly showed, as her slim fingers gently caressed and felt the clothes, her touch giving her the "sight" of each individual item. Ashe was amazed.

How she hadn't known about this girl's blindness, Ashe couldn't fathom, but as she continued to watch Pala go through her wardrobe, she realised it wasn't that obvious.

"If you don't mind my asking, Pala…" said Ashe as she took a sip of the Neeva juice. "Have you always been blind?"

"Yes, ma'am." replied the maid as she returned with two of Ashe's favourite dresses. "Ever since I was born."

"Have you ever thought of using Eye drops or…?"

"They don't work, miss. My blindness ain't a result of magic, so magic can't cure it. Exlirs, Esunas, anything…they just don't work. Now…which would you like? The white one or the red?"

Ashe pointed to the white dress and when she realised how stupid that action was for a blind woman, she was immediately shocked when Pala indeed took the white dress and laid it out on her chair by the window.

"How did you….?!"

Pala smiled and brushed her long brown ringlets of hair behind her shoulders.

"How does I know? How does I not bump into everythin' and make a complete fool of meself?"

She turned and lifted up her arm, showing Ashe the Bangle on her wrist. The golden accessory glinted in the sunlight pouring in from the window and the Queen smiled approvingly. Of course. It had to be something like this.

"Magic doesn't work…" said Ashe. "But it helps."

"Of course, Miss. Libra tells me everything I need to know."

"Pala, you are wonderful. I'm sorry I didn't realise before…."

"Don't apologise, miss. Now…I'll let you finish your breakfast."

"Thank you."

Pala bowed and then curtsied before bouncing off back into the other room. Ashe began to tuck into the fruit salad and watched as her maid gathered the rest of her clothes. The sixteen year old began to hum a lovely tune as she worked, she even twirled and danced as she did so.

By the time Ashe had finished off the two slices of bread and Pala had laid out her entire outfit for the rest of the day, the maid then returned to the bed to retrieve the tray.

"Thank you…it was lovely." said the Queen. "But Pala, next time I would prefer it if you didn't just come into my room uninvited."

"I'm sorry, miss….majesty. It won't happen again." The maid curtsied.

Then, to Ashe's horror, Pala immediately turned to the space next to her bed.

"Will you be wantin' some breakfast, Captain Basch?"

Ashe choked on the crust of bread when the maid addressed the naked man who had been sharing her bed and her company.

"You knew I was here?!" he asked, his handsome face flushing a bright red. The cup of tea shook in his hands.

Pala grinned.

"Of course, sir. After all, Libra does reveal more information than what a person a can see."