Читать книгу The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf - Martin Millar - Страница 31
ОглавлениеThe Fire Queen knocked politely on Moonglow’s bedroom door. Moonglow answered it hesitantly and looked relieved to find Malveria there. The Queen slipped inside.
“I take it you are hiding from Daniel?”
“Sort of,” admitted Moonglow. “Everything has become very difficult.”
The Fire Queen nodded. “Vex informed me that you had crushed his aspirations, dealing him a savage blow.”
“I’m hoping it’s not that bad.”
The Fire Queen waved her arm dismissively. “It cannot be helped. If he is damaged by his passion, so be it. My realm is full of elementals whose hearts have been sundered by their hopeless passion for me. One does not like to brag, of course.” The Fire Queen smiled, but it quickly faded. “These days I seem to have little time for breaking hearts. I’m busy with government all the time, with hardly a moment to attend to my wardrobe. I wouldn’t be here had I not sneaked away from my advisory council.”
“But you’re the Queen. Doesn’t everyone have to obey you?”
“One would think so.” The Queen lowered her voice. “But I do not mind telling you, Moonglow, that the recent ructions in my country, involving an attempted coup by the dreadful Distikka, were, in a very small measure, encouraged by some distractions I may have suffered.”
“Like your shoes and dresses?”
“Exactly. And while I am ruler, it does make life tedious if my government is always angry at me. I have assured them that I will spend less time on fashion and more on government, at least till things settle down.”
The Queen sat on the edge of Moonglow’s bed. She always felt comfortable in Moonglow’s room. It was small and rather dark, with the walls painted black and hung with Gothic posters and some of Moonglow’s favorite dark dresses. It reminded the Fire Queen of the caves she’d hidden in so often in her youth, as a fugitive.
“If I do get a spare moment, there is always some trouble with Agrivex. Really, Moonglow, I sometimes become tired of looking after a whole nation, and Agrivex as well.”
“I know what you mean,” said Moonglow. “Sometimes I feel that way too.”
“How can you feel this?” asked the Queen.
“Well, I don’t have a country to look after, but I have got Daniel, Kalix and Vex. None of them are exactly competent. You know, at paying bills. Or washing up, or buying food, or tidying the house. I have to keep making these schedules for everyone and then they get annoyed with me. But if I don’t do it, everything just gets in a mess. I really get tired of acting like their mother.”
“I know just what you mean!” exclaimed the Fire Queen. “Ministers of state ask me the most ridiculous questions, and I am continually thinking, Can you not work it out for yourself? And as for Agrivex . . .”
Moonglow nodded. Agrivex could be a burden.
“I presume this so-called boyfriend will never call her again?” said the Queen.
“That’s what I’m guessing. She’ll probably be upset.”
“She will get over it.” The Fire Queen fished in her handbag and produced a small, glossy leaflet. “This is what I wished to consult you about. You will be aware that for a very long time I have been dissatisfied with my lip coloring?”
Moonglow nodded, having heard this complaint before.
“Sometimes it seems as if the universe is conspiring to make my lipstick fade,” said the Queen. “No matter what I do, it will neither go on in a satisfactory glossy manner nor retain its luster through the evening. And this is becoming a matter of great importance because, at a fashion show next week, photographers from Vogue will be in attendance. And if I tell you that the evil Kabachetka will also be at this party, you will see how important it is that my makeup is flawless, and remains so all evening.”
Malveria handed the leaflet to Moonglow. It read “Six Steps to Perfect Lips,” and there were six pictures, each with a lengthy caption underneath.
“What do you think?” said the Fire Queen. “Is their six-step procedure worth implementing?”
“It’s quite a long procedure,” said Moonglow. “I don’t know if I’d want to do it every time I went out, but it does look good. Do you want to try it?”
“Yes! Unless you are busy with other important matters . . .”
“My only plans for today were avoiding Daniel,” said Moonglow. She studied the leaflet: Step one—Prepare and prime the lips by applying a lip conditioner.
The Fire Queen had come prepared, and produced her lip conditioner from her bag.
“Let’s get to work,” said Moonglow.
