donnylaja heroine, Monarch edition

          Her body, being always exposed, seems to be thought of as a national treasure, and as such very good care is taken of it.  I’m told she is exercised two hours a day, not only jogging but weight lifting, and swimming in that long inlaid pool which is one of the things that makes the Palace such an imposing sight as one is driven up to it.  I saw her dive into it one afternoon, with a small crowd looking on, flanked by her ladies in their modest one-piece suits.  They were trained athletes before being selected; even so, she managed to keep up with what looked to me like an Olympic pace, swimming all the way to the end and after an elegant flip-turn swimming back.

          Her skin, of course, has to be especially cared for.  There is not much cloud cover in these mountains so public outings usually involve several hours in the sun, where she is shielded by a parasol.  But on the Palace roof she suns an hour a day, after being rubbed with lotion over every inch.  As a result she has developed a sturdy protective tan which almost seems to glow.  Her nipples seem to be always erect, with areolas browned darkly by the sun.  Her pubic hair is a little fluffed out, as if groomed that way, though this is probably due to constant exposure to the open air.

          She also has developed resistance to the elements.  Depending on the occasion she has been called on to dive into an icy stream, spend an hour on a hillside in shimmering heat, shuffle barefoot through the snow on a mountain trail.  The annual Review of the Soldiers is probably the most trying, where she stands alone on top of the Palace Pavilion, where it is always windy, as troops pass by, something which can take over an hour.  All while presiding in her royal nudity.

          She continues her father’s tradition of traveling several times a month, to every corner of her kingdom, despite the steep slopes and questionable roads.  He always wore his white Navy dress uniform, well-earned during the late War, to make himself visible to faraway onlookers.  With her of course visibility comes naturally.  Her nudity stands out all the more because this is a well-clothed culture with a strong sense of modesty.  Women as well as men are covered head to foot, men in functional tunics that seem to pay tribute to the severe robes of the monks, women in long flowing gowns, and headdresses on formal occasions.  It is not going too far to say that exposure of the body is a royal prerogative.  Equally I am impressed by how successfully she has adapted to the role that fate has thrust upon her, quite different from the protected palace life she was raised for.  She knew she was to be naked from age 18, but only for a short time and only in seclusion, seen only by her (female) attendants.  Yet as monarch she seems perfectly untroubled by having her unclothed body always exposed to public view.