10. Esther did not tell anyone about her family or who her people were, because Mordecai had told her not to.
11. Every day Mordecai walked back and forth near the courtyard where the king’s women lived to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12. Before a girl could take her turn with King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments that were ordered for the women. For six months she was treated with oil and myrrh and for six months with perfumes and cosmetics.
13. Then she was ready to go to the king. Anything she asked for was given to her to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.