The Handmaidens of Queen Victallia

The rumours around the origin of the dreadful handmaidens 'employed' by the mysterious Queen are varied and not always inaccurate. While some of the more outlandish claims - such as that of the idea that the Handmaiden's are secretly the rulers of the Kingdoms, and the Queen is just their hollowed out puppet - are extremely inaccurate...others ring a little closer to the truth.
One of those has become something of a "story to tell naughty children". 'Behave, and get to bed early' parents will tell their unruly children, 'lest you be snatched up and claimed by the handmaidens and the next time we see you, it'll be YOU under that rotting mourning veil!'. It's a popular message to send to children throughout the six kingdoms, reinforced by people who witnessed this very thing happening 'first hand' (or through the accounts of a friend, of a friend of a friend..etc).
In truth, that is very unlikely to happen - the Queen is mostly indifferent to the behaviours and plights of the common folk under her care, beyond ensuring their obedience and putting down any thoughts of rebellion or secession before they begin. This has led, occasionally to a Handmaiden being sent to contain or retrieve an individual - usually someone planning some sort of violent expression against the state, or is attempting to rouse others to act - and removes them for...re-education. That, and the resultant witnesses who see some poor man or woman being dragged off screaming into the night by this undead horror, led to the rumours, and thus to the children's warning.
In fact, the kidnapped individuals are not - as the childrens story would claim - resurrected as new Handmaidens to serve in the Queens Court. They are powerful, nigh-invincible undead creatures and it's rare that a new one has to be made at all. There are only ever six in operation at once. One operating in each Kingdom as a 'bodyguard', 'fixer of problems' and a means of communication between the regional rulers and the Queen herself. But when it does, the voluntary 'donation' of a body (male, female or other, it doesn't matter) is required. The rites involved specifically require consent and there are usually more than enough terminally ill or fanatical followers of the Queen to supply her in handmaidens for an entire army...should she ever be inclined.