Hey everybody, Katie here. this edition is brought to you by Becca with the editing and a few touches here and there from me. i hope your all having a fab christmas eve. now, a few things. this is set before WHIT,SIT happens. so Wally has no visited the castle yet. Jason and Kori are still engaged and Rachel and Garfield are not quite there yet. Richard is just starting to date Kitten, and although she isn't mentioned in this part, she is playing a huge role tomorrow in the Christmas special. so, do not fret. drama is along the way!
till tomorrow,
Katie xx
Karen moved quickly up the corridor away from the loud crashes and screams coming from the Kitchen. Yes, it was that time of year again. Te day before Christmas, and as many people like to call it; Christmas Eve. Jenny, who was the one Karen was currently running away from, was doing her normal thing in the kitchen.
"Jenny, I need you to make extra food this year, we have guest" Jenny tried to mimic the king's voice as she looked around the kitchen, which quite frankly looked like it had been hit by a hurricane. "Well I would like to see him try and make 50 meals. 50 meals!" Jenny screamed at the top of her voice.
"Jenny is everything alright…" Rachel walked through the door. She looked slightly concerned.
"Yes. Everything is wonderful." Jenny lied; sitting down on the only free space she could find; the floor.
"Jenny. You're lying to me." Rachel moved over to where Jenny was sitting. Before she could reach Jenny, she broke down completely into sobs. "Here let me help you…" Rachel said moving to the other side of the room. She picked up the bin bag and started to put all the carrot and potato peals into it. Once the peals where in the bin, she moved towards the stack of clean dishes waiting to be put away.
"You shouldn't be doing that" Jenny voice was quiet as she looked up to see Rachel with a broom in her hands sweeping the floor. The kitchen was looking better already.
"I don't see why not?" Rachel smiled before continuing "Jenny you've been up since god knows what time this morning. And you need a break. Just sit down and be quiet for a while, Please" and with that said, Rachel went over to open the windows. Time rolled by in silence as Rachel finished off tidying the kitchen; it looked as good as new.
"Thanks, but you really…."
"I don't want to hear anything about it. Now, are you going to tell me why you are so upset?" Rachel said before pulling Jenny up to the bench.
"It is just the king has given us so many chores to do and I can't keep up." Jenny said taking a deep breath before picking up a spoon and started pacing around the kitchen.
"I have to peel the carrots and the potatoes, put up the tree, get the present wrapped, mend any broken dresses or jewels that you, my lady, wear." Jenny starts waving the spoon around in the air. Rachel sat quietly on the bench listening to Jenny as she moved about the kitchen. Rachel eyes widen as the spoon caught alight as Jenny waved it over the candle.
"Then I have to make the dinner, wash up, and clean the whole castle….."
"Jenny, I think you're…." Rachel tried to interrupt Jenny's monologue as she spread the fire to the curtains..
"Rachel, don't interrupt! It's rude. Now where was I…"
"Sorry, cleaning" Rachel muttered as she got up and poured water over the curtains. Jenny, totally oblivious to the destruction she had caused, carried on walking around the room setting most things alight that stood in her way. Rachel run after her putting out everything, whilst "mmm"ing to what Jenny had to say.
"Yes. Cleaning. And I have to prepare the rooms, light all the fires, decorate the kitchen, the stables. Heaven knows why the king wants the stable decorated. No one goes in the stables and the horses won't thank me." Jenny turned throwing her a light spoon in the washing up.
"You looked wiped out Rachel. Maybe you should sit down…" Jenny said as she looked at a panting Rachel. Rachel sighed; slipping down the wall she was leaning against and dropping the bucket that was in her hands.
"Thanks Jenny" Rachel muttered. The door to the kitchen then opened as Karen walking in carrying clean towels.
"Rachel everyone's looking for you. King Garfield and his party have just arrived" Karen's voice was soft and slightly surprised as she looked at the slumped Princess. Rachel let out a groan before pulling herself to her feet and walking towards the door. Before she left she turn and spoke quietly to Karen.
"Karen, make sure Jenny does not wreck the kitchen or the dinner. And maybe you should get her to see a doctor. I think the Christmas stress is getting to her." They both looked over to jenny, who was now beating a frozen chicken to a pulp with a rolling pin. Karen gave Rachel a quick nod before moving towards Jenny. In one quick, swift movement, Karen moved the rolling pin out of her hands.
"maybe I should take care of this. Why don't you get a start of the wrapping?" Karen said gently as she began to marinate the chicken. Giving a half hearted sigh, Jenny moved out of the room grumbling that the chicken had not paid its debt. Once she had left the room, Karen let out a heavy sigh before looking at the chicken.
"What have you ever done to her?" she asked quietly. A moment or two passed when a crash rang out in the halls. Dropping her head in her hands. Karen groaned as a course of "god damn it!" and "where the hell did you come from?" rang down the hall. Tuning everything out, Karen got to work.
Rachel made her way quickly to the king's main rooms, where everyone was waiting for her arrival. She opened the door and walked inside. Korianna looked up from where she was sitting between Jason and Garth. Korianna was giving her a look as if to say, "where have you been".
"Later" Rachel mouthed. Korianna gave a small nod at Rachel before turning back to Jason. Rachel moved slowly towards her place next to her father and King Garfield. Conversations started again, as easy as it had been before. Rachel looked around the table at everyone. Korianna was laughing at what Jason had just said; they looked like a very happy couple. Rachel's gaze then caught Richard who was staring at the couple as well. He looked to be in pain, sad and destroyed at what he saw in front of him. Rachel turned away quickly and took a moment to assess things. But before she could even comprehend what she was seeing, Garfield caught her attention. She momentarily stored the information so that she could think about it later.
"What did the pony say when it had a sore throat?" Garfield grinned at Rachel. She stared at him, making no effort to answer. Oblivious to this, Garfield continued. "I apologize. I am a little hoarse." Garfield burst out laughing, Rachel, however, stared at him. Completely bemused by the joke.
"What do you call a cow with a twitch?" Garth called from the other side of the table, joining in on the bad jokes.
"Beef jerky. Dude, that's such an old joke!" Garfield laughed at Garths attempt, rolling his eyes at him. Throughout the entire dinner, jokes were being told. Some were genuinely funny, making the whole table erupt in laughter. Others were completely disastrous. Eventual, after the seventh non-funny joke was told, Rachel grew tired. Especially as Garfield started to repeat his jokes.
"Why did the pony say when it had a sore throat?" he grinned manically at the group.
"I'm apologizing, I'm a little hoarse." Rachel finished for him, turning to stare at her father. "May I be excused" she didn't wait for a response before leaving. She rose quickly and left the room. She joined Karen in the kitchen, helping her prepare the meal for the following evening. Once the cooking was done, she set out to find Jenny.
She circled the castle three times before she found Jenny tucked away in the corner of the library wrapping the presents with vicious accuracy. She worked methodically, wrapping each present around her perfectly, with a large red ribbon wrapped around it. Figuring it was better to leave Jenny to her own devices, Rachel decided to go to bed. Tomorrow was definitely going to be a difficult day to deal with.
