A new hat
...
Ring ring ring
"Yes, your highness! I understand! Yes sir! Immediately your highness!"
*click*
*Grumble*. The valet doesn't understand why *HE* has to go get them lunch! That's the cook's job and the maid's job. He is the Valet - and he didn't take this job to be a bellhop... The Royal Family has a full staff here in the castle but this is The King, and The Princess wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, oranges, and lemonade. *grumble*
He goes downstairs "Hello! Cook!" but nobody in the kitchen answers. *Grumble* "Lazy cook! If this was MY castle - I know what I would do first! And what's this disgusting brown pile of dust? That's not sanitary! MAID!" *grumble* "MAID! NOW!" nobody answers. "Now where does that blasted lazy cook keep his peanut butter? I swear. A masters degree in business administration from Cambridge and twenty years in the Royal household and I have to make peanut butter sandwiches for a thirteen year old girl!" *grumble*
As he is carrying lunch up the stairs to the locked room, he notices another brown pile of dust on the stairs. "MAID! MAID!" *grumble* "This is a castle, not a barn! Absolutely unsanitary! And we JUST watched the safety video LAST WEEK! MAID!"
He unlocks the heavily bolted door to the opulent suite Diana and her grandmother Elizabeth Lascelles are in. "Lunch for her highness!"
He notices several more brown piles of dust and grumbles to himself about the poor quality help available these days.
Elizabeth smiles a very polite smile at the Valet. "Have you seen what the pricess has been making while she has been here?"
The man is humoring her - he knows he has to act interested... This is a Princess after all... "Oh, yes, that is a fine hat! That is so nice! Did you sew that all by yourself?"
Diana smiles "Yes sir. My Grandmother taught me to sew it."
He has put on his best fake smile "Well, you did a marvelous job my dear. Your sewing is first rate!"
Diana smiles "Thank you sir. Try it on!"
The valet knows he can't say no - but he is trying to get back to his real duties. "Oh, I don't want to hurt it. It's such a beautiful hat. I am sure my old head is much too big."
She smiles playfully and shifts her shoulders side to side, then makes a pouty face.
He is grumbling inside but keeps his saccharine smile fully engaged "Oh, all right dear. I promise to be very careful with your beautiful hat."
He gently takes the large black hat with the wide brim and pointy top, looks it over, smiles politely, and carefully sets it on his head.
Diana smiles at him, says a quick few sentences in Latin, then taps his head through the hat.
The man smiles and gets ready to head back to his duties, but suddenly starts to feel a bit dizzy. Elizabeth looks at him, touches his hand, and says politely "You look like you have had a very busy day. Won't you have a seat with us here for a moment and tell the princess all about what a man with such important duties does for the royal family. Let me get you a cup of tea. Do you take sugar and cream?"
He starts to protest but suddenly tea sounds like a good idea. He smiles politely. He realizes he still has the girl's hat on his head, so moves to take it off. Elizabeth stops him "Sir, let me take a picture with the princess! She has been having such a marvelous summer adventure in your beautiful castle. This is her first time staying in a real castle you know! We want a good fun picture with every single person here."
The hat feels a bit tight on his head as he is posing with the princess. His face seems a bit sweaty. He politely gets out his handkerchief and wipes his head. He looks and it's covered with blood. He looks up startled at the blood and doesn't want to alarm his royal guests, or worse, get his blood on them. Perhaps it's a nosebleed - he is taking medicine for chronic high blood pressure. He doesn't see the woman or the princess - perhaps he can make a quick exit before he makes an embarrassing scene. The king would never forgive him for ruining the princesses new dress like this. Perhaps they are in another room in the suite.
He looks around and sees two bony desiccated female witch corpses looking at him through their shriveled eyes. He starts to stand up to move towards the door as the witches take him by the arms and politely sit him back in the chair with his tea. They click and grind ancient bony jaws in a smile. The older one touches his face with her bony curled hand tipped with hard black jagged nails. "Shhhhh! You look tired from your day, have another sip of the nice warm tea. This will only hurt for a bit."
Another trickle of blood runs down his forehead into his collar. Steam starts rising off of the beautiful, perfectly tailored black Italian suit. The Valet shifts nervously in his seat. His face starts to wrinkle. He looks at his hands and they start to look older and leathery. He stands full up to scream but his body is now dried, stiff, and leathery. A hoarse raspy gasp comes out. Soon fine brown dust is falling off the brown statue of the valet into a little pile in the floor until finally the hat is laying on top of a small brown pile of dust.
Elizabeth and Diana both transform back into Grandmother and Granddaughter. Grandmother smiles and says "This has been such a fun summer hasn't it! Let's go see if your new hat is ready for a good broom ride or if we need a few more."
Diana smiles a big smile and nods yes.