Chapter 3

It seems like everyone is at their ends mean today. In only a few more hours, the Royal Family of Frell will arrive for their month long visit. And then the ball to be held in three days is adding to the stress. I haven't had a moments rest since I arrived back from the market place. Between the usual chores, and Princess Natalie's constant requests, I've gotten about a few hours rest.

"Maleen, did you clean out the flew in the kitchen?" Petunia asked. She has dubbed herself the 'Head Maid'. Meaning, since she's older than us all, she thinks she can boss us scullery girls around. Theresa and I looked up at her, with our soot covered faces.

"No, I just rolled around in it a few times," I said before wiping my hands off on my apron. "Yes, Petunia, I did, twice. If I get it any cleaner, the Queen can sleep in it. Besides, the Royal Family of Frell will probably not care to spend much time in our kitchen."

"Did you bake the bread?" She asked, taking a piece of paper out of her pocket.

"I did, mistress. Bakers dozen bright early this morning," Theresa piped in.

"One of you needs to go to the wine cellar and bring up ten bottles of the King's finest. He wants this ball to be wonderful. He's counting on impressing King Charmount and his son to form alliances. The Queen and Princess Natalie are also hoping to form their own alliance, if you know what I mean," Petunia said, all very quickly, and all while looking down at her list. I snorted before turning back to scrubbing the floor. "Maleen, do be careful with how you act while the Royal Family is here visiting. If anything you do interrupts the King or Queen's plans, it would be your head on the block."

"Like they would threaten the life of the King's future court jester?" I muttered just as Petunia turned on her heel and exited the kitchen.

"What's wrong with you today?" Theresa hissed as she dipped her brush into the water.

"I'm so tired I can barely hold myself upright. I just wanted to crawl under the tree and sleep." I closed my eyes for a second, just to feel as though I had a bit of rest.

"When the Royal Family finally arrives, we'll get a break."

"Ha, be realistic my dear. We're just going to have another set of royal pains bossing us around, and to clean up after." In the distance I could hear a faint twinkling of a bell. "And to ring that blasted bell." I pushed myself up onto my feet so I could wait on the lovely princess.

"Maleen!!! Maleen, where are my slippers?!" Natalie screamed while I was down the hall from her room. I rolled my eyes just before pushing open the door. Inside, it looked like an ogre tribe went rampant. Her bed covers were thrown around. The curtains on her four poster bed were ripped and wrapped around the posts. Paper was scattered all about, and the basin on her nightstand was tipped over with water forming a river toward the doorway.

"What did you do?!" I screamed. She emerged from her closet to look at me.

"Bow," she ordered. I performed a quick curtsy before running over to turn the basin right-side up. "I'm looking for my slippers, the pink ballet ones that make my feet appear smaller."

"You sent those to the shoe maker to mend yesterday. They won't be ready for at least three days," I said in a strained voice. "You did all this, because you couldn't remember that your big toe tore a hole in them? What is the Queen going to say?"

"My mother won't say anything, because you're going to have this all cleaned up for me before Prince Cambridge arrives," she ordered before ducking back into the closet.

"Oh no I'm not. You made this mess, you're cleaning it up. I have too many other chores to do without having to clean up after your mad rift."

"You will have this cleaned up before the Prince arrives, or I'll say you did this trying to steal my diamond necklace," she said threateningly. "You're head will be on the block before sundown if I have anything to say about it." I paled slightly. I've been threatened twice today with beheading. This time, she could do it, because I'm a poor slave and she's the princess with all the riches of the world.

"Fine, I'll clean it up."

"Also, for the next month, you are to refer to me as 'Your Highness' every time you speak to me. No more of this 'Fine, I'll clean it up.' Its 'Yes, your highness, whatever you say, your highness.' I've been letting you go to easy lately. I've taken pity on you. No more. Any insolence in front of my future husband, and you're one head short." I stared at her in disbelieve. How could anyone be so... so... I don't even know of any word to describe her behavior right now. "Well, what are you waiting for. Chop chop!" I got onto my knees and picked up the loose papers on the floor.

As soon as I finished mending her bed curtains, the last task I had to perform before the room was complete, I heard trumpets sound outside. It seems as though I'll be keeping my head for one more day. I hung the curtain and then ran downstairs to take my place in the kitchen.

"There you are!" Theresa exclaimed as I tore into the kitchen. "Petunia has been going berserk looking for you. She thinks you ran off!"

"Let her keep thinking that, and then I don't have to worry about being beheaded." I said, before plunging my sore hands into the freezing dishwater. It was so soothing. "The princess destroyed her room looking for the slippers she sent out to be mended yesterday. Did she think that shoemaker was a witch? But I had to clean the whole lot up. Burned a lot of the trash and things that could never be mended. But she broke that Elven sculpture right in half. I pocketed a piece of it, but it was so beautiful and she broke it."

"I finished up the chores, so never you worry. But the horses and the carriage still need cleaned up."

"Thank you, I'll repay you someday, just not right now. I need rest, and then I'll clean the carriage."

"Petunia said it wasn't necessary until tomorrow. So lets just worry about tonight's supper, and making a good impression on the Royal Family." Theresa put a caring arm around my shoulders.

"Did you see them yet?"

"No, I heard the trumpets. Petunia said the Queen ordered us to stay hidden while they tour the castle and grounds. Then around supper, we can make an appearance. You and I are to serve the courses, along with Peters."

"Alright, sounds good. I really hope this Prince is a malformed ugly man so Natalie quits daydreaming about becoming his Queen."

"I don't think she would care if she could become Queen," Theresa said, while laughing about the monster faces I made. "Well, let's tell Petunia you're back so we can start on the meals."

"Must we? I rather like the idea of her thinking I'm gone."

Although I hate to admit it, I am a pretty good cook. We went all out with the meals, hoping to impress. I never saw such a variety of animals upon one table. I gazed down sympathetically at the pig with a large apple stuck in his mouth.

"I know how you feel," I whispered before picking up the large tray. The royal families were not yet at the table when we placed all the food on it. Theresa earlier got a glance of Prince Cambridge, and said he was very handsome with a lovely smile. I was disappointed that Natalie wasn't marrying an ogre. But I am very curious to see who these people are and if they are anything like the family that I serve.

"Maleen, did you grab the wine?" Petunia asked frantically.

"Yes, mistress. I grabbed four bottles of it. Hopefully they won't need anymore than that," I answered, giving the pig one last look.

"Okay, get cleaned up, we need you to pour the wine when they sit down. Peters got too close to the horses today, and the Queen doesn't wish to smell him."

"Yes, mistress."

Theresa ran out to me when she heard and squealed like a pig.

"You'll get to see the prince!" She was jumping up and down. No one can be that handsome can they?

"Yes, I see princes every day. It's nothing new. Is the bread out? I don't remember if we grabbed it." She nodded, still jumping up and down like a grasshopper. "Theresa, calm down. How are you going to dish out their food if you can't stop bouncing."

"I don't know, they'll have to manage."
"Stop bouncing."

"I can't!"

"Stop bouncing!" I grabbed her shoulders, trying to force her back to the ground where her feet belonged. She managed to calm down a bit, but that smile was still plastered on her face. "You are possessed. Don't make me go get a sleeping draught."

"Fine, look, they're sitting down. Go serve your wine you lucky wench." She handed me one of the wine bottles, then pushed me out of the kitchen into the dining room.

I closed my eyes, hoping to escape their stares when I walked into the room. Slow curtsey, then first serve King Nathaniel, then the Queen, then the Princess, Prince, and finally the royal family, in that order, just none for the wee lass of a princess. I rushed over to where the King sat and poured a glass of wine for him. As he tasted it, I moved onto the Queen's cup. She personally did not like wine, so I winked at her as I pretended to pour some. She patted my arm gently as I walked past her to serve the Princess.

"Ah, Maleen, that's quite enough," the Princess said as I entered. "Prince Cambridge, this is my hand maid Maleen. Feel free to use her for any means you find necessary." He didn't respond though. I looked up to see him. There in the guest seat sat the man that bought my dress for me. I gasped and the wine bottle slipped from my hands. Natalie screamed and knocked her chair over, trying to keep the red wine from soaking too much into her clothing. I ducked under the table to try and pick up the shards of glass best I could while Theresa and some other servants went to clean up Natalie.

"Maleen! You clumsy oaf! How dare you! This is my favorite dress!" She screamed as she was rushed out of the room to change. I swore under my breath as a sharp piece cut into my hand. Another servant bought out the new bottle of wine to finish serving the guests. He didn't realize that the Queen doesn't drink and filled her cup to the brim.

I didn't dare look up the rest of the evening. Petunia sent me to the servants quarters without supper, as punishment for destroying two priceless possessions of the Royal Family. I tried to sleep, to enjoy the rest from such an exhausting day, but I was afraid. What if the Prince realized his mistake and took the dress back? Or if he told any of the family members, they would take the dress away from me. I looked down at my hand, where blood still trickled out of some of the deeper wounds. I laid my head back on my straw stuffed pillow, and could feel the small buttons that my dress had. My pillow was the only place to hide it. I felt ashamed that I owned a dress as magnificent as that. I was playing around with my stars and it could only bring troubles.