A/N: This is probably the last really short chapter. I started writing much longer chapters from here so you'll get more bang for your buck (except it's free!). Hope you enjoy! And for those of you it applies to, good luck with back to school!
~Chapter 12~
Nicholas wakes up with a slightly sore neck. However, a quick stretch gets rid of the kink, and a glance at the clock shows he woke up at exactly the right time. His internal clock never fails.
In Xander's room at breakfast, Nicholas goes over the final plans for the day.
"Milord, if it is not too much trouble, would you please go over the schedule for everything today so I know how everything will be run?" Nicholas asks.
"Certainly," Xander agrees. "It would be best if you prepared anything for the meal that can be done ahead of time and can be kept fresh because I have another special request for you. The military council members will be arriving around noon. I would like to be in the courtyard to greet them and take care of their horses. I've seen your manners and feel that you would be excellent at this. One everyone has arrived, you are free to head back to the kitchen and bring the meals up. There are covered platters and trays to carry everything up the stairs and carts to place them on for distributing in the hall. Once the meal has been served you are free to wait outside until we are finished and then take everything but the tablecloth away for the meeting portion. While our meeting is taking place, you may wait outside too in case there is anything else needed. Afterward, you can escort everyone out. With any luck, everything should go smoothly. There are some delicate matters to discuss," Xander finishes explaining.
"If you wanted I could repeat everything back to you," Nicholas assures.
"Perfect. Thank you very much for helping. If you could pass the instructions along to Teresa, that would be wonderful," Xander adds.
"I shall do that right away and get started on the cooking," Nicholas confirms.
"Wonderful. Goodbye then, Nicholas. You are dismissed," Xander says. Nicholas bows and heads right downstairs.
Teresa is busy in the kitchen when Nicholas finds her. Quickly and efficiently, he explains everything Xander just told him.
"Perfect," Teresa says. "I've just started the ham roasting so that should be done at just the right time. I'll go out and milk the cows right now. You can start making the potatoes and beans, and everything should be done right on time." She claps her hands together. "It's been awhile since I've gotten to use my covered platters. They are so much fun, you know. I always like to lift the cover off with a little flourish. Adds to the effect."
"Well don't flourish too much and hit one of them in the head," Nicholas warns, smiling.
Teresa puts her hands on her hips. "You start cooking, young man, lest I hit you in the head with my rolling pin for being sassy."
Nicholas laughs. "Right away, ma'am."
He works as efficiently as possible. To start, he fills a pot with water and starting it boiling. Then he takes a bunch of fresh green beans and sets them in a steamer to sit for a bit. While both of those are warming up, he peels a dozen medium sized potatoes. The water is just beginning to boil when he finishes, and he drops the potatoes in. He cools the fire the green beans are sitting on and then sets about making the gravy, Simultaneously, Nicholas slowly stirs the gravy with his right hand while he begins to mash up the potatoes with his left. Both finish at about the exact same time.
"Teresa! Everything is ready here. Can you make sure this stays warm while I go and greet the council members coming?" Nicholas asks.
"Certainly. I'll have everything ready to be taken upstairs when you return," Teresa assures.
"Perfect. Wish me luck. Let's hope I don't offend anyone," Nicholas remarks.
"Oh, I don't think you will. Just be yourself," Teresa suggests.
"Thanks," Nicholas says and he heads out into the courtyard.
Not five minutes pass before the first person rides up. Nicholas greets him cordially and takes his horse for him after showing him inside. The same for the rest all the way until the last guest arrives. This guest actually talks to Nicholas a bit, though.
After taking the last guest's horse, the man asks, "I don't remember seeing you around here before. Are you new?"
"Yes, sir. I was recently hired as Xander's butler. It is an incredible honor for me and I hope I can represent him well," Nicholas answers.
"It is a breath of fresh air to see someone so young with sure impeccable manners. I am sure King Xander is very proud of you."
"Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate your kind words," Nicholas thanks him and escorts him inside. As soon as the man is on his way to the hall, he sprints down to the staff's room.
The whole time Nicholas is greeting everyone in the courtyard, Xander is also greeting everyone as they come in the hall. And without fail, the first thing anyone says when they come in the door relates to the room itself.
Silas, the chief in command of the Nohrian army is especially impressed. "My word, I don't remember this room ever looking so good. This makes me feel like I'm going to a feast instead of a meeting," he comments.
"Well, you can thank my new butler, Nicholas, for that. I told him to simply spruce up the room and he went above and beyond. The boy is extremely loyal and polite, almost to a fault," Xander explains.
"Was that the boy that greeted me at the front gates?" Silas asks. Xander nods. "He was the politest young man I've ever met. He must really enjoy his position."
"Yes, I do think he does," Xander confirms. "Please, sit down now. We will start when everyone is here.
When Nicholas burst into the kitchen after everyone arrives, Teresa is waiting right there for him with all the meals dished out and placed under their covers for serving.
"Ready?" Nicholas asks.
"Ready," Teresa affirms.
Together they take a tray with four meals each and carry them carefully up the stairs outside the meeting hall where they place them on a cart and push the carts through the door.
Everyone inside glances up from the chatter, but upon seeing the food, starting talking again cheerfully.
Xander addresses the group with, "Gentlemen, I have had a meal prepared for you before we start. Please, enjoy at your leisure."
Teresa and Nicholas both claim a side of the table to serve. At each spot, they place a serving down and lift up the cover. A neat billow of steam is released each time.
Everyone begins eating the food hungrily. Many compliments are passed around at how delicious it is. When Nicholas sets Xander's food in front of him, Xander gives him a curious look. Nicholas just smiles. He and Teresa finish serving and step to the side to wait.
"I think that went very well," he whispers to Teresa.
"I think that went more than very well," Teresa adds. "Look at how much they are enjoying the meal," she says gesturing to the table of guests. Nicholas scans everyone's faces and reads the happiness on their face. One young man with dull blue hair curled up in the front meets Nicholas's eyes when he looks around. He smiles at Nicholas and flashes a thumbs up. Nicholas bows slightly in acknowledgment, smiling back at him. He also realizes that Leo is sitting at the table next to Xander. Then Teresa taps him on the shoulder.
"That's Silas. Xander made him captain of the military," Teresa explains. "He's generally quite nice. I see you've made an especially favorable impression on him."
Nicholas smiles. Something like this is exactly what brings him joy; serving others and making them happy.
After about thirty minutes, everyone is finished. Nicholas and Teresa clear the plates and the place setting to make the table more open and take their leave.
"I'm supposed to stand close by in case anything else is needed," Nicholas reiterates. "Can you handle taking everything down for me?"
"Certainly. You just be a good boy and stand still," Teresa says patting him on the shoulder. Nicholas just gives her a look which makes her laugh.
Teresa leaves and Nicholas is left alone out in the hallway. With the sudden silence, he realizes he can still hear the people inside a little bit. He succumbs to his curious side and moves closer to the crack between the doors. Now he can hear the voices clearly.
"I assume most of you know why I've been forced to hold this meeting," Xander's voice carries through the door. "Most of you have probably read the reports. Apparently there have been rumors of a small rebellious army forming who were very loyal to my father and don't like the friendlier rules on foreign relations."
"Milord, pardon me for interrupting, but neither I nor my patrol troops have seen anything out of the ordinary at all. It doesn't seem this group actually exists," Silas suggests.
"That's what concerns me the most," Xander explains. "Why are these rumors and reports surfacing if we can't find a trace of them?"
"There are only two possibilities," what Nicholas assumes to be Leo's voice says. "One is that these rumors are completely baseless and false. If that is the case, we have nothing to fear at all. Then there is the most concerning scenario. If these rumors are true…"
"It means they are very good at hiding themselves," Xander finishes. "Which is what we must discuss today. How are we to best figure out if these rebels actually exist?"
The discussion continues, but Nicholas drifts away from the door losing interest in the current conversation. He mulls over the news he just heard.
There are people in Nohr who still support Garon's ideals? He finds the idea preposterous. But at the same time, it concerns him. Even while he sends everyone off after the meeting with a smile on his face, a voice in his head tells him this won't be the last he hears of this development.
A/N: Thank you so much to prowessMaster44 for continuing to remind me that pronouns do exist and for catching really stupid spelling mistakes. XD