Chapter Three: The Despair

Baron looked over the latest girl's resume, studying her out of the corner of his eye.

She was beautiful, perhaps a little too much so, to be applying for a housekeeper's job. She kept playing with her long golden locks between her long and graceful fingers, her gaze far and distant.

She didn't even look like she was really interested in the job.

Baron took a deep breath to keep his temper under control, and smiled politely while placing the resume down. "Would you kindly tell me why you're applying for this job, Miss Jani?"

Her lavender eyes flicked to him, a trace of irritation evident. "Because you're offering it," she said, like the answer should have been obvious.

He tapped his thumb twice in irritation. "Surely there are other jobs in town, why did you choose to pursue this one?"

"Because you haven't said "no" yet."

He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Have you had problems with other employers?"

"What, never!" she said, outraged. "Who have you been talking to?!"

Yep, that should be everything he needed to know.

Baron smiled again, although the action was forced, and stood up from behind his desk. "With all due respect, Miss Jani, I don't think you're particularly suited to the job I'm offering, although I thank you for your time."

She turned a beet red and humphed angrily while throwing her bag over one shoulder, and storming out of the office.

As soon as she was gone, Baron sank back into his desk, holding one hand over his eyes wearily.

"Where do all these hopeless girls keep coming from?" he groaned in frustration, crossing yet another name from the list of candidates. Before the interviews, there had been more than fifty girls, but the ones that weren't as lazy as a sloth, were the ones hitting on him terribly enough that he ended up ordering them from his house. Jani had been only the twelfth human to interview, so the thought of working for the von Gikkingens was obviously more appealing to cats.

Elly walked in with a teacup, concern evident on her features as she walked around the desk, and offered the cup with both hands. "She was angry," the white kitten commented as her father hungrily consumed the hot beverage, and then set the teacup aside so that he could pull her on his lap and hug her.

"Not as much as I was. Honestly, all I'm asking for is a decent housekeeper."

"Maybe the ad wasn't specific enough," Elly offered, snuggling into her father's arms. Baron thought about that carefully as he kissed her ear.

"Do you think that's the problem?" he whispered.

His white daughter shrugged. "Try being more specific, and see what happens."

Baron sighed, and reached over with one hand to the phone. After dialing the correct number, he waited patiently for the other line to pick up.

"Hello, this is the Morning Star. How may I direct your call?"

"To the personal ads, please."

"Just one moment sir."

He waited patiently, tapping his foot with the leg his daughter was sitting on to make her giggle a little as she bounced up and down.

"Hello, this is the Personal Ads Department."

"Hello, this is the Baron von Gikkingen."

"Wow, it's only been a week. Do you want me to take your ad off?"

"No, but I do want to add a few things."

"It'll cost more," the woman warned him.

"Then it better be worth the extra cost. Can you add the word 'competent' in front of 'housekeeper and nanny'?"

"Sure. Bad luck?" the woman asked as the scratching of a pen drifted to the feline lord's ear.

"You wouldn't believe the hopeless cases I've seen. Also, could you add 'only plain girls need apply'?"

"That bad?" the woman asked, astonished. Baron fought his urge to growl as his anger renewed itself.

"Worse, actually. Would you mind emphasizing that last line?"

"Consider it done, my lord. Good luck."

ooOoo

All things considered, Baron wasn't very surprised that girls had stopped lining up at his door. He couldn't decide which was more depressing; a hoard of hopeless girls, or a void of competent ones.

A polite tapping came at his window, shaking him from his subtle depression. He looked over, and managed to smile while rising from his desk.

He grunted slightly while opening the window to poke his head out. "Did you enjoy your winter vacation, Toto?"

The large black crow smiled mischievously as he sat down on a tree branch that was conveniently next to the window. "It was satisfactory. I heard about your mother; how are you holding up?"

Baron put his hands on his head in frustration. "The grief would be a little easier to bear if I could just get my hands on a decent housekeeper! Both monarchs have understood my familial restraints of late, but I can't keep this up forever. I need someone that can be home when my children are."

Toto chuckled a bit, and held his wings defensively. "You'd know I'd offer, if it weren't for the fact that I can't cook, enter your house, clean a single dish…"

Baron looked up at his old friend, and smiled warmly. "The thought alone helps, Toto. I just feel so frustrated."

"That's to be expected, Baron. Any single parent would be overwhelmed."

"Daddy!" Elly ran into the office. Baron looked over his shoulder as she came up to the window to see what he was looking at. "Oh, hi Toto!"

"Hi, Elly," he answered, grinning slightly as she waved at him.

"Daddy, Lily says that we need to go to the market. We're out of milk, and a few other things that we need for dinner, too."

Baron sighed, and tipped his hat at Toto. "Duty calls."

"I understand. Oh, I just remembered. On my way back, I saw a human peddler come into town with a cart of fresh rhubarb. I thought you'd like to know."

"Rhubarb?" Elly asked hopefully, licking her lips in anticipation.

Baron laughed, and picked up his little girl to walk out the door. "Thanks for the tip, Toto. Rhubarb pie sounds really good right now."

ooOoo

Baron checked over the basket his two older children were carrying, his expression grim. "Now I know I'm forgetting something," he murmured.

Elly pulled at his coattails again. "Rhubarb?" she asked hopefully.

He laughed and rubbed her head. "Besides that, Elly. Come now," he whispered to himself angrily. What was it that was escaping him? He raised one hand to his chin, pondering carefully.

The little white kitten shifted from one foot to the other nervously, casting glances at the rhubarb cart. She really wanted some of that rhubarb, and it was selling fast. Biting her lip nervously, she started walking toward the rhubarb cart, hoping that the man selling it would let her reserve some for her father, when he was done thinking.

"Elly, you get back-watch out!" Lily shrieked as the whinny of a horse suddenly met the white kitten's ears.

She had just enough time to see a horse stampeding toward her, his red eyes filled with madness as his hooves came in too fast for her to dodge, or even scream in terror.

Without warning, Elly was swept off her feet, and into a pair of large warm arms. The world seemed to spin around, as the horse and ground twirled around, and the small kitten could have sworn that she and the strange person were flying through the air.

The strange moment ended, as a crashing sound was heard, and the ride came to a complete and sudden stop.