Chapter 47: Violet and Varian
Sorry for waiting, I had to rewrite a part. Sometimes I don't get why I make it so difficult for myself. And then again… Aw well, some parts may wait for another time. And now, I guess you're all eager to read about our little baby again!
Phineas walked through the doors to the sickroom and pushed the door slightly open before he headed towards the bed where Varian was snoring lightly, his mouth half open and his left arm above his head and the other wrapped around the curled up raccoon at his right, who were just as calm as his master.
"Almost a shame to wake him up." the Physician said smiling before he led a hand towards the boy's head. But then as he touched the boy's forehead, his smile became a slight frown. "Hm… has your temperature gotten up?" he mumbled to himself. "We'll have to keep an eye on that…" Then he raised his voice a little. "Varian? Do you hear me? It's time to wake up!"
The boy didn't react at first, but Ruddiger had already woken up from the Physician's mumbling and yawned and stretched out. The raccoon's movement made the boy react, causing him to make awkward sound and wrinkle his face. He yawned and then couched a couple of times, finding his mouth and throat rather dry from sleeping with his mouth open and closed it to moisturize it.
"How are you feeling, my friend?" Phineas asked friendly.
"Uh… Huh?" Varian squinted his eyes, struggling to wake up. "… I don't know…" Varian groaned and cleared his husky throat, not wanting to rise from under the warm blanket, suddenly hurrying his left arm underneath it. "My head feels a bit heavy…." As soon as he got up to sitting position, the blanket fell in his lap, and he suddenly made an awkward sound as if he had gotten snow down his shirt, and he wasn't late to pull the blanket up towards his upper body. "Brrrrr, Phineas, you…" he shivered, suddenly hatching teeth. "You don't mind closing the window, do you? It's-s a… little chilly in here!"
"I can do that, if you want…" Phineas said and headed towards the open window but puzzled as he felt nothing but warm air coming from it, along with the midday sunshine. He arched an eyebrow back at the shivering boy, who were busy wrapping his shaking shoulders up with the blanket, which looked rather odd considering he did this from the front. The Physician closed the window and walked back to hid patient.
"Shall I get you a wrapping?"
"Ehm… I-I think I'll be fine, thanks." Varian replied between clenched teeth while trying to warm up with his hands.
"Now well…" The Physician replied, although not convinced. "Someone is here with lunch for you. Perhaps you'll feel better after eating."
"Lunch?" Varian asked, then at sudden he lightened up and his face broke up in a huge smile. "Karen!"
All of a sudden it was like he was all warm again, and he dropped the blanket and suddenly got a little busy checking that his hair wasn't sticking out from all over. Ruddiger peeked at him with an arched eyebrow, wondering what was going on with him. He had never seen his master like this, and he suddenly got very disturbed. Then he looked at the Physician to see if he understood what was going on.
Phineas on his side couldn't help but chuckle at the teen. "Shall I get a comb for you?"
Varian stopped immediately, realizing how awkward he might look like, and then slowly lowered his hands, crossed his arms and turned his head away while giving him short looks with small eyes. "Not necessary, thank you!" he replied in a rather nonchalant, snarky tune, although he had trouble to keep his cheeks from blushing form embarrasment. At the same time he prepared himself for receiving what was coming, hoping his cheeks would loose color as soon as possible.
Phineas stifled his chuckles, although kept on smiling when he walked towards the door. "But I am sorry that I have to disappoint you."
"Hm? Wha-what?" Varian said and turned towards the door, not really understanding what he meant.
His got his answer the moment after. When Phineas opened the door, the allot bigger figure of Violet appeared, carrying a tray into the room.
"Ah..." The hope in Varian's face faded in the blink of an eye, and the smile on his face dropped all the way down the floor. "Violet…?! Hi…"
Phineas saw how quickly his mood changed; the disappointment was practically reeking of him, and the Physician suddenly felt deeply sorry for him. After being witness to the awkward scene between the two young ones that morning, he was not surprised that the boy had looked forward to see young Karen again. Ruddiger too seemed to wonder why the young girl wasn't coming, and looked at his master, placing a paw on hi arm to comfort him.
Varian didn't notice, but Violet was rather nervous when she stepped forward. She looked at Phineas, but the physician just stood still and smiled and gave her a sign with his hand for her to just move on. So she drew her breath and stepped closer, stopping tree feet besides his bed.
"Now, eh…? H-how are you feeling… lad?" she asked, clearing her throat a couple of times while speaking.
"Oh, ehm..." he begun, before realizing that she asked him a question. Blushing a little. "Oh, me? Nah... I'm alright, I guess..." He led a hand to the back of his head and looked down while giving a nervous giggle. "All fine…"
"Well… that's good." Violet said and cleared her throat. "Now… Here's your lunch." She said before she put the tray rather quickly down on his lap in front of him. And before he was able to react, she turned around and walked away, leaving him looking at the tray in front of him.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, Phineas I…" Violet begun, but wasn't able to continue, as Phineas suddenly stepped in front of her and blocked her way.
"Wait just a minute, Violet. Let the boy finish eating and bring the tray with you." The Physician said smiling.
"What?" she blinked nervously. "But Phineas, I… I have to go back to Princess Annabelle. She will skin me alive if I…"
"No, you will remain here. I insist. The Princess can wait." the Physician said adamant, locking her with his narrow dark eyes.
Violet found herself unable to object, and she wasn't given time to either, as Phineas turned towards the boy again. "Aren't you going to eat, Varian?"
"Eh…" the boy looked up at them, puzzling a little at them where they stood. Switching his eyes from them and back at the tray, and then back at them, he couched to clear his throat. "Um… sure. Thanks…" He led one hand towards the tray as he peeked up at them, wondering if they were gonna watch him as he ate. As he grabbed a hold on one of the bread slices, he looked questioning at Ruddiger at this odd behaving.
And the raccoon looked just as questioning back at him, then at the tray, and then he looked up at Violet with narrow eyes and a pout, wondering why he hadn't gotten his apple this time.
#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#
"Oh deah… it baf orrible…" Ludwig sniffled as she received the bottle. He was lying in bed in his room, blankets all over and a scarf around his throat. "Id bunned lige a five whed I drang id."
"I know it doesn't taste the best, but you gotta take it. We really need you back up as soon as possible." Karen said pleading.
"Oh… wadeveh…" he couched. "Bine, I'll dage id."
"Just remember to stay in bed now." She replied short and turned to leave, but wondered if she had sounded a bit strict and turned back. "I'll come back with some warm beverage when I can, okay?" She said with a smile, not intending to sound like her grandmother.
"Dank u Gaven." He said after her. "You've duch a good gidl."
Karen stopped in the door and couldn't help but smile wider back. After the rough treatment from her grandmother, the comment was warmly welcome. "Thanks." She replied low and closed the door behind her, hearing him sneeze loudly from inside.
"At least someone notice." She mumbled to herself. But outside the room in the servants' quarters, she once again felt low. While she walked away, she wrapped her arms around herself like she was shivering, she gave a moan. "Aunt Milly's gonna let me hear it, I just know it." She said, giving a heavy sigh. "Oh well… Might as well just jump into it."
She thought she was alone while walking through the corridor, but a sudden sound by the next corner made her stop. As she stood silent and listened, she swore she could hear footsteps behind her. As she turned back, she didn't see anyone, but she heard a short giggle.
"Who's there?" she gasped, becoming worried at sudden.
She stood still and listened a while before she suddenly heard the giggle again, and suddenly felt rather terrified. Turning her heel, she ran through the corridor and towards the first door she could find that led out of the servants quarters and out in the main hallway. She opened it in a hurry and escaped through it so fast that she didn't notice it before she suddenly crashed into someone on the other side.
Both of them ended on the floor while the door closed itself with a small smack. Slightly out of disorder, Karen rose up in sitting position and waited a moment to clear her head before she looked up to see who it was she had stumbled into.
She got rather stiff when she spotted the lanky figure with the huge nose and big ears, slowly getting up and rubbing his head as he moaned.
"Oh Nigel, I'm so sorry!" She hurried to get up and offered him a hand. "Let me help you!"
"Karen!" he bursted out as he noticed her while he got up on his feet. "I have been looking all over for you. Your aunt said you just ran off from the throne room." The Royal Advisor said rather annoyed as he brushed off his jacket.
"I-I-I uhm… I was on my way back right now." She tried to explain, but he waved her off with one hand and straightened on his laced collar with the other.
"It doesn't matter. Whatever buisness you have will have to wait. The King wants a word with you right away!"
"With... me? she said and pointed a finger towards herself. " Now?" What for?"
"You will find out soon. Now come along. We can't let His Majesty wait." Nigel said and started walking.
Karen didn't like the tight feeling inside her at sudden. Was she going to get trouble with the King as well? Could this day get any worse?
#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/
Not so very far from where Karen had gone inside the servant's quarters, Pete and Stan sat in a corner, each with a sack of potatoes and a basket between them that was filled with already peeled potatoes. They were both peeling their last potato as Stan spoke up.
"You know, Pete?" Stan said. "I have to confess that I find this rather peaceful. Especially since we don't have to handle the kid. This doesn't feel like a punishment at all. It's almost like having a day off. With chores, yes, but at least no stress. Don't you agree?"
"Hm?" Pete looked up, only hallway paying attention. "Sure, Stan. Sure. Day off…"
Stan put his last potato into the basket, but as he looked up to see if his friend was finished, he widened his eyes. "I say, aren't your potatoes peeled a little too much, Pete? Yours look rather smaller than mine?"
Pete looked down at his potato and noticed that his last one had become a little smaller than he intended, but instead of explaining it, he put it in the basket and frowned at Stan. "Hey, I have my way of peeling potatoes, you have yours."
"Well maybe… But I must say that your pile of potato peeling looks allot bigger than mine." Stan kept on.
Pete put up an insulted pout. "Well, so what? Maybe my potatoes weren't as clean as yours!"
"That's unlikely. Both of us had fresh washed potatoes, potatoes of all sizes, all different kind and shapes and…"
"Ah, who cares!" Pete interfered to make him stop and rose up, stretching himself after sitting so long. "Speaking of potato peel, we must clean this up. If the maids find that we haven't cleaned up after us, we're screwed."
"Well, alright…" Stan said, but as they both grabbed their sacks and started grabbing a hold on the peel, he looked at his young friend and noticed the frown on his face and how aggressive he had become. When they were done filling their sacks and the floor were clean, Stan grabbed a hold on his shoulder and gave him a compassionate look.
"Pete, are you okay? You're not being yourself today."
"I…" Pete was gonna give a sharp answer back, but once he looked into his friend's worried eyes, he held it back and instead sighed heavily. "I don't know… I guess I'm just having a bad day."
"If you're thinking about that girl…" Stan begin, but stopped when he saw how Pete looked like someone had just hit him in the stomack. Instead he tightened the grip of his shoulder a little more. "Cheer up, Pete. Don't take it all too hard. You mustn't get drag down because of one girl. There are plenty others, allot better too."
"But Stan, I… it's not the first time." Pete said and looked away, rather ashamed.
"You mean Cassandra?" Stan asked and arched an eyebrow. "I thought you were over her?"
"What? Oh, of course I am! I… I had forgotten all about her!" he said back, trying his best to sound convincing. "But I don't get why I… Why can't I ever find a girl that…" sighing, he looked up at him with sad, blue grey eyes. "What's wrong with me, Stan?"
"Nothing, Pete! Trust me! You just haven't found the right one yet." Stan said encouraging.
"That's easy for you to say. You're already married." He said and sighed. "What wouldn't I give to have a wife. Or just a girlfriend."
"You'll find one some day, don't worry. Let's get this to the kitchen, shall we?"
"Ah, alright." Pete replied and picked up the two sacks while Stan grabbed the basket. Then they both started walking through the corridor.
"I just can't seem to be able to do anything right when it comes to women. I mean, sometimes it's almost like they speak a different language. Why do we have to be so different?"
"I know what you mean." Stan replied. "Although, I did get some help once in the past. It was actually Monty who introduced me to Mary. Maybe he could help you out as well. What do you say?"
"Uhm…" Pete shrugged. "I'll think about it."
"I know, why don't we pop over there next time we're in to-OOOOOOO!"
Stan didn't get so finish his sentence before he suddenly fell forwards and landed as long as he was above the basket of potatoes, causing allot of them to fall all over the floor. Pete made a cry and stopped by his reaction, but after a moment gathering, he lowered the sacks and looked down at his friend.
"Stan, are you okay?"
"Outch… Oh, I think so…" he said and begun straightening up.
"You have to watch where you're going! Look at this mess! There's potatoes all over."
"It wasn't my fault! I tripped on something. I…" he paused when he turned back and spotted what was left of a string that had been tied between the two walls by the floor in two spikes, but that now were broken in two. "What in the name of the sun is that?!" he said.
Pete dropped the sacks on the floor and walked over to the broken string and picked one up, squinting his eyes at it to inspect it. "Hmm… Stan, if I hadn't known better, I would say that someone is playing a trick on us."
"Why? I say… I think you're right, Pete." Stan said and walked over to have a look. "But who could that be?"
Pete was going to answer, but he got interrupted by the sound of a low, squeaky giggle. Both men looked at eachother, and then rose and looked back to where they had come from, but saw no one. Pete was going to say something, but Stan put a finger on his mouth and hushed quietly, making him silent. Then they remained quiet and listened, and the atmosphere suddenly became stiff and spooky. They looked out in the tight corridor, and as they heard the squeaky giggle again, both guards paled.
