Chapter 5 - Potatoes!
2451 Words
Emily
Cook nodded and we quietly carried on working in silence. Loud footsteps came running down the stairs.
“Where is she?” I knew his voice well, but there was nowhere to go. I was stuck in my damn corner.
“I don’t know why you even ask highness. She is where she always is.” Cook shrugged.
“Emily?” I heard him walk closer, but carried on peeling potatoes, not looking up.
“Yes, your highness.” No use in trying to hide.
“Emily, please can we talk?” I stood up, putting everything down when he looked around the corner, looking down at the ground like a servant should.
“We are talking, your highness. But I don’t think it proper that you are here when your bride has just arrived.” I felt tears sting the back of my eyes.
“Emily, please, I did not … It must have been my mother. I … I promise I will send her back.” His voice sounded desperate.
“You don’t have to explain anything to me, your highness. You don’t owe me anything. I understand.” Why was he still here?
“Emily, please.” I closed my eyes for a moment and swallowed back the tears.
“I should get back to work highness before dinner is late. The Queen will be very displeased, especially with your quests.” Still not looking in his eyes, I sat down and carried on peeling the damn potatoes! Fighting back the tears threatening to tear my heart apart. He sighed. His shoulders hung.
“Your highness, I think it best you leave. Your mother will be looking for you, and we will be punished when she finds you here. Please!” Cook knew how the Queen would look at this situation.
“But I didn’t want this.” He walked over to the table.
“I know.” Cook shrugged as he sighed again, and I heard his heavy footsteps going back upstairs. I was finally able to let go of my tears. Cook looked around the corner, seeing me cry.
“Are you okay girlie?” She sounded sad as I nodded my head. “Okay, you know where I am when you want to talk.” I nodded my head again.
Julius
“Ah, there you are, my darling! I was just about to send someone to look for you.” My mother sounded so damn happy!
“What is this mother?” I was not!
“I don’t understand, son. This is Princess Anna, your betrothed. You knew she was to arrive today before the funeral. Princess Anna, this is my son, Prince Julius.” She introduced us.
“Your highness, your mother has told me a lot about you. It is an honour to meet you finally.” She curtsied, smiled and looked up. She was fairly beautiful. Nothing like Emily. Her strawberry blond hair was tied up, with curls falling down her shoulders, blue eyes and the rest was hidden under one of the society dresses. Her skin was hidden beneath a mountain of make-up just like my mother's, where Emily had a natural beauty.
“Mother, I meant what is this? I sent a letter to the Princess not to come!” I completely ignored the princess, directing my anger at my mother.
“Julius, not now and not in front of our guest.” She smiled at me, hooking her arm in mine and pinched me on the inside of my upper arm like she used to do when I was younger, and she wanted me to behave.
“My apologies, Princess Anna, but this is an arrangement made by my mother. It is not my intent to marry you.” I looked at my shocked mother. That’s right mother, you can pinch me as much as you like. I am no longer doing what you want. I thought to myself. “This is not what I arranged, mother. She may stay to support you through father’s funeral, but then she must return to her kingdom. I will not have her by my side through the inauguration. I have had enough of your scheming. I am soon to be the King, get used to it.” I was furious, turned around and walked off, not sparing them one more look. How dare my mother put me in this position? But then I should have known she would do something like that. Sending for my horse to be prepared, I walked off to my room to get dressed in my riding clothes. Still furious by the time I rode out of the castle towards the forest.
Third Person
“I apologize for my son’s behaviour, Anna. I am not sure where his anger is from. He never told me anything about not wanting you here.” The Queen looked a bit lost.
“My father received his letter, your highness, but when your letter came, we thought that the prince must have been acting in anguish because of the death of his father. There is no need to apologize. The loss of the King must be a terrible time for the Kingdom, yourself and the prince. I can understand he is in anguish.” Anna looked down.
“Still. Let us get you settled, shall we?” The Queen perked up as they walked off to the south wing of the castle, where the Queen’s chambers were.
Emily
The Queen’s handmaiden rushed into the kitchen.
“Cook tea and biscuits, please. The Princess only drinks lemon tea.” The girl sounded completely out of breath.
“Well, you know where everything is, get it! I am busy preparing for dinner.” I could hear in her voice she was angry with the lot of them. The cleaning and castle staff were all going to have a hard time with her for a while. No more spoiling them by doing extras for them. Rushing around the kitchen, the poor girl nearly forgot the boiling water.
“The water!” I shouted from my corner.
“Oh, thank you, Emily.” She rushed off.
“Stupid girl! You should let them suffer.” Cook shouted from the kitchen.
“It is not their fault the Queen is cruel,” I sighed.
“True, but through them, you can make the Queen’s life difficult.” She laughed.
“I know, but I don’t want to get them punished because of her cruelty, Cook. My heart will heal. I knew from the start it was not going to work, that the Queen would never allow the prince and me.” I sighed.
“I’m sorry my girl, I did try to warn you and I should have tried harder to stop him.” She looked angry.
“It’s fine, now I just want to carry on working. We have things to get done that will keep my mind off him.” I stood up and brought her the freshly peeled potatoes.
Julius
Riding hard and fast, I returned to the castle. My head was cleared, I had decided not to let my mother take control like she was used to. She was the king’s mother and no longer controlled decisions like she did when my father was still alive. I slid off the saddle as the horse came to a halt, telling the stable boy to take good care. My horse worked hard, maybe give him an apple. Walking into the castle, Anna and my mother had just come out of the parlor.
“Ladies, if you will excuse me. I have work to attend to.” I immediately excused myself before my mother could even try and rope me into any kind of conversation. Running up the stairs, I walked off to my rooms to bathe and go to my office. I had to think of a way to prove to Emily that none of this was my doing. But first, he had to get Anna back to her kingdom. My mother did not understand the danger she had put our kingdom in!
Third Person
“Anna, I don’t know how we are going to fix this. He has his mind on that kitchen-maid!” The Queen sighed.
“Not to worry highness. All men want to roll around the hay at least once with a common girl and, honestly, after we have produced an heir, isn’t it preferable to have them rather do that?” The Queen nodded, smiling. This girl was clever, she understood how the world of royals worked.
“Well now Anna, I think you and I will get along just fine.” She hooked her arm in Anna’s as they walked on.
“Thank you, your highness. He might even have his kitchen maid in his bed, already. I don’t mind. I will be his wife, the future Queen. In the end, the power lies there. Not the one who satisfies his desires.” Watching him run up the stairs, she couldn’t deny that she would not mind having him for both. His clearly defined muscles moving underneath his tight riding pants was an indication of what the rest of him might look like.
“Let’s get you to your rooms then.” The Queen smiled.
“Thank you for tea, I was truly parched.” Anna smiled, thinking to herself. ‘I need to find a way to get him alone for a while today.’ “I would love to freshen up in my rooms, but would you excuse me for lunch? I want to try and see if I can lure the prince out of his office to have a picnic with me.”
“Of course, dear girl. Anything you need. Just let your handmaiden go down to the kitchen and tell them what you want.” They walked down a wide passage with full-length windows to one side and ridiculously large paintings of previous generations of kings on the other side. There was a red carpet down the middle. Reaching Anna’s room, the Queen excused herself.
“Stupid old bat!” Anna said, when she was sure the Queen was out of earshot. “She doesn’t know anything, does she?” Her handmaiden and companion with her in the room didn’t reply. “Gertrude, go arrange the food and find out who this kitchen maid is! And doesn’t take too long. I can only spend so much time with that excuse of a prince before I feel like vomiting.”
Julius
Sitting in my office working on the last of the decrees my father wanted me to do, a knock on the door drew my attention.
“Enter.” I sighed.
“Prince Julius?” Anna’s voice came from the other side and I stood up as soon as she walked through the door.
“Princess Anna. What can I do for you?” I frowned.
“I am sorry for bothering you. I know my presence here is not to your liking …” She started with her fake innocence and when I didn’t reply, she carried on. “I do want to get to know you. I would like to spend some time with you while I am here before the funeral, if it is okay with you?”
“Princess, please, look …” I sighed.
“Anna, please. I have never liked formalities.” She blushed.
“Anna. I have a lot to attend to after my father’s death. There is no time to do anything else. It would be unfair towards you to give you hope that it will be different.” I tried to make an excuse.
“Surely you will have time to eat.” She shrugged.
“Probably, why?” I was still frowning when she pulled out a basket behind the corner of the door.
“I had the kitchen prepare a picnic. Would you like to join me and show me the gardens perhaps?” Snookered! MOTHER! The front gardens were beautifully kept. The back gardens to the forest were all dead. My mother had merchants bring in water and flowers to keep up the pretense of a flourishing kingdom.
“I guess I will have to join you.” I tried to smile. Reluctantly, I walked out from behind my desk and held out my arm for her to hook onto.
“Thank you.” She smiled too brightly. I took the basket from her, and we walked down the passage, down the stairs and out to the gardens.
“May I ask you a personal question?” Her voice was soft and kind.
“Sure.” I looked out at the gardens.
“Were you and your father very close?” Her eyes kept scanning from me to the gardens.
“I don’t see what that has to do with you.” I felt a little agitated at her question.
“I’m sorry if I offended you.” She un-linked her hand from mine. “I just want to get to know you.”
“No, I’m sorry. Yes, we were very close.” I didn’t make any attempt towards her, simply letting my arm hang loose next to me.
“Why are you so angry with your mother?” She pried again.
“Because she doesn’t listen.” I hoped my brutal honesty would stop the questions.
“Oh, but she is your mother, and she is still the Queen,” Anna shrugged.
“She is the Queen mother, that is all.” Silence followed as we walked. Finding a spot to sit, I put out the blanket, helped Anna sit down, put the basket down next to her and sat down myself.
“Are you in love with her?” Her question threw me a little.
“With whom?” I frowned.
“Your kitchen maid?” This time I looked at her feeling shocked that she already knew.
“What?” I pretended not to know what she was talking about.
“Your mother told me. I am sorry if I overstepped my boundaries. You don’t have to answer.” She looked down at the basket, looking sad. For the first time that afternoon I looked at her, really looked at her.
“That is none of my mother’s or your business. I have told both of you where I stand in regard to our relationship and that is where it ends.” Anna opened the basket, making me laugh at the sight of its contents.
“Potatoes? Peeled potatoes, how are we supposed to eat this?” She exclaimed.
- Writer
