something to do (2)
I wake up to find William missing from my side and he's nowhere in the room either. I throw back the covers and get out of bed. Stepping into the bathroom I walk towards the shower set in one corner. I strip and step under it before pressing the button.
Water starts to fall from the ceiling. It seems as if it's raining. You can't see the source of water but then you know where it's coming form.
Once I've changed into a pair of jeans and a white shirt, I leave the room and head to the dinning hall. It might seem weird that a royal is dressed so casually but I made William promise me that I wouldn't have to dress up unless there was a reason to. This he agreed to.
I meet several servants on my way. They courtesy and wish me good morning. I smile at each of them and reply to their greetings. I can't imagine that I was once in their position too.
When I step into the room, I find William seated at the table beside his father who has his nose buried in some papers.
William looks up from his plate when I walk in. "Good morning."
"Morning." I reply, sitting down across from him. A housemaid comes forward and sets down a plate in front of me. I thank her and then turn my attention towards it.
It has everything on it from toast to sausages to bacon. I help myself to some butter and spread it onto a toast before taking a bite. This is when Ronald speaks up.
"Well, I'll go get ready and then we have to meet with that minister today, remember?"
William nods. "Yeah, I remember."
Gathering up his papers the king leaves and now we're alone. I keep eating my toast and he drinks his coffee before breaking the silence.
"So, what are you going to do today?"
"Umm...I don't know. Maybe you could tell me something to do like you said on the plane." I tell him.
"I won't be able to help you in that area. You should try getting hold of Helen or Mitchell and see if they've got something for you." He says.
I nod. "Okay, I'll do that.""
After a few a butler enters and addresses my husband. "Sir, the king is waiting for you in the car. He's ready to go."
"Thank you. I'll be right there." He says, getting up.
Once the butler's leaves he walks over to me, I turn myself towards him to be met by a kiss. He kisses my forehead and then says. "See you later then."
"Bye!" I say and then he leaves.
I finish with breakfast and then call for a housemaid. When she appears I ask her about Helen's whereabouts. She instructs me to her office. So, that's where I go.
After a few minutes I knock on the office's door. I hear a chair scraping and then the tapping of heels before the knob turns and the door is opened.
"Cassandra! I mean, your highness." She at once corrects herself but I stop her. "Hi! And please call me Cassandra. A whole country calling me "your highness" is enough to give me a headache."
She smiles at this. "Alright then, Cassandra. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to ask if there was something I could do. I mean, I don't really know what a royal does in the palace so I was hoping if you could help me out." I tell her.
She thinks it over for a minute and then says. "I believe that the first thing you should do is get to know people who're going to be around you. I could get you the application forms of all the servants and then you could go through them. Would that work?"
"Yeah, it would but don't you have something more laborious?" I ask.
Once again she thinks for a moment and then suggests. "Maybe you should go down to the kitchens and check out things. If not then a stroll in the gardens?"
"I reject the idea of a stroll but I think I'll go to the kitchens and see what's going on." I tell her.
She steps out of her office. "I could escort you there." She offers.
I smile and shake my head. "It's alright. You should carry on with whatever you were doing. I know my way around."
She returns to her office and I head towards my destination. I walk down the familiar corridors I used to when I worked here. It seems like that was years ago.
I turn around the last corner and walk towards the door but I'm forced to stop short in my tracks. I turn around to look at the corner, it's the one where I bumped into William on my first day. I smile at the memory as I open the door and step in.
The chefs are bustling around and a few housemaids are scattered around the room. They all stand up when they notice me and a chorus of greetings and courtesies meets me.
All the attention makes me feel uncomfortable. "Ummm...You don't have to do that because I'll be around a lot. And I just came too see if there's anything I can help you with."
"What?!" Someone exclaims.
I find the source to be a maid, who has her mouth covered with her hand and a horrified look on her face while the atmosphere feels tense.
"Is something wrong?" I ask with a smile on my face.
She shakes her head and replies. "No madam. It's just that Thalia never helped us in fact she never came out of her office. It just shocked us." The statement is met by a few nods.
I sigh and all formality drains from me. "Look. I don't want you all to look at me as your princess or whatever. I just want us all to be friends. I'll help with anything you want." After a pause I add. "I might not be like the others because I've been where you all are."
This makes a smile bloom on her face which makes me happy too. Making other people happy is the best thing in the world.
"So, this means that you can carry on with whatever you were doing." I say and at once the activity resumes. I heave a sigh of relief and look around for something to do.
I find a chef trying to do two things at once. He's cutting vegetables and then every few seconds he lifts a lid off a pot and stirs it. I walk over to him and the expression on his face clearly says 'you almost gave him a heart attack.'
"I'll take care of these." I tell him and he just nods and goes on working. I grab an apron and put in on before picking up the knife.
Slicing carrots reminds of the soup I made for mom that night when I thought that there was no hope left for us.
I finish with the carrots and then move onto peeling potatoes. I'm still working on them when a voice makes me look up.
"I did not expect you to be peeling potatoes when I found you." Mitchell says.
I smile at this and reply. "Someone had to do it."
"I have something to discuss with you. That is if you're free." She says, motioning to the cutting board in front of me.
"I can peel and listen at the same time." I tell her.
"Okay then." After a pause she says. "I am in charge or more like the second in hand of the female royalty and since you're the only one, I'm all yours. I'll be dealing with your public image which means the press and all things revolving around your social life too."
I stop for a minute and look up. "You mean to say, you'll be choosing my friends from now on?"
She laughs and shakes her head. "No, that is not what I meant. Now that you're a princess you'll have to be more active socially since there's no queen either. You'll have to attend dinners and seminars etc etc."
I groan. "That is not what I signed up for."
"So far your schedule is clear since the public thinks that you won't be back for one more day. So, tomorrow will be the last day you'll be able to spend peeling potatoes." She tells me.
I sigh and say. "Alright then."
She bobs her head and leaves me with my vegetables. Once I'm done, the chef thanks me and carries them away. I wash my hands and go up to the huge living room, thinking.
Royal life might not be so easy after all.
William gets back just as I'm finishing dinner. He walks into the dinning room and sits down next to me saying. "Hey!"
"Hi! Where's your father?" I ask him as I gulp down my water.
"Out with his friends. He wanted me to stay but a whole day is too long to stay away from you." He says, before wrapping an arm around me and pulling me to him. I touch his face as he kisses me.
When we pull away, I ask. "Can you take me shopping tomorrow?" The look he gives me makes me rephrase myself. "Not shopping. I just need a coupe of things."
"Like?" He asks drinking from my glass.
I raise an eyebrow at him. "Do you really want to know?"
His eyes widen as realization hits him. "Oh! No. No, I don't need to know. I'm good thank you."
"So, are we on?" I ask him.
He nods. "Yeah, I have a meeting tomorrow morning. But after that I'm free so I'll pick you up around one and we can eat out."
How're you all liking the story so far? It's quiet boring right now but I promise that it will get better, so just stay with me!
read, vote & comment!
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