WITCH - The Revolt

Chapter 46

Peter

All servants were busy on Friday evening. Everywhere had been cleaned and in the kitchen, the staff conjured up a delicious meal. The queen smiled throughout the day and the king also looked pleased. The reason for the joy was the visit that awaited them. Fritz and his fiancée, who would stay until Sunday evening.

Julia was unfortunately not released for the weekend, as on Friday evening all students of the first year of the academy had their first riding lesson. Even a princess could not miss this. But for the ball to celebrate her new magic, she would be there. Without her, the ball could not take place, although Peter suspected that Julia would not mind. Her ball was supposed to take place on Saturday in two weeks.

He regretted that she was not at dinner. He had to face the exuberant joy of his mother alone, who had been talking all day about how she could not wait to meet the young witch she thought Fritz had chosen.

"She must be a wonderful young lady!" His mother smiled into her tea. "And they could be here anytime. I can't wait."

Peter rolled his eyes.

To make a good first impression, his mother had him and his father wear new suits to match her new dark blue evening dress. He felt sorry for the tailors who had to sew the clothes at the last minute. Peter and his father's suits looked identical, plain, and incredibly boring. Therefore, Peter had done his best to improve his suit. A large, sparkling brooch now adorned his suit jacket, and he wore colorful socks and slippers that his mother had not yet noticed.

They sat together in the fireplace room and waited there for the arrival of Fritz and his mysterious witch. Servants had lit the fireplace, and on a serving trolley stood small tarts, and biscuits.

Then, finally, a servant announced the arrival of Fritz and Paula, Paula Schmal.

The queen almost jumped for joy in the armchair in which she was sitting, when the servant announced that the longed-for guests were there. Peter had to smile. His mother bouncing in an armchair? Like on a trampoline? That was a funny thought. The servant held the door open for the guests. Together with Fritz came a pretty, young woman with dark skin and short, frizzy hair. She smiled shyly and made an awkward curtsy.

"Mother? Father? Peter? This is Paula", Fritz introduced her.

"I'm glad to meet you." Paula looked shyly at the queen and the king. "Fritz told me a lot about you."

"Did he?" The queen nodded. "Come. Sit with us." She pointed to a small sofa opposite the one where Peter and his father were sitting. "Did you both have a pleasant ride? You are certainly exhausted. Fritz said you met in a hospital?", continued the queen when the two had sat down.

Paula nodded. "The ride was very long, yes. I work at the reception in the hospital in Blautal." She looked restlessly at her teacup, into which Fritz poured her tea.

"The hospital in Blautal is one of our new hospitals." Fritz smiled contentedly. "I instructed the new hospital management there for several months and helped with the choice of staff. That's when we met for the first time."

The queen nodded. "At the reception? Then you're not a healer, Paula?"

For Peter, the conversation seemed like a job interview and not like an informal meeting.

"Oh. No. I have no magic." Now Paula seemed worried.

"A mortal, then." The queen looked at Fritz. "She must be special if you chose her? Your father was also mortal... We only had a few years together."