The Secret of the Seven Princesses

Sanctum Chapter 6

Ty had to smile as he brought his wine goblet to his lips. Valeria had been explaining the odd behavior of the princesses over the last few minutes, and her crazy hand gestures and facial expressions were nothing short of hilarious. When her eyes popped out during her explanation of a particularly unusual experience with the youngest princess, Ty could hardly keep his wine from spilling down the front of his tunic.

"...and she's always falling, you know, but she nearly jumped out of her skin when I caught her staring at the curtains."

"Madam, I must point out that it is not only the young princesses who are acting strangely," Weston, the head butler, said. "His Majesty has been very concerned about their abnormal behavior and has been suffering himself."

"Suffering?" Valeria guffawed. "If by suffering you mean he's had to start dealing with the fact that the young ladies no longer bow to his every whim then I can see your point."

"Madam!" Weston gasped. His mustache twitched as he smoothed down his thin grey hair. "To say such things, especially of our most excellent king, are beyond your station." He extracted a hankie from his inner pocket and sniffled, glaring at Valeria. The woman glared right back, and Ty had to struggle to keep from laughing. Honestly, if the pair of them ever reconciled their petty quarrels they would make quite a good couple.

"I have to agree with Weston, Madam," Ty spoke up. Weston made a noise of victory as he raised his chin in the air. "The king has been acting strangely lately. But the princesses have been acting odd as well." At this point Valeria stuck her tongue out at Weston and took a swig of her own wine. "However, I believe it will pass. The princesses will go back to their nightly food fights and their father shall return to being the ruler we all know and love."

All were quiet for a moment as the conversation came to a close. Ty always had a way of putting in the final word that left little room for further arguments. As he took another sip of his drink, he looked around the kitchen. Along the far wall were several stoves used for cooking all the food in the castle. One wall was lined with wooden barrels used to hold wine, apples, potatoes, and many other food supplies. A narrow door led up a flight of stairs, the only real exit out of the kitchen, and a door opposite the staircase led to the laundry room and drying yards. In the centre of the room sat a large wooden working table surrounded by various chairs and stools, three of which were occupied by the present individuals. Hanging all around the kitchen were various pots, pans, herbs, spices, and the occasional dead goose or two.

Weston, Valeria, and Ty had been meeting for daily lunch as long as any of them could remember. Well, for as long as Ty had been Head Steward, anyway. Since the three of them were the leaders of their various duties – Valeria the cooking, Ty the household, and Weston the cleaning staff – they had decided that daily meetings to keep up with all the goings on in the castle would suit the manor quite nicely. But what had started as strictly business had turned into pleasure, and Ty now found that after a few initial minutes of working chitchat their conversations often turned to gossip, arguments, and laughter.

There were a few minutes of quiet as all three chewed their food quietly, savoring the delicious roast beef Valeria had worked on all morning. While they may not have been royalty, Valeria always saw to it that they were served food of the highest quality, and for that Ty was eternally grateful.

"What I really wanted to discuss," Ty spoke up after swallowing a large mouthful of roast, "was the presence of Sir Luka."

There was an audible groan heard from his two companions, and Valeria slammed down her knife into the table. "Is that cowardly, scurvy, no good slimy dog back from the Far Lands already?"