The Black Unicorn

He's Here

You and a few other servants rushed down the hallway. You were all carrying large bags full of kitchen supplies, and food. You yourself were currently carrying a bag of flour with some wineskins balanced on top.

You followed the others down the long stone corridor's, the sound of your hide shoes were the only things you could hear over everyone's heavy breathing.

Eventually, you all made it into the kitchens where there was a hustle and bustle about everywhere. Maids and cooks scrambled about everywhere at once, carrying pots and pans full of cooking meals. You had been in the kitchen a couple of times but it was never this hectic.

A plump girl was tapping her for impatiently, jumping when she saw you all enter. She placed her chubby hands against her hips, glaring at you all with a hard scowl.

" There you all are! You were almost late!" She scolded you all before motioning where to put everything. You went to follow the group but the lady stopped you with a hard hand on your chest. Making you stop dead in your tracks and almost spill everything you were carrying.

She grabbed the sacks of flour from you and hefted them up over her shoulder. She motioned at all the wineskins you were carrying. Did you mention they were full and not empty?

They almost tumbled out of your grasp and onto the floor as she removed the sack from your arms. However, you were able to quickly catch them. You cradled them in your arms and you could hear the wine within them sloshing around

" What do you think you are doing? You have been here for a week now and you are still stumbling about like a babe in the woods. Those need to go to the dining room and fill the glass!" She waved her hand at you. Motioning for you to move it before you got a boot in the ass.

You glanced at over to where the Dining room would be, or at least the doors. You had to move through the kitchen first, you were still in the storage area. Your curiosity got the better of you and you could not help the question that slipped out of your mouth.

" What exactly is the occasion for all of this mistress?" You asked with a low and timid voice. She opened her mouth in a silent gasp, looking at you with wide eyes as if you were the stupidest person she had ever met.

" What occa- Why are you deaf girl?! surely the whole castle has been chirping about it all day?!" She almost yelled out, but when you remained unresponsive to her question she only huffed and rolled her eyes.

" This past week the castle has been under extensive cleaning and repair to prepare for the master Warlock Ambrose's arrival! He's coming today and will be here within the hour! so for the sake of everything that has a soul go fill the wine glass so that it's completely full!" She finished her sentence with a shriek, almost shoving yo into the kitchen and slamming the doors behind you.

You stood as still as a statue in the room full of steam that smelled of ham. The cooks barely looked at you before going about their work. You gulped and took a tentative step forward.

Master Ambrose was coming?! Your legs started to shake as anxiety started to take hold of your body. What if you spilled the wine and it stained the table cloths?

You tried to kick your legs harder to get moving, and you moved slightly faster from snail's pace to kitten pace. When you got to the dining room doors you placed a shaking hand against the polished wood.

You took a deep breath, pushing down your fears and pushed the doors open. The dining room was long and elegant with a large fireplace in the middle of one of the walls.

The room was decorated with colors of purple, black, and yellow. There was a table that almost was as long as the room itself. The table was covered with a single plate and... not a wineglass. No, what was waiting to be filled was a full-on tankard about as big and round as your head.