Diary of a Reluctant Ruler

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I sighed my way back to the kitchen, my brain whirring unhappily in a downwards negative spiral.

“I’m sorry, Cherie,” Madeleine said when she heard of what had happened, “But you’ll still have fun, eh?”

“I guess.”

“Well there you go then,” Madeleine smiled, “Would you try something for me?”

“Ok,” I replied, happy to be of help.

“Here,” she said, passing me a spoonful from a huge saucepan of soup, “It’s lettuce, onion and broccoli soup for this evening.”

“Mmmm,” I said, as the warmth spread down my throat, “It’s delicious. Wish I wasn’t missing tea.”

“I’m going to add some Wensleydale later,” she added.

Wensleydale Gromit?

Eh?

Wallace and Gromit reference dearie.

Who-ey and who-ey?

Wallace and Gromit! You know, plasticine creations from the animated episodes?

No…

Google it.

“You’ll be fine Cherie,” she said after a pause, catching my wilted expression across the table.

“Thanks Madeleine,” I replied, and stood up, “I guess I have to go find Philippe and Jade.”

“See you later,” Madeleine called as I left.

I couldn’t find Philippe inside so I asked a steward whether he had seen him.

“I believe he was out riding, majesté,” the steward replied, bowing nervously.

“Thank you,” I replied and headed outside.

I found Philippe talking animatedly to the head groom, gesticulating with his hands enthusiastically. He looked… alive. I realised that he had probably appeared so limp yesterday because he had been out of his element. Yes, maybe he was still rather odd, but he wasn’t all bad. I smiled as I walked up to them.

“Meredith,” he said when he saw me, “I was just discussing the race course with this man here.”

“Sounds interesting,” I replied.

“Very!” he enthused, “Care to walk?

“Ok,” I said.

Hallelujah!

What?

He didn’t take my arm! It’s so uncomfortable walking like that…

“Apparently, they’re organising a short contest next week, in order to welcome us to the country,” Philippe continued.

“I didn’t know that,” I said, though not surprised.

“The groom said you’d ridden the course?” Philippe asked.

“I did, the other day.”

“What’s it like?” he asked eagerly.

“Very good, definitely challenging,” I mused, thinking about nearly falling off at the seventh jump.

“I can’t wait to try it out,” Philippe said as we neared the course itself.

“I just wish they wouldn’t add all the weird decorations,” I said.

Is that a flying pig?

I think it’s meant to be a dragonfly.

Oh. It really doesn’t look like one.

Well it’s not my problem.

“I came to ask you if you’d like to join James, Nick, Jade and I going into Rous this evening,” I added.

“Really?” Philippe said, looking vaguely interested, “Whereabouts are you going?”

“I don’t actually know, you’ll have to ask James,” I replied.

“Well, sounds fun,” he replied.

No… that’s not the right answer.

What is the right answer?

Sorry, but I’ve got some knitting to do.

KNITTING?!

Well… something of that sort.

You are completely and utterly unique.

Thank you.

It’s not necessarily a good thing.

“Well, we’ll see you outside the palace at six then?” I asked.

“Count me in,” he nodded.

“I’ll see you then, then.”

I sighed as Philippe disappeared behind the stables. Not how I’d planned my evening… Oh well. Maybe I should go ask Peter whether the vet had seen Freya yet. I waltzed over towards the stable, where I’d spotted him waxing stirrups.

“Morning Milady,” he called as he saw me approach.

“Hi Peter.”

“Wanted to go out for a ride?” he asked.

“No, Grandmother hates me riding on Sundays. I was going to ask about Freya.”

“Oh, Freya!” Peter said, standing up.

“Is she ok?” I asked.

“More than ok,” Peter replied, “We think she’s pregnant.”

“What? Now?”

“It’s not unheard of,” Peter said, “Though it is a little late in the breeding season for us to notice.”

“Wow…” I breathed.

Freya’s going to be a mother!

Who’s the father?