To Be A Princess (court life)

12- The Kitchens

PHOTO OF ROSALIND IN THE KITCHENS WHEN SHE IS TALKING TO ILENE ^^^^^^^^^^
Sorry for this being quite a long chapter. I started and couldn't stop 😂

"Rosie!" A voice called to me as I was walking down the hall.
"James! It's good to see you, it's been days since we last talked!" I exclaimed as I turned around to embrace the footman.
"Well, it's been busy. Catering and preparing for all those rich ladies and lords who have come to the palace to eat all our food." He winked at me and I elbowed him.
"Ouch!"

"I have absolutely nothing to do with my life." I grumbled after several minutes of conversation.
"Count your blessings, sweetie. I wish I had nothing to do, I can barely sit down for a minute during my day." He complained.
"Do you need help?" I questioned. "In the kitchens or something?"
"You? In the kitchens?!" He laughed, keeling over and clenching his stomach.
"No offence Rosie-pie but look at you. You're as delicate as a China teapot. You couldn't handle getting your hands dirty!" He continued, panting from his obnoxiously loud laughter.

I growled. He didn't think a lady like me could work in the kitchens? How hard could it be? I decided to show him that I could. I demanded he take me down to the kitchens and that I simply must help because I was an extremely generous person... And I wanted to show him up.
"I would love to see you try cooking Rose, but you wouldn't be allowed. You're a noble!"
"Fine." I grumbled. "Besides, I had important things to do today." I announced, head held high.
"Like what?" He questioned arrogantly.
"Looking for secret passageways." I retorted, sounding incredibly childlike and snobbish.

James continued to ask me why I was wasting my time on that. I admitted to him that I may or may not have told someone I knew where a passageway was and that I would explore it with them. He sighed and told me I was up to trouble, and the palace had rules for guests stating that no prying or exploring unannounced corridors is forbidden.
I laughed at the mention of rules. I, Rosalind Ravenswood, do not follow rules.
"Please help me!" I begged, tugging onto his coat. " I really need to know."
"I may or may not know where one passageway is."
"Really? Actually?"
"Yes, let me show you. It's in the kitchens."
I screamed in excitement and thanked James profusively.

He explained that in 10 minutes it would be lunch time for the servants and he would bring me down then. I waited patiently..... Maybe not so patiently. I may or may not have been asking James for details on everyone that walked past. Asking him if it "had been 10 minutes yet?" every ten seconds.

When the ten minutes of waiting were over, James opened a door for me, holding his hand out, telling for me to walk in front of him. Opening the door to what seemed to be a sitting room, I found several rich looking gentleman staring at me. They all rose upon my entrance, as was polite of males to do when a woman walked into a room. Apparently, however, this rule didn't apply for servants or lowerclass ladies. I thought that to be revolting and extremely ungentlemanly.

"Excuse me, gentleman. I am truly apologetic to interrupt." I spoke in my most demure lady voice. Every man in this room looked to be 60 or 70 years old, I smiled at them all and continued walking through the sitting room, which lead on to another door.
"Your ladyship, allow me to continue to show you on to the ladies parlour." James spoke as I tried to stifle a giggle at his formal expression. We exited the room and walked swiftly till he opened a servants passage behind a tapestry. We immediately burst into laughter once inside the servants quarters.
"Your ladyship." I mimicked James in the poshest British accent I could muster.
We laughed profusely as we walked down the stairs and into the kitchens.

As we entered the room, I was met by the curious eyes of all the servants, sitting and eating their meal. They all immediately stood up and I begged them to sit down.
"Everyone, meet Rose. Rosie, meet everyone." James introduced. They all sat quietly and I stood awkwardly.
"Hi."