Happily Ever After.....Maybe

Chapter Twenty-two

Dylan was going to be on his trip for two days which meant I had two days to get to know my new home besides getting the coronation ready for Dylan. 
"No.. no.... NO! Albert I told you the chairs had to be set exactly five inches from each other and why haven't they been polishes yet?? Ugh they must shine!" Dolia hollered at a servant man who had been busy all morning in the upstairs ballroom setting the oak wooden chairs out with the red velvet cushions.
Covering my mouth with my hand I stifled a bored yawn. Dolia had done nothing but yell at servants all day when something wasn't perfect and to her liking. I didn't see what was wrong with the grand ballroom. There must have been one thousand chairs set up for the ceremony and two gold vases stood on either side of the stage with red roses in them. A gold pillar with a red velvet cushion which would hold the King's crown stood between the two thrones on the stage. Everything looked ready for the coronation I didn't know what Dolia's deal was, she was a ticking time bomb and I was getting quiet bored. She insisted though that I be in the mist of all the planning.
When she was finished yelling at another servant who was viciously polishing the wooden legs of a chair she turned to me, "What do you think your highness? Each chair should be five inches apart right and shine or no shine?" She asked.
I sighed, "The whole ballroom looks really terrific Dolia, you really out did yourself. I don't see the point weather some chairs are five inches apart or just three inches. I really don't think any of the guest will notice if some of the chairs are closer together."
Dolia rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, "Forgive me, but it just shows your lack at being  Queen of a kingdom. Maybe in the Pub where you were raised it didn't matter on the seating but in the Kingdom of Kalopsia everything has to be perfect for our King." She turned back to the servants polishing the wooden chairs, "No one leaves this room till all the chairs shine!" She ordered before marching out of the room.
I watched her leave of course she probably expected me to follow her, but I still haven't had time to explore the kingdom at all and I wanted to get a feel of the castle. I held a single finger up to my lips to the servants hoping they wouldn't spill to Dolia where I was going. Quietly I slipped to the corner of the ballroom where a small servant door blended in to the wall. I pull the door open and slipped into the narrow stairwell. Dolia should have been a Queen with the way she bossed everyone around, I really didn't want her to find me. Sure maybe I invaded her kingdom and now I'm at a higher position than her and have no clue what I'm doing, but I didn't need her rude attitude towards me. I was still puzzled why my curse didn't break after I married Dylan. Wasn't he my happily ever after? Also I was still dealing with the fact that I was pregnant and carrying Hayden's baby which Dylan would never know. I knew I needed to tell him soon, but I didn't know how.
I slowed down as I walked down the narrow stairs. Walking too fast made me feel nauseous. Finally I made it at the bottom of the stairwell and walked out into a wide spacious kitchen. Cooks bustled around preparing foods.  White counters with dark wooden tops were along the walls alone with a wide pot belly stove. In the center of the kitchen was large island with pots and pans that hung on a rack above it. Before I could explore anymore of the kitchen I was stopped in my tracks by who I assumed was the head chef. He was a big man with a potty belly, red fiery hair that peeked out of his white chef's cap and a red mustache at curled at the ends. He wore a white apron.
"Your majesty what are you doing down here in the kitchen?!" He proclaimed in surprised.
"Well, I just, I just wanted to roam the castle a bit and explore."
"No, no you mustn't be in the kitchen with the help!" He edged me towards two double white doors with circular windows. "Explore anywhere in the castle you wish your majesty, just not in my kitchen it's not fit for a Queen." Once I was safely outside the double doors the head chef turned and disappeared back into the royal kitchen. I sighed as I watched the busy servants through the circular window. Back home in the Kingdom of Rollick I could help in the kitchen the servants and head chef didn't mind that a princess wanted to be in the kitchen. It only bother my mother and father err I mean my adopted parents. Remembering that I was given up by the King of Agog. Even he knew the cost of my curse and didn't want it affecting his kingdom in any way.
Coming out of my daydream  I looked down both of the long hallways with carved mahogany walls and soft red carpeting wondering which way I should go and how long did I have till Dolia found me? I softly walked down the right hallway stopping at every door I came to.
I found many rooms some larger than others, but each had elegant wood carvings a little different from each other. Some rooms were painted, with hard tile floors while others had carved wooden walls with carpets. I found: a music room with every music instrument I could think of, a room to practice sword fighting, a sitting room with a giant marble fireplace, a room to hold meetings with a big round table full of chairs, a room to entertain a small amount of guests, spare bedrooms with giant canopy beds, and some rooms that were completely empty with no future at all.
By now I was kinda lost. I had forgotten how many corridors and hallways I went through. All I knew was that I was on the third floor of the castle because I remember going up three different sets of stairs. I peered out a window at the end of the hallway I was in. Yep I was definitely on the third floor. I stepped back from the window feeling a little dizzy from looking so far down. Two mahogany doors with curved gold handles caught my attention. I gasped the handles and pulled but the doors didn't open. Frowning I pulled harder, but the doors still didn't budge. "That's odd." I murmured all the other rooms I went to weren't locked, so what was so special about this one? Leaning down so I was eye level with the door handles I peered through the key hole to try to get a glimpse of the inside.
"What on earth on you doing?!"
Startled I jumped and twirled around grasping the door's handles for support with my one hand while my other hand flew to my chest as I gasped, "Dolia! You scared me." I told the elderly lady.
"Why are you snooping around up here when you're suppose to be helping me plan the coronation?" Dolia said crossing her arms as she frowned down at me with her pointed nose.
"I was just getting a feel for the castle." I turned towards the locked double doors. "Why are these the only doors locked? What's behind there?"
Dolia scoffed, "They're not the only doors, there are many doors that are locked. Most of them not useful or just empty rooms not being used. That there is the royal library,  it hasn't been used in years. Prince Dylan never cared for books as he was too busy learning how to take his father's place as King."
"A library!" I said brightly. I loved library, the royal library back in Rollick was my favorite room in the castle! Mostly since I wasn't allowed to leave the kingdom. Books was a way I could escape and go into a whole new world. "Do you have the key to unlock it?" I asked.
With her arms still crossed Dolia asked, "Do you really think I"ll hand over the key to you?"
This time I crossed my arms as well, I was getting quiet annoyed of her attitude towards me, "Yes, I am your Queen, and I'll like the key please."
She laughed, "You're not Queen yet."
I raised an eyebrow, "Pardon me, but Dylan and I are married."
"Yes, but he isn't crowned King yet, as far as I'm concerned you aren't Queen till he is crowned King." She paused then added, "Besides I don't have the keys to the castle only Prince Dylan does. Now let's get back to planning we have a lot to do in so little time."
As much as I wish I didn't have to be around Dolia I really didn't have a choice. Dylan needed this coronation ready and she was the royal planner and knew more about planning stuff than I did.