Whistler (The Pied Piper Retold)

The Rats of Hammeln

"More bloomin' rats!" Anna yelled, almost throwing the dinner aside, tripping over her feet, "They're everywhere!" She growled, "This is awful for the baby!"

"I know, Anna, but there's nothing I can do, I've tried everything!" Markus said, rubbing his temples as though he had a headache. "What do you expect will get rid of them?"

"I don't care if it's the fairies, Markus, I just want rid of them!" She yelled, lighting a candle and placing it under the table, where forty or so rats were nestled. "Eurgh!!" The screeched, drawing her hand away, the put the candle down beside them. They squeaked and squealed, scurrying away like their lives depended on it, and slid under the door.

"This has got to stop. The monarchy had better do something soon, or I'm going to go insane." Anna tutted, lighting more candles and placing them around the house.

"The monarchy!" Markus scoffed, "They've done nothing for us in years, what makes you think they're going to start now?"

"I'm praying."

"For a miracle!" Markus said, and got up from his wooden seat. "Put a few in a ring around Josef. You're right, those rats can't be good for him." And with that, he left. Anna sighed in despair, and rubbed her own forehead. Dinner for one again tonight, then.

.....

"Aleksandra!" King Jurgen yelled, kicking a rat aside. "They've infested the parlour!"

"And what exactly do you expect me to do?" Aleksandra said calmly, striding into the room, her Ladies' Maids trotting to keep up behind her, their skirts in their hands.

"Something! Anything! The kingdom looks to us to guide them, how can we stand by and do nothing?!" He yelled, throwing his goblet of wine over two large rats crawling around at his feet, "Half the town is dropping down dead, they carry disgusting diseases!"

"Well you've done nothing at all in the way of running this kingdom in the past 5 years, Jurgen, why are you deciding to now? I've been doing my best to take charge of this entire country for half a decade while you've sat on your throne enjoying your wine and accumulating a rather large stomach!!" Queen Aleksandra said coldly, staring at her husband with distaste.

"Why did you marry me then? The money? The lifestyle?!" Jurgen roared, getting out of his gilded chair with great difficulty.

"I was a princess! I was in line to be Tsarina of Russia, but I forfeited my throne for you!" She spat cruelly. "I didn't need to marry you! I would've had more money, a better lifestyle had I not been so foolish as to fall in love!"

"You never loved me you lying snake!" He roared, throwing the silver goblet at the floor, and one of Aleksandra's Ladies' Maids jumped, a sharp intake of breath.

"And you can shut your mouths! Don't think I don't know you'll be gossiping about all of this with the kitchen staff tomorrow!!" Jurgen bellowed at them, and their hearts beat faster in fear.

"How dare you turn on my Ladies' Maids! Just because your servants are unfaithful enough to disclose your private matters with the lesser servants does not mean mine are! You are a disgusting pig content to lie on your own pile of gold, not realising that you are lying in your own waste as well!!!" She yelled, yet managing to keep her air of dignity, while the king had lost his years ago.

"I do not wish to speak to you Aleksandra. Leave my presence, I need to calm down and gather my thoughts." Jurgen said quietly, and dangerously, his nostrils flaring.

"I want to go back home! I want to go back to Russia!" She yelled, storming off down the hallway, heading away from him. From her bedroom, a baby started crying. "And will someone attend to Sofia!!"