A Mouse's Tale

Chapter 7

The sting of a sharp, bitter scent flooding through her nose jolted Mouse into awareness. She sat up sharply, only to have her head spin again.

"Easy now, darling," Gaston's concerned voice filled her ears. "Easy." The room slowly began to stop spinning and Mouse was able to distinguish the multiple concerned and confused faces looking down as her. She sought out Gaston's, panic and worry plastered across her face. She saw recognition flash through Gaston's face and he nodded.

"Weston, I told you to make sure that the floors were kept clean and spill free!" Gaston's accusing voice shot out as he turned on one of his younger apprentices. "Now look what happened! The Queen's personal servant slipped and knocked her head against the ground so hard that she blacked out! And look at the Queen's food!" He gestured wildly at the scattered food all over the ground. "Be thankful that Mouse was not the Queen, or else you would have been in serious trouble!"

"I am so sorry!" the young sandy-haired lad stuttered. "I thought that it was-"

"It's alright," Mouse gave him a reassuring smile. "I think I may have just tripped over my own feet. Don't blame yourself." She turned back to Gaston. "Please don't blame him for something that wasn't his fault."

"What are you all doing still standing around?" Gaston snapped. "There is a mess to be cleaned up and a meal to be prepared! I will not have my kitchen looking like a pigsty!"

As the bewildered apprentices rushed to carry out his orders, Gaston helped Mouse to her feet.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" he asked her, concern deeply woven into his voice.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little spill, a little bump. Nothing that I can't handle."

"You're sure?" he asked, not convinced.

"Yes, I'm fine," Mouse sighed. "I guess I was just lost in thought and tripped."

"Well I'm glad that you're okay," he smiled, giving her a big hug. In their closeness, he quietly whispered in her ear, "We will talk later. Don't let him get to you, Mouse. You're stronger than that. You're stronger than him."

"Thank you," she whispered back as he broke out of the hug.

"Her Majesty's breakfast is ready," Elsa announced, presenting a fresh platter to Mouse.

"Thank you," Mouse smiled, accepting the platter from her.

"You're sure that you're able to handle that?" Gaston asked, half concerned, half teasing.

"I do every day," Mouse remarked, heading towards the door. "Like I said, nothing I can't handle." And with that she left the overheated kitchen behind, making her way back down the hall towards Arya's chambers, which Mouse's tiny room was attached to. She thankfully reached them without running into anyone else. Mouse knew that word of his arrival was rapidly spreading around the Palace and soon it would be all anyone would be talking about. After all, why wouldn't they talk about the return of Keiento's favourite Knight and hero of the land?

Mouse shuddered thinking about him as she opened the doors to Arya's rooms and walked in. She gently placed the platter on the table then walked over to the windows and pulled back the curtains to let the sun in. The dark shadows slithered away as light poured into the room. She opened one of the windows to let some fresh air in and breathed in its coolness as she did.

"Rise and shine, Arya!" she called out as she walked over to the bed and pulled back the curtains from it.

"Uhhhh..." Arya moaned as the light spilled onto her face. She pulled her blankets up over her head, trying to block it out.