Blood Rising

Bacon Trap

Nora wandered down the narrow hallway towards the kitchen with Snicker close in toe. So close in fact she nearly tripped down the cobble stone staircase into the kitchen. Nora could smell bacon one of her many unhealthy pleasures. One would think being a fairy that they would eat something like crisp meal worm or some plant variations of the bacon equivalent, but to be honest bugs gross Nora out not so much in the fact that they are slimy but that they dive bomb and tend to get stuck in her long hair.

"She awakens! My, my dearie, did you have a nice beauty sleep?" Huffs the kitchen's cook "You seem to get enough of it." She added jabbing just a bit more with a humorous side glance.

     Missus Mungus had been with the castle probably since before her parents were children. Nora had the urge to stick her tongue out at her but don't dare anger the person that controls the kitchen and most always, prepared her meals. She just smiled at the flour covered four-foot silver haired old woman. Watching her holding a rolling pin and needing dough Nora giving a nod clasped her hands to beg for brunch.

Missus Mungus rolled her eyes wiping her hands on her apron and grabbing a plate for the late 'princess of sleep', so she had dubbed her; from the oven. The cook wagged her finger at her as she placed the plate in front of her.

"You need to start getting up and eating with your family young miss" she lectured "You are a royal too after all!" She said gruffly getting back to needing her dough.

     "It's not like I am an important one" Nora grumbled.

     "Watch your tongue child. Royal blood is royal blood." Missus Mungus snapped.

"Sorry Missus Mungus" Nora said half disparagingly and half hoping to appease the cook, sparing her from one of the old woman's lectures.

It's not like she was one of the next in line for the throne, woman couldn't become primary ruler alone that was reserved for her brother. Nora often felt that she had no place in the fairy realm she wasn't an important diplomat; she couldn't do anything special. She didn't even have an elemental specialty or fairy talent as most fairies had. She was in some sense quite ordinary or as some of her peers would tease, she was quite human. Snicker 'rouw'ed at her feet bringing Nora back from internal loathing and back to breakfast.

     "Oh no you don't you evil feline" Missus Mungus shouted in protest back at the cat "You catch yourself a mouse and we'll talk about spoiling you, till then you consider yourself luck I don't toss you out me kitchen you furry trouble maker." She said shooing the feline with a bread cutter in hand. Nora had to giggle she knew what trouble her sidekick was. Why it was only two days ago poor Missus Mungus came screeching chasing the cat from her kitchen. Apparently, Snicker had ripped a bag of grain open simply as means of protesting the cook shooing his 'fury bottom' as she puts, it off a kitchen stool.

Nora rounded the stools and table heading back the way she came down the narrow hallway. "Come on Snicker, leave Missus Mungus to her work she doesnt need you causing her trouble." She stated, head hovering over her plate griped with both hands. "Come on buddy" Nora clicked a few times at the feline.

"Oh no you don't!" Missus Mungus said cutting her and the cat off at the pass. "Go speak to your parents, they are still at the table and I have been informed to send you their way should you come sauntering down for the bacon. How well her majesty the queen knows you." She said ushering Nora with the cat following the smell of food towards the door.

Before Nora knew it, she was being forced by this gruff little old lady she dares not fight against through the swinging elder kitchen door. Nora locked eyes with her father as she came into the dinning room. Her blood froze and her legs locked. Through the years her father has more than been honest about his perspective of his daughter and her short comings. On more than one occasion Nora and her fathers tempers clashed in opposing arguments despite them being very similar fae.

Her mother Serenity put her hand on the kings arm as he was about to speak "Good morning daughter" she cooed sweetly.

The king cleared his throat with a gruff suggestive huff.  "Sorry to miss breakfast this morn" Nora spoke softly to her mother knowing her father had much to say before she was with them as he always did.

"Come sit with us sweetness, we have much to catch up on." Her mother motioned to the seat opposite her fathers side. Nora inched slowly toward her father and the seat that was to be her torment for however long her mother wished to punish her. She loved her mother dearly and never understood how a woman with such immense natural power could bend so easily to a mans will and command. It always amazed Nora how much her mother held back her true nature for her fathers benefit yet, the queen could often soften her father Cornelius' temper in such an odd otherworldly way as well. In truth it's not always easy to see whom is bending to who's will.

As she sat in the oversized cushioned seats so plush, Nora clumsily placed her wooden plate on the thick glass dining table. The large seat cushion slumped down quickly sweeping her feet from under her. "Excuse me" she said trying to gain her feet beneath her again. She glanced quickly making eye contact with her mothers concerned face then to her fathers dark features that seemed slightly lightened in amusement at her fumble. 'Of course, I make a fool of myself in front of him, I always do!' she thought to herself and tried to sink as far as she could into the oversized chair.

Snicker had already jumped into the chair next to her and mocked her awful display of awkwardness simply with a cooed "rouw". Nora felt her face redden and was about to burst into tears. Her father cleared his throat clearly pushing back the jest 'here we go' Nora thought as she cringed bracing for her fathers disapproval.