To Love Someone

chapter 17

"No! Don't put it like that. Take it up," they took it up, "Now shift it the side just a little bit."

They did. "Good, now bring it down a little."

"But you just said to take it up," one of the men complained. They were hanging a life sized portrait of Owen in the throne room, and April still hadn't found the ' right angle' for it.

"Well, now I want you to shift it down," she said. The man said something like ' bossy ' under his breath.
"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing," They shifted the portrait lower and she clapped her hands.

"Perfect," she said as they climbed down the ladder, "thank you. Now please help the others carry more tables into the hall." The men nodded before leaving to do as they were told.

"My Lord Ian, what brings you here?" Karen asked. April turned too, she hadn't even known he had entered the room. He nodded towards the chairs on the dais and said, " The queens chair is on the right, not the left."

Marge smacked Karen's arm, "and you said it was on the left."

"Don't blame me, it looks the same to me. Left, right, what's the difference. And the last time there was a coronation around here, I wasn't even born!" Karen said holding her smacked arm.April shook her head at them.

Then Ian took her hand and led her away from them. He stopped at the door and turned to her, "I would be leaving for a couple of days, but I will be back before the coronation. I have some important business to attend to. You will have to welcome the guests alone. Can you do that?"

"Yes. And if I don't understand anything, I'll be sure to ask father".

He smiled at her before leaning in to kiss her, but she moved back. "What are you doing, they will see", she whispered.

"Let them see just how much I l.." He cut himself off and kissed her instead. Then he left her standing there. She held her fingers to her lips looking stunned and turned. The stupid grins Marge and Karen were giving her was enough to wipe the silly smile off her face. Then she saw two girls just talking instead of cleaning windows, and she was reminded that her work was not yet done, and she groaned.

"What are you two doing?" she asked in an exasperated tone and they turned to face her. "Well, don't just stand there, get back to work, quickly!"

If it was up to her, she would do everything herself. And now, because of all the stress, she was having an headache.

"Perhaps you should rest mi'lady," Arla said.

"No. There is so much to still be done in so little time." She sighed placing her palm on her head.

A maid came timidly to meet her, head bowed, "mi'lady."

"What!" April snapped and the girl jumped. She didn't mean to shout at the girl, but it just came out like that. So she amended her voice, "What is it?" she asked in a softer tone.

"Brienne said to tell you that there is a problem in the kitchen."

April groaned again. She felt like she was being pulled in different directions. She couldn't wait for it to be all over so she could freely breathe and life could go back to normal. "I'll be right there," she told the girl.

"Take a break. Just go, and don't bother coming back. We can take care of it. Right Marge?" Karen asked.

"Yes we can. Don't worry yourself."

"I don't see you taking care of it now," April said with her arms crossed.

"That's because you are still here. We are waiting for you to leave," Karen said.