Red, of the Ruby Kingdom

Chapter 4

Red looked in the mirror one last time, to make sure everything was perfect. It needed to be. Dress of a maid, checked, white cap on his head, checked, make-up to cover his face a bit, checked. He was ready.

Red left his room and started quickly through the deserted corridors. All the castle staff was in the kitchens and ballroom for final preparations. The only people he met along the way were a few bored guards. Outside the windows the sun was setting and it was just under an hour before the dance started. As he approached his destination he could hear the shouting of orders and the clatter of plates and pots. As soon as he set foot in the kitchens all the present stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. No one dared to break the silence that had fallen in the room. "What?" Red asked impatiently. It wasn't that he hadn't already warned them of his plan beforehand. It was no surprise that he was there dressed like that. And all those looks made him uncomfortable. At his question, everyone looked down and resumed their activities. Not a word of his unsuitable behavior was spoken. They were surprised that he was really doing it, but they were all used to his quirks by now. Red heard a chuckle behind him and spun around, frowning. It was one of the maids, Susan. For the occasion, her pink fur had been carefully combed and her dress smoothed and immaculate. To complete the look, she had a red bow tied between her ears. A paw was placed on her mouth, where she tried to hide the smile, without success. Red raised a questioning eyebrow. "My apologies, your Highness. It is so strange to see you dressed like that, that I couldn't help myself." Red rolled his eye lights, "Wathever. We don't have time for this. Is everything ready?", "It is. I'll give you a tray of food and you will just have to go around serving the guests. When the tray is empty, immediately come back to the kitchens to refill it. Remember: never talk more than necessary. And just to offer other snacks or if you are asked. " Susan answered. Red's plan was simple: once all the guests had arrived, he would have it announced that he would not be able to be there for a sudden urgent predicament. While he would actually sneak into the ball disguised as a waitress and watch the scene. The only setback was that he didn't quite know how to act as a maid, so he had asked Susan for help. They had spent all afternoon practicing and now all that remained to do was to prepare for the real thing. To tell the truth Red was nervous. What if he dropped the tray and made a mess? What if someone found him out? He was in a cold sweat, his fingers fumbling with the white apron he was wearing worriedly. Susan noticed it. Hesitating only a moment, she placed a hand on her master's shoulder. Smiling reassuringly as he looked up at her. Red treated the castle staff with respect and kindness. He did not consider himself superior to others and treated everyone as equally as possible. He often stopped to talk to ordinary people, appreciating their company. It was no secret. It was precisely this that led people to regard him with respect. All the staff members admired him. Despite his rebellious attitudes at times. Susan was no exception, and seeing him so down about his marriage worried her. Red smiled slightly in response, took a deep breath and tried to relax. "I'm fine. Thanks." he said. "Do not mention it." she replied, "And look, it seems like the first guests have already arrived." she replied pointing to some maids who had already started going out of the kitchens with trays loaded with food and drink. Red sighed, straightened his back and picked up a tray. "Time to go." he muttered to himself. And he headed to his doom.