The Women of the House of the Unicorn (Part two)

Or: Week one of mini Nano
I was unable to write as much as I would like to have and I have done VERY little editing so bear with me But pleas what would a head house keeper in the late 1800s be named? I can't stick with X

Of all the thing she could have suspected this little old man’s pronouncement was not on the list.

She gaped at him as he and the queen walked out the door and began ordering things to happen.

Alone in the hall way she looked at the wall that were painted with patterns the likt she had never seen before. She had never seen so much painting before nor hah she seen so much open space. It looked like a dining hall but was more open and the focus of the room seemed to be the door and the staircase. The stairs has a rug on them as well as some shiny wood.

The woman on the strange back dress returned and she was pushing a small carriage it was very delicate looking, the wheels were so fine. The fascination drew Jaione to examine the structure. The delicate wheels and the structure that held the carriage compartment above it was cool to the touch like an elegant spoon. They curved up ward and held the blue compartment that had a white blanket and cushion in side. NO bigger than a baby’s bed.

“You may use this to set the child in to sleep and wheel it from place to place.” May of the past princesses have used it for their baby princes” Stated the woman.

“What is this?” Asked Jaione.
“It is a Perambulator. You put the child in here to take it for walks. Keeps you arms from getting tired and in the house here you can keep him near you.”
“I have never seen one before,” Jaione said standing and for the first time regarding the woman and her odd dress closely. He dress seed to be made of light fabric that was fitted through the torso showing her figure. The skirt was wider and was gathered at the waist. The was small simple but elegant lace at her wrists. She no had a very light almost transparent apron on over the black dress. Jaione suddenly felt awkward staring at her clothing in such a manner.

The woman chuckled “Every princess of the house of the Unicorn has regarded my dress with as much curiosity and scrutiny as you have. I ma used to it now.”

“I am so confused by all I see” Jaione confided. “I know not what to expect next.”

“Come I’ll show you the house, it will not help your confusion but you will know where to go for the next few days. First the kitchen!”

“But who are you?”

“I am XX’s housekeeper, and I keep this place going and have for a long time. I have seen many new Princesses from your house come hear. Even you mother in Law Bakarne came when she was the new princess she was more frightened than you, But come follow me”

Jaione followed he through whit hallways with a floor that shined like it was wet but was dry to the touch.

She entered the kitchen she had expected to see the high stone walls with meat hanging from the rafters with herbs and spices hung around as well filled with smoke from the fire and a lone wood table covered with the dishes and food in prep for the evening’s meal.

There was a table with food in the center of the room and a hearth at one end but the walls were lined with doors and one had several metal boxes with many doors vessels were on top of them steaming and bubbling, obviously cooking. She was stunned by this magical sight until she saw a boy open one of the doors and put more wood into it. Shortly after another door was opened and a loaf of bread was removed. She had never thought of fire being contained to cook but this was magical and so very practical.

“The wizard must have been so very busy to have created all of this to help his kitchen maids.: Jaione found herself saying out loud.

X laughed “ he did not create these. Someone else invented them. But they do help.”

Jaione walked around the kitchen watching all the cooking that was happening the activity picked up and then she felt a hand on her elbow and X extracted her from the happenings. Jaione had not realized how late it had become and the late fall darkness had begun to set in. The baby was beginning to fuss but the hose was till warm and bright the sconces and lamps that lit better than a candle with larger flames and a funny smell.

X took her upstairs and showed her to a suit of bright rooms. There was a small room that seemed to be suited for the baby that was attached to a larger room with a large and delicate bed. Her tapestry that she had brought was hung above it. The third room had a larg white tub in it and was lined with shelves with many bottles one them.
“every princess has wanted that hung there and after the first severl we started to just hang it there” x replied to Jaione’s curious look. “Feed your son and rest before dinner I will assign you a maid who knows the house she can work with your ladies in waiting someone will come for you when dinner is ready.”

There was a cushioned chair in the corner near the door way that joine the baby’s room with the main room. She sat and nursed the baby she had never found it so relaxing before and soon the baby was asleep with a happy smile on his face. She felt the weariness melted from her and she put him in the small gated bed.

His bed coverings were bright white and soft and on examinations so was hers. On a small table to the left of the bed was a small statue of a dragon that reminded her of the one in the tapestry.

She held it up and compared it to the one in the tapestry. They were very much alike she wondered which came first.