Chapter 2: Modern Times

thud

thud thud thud thud thud thud

whump thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud

thud

clank

clank

The two women press their ears against the door to listen to the noises coming from the gym where the prince is working out. They should be polishing the vases that line that hallway, but the noises coming from the gym draw them away from their assigned tasks.

rattle

“What do you suppose he is doing in there?” the maid on the left asked the other.

“I have no idea.” she whispers.

“Have you ever been in there?”

“No. Have you?”

The first maid shakes her head, then presses her ear against the door hoping to hear something else.

“What are you two doing?” the valet said. His name is Cedric and has been serving the prince since his birth. His gray hair swept back, his face clean shaven, his suit perfectly fit and pressed cleanly. He is pushing a cart with one large silver bowl on it covered with a dome lid that sits atop that bowl. Under the bowl are two large pitchers of drink. They too are covered to protect their contents.

The two maids freeze at being called out by the valet, then hustle away from the door after giving the valet a short bow of the head.

Cedric scoffed at the maids and their antics. “They should know better,” he muttered to himself, straightening his already immaculate jacket before opening the doors and pushing the cart into the room.

“Your Highness, lunch is served.” He stood just inside the doorway, waiting with his usual calm.

WHUMP.

The prince dropped from the ceiling, landing heavily. Without missing a beat, he unleashed a deafening roar that echoed through the room, rattling the walls.

“ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!”

Cedric stands steady, head held high, a slight grin on his face as the prince does his usual prank, the same one he had done for years now always with the same result.

“Very good, your highness. You almost got me that time.”

The prince straightens himself to his full 7 foot tall stature and evaluates his valet. “Some day Cedric, I’m going to get you.”

“Yes your highness, I am sure you will, but not today.” Cedric said, then pushed the cart further into the room. “Lunch is served. The cooks have prepared your favorite chicken soup. I brought two pitchers of your favorite after-workout drink as well.”

The prince moved to the cart, took the lid off the silver bowl and found his favorite chicken soup. Shredded chicken, potatoes, onion, celery, mushrooms and wide noodles made for a hearty and filling soup fit for the prince. The prince took the bowl in his hands as his nails clinked on the polished silver surface, he brought the bowl to his mouth and swallowed it down.

Once the soup was gone, he put the bowl back on the cart and used the linen napkin to wipe his mouth, tossing it back on the cart. He took the pitcher of silver and brought it to his mouth. He drank the red liquid down in several large gulps then breathed a heavy sigh as the lunch settled in his stomach.

“Thank you Cedric.” he said, then took the other pitcher and walked off to his easy chair and flopped into it.

“Very good, your highness.” He said, then started to pick up the weights from the floor. The dumbbells were put back in their rack. The heavy bag’s sand was swept up after being tossed about from the prince’s work out.

“Will the prince need anything else?”

The prince set the pitcher aside, used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth, then answered his question. “No. But yes, actually. I am going to go for a run in a bit. Where is my wife?”

“Princess Roslyn is on the back patio with your mother sunning themselves.”

“Thank you Cedric. I will remember their location so as not to offend them when I leave for my run.” He said, remembering that his wife had told him many times that she would bear his child, but was a princess and didn’t play games. Her words of ‘keep your beastly games to yourself’ still rang in his mind.

Cedric Took the empty pitchers and bowl, covered them and left the prince to his thoughts. He had seen him like this many times. He usually was thinking about his wife, the princess, and how she treated him. He had heard them arguing many times since their wedding. He asked her many times over the years for access to her body, but she would only agree to spreading her legs for him once a month. And that date was still days away. Which would explain the prince’s punishing workout. The heavy bag was battered and bruised and would need to be replaced if the prince didn’t have some private time with the princess soon.