It was an another simple seating room without any people. Mariana closed the door. She turned to other chamber, and found the room to be yet another seating room.
No one.
The third room was a kind of cloth storage. She smelled clean detergent and starch. Perhaps clean laundry was stored here.
Then, she turned to the last room.
Closing her eyes, she hoped she would get him here. Because then there was no other room left in this corridor. Opening the door, she peeked inside.
Yet another seating room!
How many seating rooms did the palace have ?
She was about to close back the door, when something brown came hopping towards her from behind a chair. Mariana yelped but then bent and gathered him in her arms.
"Hello, Ross," she giggled when he wriggled her body to settle comfortably in her arms. Closing the door, she started to walk back towards the room she was seated in.
Caressing Ross's fur, she asked him, "Have you seen the king, dear? Did you nibble on his boot today?"
Hearing about the boot, the ferret looked up at Mariana's face with glossy black eyes.
She chuckled. "You really like his boot, don't you?
The ferret made a squeeking noise, probably agreeing.
Mariana entered the seating room and sat back on the sofa. "Ross, next time you see the king, can you do me a favour?"
Again she met the pair of glossy black eyes.
"You nibble on the king's nose. That would be a good punishment for him for teasing me many times."
The ferret sighed and then she did too. "But he is a good king. Probably you should spare him this time."
She flicked his nose affectionately.
"What are you talking to Ross about, Miss Clifton?"
Mariana startled and looked up at the princess.
She smiled and entered the room. Mariana stood up and greeted her. "Good morning, Your Highness." The princess looked lovely in a green gown and loosely plaited braid lying on her shoulder.
She gestured for Mariana to sit when she herself lowered down on the sofa.
Mariana sat and began explaining the reason for her visit. "The gown is only remained to be decorated. I am here to ask if you would like a heavy gown or should I make it a bit lighter?"
The princess thought carefully. "I have no problem with heavy designs."
"Oh, that's great." Mariana smiled and was about to tell her the estimated weight of the gown when she heard the king's faint voice.
She stopped abruptly and strained her ears to hear the voice. A murmer in that delicious musculine voice. Yes, it's the king.
"Miss Clifton?" The princess frowned at her, looking at her posture.
When she looked down, Mariana realised she had leaned in a weird position to hear the voice. Ross too, wriggled beneath her to free himself from the trap of her body.
She straightened immediately.
The princess chuckled seeing her. "What's the matter, Miss Clifton?" She asked and then worry formed on her beautiful face. "Are you ill?"
"No, no, Your Highness. I am alright." She looked here and there to think of an answer. "I merely heard as if someone just called my name," she said absently.
The princess blinked amd nodded, clearly not satisfied with the answer.
"Amy?"
Mariana stood up as the queen entered the seating room. "Your Majesty," she bowed down with Ross in her arms.
The queen looked at her and nodded. Mariana kept standing for the queen did not sit and continued talking with her daughter. "Where is the total guest list, Amy? I gave it to you yesterday."
The princess frowned thinking carefully, probably about the list the queen asked. "I gave it to granny, mother."
The queen placed her fingers on her forehead. She looked stressed. "Mother said she gave it back to you."
Princess Amelia rolled her eyes. "Granny probably forgot where she had kept it amd now she is trying to get out of that."
Mariana looked down and smiled slightly. How endearing it was to have such a royal family bicker between themselves just like normal people. She never thought she would get a chance to witness this family's normal day so upclose. People in her village had various ideas about how these family member might not be so personally close or they might just be communicating through the servants or they probably had ten guards roaming around them every moment. She found out how they couldn't be more wrong. All of them were very affectionate towards each other.
The queen came in and sat beside the princess and looked up at Mariana. "Do sit, Miss Clifton."
"Miss Clifton says she had a plan to make me a heavy gown," the princess looked at her mother.
The queen, very gracefully tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and looked at Mariana. "Of course. You must look the most vibrant," she smiled at the princess and then again looked back at Mariana. "Just take care she would be comfortable."
Mariana smiled listening to the motherly care. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Footsteps were heard from outside the door and Mariana's heart almost stopped.
If it was the king, she would be happy finally. But how could she be able to say anything in the presence of the queen and the princess. Mariana didn't have that much guts.
Before she could think of what to say, the footsteps drew nearer and reached their doorway.