"Oh, I'm sorry my Lady! You surprised me!" [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
"Is OK... can we hab sum food? (can we have some food?)"
"Oh, it is still a couple of hours before dinner - of course, come in! Hey, head chef! We have a guest!" [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
The maid showed us to a large table on the side of the bustling kitchen.
A large clean shaven older man dressed in pure white with a tall white hat approached us from the bowels of the kitchen.
"Oh, young Miss! We were wondering why no-one came to get your afternoon snacks today - you must be famished! Er... Is that your... doggy?" [Head Cook]
The maid picked me up carefully from Blewog's back and sat me on a high chair at the table.
"I am not a 'doggy', thank you very much." [Blewog]
"It talks! Young Miss, is this a Holy Beast?" [Head Cook]
"No, not Howwy Beasht. (No not a Holy Beast.)"
"But the description of 'Holy Beast' is 'close enough', so I will let it pass for now. You their, young lady, lift up my magnificence up onto the table, too." [Blewog]
The maid hesitated a moment, but then scooped up fluffy Blewog in her arms - and in an undignified manner plunged her face into Blewog's side.
"Mofo mofo mofo! Oh! I am so sorry! I have no idea what came over me!" [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
The maid gently let Blewog go over the table and it landed softly.
"Quite all right - I have that effect on many people. Now... I smell wonderful creations! Bring them all to us!" [Blewog]
I whispered at Blewog who now was at my height.
"I dought you said you wewe nod a howwy beasht? (I thought you said you were not a holly beast?)
Blewog whispered back.
"Correct - but humans would not understand the true magnificence of myself, so I do not mind being downgraded a bit in their eyes." [Blewog]
I will need to ask more about this when we are alone - it sounds suspect.
As to be expected, Blewog caught everyone's attention in the kitchen.
"Ah... we just finished some fresh pasties stuffed with creamed mushrooms! Please try it!" [Sub Cook 1]
"No no no, you must try these bite-sized spinach mini-pies! They are to die for!" [Sub Cook 2]
"How about something sweet - I made these mini-pumpkin pies..." [Apprentice cook]
Wow, that was quite the lineup of food - my tummy was even growling a bit now!
"Ah, philistines! I, the head chef, have made that amazing dish - created by none other than a real Duchess from a neighboring country! It is called Pizzaz! Have a slice - or three!" [Head Cook]
"I tink it cawwed 'Pizza' not 'Pizzaz'. (I think it is called 'Pizza' not 'Pizzaz'.)"
"See everyone! Even our amazing young Lady knows of this dish! So what can we bring you two?" [Head Cook]
"We wiww take it aww! (We will take it all!)"
"Indeed - magnanimous me shall accept all these delectable offerings!" [Blewog]
And within minutes a dozen plates with various goodies were placed in front of us.
"Dank you fow da fud! (Thank you for the food!)"
"Itadakimasu!" [Blewog]
"Dats Japanese... how you know Japanese? (That is Japanese. How do you know Japanese?)"
"Ah, I suppose it is - I shall enlighten you on my vocabulary feats later - for now, let us as they say, 'chow down'!" [Blewog]
While Blewog was eating, I tried to see its mouth - or even if it had one at all - but somehow never caught it.
Blewog's fluffy head would bend over the food hiding the plate from view - and when it raised its head again, the food was gone and the plate was spotless, no matter what had originally been served.
Huh, one day, ONE DAY I'll find out what your mouth looks like!
As I was nibbling on a cookie, the kitchen door banged open.
A curly haired boy about eight stood in the door, stared around the kitchen, then turned his head to shout into the foyer.
"Hey everyone, I found Puffy McSquirrel Face! She's here in the second kitchen!" [Noisy eight year old boy]
The noisy boy skipped into the kitchen without asking for permission, and hugged me from the side - he did not let go.
Ah, right - this was my youngest brother... Nigel I think?
"Got you, McSquirrel!" [Youngest brother Nigel]
Two taller boys entered the kitchen - except for their hair color, they were twins.
Oh, right, my older brothers, Trisdain with the light greenish hair and Glisdain with the light blueish hair...
"Oh the Cookie Thief is here, is she?" [Brother Trisdain]
"How did you get out of your room, Butter Fan?" [Brother Glisdain]
"Aye wode hewe on Blewog... (I rode here on Blewog.)"
I pointed at Blewog with my half eaten cookie.
"Ah? You rode on your... dog?" [Youngest brother Nigel]
"Not a dog, thank you. The most kind me accompanied Enaidmelys here, to feast on these offerings to my magnificence." [Blewog]
Here we go again...
"Your not dog talks? Did you make a contract with a holy beast?" [Brother Glisdain]
"Nah, can't be - you only can do that at twelve, can't you?" [Brother Trisdain]
"Blewog is fwend. (Blewog is my friend.)"
"If you are asking if I will protect this sweet soul, then yes, that is my current purpose, it is." [Blewog]
"Well... still, what was your maid doing, letting you wander into such a dangerous place - kitchens are full of knives and fire and things..." [Brother Trisdain]
"No maid... wash awone aww day. (No maid, I was alone all day.)"
"We have kept our young Lady away from all dangers, my young Lords!" [Head Cook]
"She came looking for her afternoon snack, because her maid forgot to get it today." [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
"Huh, let's check with the butler what is going on - we can't have our Cookie Thief be left all by her lonesome, can we?" [Brother Trisdain]
"Puffy McSquirrel Face!" [Youngest brother Nigel]
"What?" [Brother Glisdain]
"Her name is Puffy McSquirrel Face!" [Youngest brother Nigel]
"No no, her name now is Butter Fan - you remember she ate that whole cube of butter last week? You have to adjust her name to what she does - that's how it works with little sisters, trust me!" [Brother Glisdain]
"Still like Puffy McSquirrel Face better..." [Youngest brother Nigel]
"Young miss, could you perchance do the honors again?" [Blewog]
The maid blushed and carefully scooped Blewog up and lowered it to the floor - I could see her straining not to repeat the previous mofo-mofo spectacle.
"Much appreciated my dear. You may pat me after you help Enaidmelys onto my back." [Blewog]
"Oh, of course! Please young Miss?" [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
And with that I was returned to Blewog, a bit heavier from all the snacks I had devoured.
"All set Holly Beast and Cookie Thief or Butter Fan or whatever your name is this week? Ok, come on then you all, let's go find Sebas." [Brother Trisdain]
"Brother Trisdain is the bossiest because brother Trisdain is the oldest, right?" [Youngest brother Nigel]
"Only by eight minutes! But yeah... I'm lazier, I'll admit it." [Brother Glisdain]
And off we went, with Trisdain leading the way, next myself riding Blewog toddling away at not at all break-neck speed, then Nigel, and finally the second twin, Glisdain ensuring the rear stays safe.
Out the kitchen door we went followed by the shouted good-byes of the kitchen staff.
"Come back soon, our young Lady!" [Maid who almost dropped her jug]
"We have more goodies for you and your Holly Beast anytime!" [Head Cook]
Brother Trisdain lead us across the foyer to a seemingly random door on the opposite wall from where the second kitchen was.
This door looked the same as all the other doors inside the foyer - how people knew what door was what, was quite a mystery to me.
Trisdain opened the door and inside a long corridor extended straight without any breaks on either wall.
At the end of the corridor, another door.
This one opened out into one side of the front yard - where a small fair was being setup.
"Oh, waz dat? (Oh what is that?)"
I pointed at the tents and rides that were being built by a small army of workers.
"Eh? Oh, did you forget that next week will be the Golden Moons festival?" [Brother Glisdain]
"Oh, dats wight... fowgots. (Oh that's right, I forgot.)"
And I did forget - if I ever knew, that is.
Trisdain waved at a tall very butler looking man who was directing the workers.
"Sebas! Sebas! We have a question!" [Brother Trisdain]
"I'm going to watch them build the merry-go-round!" [Youngest brother Nigel]
And without waiting for permission the noisy one ran off to watch the workers put together an extravagant looking ride.
"My young Lords - and oh my, my young Lady! What happened?" [Sebas]
"We found young Cookie Thief in the second kitchen just now." [Brother Trisdain]
"Apparently her maid forgot to get the afternoon snacks so Butter Fan here hunted them down herself." [Brother Glisdain]
"Oh my - where is your maid, young Miss?" [Sebas]
How should I know? I've been alone all afternoon!
"No maid... don'd know whewe is. (No maid, don't know where she is.)"
Sebas looked shocked at that - well, as he should be!
Who leaves a three year old unattended, after all?
"One moment young Masters, young Lady... Francine! Do you know where Jane is? She was scheduled for this afternoon's duty to serve our young Miss here." [Sebas]
A tall older woman dressed in good but dark conservative clothes detached herself from a group of maids laying out outdoor dining tables under a large caravan sized tent.
"Mr. Sebas, Jane is off this week on an approved vacation - her older brother is being married." [Francine]
"Ah, well, it seems I made a mistake - I penciled Jane as being off next week, not this... I will immediately assign a new maid to you! Ah... how about Vinnia? Yes... Francine, please have Vinnia serve our young Lady for this and the next afternoon" [Sebas]
"Of course... my young Lords, young Miss, I will leave first." [Francine]
"Oh my, I must apologize to you young Miss! What can I do to make it up to you?" [Sebas]
"Is OK... got dons ov snacks 'self. Big giwl now! (It's OK, I got a ton of snacks by myself. I'm a big girl now!)"
Sebas bowed at me.
"Indeed, you will become the flower of this Earldom in no time, my young Lady." [Sebas]
A gorgeously dressed woman with a wide brimmed hat walked quickly towards us from another tent that looked to be showcasing various artwork.
My latent memory cells fired off - oh this was the maternal unit - that is, my mother.
"Trisdain, Glisdain! And... Enaid? What are you doing on that... dog?" [Mother]
This was what now? The third time now Blewog was called a dog?
Well, no-one would expect a bear to be this small, nor have me riding on it.
"Madam, I am not a dog. I am Enaidmelys sworn protector and knight in fluffyness!" [Blewog]
