A line of young bachelors was standing in front of Barn. "Next!" He announced.
A poster was draped on his table like a tablecloth.
Wanted: Waltz instructor.
Barn knew his recruitment had failed the moment he talked to the first person in line, they were here for a whole different reason.
"If I get the job will I be able to talk to the princess?" A young job hunter asked. "They say she's pretty."
"Yes, yes…" Barn scratched his ears, bored from hearing the same question a dozen times. "She's a pretty young lady and a royal." He replied in monotone.
No young man asked how much the salary would be, nor the working hours they would have to serve. All questions were about the princess, on what she likes and what her preference are. They were intrigued with this mysterious princess—it kills them not to know how she really looks like.
To think that they have the nerve to seduce the princess--- Barn had no doubt in his mind that no young man in the line will ever succeed.
"They say she has full of boil spots," A young man, who was too young for the job, appeared out of nowhere. "rumor has it she has pointy nose, that's why the Queen does not want the public to see her." Luppy rested the back of his head on his hand. "She's tiny, hates taking a bath." Luppy wrinkled his nose. "But she's a royal so I guess it does not matter."
Some young men's forehead frowned from the idea, contemplating if they should pursue with the interview or not.
The princess' reputation was based entirely on rumors circling around town and nothing more.
"Oh! And messy too!" Luppy added.
"Nonsense!" Barn stood up on his feet and banged his fist on the table. "I had the opportunity to serve the princess personally since she was young and let me tell you! She had grown to become a beautiful woman." He glared at the young man--- Barn had a feeling that he had seen him before somewhere. "I may dare to say, the most beautiful in our kingdom."
Barn calmed himself and sat back down.
Okay, there may be some truth in the messy part, but Barn would never admit that in this crowd.
Barn was angry, none of this information mattered for the job, he was furious with himself for being caried away with their questions.
Anger, he needed to control himself.
Anger, it makes him hungry.
Barn licked his lips, a young brain for a snack suddenly became a good idea. His hands trembled, he closed it into a fist--- opening and closing them--- to control his anger.
Barn took a deep breath and glared at the crowd in front of him. "GO!" He hovered his hand in the air "Away! All of you! You don't deserve to work for the princess." He covered his lips with his fist, trying to cover his salivating mouth. "I can't believe I thought this was a good idea." He said more to himself.
That was the first day of recruitment, Barn's rude behavior roamed around town, and no one dared to apply for a job since.
***
Barn were in town the same day the Arquall siblings did, in fact he had been out here for three days now, and so far, he had not been fruitful.
Barn's booth was empty and not a soul was applying for any job. There are just too many jobs that are needed to be filled, but he was not able to fill even one position. If Barn were not cured, his eyes would have sunken and his wrinkles would have been more prominent. It was supposed to be his last day today, and it was the worst yet.
There were various posters plastered on the wall all over town, it advertises the jobs available inside the palace.
A flyer was on the floor, the wind carrying it away. It was an advertisement for the princess' mentor, the flyer was infertile, no one applied for the job since the first day.
Out of all the jobs that he had to fill, he needed someone who could teach the princess how to dance.
Observing the crowd in the plaza, many knew the dances on the street, but no one teaches the Waltz— a dying art that the queen would like to revive.
Thanks to the Queen's taste, it became customary for all the royals, the cured, and the commoners alike to have a ball when one is turning eighteen. That is, learning how to sway and dance with a partner. As her birthday is nearing, the princess would need a personal instructor. Everything was prepared beforehand, but it all went down when the supposed princess' instructor was infected--- the mentor was nothing but an ash in the bonfire now.
Barn needed to find a replacement, and he needs to find a replacement now. So, Barn posted a special position, offering a higher salary, hoping to entice those that has experience. But no one wanted the job.
'I want everything to be perfect.' The queen's command rang into Barn's ear like a bell. 'Everything.'
Surely, as the Queen loves her only daughter so much, she wanted her daughter's special day to be perfect, and it was Barn's job to make sure that it would be.
Manner? That the princess has. But elegance, sadly she did not inherit from the Queen. But nonetheless, it is something that can be taught.
Now, the Princess' birthday is not just about her entering the royalty formally now, it also become a way to boost the morale of the townspeople after what happened inside the palace. A way for the royals to remind the citizens once more that they are in control and they are in power.
If Barn only knew the waltz, he would have taught the princess himself. But he had only seen that type of dance from the time before, in movies and television--- a past that became a history and nothing more.
Then he saw them, he squinted his eyes as two blurry shadows walked towards him. He could recognize them even from afar. He stood up from his seat and met Lady Kiva halfway. "Lady Kiva, why do you carry so many?" he unloaded most of the bags from Lady Kiva.
"Oh," Lady Kiva was relieved from seeing Barn. "Some were bought, but mostly were gifts." she took shelter in Barn's booth. "I just thought Ali would like some gifts since she can't come here herself."
After roaming around the stores, the things Kiva bought became overwhelming.
With too much to carry, the siblings decided to entrust their shopping bags--- and the things that were gifted to them--- to Barn for safekeeping.
Barn shoved the line of recruitment papers to the side and placed the Lady's items on the long table.
Then Barn saw him, Lord Ziloh placing a small plant on the table gently, a woman the same height as the princess was locked into his arms.
"This is not time for hunting, we have work to do." Lady Kiva said as she observed her items. "Stop it." She said with greeted teeth.
Lord Ziloh whispered something to the woman. The woman giggled and slithered away, her hips swinging gracefully from side to side.
And idea emerged from Barn's thoughts, a daring thought, probably out of desperation, for having no more options left.
Maybe one of the royals could teach the princess, Duke Ison Vis would have been perfect, he surely knows how to dance based on the balls Barn witnessed before. But knowing the princess, she would not agree--- nor the Duke himself.
Then maybe the second option would suffice, Maybe Lord Ziloh would take the position. Them despite of their bickering, Barn knew that the princess and him were good friends.
"Lord Ziloh," Barn scanned him from head to toe. "Forgive me for asking this, but what do you think of teaching the princess the manners at a ball?"
Lord Ziloh raised an eyebrow, bewildered from the blatant offer.
"I'm afraid I'm running out of options, time will not wait." Barn braved himself to look at Lord Ziloh straight in the eye. Though the Lord's burning eyes stared back at him, he did not leave his gaze away.
"Me!" Kiva raised a hand in the air, "Me!" jumping up and down. "ME!" she shook Barn on the shoulder. "I could teach Ali!"
"But Lady Kiva, your height…" Barn trailed off, though the Lady is a little taller than the princess, it was not the ideal height for a partner.
"I could wear heels!" Kiva beamed. "A five-inch heels!"
"I'll teach her." Lord Ziloh took the flyer about the Waltz Mentor and read it. "It would be my pleasure." He smirked.
"Me! MEE!" Kiva was jumping, trying to take the poster away from Ziloh.
"But…" Ziloh lifted the paper in the air, away from Kiva's reach. "Only until the first snow comes." He shoved the flyer into his pocket.
"MEEEE!" Kiva was drilling a finger on Ziloh's chest. "I'M A BETTER DANCER THAN YOU!"
"All of these for the princess' ceremony?" Ziloh ignored his sister and scanned the various flyers scattered on the table. "How many others jobs you need to fill?"
***
The power of the royals really does make a difference, though Barn is cured himself, no one paid attention to him.
With the help of the Arquall siblings he managed to recruit a few more for the palace to function--- he was able to hire mostly women, he highly doubts the real intention of these women. But he decided to let it go for a helping hand is needed than nothing at all.
Lady Kiva was sulking. "I'm telling you Ali would not like this Barn." She said for the tenth time.
"I'm afraid we have no other choice for the matter Lady Kiva, it the princess has other concerns she would have to talk to the Queen."
"Ali would be happy if you had chosen me instead." Kiva sulked.