"Malphus has decided he would like to go fishing and swimming with us next weekend." Valerie said bluntly to Alan.
"Really?! I knew he'd want to go fishing and swimming with us." Alan paraded around.
"Yes, now eat your dinner before it gets cold. If it gets cold it won't be any good." Valerie scolded Alan for leaving the table without finishing his food.
"I can't wait! I know it's going to be so fun!" Alan said as he hopped back onto his chair.
Valerie blew and exasperated sigh, she wanted to have fun with Malphus and like him, but she didn't want to like him more as a servant should like their master, maybe a little friendly, but nothing more.
If they were someplace other people weren't with no one other than Alan to keep them apart there's no telling what would happen. But of course, she had a heart and wanted Alan to have some quality time with the person he decides to call dad, plus it would be fun and great exercise.
Minutes later Alan and Valerie finished their dinner and headed to bed. Alan just couldn't wait for them to go fishing and swimming with Malphus while Valerie was truly tired. It was dark out so it wasn't the oddest thing.
The days passed like minutes and the hours like seconds and soon it was time for their 'family' trip. Valerie took the initiative of making it into a picnic as well because that was the thing they didn't get to do while being out in town and this was her rebound.
"Mommy! Mommy! Todays the day!" Alan said shortly after waking up.
"Yes dear, it is, but right now mommy's a little sleepy so please tone it down." Valerie said half-way awake.
"Ok, I'll play with Arlo." Alan stated and left the bed to softly sake the small critter on Valerie's vanity.
Valerie drifted back off to sleep as she heard the chattering of rabbit teeth and the talking of a small boy.
An hour later she woke up. She sent Alan and Arlo outside to play while she worked. She knew that Malphus told her not to clean while she isn't there, but he wouldn't be there all day and she couldn't just not do her job. She realized this once she was already half-way down the hall to Malphus' study.
"Shoot, what do I do now? I have to clean his study." Valerie said out loud to herself.
"It's Malphus, if I don't clean it I'll get in trouble and even if I do clean it, I'll still get in trouble." Valerie already knew how Malphus worked, he'd play the situation out in his favor no matter what she did so she might as well get her work done.
His study wasn't relatively dirty, so it didn't take long for Valerie to finish cleaning. After she was finished cleaning she joined her friends in a game of no-money-down poker. She had fun even though she was in second place every time right after Alfred, one of her other friends.
Alfred was the best poker player in the whole castle, following Malphus of course. If they hadn't been playing no-money-down poker, he would have had so much money by Valerie's last round. It was noon and she and Alan had to eat before packing up.
They didn't eat anything but a handful of grapes because Valerie packed a picnic, knowing that Malphus would have not eaten anything, she packed an extra sandwich and some more strawberries.
Then she made Alan change into his swimwear and still have clothes on top of it because she didn't want him or herself to be walking around like they had an important swimming event to be to.
Malphus had a carriage take them down to a pond he rented out for a couple of hours, so no one was there except Valerie and Alan when they arrived.
"Mommy, where's papa?" Alan asked tugging at Valerie's jean pants leg.
"I'm sure he's still busy and will be here in a bit." Valerie reassured Alan.
"Be here in a bit? I've been here for almost 30 minutes waiting for you." Came a familiar voice from behind Valerie.
"Papa!" Alan turned around and jumped-hugged Malphus.
"Hey, Alan what's up?" Malphus picked the boy up and sat him on his hip.
"Nothing. I was just playing with Arlo before mommy gave me some grapes and made me change into my swimwear." Alan said to Malphus.
"I didn't know we were coming so early. Did you say at 3 pm it's only around 11:30 am." Valerie said repeating Malphus words to him.
"Things were simpler than expected and it went smoothly and quickly so I finished earlier than I expected. Why not come on and get the fun times started then?" Malphus went to a village close to the castle because there were complaints about guards making noise, littering, and being reckless near it on their lunchtime.
"Oh, that's great. I didn't expect it to be as simple as you made it sound, but we can discuss work some other time." Valerie stepped aside and motioned her hands to the giant boat behind her.
"Sounds great to me." A Cheshier grin appeared on his face, one that Valerie hadn't seen before and she knew it meant he was up to something.