"Maddie, I think that Katarina is getting suspicious of us, and I mean me" said Annie as she whispered to Maddie in a panic who was busy tasting the pancake batter that she was making for lunch.
"How do you mean Annie? Are you sure that you are not just overreacting and seeing things?" asked Maddie as she added so she added some more cinnamon as she started to whisk the batter.
"No Maddie, I'm serious, I'm not just seeing things" said Annie as she continued to whisper, she did not know when Katarina would return, and she did not want her hearing what she was saying.
"When you guys left, and I stayed back to put back the sword Katarina gave me, she asked me who I truly was" said Annie.
"What?" asked Maddie as she looked at Annie.
"Yes right?? I was just as shocked as you are, but I did not say anything to her at all, I pretended like I did not know what she was talking about, and I ran away quickly" said Annie.
"Do you think that she suspected anything?" asked Maddie as she whispered back, she could sense that Annie really was worried about this, and who wouldn't be? not after what happened the last time with Ivor and Alina.
"I know that she does, but as long as we don't say anything, I doubt that she can pin whatever it is that she is thinking on me" said Annie.
"Hey, that's my girl Annie, getting more crafty and good at lying" said Maddie as she sounded very proud, and Annie shook her head.
"Oh don't say that Maddie, I'm not telling the truth only to protect me and you all as well, you know that" said Annie.
"Oh I know Annie, and don't worry, you are right, as long as none of us open our mouths, we will be fine, Katarina is suspicious, but well what can she do? It's not like she can force us all to talk" said Maddie as she stopped whisking the batter when she was happy with the consistency.
"Yes, you are right" said Annie as she sighed.
"So relax Annie, and be cool and calm, Katarina has nothing on you, or on any of us, so don't give her any reason to be suspicious" said Maddie as she smiled and she tasted the pancake batter.
"Yes, you are right Maddie, I just can't help it" said Annie as she sighed.
"I know, but we will all be fine" said Maddie as she smiled.
"Yes… wait, what are you making?" asked Annie as she finally realized that Maddie was cooking.
"Making pancakes" said Maddie as she replied happily.
"In the middle of the afternoon?" asked Annie in surprise.
"I was craving it" said Maddie as she frowned and Annie could not help but laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm making enough for everyone, and by everyone I mean you me, Matt, Curtis and Katarina" said Maddie as she smiled.
"And what about Prince Oliver?" asked Annie.
"That guy can fend for himself he's old enough to find something to eat, or make something himself, I'm not his mother" said Maddie as Annie sighed and she shook her head.
"Maddie…" called Annie.
"No Annie, don't you dare look at me like that, can you just allow me to torture that guy for once?" asked Maddie as she groaned.
"I won't so don't be mean" said Annie.
"You are so unfair sometimes, not everyone has to be a nice goody two shoes like you" said Maddie as she lamented and Annie just rolled her eyes, she knew that Maddie would get over it soon.
"Anyway, don't you think that Katarina won't be happy that you are using up all the ingredients in her kitchen to make pancakes?" asked Annie.
"Nope, I doubt she would be unhappy, I mean she did say that we are free to do whatever we want to do in her kitchen as long as we clean up immediately afterwards, and I will do just that" said Maddie as she flipped over some pancakes that were in the pan.
"Well Maddie, it seems that you have everything under control here" said Annie as she smiled.
"That I do" said Maddie as she smiled.
"Mhmm, can I taste some?" asked Annie as she looked at the plate of pancakes.
"Go ahead my dearest Annie" said Maddie as she smiled.
"Thank you" said Annie as she smiled and she tore a piece from one of the pancakes.
"Mhmm, they taste good, with a hint of cinnamon" said Annie as she smiled.
"I know right, I doubt that Katarina knows half the stuff that's in her kitchen, there are so many unused ingredients in here" said Maddie as she laughed.
"I can see that you are enjoying using my kitchen" said Katarina as she walked into the kitchen.
"Well yes, you have a lot of ingredients and spices that you don't use" said Maddie as she looked at Katarina and she laughed as Annie was panicking internally.
"Thank you for pointing that out, what are you making?" asked Katarina as she looked at Maddie.
"Ahh well some pancakes" said Maddie.
"I see, can I take some?" asked Katarina.
"Of course you can, take as many as you want, there's still a lot of pancake batter left" said Maddie as she laughed and Katarina carried the whole plate filled with pancakes as she wrapped them in a cloth and she left the plate on the table as she walked away.
"That was weird…" said Annie as she looked at Maddie.
"I know right? Very weird, why did she take some many pancakes, I know that I said that she could take as many as she wanted, but geez, I didn't think that she could eat that much" said Maddie.
"Is that really what you are thinking about Maddie?" asked Annie as she sighed.
"What? I mean I am wasting my time making pancakes that I have not even tasted yet" said Maddie as she scoffed.
"Mhmm, what smells so nice?" asked Ollie as he walked into the kitchen and he smiled as Maddie put more pancakes on the plate.
"Maddie's making pancakes" said Annie as she smiled.
"Oh they smell so good, can I have some?" asked Ollie.
"No, sorry Blondie they are for non-royals only" said Maddie.
"Come on Maddie, you can't be serious" said Ollie as of all the things Maddie just wanted to make his life miserable.
"Yes Maddie, you can't be serious" said Annie as she looked at Maddie with a warning gaze.
"Geez fine" said Maddie as she scoffed and Ollie smiled in triumph as he thanked Annie.
"You're welcome" said Annie as she smiled and Maddie scoffed.
…
Annie yawned as she rubbed her eyes she was tired.
"Goodnight you guys" said Annie as she did not know why she felt so tired.
"Goodnight Annie" said Ollie, Matt and Curtis as Annie walked to her room.
"We better go to bed as well" said Ollie as Matt agreed.
"Goodnight Curtis" said Matt as he stood up and Curtis just waved them off as he continued to look at the map.
After a while Curtis stood up to walk to the kitchen when Katarina just entered the kitchen from the back door as well.
"Where are the others?" asked Katarina.
"They went to bed already" said Curtis.
"I see" said Katarina.
"Katarina, when do you think that the storm would clear up?" asked Curtis as he went straight to the point.
"Well I sent my men up there so scout and see how things are" said Katarina as she made some tea and she offered to make Curtis some as well as he declined.
"And?" asked Curtis.
"Well they said that it's horrible up there, the wind, the hail, the snow, everything, and this is strange because things are usually calmer up there" said Katarina.
"So what do you mean?" asked Curtis.
"Well I think that it would take a few months at least for everything to settle down" said Katarina as she took a sip of her tea.
"I see" said Curtis, which meant that they had to do more waiting here.
"Yes" said Katarina as silence reigned between them for a while until Katarina broke it.
"Did… did Ivor give you something for me?" asked Katarina as she hesitated.
"Something like what?" asked Curtis.
"Like a letter of some sort" said Katarina.
"Ahh well no, he did not give me a letter for you" said Katarina.
"I see" said Katarina as she could not hide the disappointment in her tone.
"Yes, Goodnight Katarina" said Curtis as it was getting late.
"Goodnight" said Katarina as Curtis walked out of the kitchen and she sighed, of course she should have known, why would she think that Ivor would send her a letter, she expected too much from him, she only had herself to blame for her shattered hopes.