And so Belfiore and her maid Maria walked as quickly as they could past the carpenters as they crashed nails into the timbers that would hold the hanging ropes. They tiptoed past the drummers beating out their deadly rhythms. They marched past the braziers where the honeyed chestnut sellers were preparing their treats.
At the door to the Strong Room the guards let Belfiore pass. They were not guarding very much more than a few chests of silver and were busy worrying more about their jobs than who they let in.
The gold room echoed. The empty chests lay on their sides. Their lids were broken and on top of one there stood a mouse.
We are used to seeing mice scuttle and dash on all fours but this one was up on its hind legs with its head tilted right back as if searching for something on the ceiling.
It waved its front paws and then clasped them together as if in prayer.
‘Excuse me,’ said Belfiore.
The mouse looked straight at her and then did a backward flip and disappeared behind the treasure chest.
‘Oh dear,’ said Belfiore, ‘I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘Who are you talking to?’ said Maria, ‘I don’t see anyone.’
‘I’m not scared,’ came a shrill little voice, ‘you made me jump that’s all.’
‘Oh my,’ said Maria, ‘a mouse.’ And she turned and fled.
‘Hee hee, saw the old lady off!’ said the mouse.
‘What poor manners,’ said Belfiore, ‘and here you are born and raised in the Castle of Zonza.’
The mouse appeared on top of the chest once more, this time brandishing a two inch sword. ‘I apologise your Highness,’ said the mouse, and he bowed, ‘but when you are small in a big world it is easy to get over excited when a giant flees.’
‘So you know who I am,’ said Belfiore, ‘please introduce yourself.’
‘Princess, he is my mouse,’ said Hector, ‘pay no attention. If he is rude please accept my profound apologies. I will eat him later.’
-
Recent Posts
Archives
- January 2021
- December 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- May 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- June 2017
- April 2017
- January 2017
- May 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- October 2015
- April 2015
- January 2015
- September 2014
- July 2014
- March 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- September 2013
- May 2012
- October 2011
- August 2011
- April 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
Categories
Meta
14thCenturyPoet
- New Year’s Greetings 14thcenturypoet.wordpress.com/2021/01/04/new…Follow me on Twitter! 2 weeks ago
- Burlesque, or what happens in my shop at night: part one 14thcenturypoet.wordpress.com/2020/12/09/bur…Follow me on Twitter! 1 month ago
- Christmas E-Book Give-Away Sunday 6th December 14thcenturypoet.wordpress.com/2020/12/03/chr…Follow me on Twitter! 1 month ago
- RT @t3dy: Bless these nerds. https://t.co/Fmfdemlz2RFollow me on Twitter! 4 months ago
- Friday 24th July, Good Day For A Give-Away...A Free Book For All Mandorlinfiore is a story of destiny, dragons, a h… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…Follow me on Twitter! 6 months ago
Pingback: More Mountains of Zonza | 14thcenturypoet