Gwen’s eldest son was standing in front of her, pouting. Amhar had a pout that could rival Arthur’s, and, it took a considerable amount of her willpower not to give into it.
“Can’t I make the beds, instead?”
“Duran’s helping with the beds today.”
Amhar groaned. “What if I ask him to trade with me, and he says yes?”
“No, Amhar.” Gwen knew Amhar had traded chores with his younger brother before, and wasn’t going to let it happen again. Duran did anything Amhar told him to. “You’re washing the dishes today, and that’s that.”
“But I hate washing dishes!” Amhar looked like he wanted to throw a temper tantrum, but a stern look from Gwen stopped it in its tracks. “Mother, please, I’ll do anything else. Anything. I’ll muck out the stables, clean the leech tanks, anything! Just don’t don’t make me wash the dishes.”
Gwen just shook her head. “Off to the kitchens with you. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can stop complaining about.” When he just stood there, looking like he was going to start complaining again, she took him by the shoulders, turned him around, and gave him a gentle shove. “Go! Now! And if I hear that you got lost along the way again, you’ll be washing dishes for a month!”
The shove and the threat seemed to convince Amhar that it was best to get going, before his mother did something really horrible to him. As he walked away, he muttered something about how it was bad enough that he was the crown prince and his mother was making him do chores, but it was worse that she seemed to have him on the rotation to wash dishes more than anything.
“I heard that!” Gwen called after him, trying to suppress a smile. “Be good for the head cook!”
“His aversion to washing dishes must run in the family.” Gwen turned around, to see Arthur leaning against the wall, chuckling. “I seem to remember a certain maidservant telling me how much she abhorred the chore.”
“Yes, but that maidservant could never wiggle her way out of it.” She smiled at him. “And neither will her son. He’ll appreciate it, one day.”
“I’m sure he will. You certainly do.” Arthur offered Gwen his arm, and started to walk when she accepted it. “Though I have a feeling he won’t be going down to the kitchens to wash dishes when he needs calming down, like you do.”
“You never know.” Gwen answered, laughing. “I never thought it was something I’d do.”
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timeasmymeasure
A Time For Humility (2/2)
Date: 2010-12-21 06:44 am (UTC)“Can’t I make the beds, instead?”
“Duran’s helping with the beds today.”
Amhar groaned. “What if I ask him to trade with me, and he says yes?”
“No, Amhar.” Gwen knew Amhar had traded chores with his younger brother before, and wasn’t going to let it happen again. Duran did anything Amhar told him to. “You’re washing the dishes today, and that’s that.”
“But I hate washing dishes!” Amhar looked like he wanted to throw a temper tantrum, but a stern look from Gwen stopped it in its tracks. “Mother, please, I’ll do anything else. Anything. I’ll muck out the stables, clean the leech tanks, anything! Just don’t don’t make me wash the dishes.”
Gwen just shook her head. “Off to the kitchens with you. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can stop complaining about.” When he just stood there, looking like he was going to start complaining again, she took him by the shoulders, turned him around, and gave him a gentle shove. “Go! Now! And if I hear that you got lost along the way again, you’ll be washing dishes for a month!”
The shove and the threat seemed to convince Amhar that it was best to get going, before his mother did something really horrible to him. As he walked away, he muttered something about how it was bad enough that he was the crown prince and his mother was making him do chores, but it was worse that she seemed to have him on the rotation to wash dishes more than anything.
“I heard that!” Gwen called after him, trying to suppress a smile. “Be good for the head cook!”
“His aversion to washing dishes must run in the family.” Gwen turned around, to see Arthur leaning against the wall, chuckling. “I seem to remember a certain maidservant telling me how much she abhorred the chore.”
“Yes, but that maidservant could never wiggle her way out of it.” She smiled at him. “And neither will her son. He’ll appreciate it, one day.”
“I’m sure he will. You certainly do.” Arthur offered Gwen his arm, and started to walk when she accepted it. “Though I have a feeling he won’t be going down to the kitchens to wash dishes when he needs calming down, like you do.”
“You never know.” Gwen answered, laughing. “I never thought it was something I’d do.”