artemis | newt scamander imagines

ten: dreamer*

chapter ten: "dreamer"
word count: 14034
warnings: none
song: "dreamer" by lapeer

a/n: this is an au inspired by the story
"the ordinary princess".
also [N/N] means nickname.

Dream, little dreamer; don't care what they say

"You alright, dear? You look a bit pale," Melva said as she approached me in the kitchens. Her fresh apron looked bright against her tan dress, though I knew both would be soiled by nightfall.

I looked up from the dough I was kneading, only to be met with waiting eyes. I knew I looked a mess; I had hardly been able to drag myself from my bed early this morning, let alone spend all day over a hot fire.

"I'm just a little tired today," I responded, "No need to worry about me."

The head kitchen-maid raised an eyebrow at me; I felt as if I were being stared down by a disappointed mother. "Is is your nightmares again?" she asked.

I never thought of them as nightmares, but I wouldn't tell her that. It was much too complicated, and it would ruin everything for me here. I had come too far and gained too much to let that happen; I couldn't go back.

"Yes," I agreed. "They have started to return."

Melva clicked her tongue while shaking her head. "Poor dear. I don't know how you do it, having those dreaded dreams and still working every day."

I shrugged and looked back at the dough under my hands. "It isn't as bad as it seems." I felt bad lying to the woman who I considered to be a mother to me, but she wouldn't understand.

She pinched her lips into a pitiful smile before patting me on the shoulder, which left traces of flour on my light brown dress. "I'm here to listen if you need me, dear," she said, before walking over to inspect the other kitchen-maids' work so far.

I shook my head as she walked away to try to clear my thoughts. I had to focus on working at the dough, making sure no bubbles were left inside of it.

The new king of Geldar was hosting a banquet in just a few weeks to honor his coronation that occurred a few weeks ago. His father and brother's death had been sudden, caused by an accident during a royal hunt, and he did not wish to have the grand crowning ceremony that was typically held. Instead, it was small and private, without a party held afterwards. It was understandable. I hadn't met the royal family, but he was mourning the loss of two people; anyone would need time to grieve after something like that.

Time had passed since then, and it seemed that he was finally feeling up to having something to honor his coming into power. With the banquet approaching, he asked the kitchen-maids to prepare a multitude of new dishes to taste before he decided what he wanted to be served. While making a good first impression as the new king was likely, perhaps he needed this to go well for his own sake.

It was that thought that I kept in my head as I shaped the rose bread, a new idea that I had come up with, before placing within the furnace to bake.

***

Don't let the pain of their failure tear you away

My head slumped into my arms, which laid upon the table in the center of the kitchen. I didn't even know what to feel. Disappointed, mortified, deflated? The whirlpool of emotions swirled back in forth within me so fast I couldn't even keep up.