Frog Meets Girl

Chapter 22--Mysterious Behavior of a Froggy Sort

Hi all! Here it is, the next installment! 

During all my time away, I did a word count and realized that if this were the average sized YA novel, I'd already be halfway through, so I'd better kick it up a notch. There's a lot more happening in this chapter and I hope to keep it up as I approach the BIG CRISIS.

Anyway, enjoy! Don't feel shy about commenting or sharing the likes. :)

            Will had been perched in front of the kitchen fire for a while before the kitchen maids had forgotten he was there. He had attention only for the soft bread and the slowly liquefying cheese. They sank back into the rhythm of their duties and began speaking normally to one another again.

            Unfortunately for them, this comfort happened right when Will needed someone to remove his snack from the fire. Although webbed fingers and toes had their benefits when he was living the simple lifestyle in a brackish pond, his lack of opposable thumbs crippled his ability to fend for himself most of the time.

            The ladies had been bustling for a while, dishes clinking merrily in the background made a cheery musical prelude for Will’s anticipated gustatory triumph. In this place alone, the stone floors were warm and comfortable, worn into softness by the relentless shuffling of feet preparing the feasts that fed the royal family and their mob of kiss-ups.

            The perfect moment to remove the cheese sandwich was when the first bubble surfaced in the center and the edges were beginning to brown. Will whirled around, searching for the nearest kitchen maid.

            He found her just as she was grabbing hold of a tray of dishes laden with hot food and a woman whose dress seams were straining at the waist was reminding her of last-minute details.

            “Now, don’t slosh the soup this time. You know how the queen hates a mess.”

            “Yes ma’am,” the girl said to the chubby cook.

            “And don’t dawdle neither. I know that guard is handsome, but he’s too good for the likes of you, so you’d best be on your way without all the eye batting.”

            “Yes ma’am.” The girl began turning to leave, moving carefully as she held the heavy tray.

            “Ahem,” said Will.

            They froze and the girl’s eyes widened to the size of rising bread while she slowly turned her head to look down at him.

            “Ah, yes. Glad I got your attention,” said Will, wondering a little bit at their tension. It was like he’d caught them doing something wrong, but he didn’t know what it could be. “Would you be so kind as to remove my bread from the hearth?”

            The cook exhaled slowly, as though she’d been holding her breath. “Yes, of course Sir.” She looked at him carefully, and then moved past the girl toward the fire. As she passed the girl, she gave her a meaningful look and nodded her head toward the door.

            The girl with the tray resumed her slow steps out of the kitchen while the cook pulled the crusty bread and gooey cheese away with a pair of tongs.

            “There you go, Sir.” She placed the delicacy on a plate. “Where would you like it?”

            Will was settled next to the plate on a long table for servants’ meals quickly thereafter, but the cook continued to hover just behind him. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking.