Work Text:
Xander exhaled a loud groan as he tossed and turned in his bed. As he sat up, he yawned and stretched, releasing a sigh and scratching the back of his head. Knowing he wasn’t going to enjoy the day, the crown prince contemplated sneaking into his office and working so he wouldn’t have to take a day off.
He shook his head as he forced himself to get out of bed, washing up and changing clothes before leaving his room. Walking around the castle, he kept a lookout for his knights and his sister so they wouldn’t catch him going to his office. Once no one was around, he opened the door to his office, letting out a sigh of relief when he found it empty.
As Xander began to work, he heard footsteps, every pace drawing his attention to the door until they passed. Growing more irritated, he rubbed his face and slouched back into his chair. Thanks to the many knights walking past his office, his focus had dissolved. He sighed and decided his time would be better spent doing something else.
Xander rubbed his neck as he walked around the castle, wandering in idle thought. He couldn’t remember the last time he truly rested and relaxed. Maybe it was in his childhood. Or was it when she was…
He stopped walking when he saw the edges of a picture frame come into view, scowling as he looked up at the painting. It was of his father and…
The crown prince shook his head as he continued walking, eventually finding himself in the kitchen. Since he was here, he could at least make something to eat. He was a little hungry anyway. He rummaged through the pantry and the fridge, grabbing several ingredients. After assembling the food on the counter, he took out a Dutch oven, placing a liberal amount of butter into the pot as it heated up on the stove.
While Xander took to cutting the vegetables, he blanked out, staring off into space as memories started to flood his mind. He remembered running into the kitchen with a big smile on his face. He approached the counter, watching a woman in the midst of cooking. Moments later he was picked up by her, and Xander recalled clutching to her arms as she started to hum. Her presence was calming. Warm.
She stopped humming and placed his hands on the wooden spoon to help stir what she was cooking, and he could hear her voice telling him to watch the Dutch oven. As they waited, she would go to the spacious part of the kitchen and begin to sing and dance with him.
Xander put the knife down and clutched the edge of the counter, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks. He took one big breath and wiped the tears from his face before picking up the knife again. The more he cooked, the more he started falling back on old memories, and there were some he wished he could forget.
He snapped back to reality when he heard a loud crash in the next room over, putting the knife in the sink and washing his hands before investigating the commotion. It was no surprise that it was Felicia who dropped an entire tray of teacups and a teapot. The poor girl was being scolded by some random noblewoman. Xander sighed as he walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“What’s going on?” He asked, glaring at the noblewoman.
“M-My lord,” Felicia spoke, startled by his presence.
“Your Majesty!” The woman scowled. “This terrible maid crashed into me and spilled hot tea on my beautiful dress!”
Xander glanced down at Felicia. “Is that true?”
“N-No! I promise i-it wasn't me this time!” Felicia stuttered as she left his grasp. “I had all the-the dirty dishes and-and,” she gasped for air.
“Felicia, please,” Xander pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I was just trying to take these dirty dishes back to the kitchen. I saw her so I moved to the side and stood still so I wouldn’t crash into her. But she walked right into me. I didn’t realize that the tea kettle still had some tea in it,” she said hurriedly.
“That is not true!” The woman yelled. “She is a notoriously bad maid and a klutz! She saw me coming and purposely tripped, spilling the tea to ruin my dress and burn me!”
Xander sighed. “I understand that Felicia isn’t the best maid and that she is a klutz, but she is not one to lie. You, however, are.”
“How dare you!” She accused, storming off.
Felicia took a few deep breaths before picking up the dishes. “Thank you, my lord.”
“It’s nothing special,” he reassured her as he helped collect the broken pieces. “Are you unharmed?”
“Y-Yes. I am fine. I’m just a little shaken up.” She stood, holding out the tray for him to put the broken pieces on.
“Why don’t you help me in the kitchen?” He suggested. “I’m making some stew.”
“Are you sure?” Felicia asked, a touch anxious.
“Yes, I’m certain. Cooking always helped me calm down as a child,” he said, letting the words slip out.
“Really?” She giggled, dumping the broken dishes into the trash bin.
“Yes,” he replied.
Felicia smiled as she walked over to the counter, observing as Xander worked.
“Why are you staring at me?” He asked as he stopped cutting the meat.
“Just watching you.” She said, softly.
“Well, if you want something to do, you can always clean the table and dishes.”
“Of course!” She exclaimed, skipping over to a cupboard to grab a dishcloth.
As he cooked the stew, he watched her clean the table; the longer he did so, the more memories came to his mind. Xander remembered the woman who would watch him scurry over to the table to clean it, recalling how she ruffled his hair because he did such a good job. Together they would set the table, and she would wear such a big smile as he ate the food she had made.
“My lord?” Felicia softly said, glancing back at him. “Was there something that you wanted?”
“Oh,” he released the breath he had been holding, realizing his arm was outstretched to her. “I just wanted to learn about your responsibilities as a maid.”
“Really?” She laughed, clapping her hands.
“Yes,” he lied. He didn’t really want to, but he couldn’t say what was truly on his mind.
Felicia’s smile grew as she walked over to him. “We can start with making tea!”
Xander nodded as she began to instruct him. Trying—and failing—to absorb all of Felicia’s many tea instructions, he watched her as she moved around the kitchen, his eyes following her as she stared attentively at the teapot.
“My lord,” Felicia asked, bending down to meet his gaze. “Are you paying attention?”
“Yes,” he lied once more as his eyes found hers.
“Hmph, then why don’t you be a maid for a little bit,” she giggled.
“Wait, really?”
“Yes!”
A loud groan left his lips as she took his hand, carefully receiving the platter from her.
“Why don’t you try walking to the table?” Felicia said with a huge smile. “You saw me do it—now it’s your turn!”
Xander rolled his eyes as he made his way over to the table. After placing all the silverware, cups, plates, and napkins, he looked over to Felicia with a faint smile.
“Wow, amazing! I have never seen anyone do that so gracefully! Not even Jakob,” she praised, her mouth agape.
Xander said nothing and scratched the back of his head.
“Is everything alright?” Felicia asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, everything is fine,” he reassured her.
“Are you sure? You keep staring off into space.”
“I assure you I am fine,” he doubled down. “Now let’s get back to this whole maid thing.”
Felicia smiled and dragged him back to the counter. He smiled politely as she talked his ear off, and watched her walk over to the table to show him how to pour tea. Xander laughed a little as she crashed into the table, taking the teapot, teacups, tablecloth, and table down with her.
“I’m so sorry King Xander, I didn’t mean to break everything!” Felicia apologized, moving the broken dishes off of her.
“Are you alright?” He asked, holding out his hand. “I’m surprised you didn’t scream when you spilled the tea.”
“Yes, I am fine,” she reassured him, taking his hand. “I dress in extra layers so I don’t feel how the tea burns.”
“That’s…something,” he remarked, handing her a towel, to which she began to clean herself off with.
“Oh please, when you spill tea all the time, you figure out ways to protect yourself. Anyways, I should change.”
Left alone once more, Xander tended to the stew. It had been a long time since he saw and heard dishes crashing against the floor. After adding some extra spices, he grabbed a broom and a pan to clean up the mess, placing the table back onto its legs before sweeping up the broken dishes. As he tidied up, he fell back on his memories again. He remembered being a child and crying because he broke many plates, as well as a gentle hand held out to him and being held in a comforting pair of arms. Xander remembered her placing his head to her chest to feel the vibrations of her humming.
“Hush now child, please don’t cry,” he began to sing as he cleaned. “The sun will come out again.”
As he continued to sing, he cleaned up the broken dishes. Afterward, he stayed by the stove to keep an eye on the stew. More tears began to roll down his face.
“Let the sun shine…”
Xander grabbed a bowl, filled it to the top with stew, and walked over to the table. He looked out the window and sparsely ate his food.
“Let the sun shine,” he sang as he heard footsteps.
“Oh, there you are,” Camilla smiled. “Mm, it smells like her stew.”
“That’s because it is,” he said, looking over to her. “Pray it tastes the same as it did back then.”
She walked over to him, arms wrapping around him in a hug. “I miss her too.”
“I hope she is looking over us,” he sighed.
“She is, and I know she is proud of you,” she reassured him.
He nodded. “I just wish she were here.”
“I do too, but…” she trailed off, matching his silence.
“Why don’t I get everyone and we can enjoy the stew together,” she smiled. “I know Elise has been dying to try this since she was a child.”
“You told her all about it, didn’t you,” Xander chuckled.
“Yes,” she sighed. “I ran out of bedtime stories to tell, so I told her about your mother’s homemade recipes.”
“Heh,” he smiled.
“What?” She chuckled. “You have your mother’s cooking skills.”
“That I do, and I’m glad to be at least a little bit like her,” he affirmed. “Go get everyone and I will set the table.”
“Gladly,” Camilla agreed.
As she left, he rose from his seat and began to prepare the table for his siblings’ arrival. It wasn’t long before everyone shuffled into the kitchen. He faintly smiled as everyone ate the stew and laughed, a warm familiarity growing in his heart as they ate.