Kitchen Light
a Tiny Kingdom story about hope in the kitchen
The Queen sat in her chair with a book open on her lap while music played softly through the room.
At some point she looked up.
The King was standing at the kitchen counter, busy with whatever he was making, and Princess Guusje sat a little way behind him on the tiled floor.
The light from the kitchen fell across her white fur and made her seem almost luminous. She sat perfectly still, looking up at the King with the kind of concentration that could only mean one thing.
She was hoping.
The Queen smiled.
Guusje had learned quite early that begging worked differently with the Queen. The Queen might occasionally have to look away to keep from giving in, but Guusje never saw that part. As far as the little princess was concerned, hopeful staring simply did not work there.
With the King, things were far less certain.
“Look at that adorable face,” he would say.
And Guusje would remain exactly where she was, sitting beautifully in the kitchen light with her dark eyes fixed on him.
She knew her audience.
The King went back to what he was doing, while Guusje continued to watch every movement from her place on the floor. A hand reaching towards the counter was enough to make her ears lift. The faintest rustle made her sit a little straighter.
The Queen lowered her book and watched them both.
Guusje had patience when patience seemed likely to pay off.
The King glanced down at her again.
That was all the encouragement she needed.
She stayed exactly where she was, beautiful, hopeful and completely certain that sooner or later the King would remember who was sitting at his feet.
The Queen looked over her book and smiled.
Clever girl.