Martell 2024

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. Who's the Busiest of them all?

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the busiest of them all?" Anastasia frowned as she looked in the mirror. An image of Diana immediately came into view. It showed the young woman serving the last person of the forty in the castle's great hall. It was only eight in the morning, and already Diana had cooked and fed the castle residents. No doubt she prepared a twelve-course breakfast for them to eat. There was Diana's face in the mirror, smiling and happy. She didn't look the least bit frazzled to have had such a busy morning.

"What do you say, Merlan?" Anastasia addressed her silver tabby. "Should we get started on our day? I think Diana should be slowing down right about now, and maybe we'll be highlighted in that dreadful mirror."

Merlan stretched in response, letting out a sound that might have been a yawn or simply a meow.

The red-haired woman quickly washed, dressed, and led the cat out of their chamber to start the day. It was Anastasia's job to feed and care for the animals.

While passing the field, she noticed that the entire field had been freshly mowed, and hay was neatly stacked in large piles at the side of the barn. She gasped and ran to the barn mirror.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the busiest of them all?" A scene of the lovely Beatrice was now in view. "I knew it! That Beatrice always wakes earlier than me in order to claim my moment to shine! Let's get working, Merlan."

She realized that her cat had already scampered off. He was at the end of the field now, chasing away all of the mice. I'm glad he is playing. It will get his energy out so I can rest peacefully later when my work is done.

All of the goats, horses, and cows needed attending. They would need to be washed, watered, and fed. They would have to wait because Anastasia knew that she needed to feed the vast amount of chickens first.

After tending to the animals, she cleaned up their living area and willed the energy to get back to her chamber. She washed up a bit and was about to take a short nap, but first, of course, she stopped at her mirror for an update. Surely it would be her turn to shine there now.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the busiest of them all?" Anastasia pulled a disappointed face. Her cat was now highlighted in the mirror. He was still chasing all of the mice out of the large grassy field. Merlan was running with the same energy he had hours ago.

Defeated, Anastasia collapsed into her bed for a long, well-deserved nap.



Word Count: 477
Prompt: The North Remembers - 1. "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the ________ of them all?"