[b][color=teal]Characters:[/color][/b] Various Erikson household NPCs
[i][color=teal]Location[/color][/i]: The North--Erikson Mansion 

The half melted snow of summer slowly began to glitter in the twilight on the grounds of the Erikson Mansion. The twilight was too bright for the nocturnal critters to scurry about and the daytime life had still not crawled from their various homes. Only the soft bubbling of the property's stream gave the cool morning any sign of life. Inside those dark stone walls, however, the flow of life hardly ever ceased. Below the main floors in a massive kitchen, a never ending flock of men and women fluttered about day and night. The High Lord and his family, like most of the council Lords, had never known hunger... especially those in which owned Ice Diamond mines. 

"-well I don' know how they do et in tha capital, but givin' the poor cook less than a days notice-" Grumbled a rather large, round woman began, her red face glistening in the candle light with the efforts of rolling out the dough. She gave the dough a rather aggressive punch before continuing. "-it just don't seem right..." 

A tired looking man with a well trimmed beard and a tunic of leather stood next to the baker's table, a sigh escaping his lips that were pressed into a thin line. "I understand, Tilda... but this is [i]her royal highness[/i], not some common lady calling upon Lord Erikson and his family. This could very well set up the Lord for success...... or failure."

"No need to get dramatic, Valcore." She grunted, flashing a half smile at the Steward. "I will get breakfast going an' then sit down withcha to plan out a few meal options for Lady Erikson to choose...." Tilda's smoky voice trailed off along with her grass green eyes towards where a rather buxom girl covered in flour stood, peering down the main hall expectantly. "POPPY!" The cook barked. 

The poor girl spun around. "Ma'am?!"

"If my tarts end up flat because yer daydreaming after that Erikson bastard again, I am going to beat you until your ears bleed!" Tilda roared, holding up the rolling pin, a cloud of flour filling the room from the sudden upward movement. 

"Yes, ma'am." Poppy muttered softly, jumping back to her place. 

"Come now, Tilda..." Valcore chided, picking up the opened missive from the capital from the table. "What else are bastards good for anyway, if not sending all the scullery maids into girlish fits and lustful daydreams, hmm?" And with that, the man headed to go prepare for his master to awake to the news that the future Queen and her entourage would arrive at the Erikson Mansion in less than a day.

[@viktorseier]