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rheinsbergAuthor: cahn
Original discussion: https://cahn.dreamwidth.org/165168.html?thread=1625904#cmt1625904
Inspired these fics:
1) How I Survived My First Christmas with the Hohenzollerns
2) With You, There's a Heaven
Dec 20 1732
Arrived at court. Princess W. seems nice.
Dec 21
OMG. I thought Queen SD was OK, Fritz never talks about her, but last night at dinner she let loose with this random rambling diatribe against Fritz's fiancee. All us servants were trying really hard not to react. Apparently she didn't know the instant dinner was over we were all gonna go gossip?? She then proceeded to yell at Wilhelmine, who was all "OK, mom," and "If you say so, mom."
I asked later in the servants' quarters if she was always like that. "Yeah," they said. "Sometimes worse."
Dec 22
When Fritz talks to King FW he's always either manic or depressed afterwards. Sometimes both! I wasn't aware it was possible to be both. I thought FW hated Fritz, but now I think he hates everyone. He yells at SD, he yells at Fritz, and he alternates between ignoring and kicking Wilhelmine. He mostly just ignores the younger kids, who have also learned to get the hell out of everyone's way. Good job kids.
Dec 23
Okay, now I really think FW hates everyone. Possibly including himself. We all had to watch some random comedians for FOUR HOURS. OUTSIDE. Have I mentioned it's DECEMBER?? FW yelled at anyone who even moved, so it wasn't like he was having a great time either. Wilhelmine was coughing. Every time she coughed she either got yelled at or a death glare. Fritz tried to give her his coat, but of course he got yelled at too. Finally I managed to rustle up a blanket and drape it over her shoulders, and because I'm only a servant I only got half the death glare.
I talked to the comedians afterwards and they weren't very happy about all this either, especially since the King stiffed them on their fee on the grounds that engaging them was "good advertising."
Dec 24
Fritz and Wilhelmine are engaged in something with Seckendorff and Grumkow and borrowing money. I don't even want to know. Oh God. I did talk briefly to Seckendorff. He was all "Well, Wilhelmine will be all right once her father-in-law kicks the bucket." EVERYONE IS CRAZY HERE.
Speaking of crazy... FW came up to me. I'd hoped he hadn't noticed me at all. Maybe I shouldn't have given that blanket to Wilhelmine the other night, but she was really cold. He was all "So... err... you're my son's valet, I hear."
"Er, yes, sire, your Majesty," I said, trying to unobtrusively move away from him.
He stared at me. It was really uncomfortable. "Could be a little taller," he mumbled. (So weird! I'm a lot taller than him.) "But for the boy's first valet hire, not bad, not bad at all. Boy, if you ever want a job here, just let me know."
"Your Majesty. Very much obliged, sire," I said, which was better than "OMG NO" which was obviously what I was thinking.
He stared at me some more, sort of patted me awkwardly on the shoulder, and left.
...now that I write that down, was the King hitting on me???? EW.
Dec 25
Christmas. At this point I wasn't surprised that the Christmas Day service was four hours, also outside. Also, I'm used to the service being about, you know, Christ's birth, but apparently the text the guy was given was all about honoring your father and mother. Fritz spent the whole time passing notes to Wilhelmine. I found one. It said "'Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.'"
Once we all trooped inside and warmed up, FW and SD passed out presents. From FW, Fritz got an old sock. From SD, Wilhelmine got a dirty handkerchief. Then we had dinner. Apparently FW is experimenting with boiled pudding diets now. It wasn't very appetizing.
FW looked at me once in a while but I pretended to be very very busy with all my valet duties.
Maybe I should invite Fritz to MY house for Christmas next year. It would be more cramped but at least we're not ALL CRAZY.
Dec 26
We are leaving!! Yay!! As we left, FW and Seckendorff were pulling Wilhelmine's husband out the door. FW was going "Come ON, Friedrich, who doesn't like drinking all day?!" and Wilhelmine's husband was all, "ME. THAT'S WHO. I DON'T LIKE DRINKING ALL DAY."
I felt sorry for him, but at least we're outta here!
[if anyone reads this who isn't selenak or mildred, I made up the FW-F convo and Christmas but scarily little of the rest of it is made up]
cahnOriginal discussion: https://cahn.dreamwidth.org/165168.html?thread=1625904#cmt1625904
Inspired these fics:
1) How I Survived My First Christmas with the Hohenzollerns
2) With You, There's a Heaven
Dec 20 1732
Arrived at court. Princess W. seems nice.
Dec 21
OMG. I thought Queen SD was OK, Fritz never talks about her, but last night at dinner she let loose with this random rambling diatribe against Fritz's fiancee. All us servants were trying really hard not to react. Apparently she didn't know the instant dinner was over we were all gonna go gossip?? She then proceeded to yell at Wilhelmine, who was all "OK, mom," and "If you say so, mom."
I asked later in the servants' quarters if she was always like that. "Yeah," they said. "Sometimes worse."
Dec 22
When Fritz talks to King FW he's always either manic or depressed afterwards. Sometimes both! I wasn't aware it was possible to be both. I thought FW hated Fritz, but now I think he hates everyone. He yells at SD, he yells at Fritz, and he alternates between ignoring and kicking Wilhelmine. He mostly just ignores the younger kids, who have also learned to get the hell out of everyone's way. Good job kids.
Dec 23
Okay, now I really think FW hates everyone. Possibly including himself. We all had to watch some random comedians for FOUR HOURS. OUTSIDE. Have I mentioned it's DECEMBER?? FW yelled at anyone who even moved, so it wasn't like he was having a great time either. Wilhelmine was coughing. Every time she coughed she either got yelled at or a death glare. Fritz tried to give her his coat, but of course he got yelled at too. Finally I managed to rustle up a blanket and drape it over her shoulders, and because I'm only a servant I only got half the death glare.
I talked to the comedians afterwards and they weren't very happy about all this either, especially since the King stiffed them on their fee on the grounds that engaging them was "good advertising."
Dec 24
Fritz and Wilhelmine are engaged in something with Seckendorff and Grumkow and borrowing money. I don't even want to know. Oh God. I did talk briefly to Seckendorff. He was all "Well, Wilhelmine will be all right once her father-in-law kicks the bucket." EVERYONE IS CRAZY HERE.
Speaking of crazy... FW came up to me. I'd hoped he hadn't noticed me at all. Maybe I shouldn't have given that blanket to Wilhelmine the other night, but she was really cold. He was all "So... err... you're my son's valet, I hear."
"Er, yes, sire, your Majesty," I said, trying to unobtrusively move away from him.
He stared at me. It was really uncomfortable. "Could be a little taller," he mumbled. (So weird! I'm a lot taller than him.) "But for the boy's first valet hire, not bad, not bad at all. Boy, if you ever want a job here, just let me know."
"Your Majesty. Very much obliged, sire," I said, which was better than "OMG NO" which was obviously what I was thinking.
He stared at me some more, sort of patted me awkwardly on the shoulder, and left.
...now that I write that down, was the King hitting on me???? EW.
Dec 25
Christmas. At this point I wasn't surprised that the Christmas Day service was four hours, also outside. Also, I'm used to the service being about, you know, Christ's birth, but apparently the text the guy was given was all about honoring your father and mother. Fritz spent the whole time passing notes to Wilhelmine. I found one. It said "'Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.'"
Once we all trooped inside and warmed up, FW and SD passed out presents. From FW, Fritz got an old sock. From SD, Wilhelmine got a dirty handkerchief. Then we had dinner. Apparently FW is experimenting with boiled pudding diets now. It wasn't very appetizing.
FW looked at me once in a while but I pretended to be very very busy with all my valet duties.
Maybe I should invite Fritz to MY house for Christmas next year. It would be more cramped but at least we're not ALL CRAZY.
Dec 26
We are leaving!! Yay!! As we left, FW and Seckendorff were pulling Wilhelmine's husband out the door. FW was going "Come ON, Friedrich, who doesn't like drinking all day?!" and Wilhelmine's husband was all, "ME. THAT'S WHO. I DON'T LIKE DRINKING ALL DAY."
I felt sorry for him, but at least we're outta here!
[if anyone reads this who isn't selenak or mildred, I made up the FW-F convo and Christmas but scarily little of the rest of it is made up]
