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Her supreme majesty, overlord of all she surveys, Queen Jellie awoke as the sun peered through the curtain, bathing her in dappled light. She elegantly raised one paw and cleaned nonexistent dust from between her toe beans. She could vaguely feel Dad’s Mate (the short one) moving in the bed. Jellie did appreciate it when her subjects were early risers. Jellie graciously pressed her head into his hand, trilling as she did so Dad’s Mate (short) was able to appreciate her excellence and could perhaps be reminded that Jellie’s dish was in fact empty and needed attention.
Dad’s Mate (short) made a low sound halfway between a purr and a meow that Jellie took to mean. “Why yes your Majesty, it would be an honour to serve you and please accept my humblest of apologies for allowing your dish to become so empty.”
Jellie nimbly leapt off her bed (which she kindly allowed Dad and his mates to sleep in for she was a ruler of great magnanimity) and proceeded to inspect her food dish. Just as she had informed Dad’s Mate (short), utterly empty, even the food on the sides of the dish, which any cat worth her salt knew did not count as actual sustenance, had been consumed. Truly tragic. Her food dish was topped up with a combination of acceptable pellets and delicious smelling fish which she proceeded to inspect closely. A queen must be prepared for anything, after all.
Dad’s Mate (short) padded his way back to the bedroom, but Jellie was awake now and had to check each of her favourite patches of sunlight before deciding which room she would grace with her presence today. The high one beside the source of infinite water was not yet warmed, but would bear further consideration later in the day. The sofa was merely acceptable as someone (she suspected Large Warm Hands) had sat in it after she had retired to her chamber, overriding the perfectly Jellie-shaped indent she had spent so much of yesterday enjoying. The sun patch on the tiles was out as someone had wet it from the strange indoor rain her disciples seemed to enjoy. The sun was not yet high enough in the sky to bless her favourite spot by the grand entryway, perfect for accepting tribute from those disciples that had to leave Jellie’s kingdom for some of the day before returning to their lady and saviour.
Jellie was prepared to give up hope when Smells of Honeysuckle opened one of those frustrating gateways and reached down to offer Jellie pets. Jellie decided this tribute was acceptable and was thoroughly enjoying the way Smells of Honeysuckle was scratching beneath her chin when she heard a noise that sounded like Gives Many Treats and decided to investigate. Lo and behold, the bed of Smells of Honeysuckle was being hit perfectly by the morning sun. This would do nicely.
Jellie leapt onto the bed and analysed the soft material in the sun, yes she could smell Smells of Honeysuckle and Gives Many Treats here, their bodies having warmed parts of the bed that even the sun had not yet reached. Jellie circled once, twice, and buried herself against Gives Many Treats, purring as she reached across Jellie and ran a paw along Jellie’s back.
Smells of Honeysuckle made a noise like a high-pitched purr and sat herself on Jellie’s other side, commencing her commendable tribute of chin scratches.
“Pearl! Pearl! We’re going to be late! Cub’s waiting outside!”
“Sorry Scar, I can’t move.”
“Can’t move! Are you alright?”
“Don’t get your knickers in a knot, I’ve just been chosen.”
“What do you mean cho- Aw, Jellie, so this is where you ran off to this morning.”
“Mrrp.”
After being rudely awoken from her comfortable morning spot (honestly, Jellie’s disciples were lucky she was so kind) Jellie had found herself napping throughout the house until Dad returned home. Dad was the best of her disciples, her first and the only one she had allowed to name themself. When she heard the jangling noise that meant he was home she pressed herself into the hallway and ascended Dad to her rightful place in his lap. He smelled of Gives Many Treats and Rumbles, who she could hear behind him but they were hardly important compared to what she could sense from Dad’s lap.
Dad’s muscles tensed and untensed imperceptibly, as if trying to dislodge a thousand tiny ants and she could hear the slight rattle in his chest more easily than she usually could. She voiced her displeasure at Rumbles with a meow. Rumbles rumbled back something that Jellie took to mean “I quite agree your highness, Dad did overtax himself today and I should have stopped him, I beg your forgiveness and can only hope that he will flourish once again in your care.”
Jellie glared at Rumbles to remind him that it didn’t matter how big he was, if she decided he was prey, he would be prey, before kidly forgiving him and turning her attention back to Dad.
It was difficult, in these moments of concern for her most faithful servant, to conjure up her ability to comfort him, but Jellie was determined. She thought back to languid mornings with Dad, being fed treats from his paws, the way he always ensured there was a warm and soft place for her to rest wherever he went. She tried not to be too annoyed with him for disturbing her rest this morning. Jellie reached back into thousands of memories and the proud lineage of all cats before her with the knowledge of how to heal her disciples. And as Dad ran his paws along her spine, greeting Dad’s Mate (tall) with more exhaustion in his tone than usual, likely in pre-emptive gratitude for what Jellie was about to do for him, she began to purr.
“Oh, we know who her favourite is.”
“Well I should hope so! I’ve had her since she was a kitten.”
“Grian’s the one who feeds her.”
“That’s no different, Cub fed Jellie as often as Grian does.”
“And yet she still likes you best.”
“Well I like her best so it’s only fair.”