The tale of his royal highness is a rather special one. Special in a way, because he wasn’t really royal to begin with. He made himself royal, and I can’t really blame him.
When he first arrived to his estate, he was only a guest. He would return to his own mansion within 2 weeks’ time. But almost immediately he decided that this was to be his kingdom, and in no way to kingdom’s come, he would leave in that dreadful little basket again. It was within a day or two that his orders were given, and there was no choice but to aid them. All doors must not close under any circumstance, and the supply of his daily need from the fountain of youth, must be obtained.
There was no choice but to obey. Not listen to his commands would mean a lament of cries that would never seem to stop….until you’d give in. And believe me, you would give in as well. Not only because the cries were so loud and nerve wrecking, but also because he knew he was too cute and cuddly not to obey.
The whole house was divided by realms. That was easier to cope his existence in his new surroundings.
The living room was a place where he could totally live out. He could run high and low, soft and hard, and lay cozy and warm, and chillingly cool.
There was place to drop his royal droppings, and a place to be served breakfast, lunch and dinner, as royally as possible.
Even for a pedicure and manicure there was a place made especially for him to uphold his royal self-made status. The hallway was the strategic place of all, he could oversee his whole kingdom from up there, but even so, he would prefer to stay in the room where there was a place of nice and soft pillows and blankets, placed on a huge mattress that was as bouncy as it was soft. All of his royal butt, would be there almost the entire part of the day.
He really loved his kingdom, and even loved the humans who lived there. Even though the woman called Joyce, had to be taken care of.
She was clearly not well, and he knew he would have to take care of her, to make his stay as comfort as possible.
The other one, the male human, he already knew when he was only a little kitten. That man was called Ramon, and he usually sat behind a desk with a computer on it, where the easiest way to get the attention he deserved, was to lay on a panel with little pebbles, where Ramon rested his hands.
It was best life he could ever imagine to have. And he thought it would for ever and ever be like this, as it would fit his desires as a king.
But one day it would all be over, and he wasn’t quite prepared for that.
On one particular day, when he had his realm all by himself, Joyce and Ramon returned with a plastic basket that they put down in the living room. They opened the lid, and there it was. A tiny little kitten, black and white, and with a really dirty nose. ‘What in devils name did they bring into his realm? Was this thing to stay?’ He took a fast sniff as he strolled by, and decided to oversee this new arrived problem from out the hallway.
‘O dear’, he thought after a night’s sleep, when he still saw that tiny little devil laying in his basket, ‘it is still here. What to do with this terrible curse?’
But overlooking this huge problem from a safe distance, he got a splendid idea. He could use this little one to do whatever he, as a king, would desire that little rascal to do. He would be his servant. It was the most brilliant idea a king could ever get, and he immediately put it to use.
The little kitten felt so alone and cold without the warmth of his nest. He missed his mommy so much, and all his brothers and sisters.
Joyce was there to keep him warm at night, and play with him during the day, but he missed his kin.
So when Spooky told him he would take care of him when he would serve him as a king, Benjamin gladly took the offer.
The times Joyce wasn’t there to play with him, or take a nap with him, he was allowed to be near the king’s present.
And when it was needed, Benjamin worked his tiny little but off to aid every need of the king. Spooky even saw more advantages with the arrival of Benjamin. There was food, special food, that was only for tiny little kittens to grow. Under no circumstance he was allowed to have some of Benjamin’s food. Well, that was surely a mistake. Who did they think they were speaking to? A royal highness may eat whatever he desires to.
So when it was feeding time, and Joyce was out of the picture, Spooky gave a swing with his royal butt and kicked Benjamin away from his plate. But with each and every bite he took from Benjamin’s kitten food, he gained an ounce. So when a week had passed, Spooky was doubled the size he was before.
He told little Benjamin that this was just a way to show him how royal he is. A king is as great as his size, so this only showed how unbelievably great a lord and master he must be, and Benjamin should honour him. Benjamin was astonished, he never in his life had seen anything like this, therefore Spooky must be right.
So Spooky only needed to ring his royal bell, and Benjamin was there to wash the king, groom the king, make way for the king when demanded, and made sure when the king moved from one place to another, the floor was clean, so Spooky’s belly would stay as white as snow.
The only thing Benjamin envied, was Spooky’s beautiful throne. Joyce made him a new one, because he couldn’t sit in his old one any more. It was big and comfy, with a golden crown embroidered on it. He longed for a moment to take a nap in that throne.
He once asked Spooky nicely, and once tried to slap Spooky out of it, but that was the gravest mistake he ever made, and had to suffer the consequences.
Until one day, the birds outside sang their songs loud to hear, and wake Benjamin up.
He listened to some of the words, and found it a bit strange. The little birds sang about a dog.
A dog that was soon to come to Spooky’s kingdom and be the earl of puppydom. He rushed to Spooky to tell what he heard, but Spooky laughed. ‘Hahaha, you silly servant. There is no dog coming here, and most certainly no earl. Now come and drink with me.’
But in the next few days, all kinds of strange objects entered the kingdom. And both Joyce and Ramon were building a very large bed. A beautiful pillow was made with the name Kuzco embroidered on it, and was put in the bed. ‘You see, there is really a dog coming, and I think his name is Kuzco,’ Benjamin said to Spooky. But Spooky only made a frown, ‘Off course not you silly servant, don’t you see that this is my new bed. It just the right size for me, it fits a king.’
‘But the name your highness, who’s name is that?’ Spooky was a little annoyed with the question because he didn’t immediately knew the right answer. And then it came to him, ‘Yes, that is it, it is a brand. “Kuzco” is the brand where the fabric comes from.’
With a self-contented purr, he stepped onto the pillow in the new bed. ‘Oh dear, I will almost faint, it’s just so wonderful and perfect. I will sleep in my new bed tonight.’
And while he kneaded the perfect spot with his sleep mask ready to wear, he held his head high in the air, as if he had to think real hard about his offer, but decided that a king should be noble at times. ‘Benjamin, you can sleep in my throne if you like.’
They both had the best sleep they ever had, and Benjamin was so happy, he couldn’t wait to serve his noble king today.
The day went by, and just when the king was about to get a manicure, the front door opened, and Joyce and Ramon arrived. But they were not alone. Spooky had to rub his eyes of disbelieve.
There was a little puppy in Joyce her arms.
Spooky was shocked, he only heard the high pitched voices, but no words. And when he saw the puppy lay in hís new bed, well….he was baffled.
He got on his throne, and with a big huff he let his body drop, to never come out of it again!
He couldn’t believe he had to share his kingdom with this earl of puppydom. An earl who isn’t even potty-trained.
And to top it all off, carries around a big stuffed sheep and toys that squeak. Really, is there no shame in being a dog?
Weeks went by, and off course Spooky got off his throne. To hear strange noises from your own belly, is never a good thing, even when you’re an angry and offended royal highness.
Everywhere Spooky went, that horrible little fur ball was there as well. There was absolutely no escaping it. So when Spooky was relaxing in the empty hamper in the sun, he enjoyed his quiet little time.
Little indeed, because the little earl wiggled his tail and jumped to the hamper. ‘There you are Spooky, come play with me. Let’s play hide and seek. Tag, you’re it!’ When Kuzco duck away, Spooky gave him a firm slap on his head. ‘Ouch, why did you do that?’ Kuzco cried.
‘Let’s have a good conversation you and I.’ Spooky stretched his back, and then his paws, to sit on the royal chair. ‘It’s not that I don’t like you, I’m your king, and I love all of my subjects. I know you are just a kid, but I think it’s high time you learn some of my rules. First of all, I do not play. And if you are an earl as they say you are, act like on. Take a good look at me. If you do as I show you, you will be respected.
And as for that bed of yours, I co-own it. So if I want to take my royal nap, I will, with or without you in it.’ Kuzco wiped his tears, and shook paws on it.
All went well for long time, and everyone knew their place. Kuzco became a real earl indeed. He copied Spooky in everything, the only difference being Benjamin.
Benjamin was still Spooky’s servant, but in Benjamin’s off-time he loved playing tag with Kuzco, and when Kuzco was outside, he watched him from the windowsill.
That’s when one night Benjamin saw something strange in the bushes. It was late in the evening, it was Kuzco his last walk, so he couldn’t quite see well enough to know what it was. But then, only moments after Kuzco passed by, he saw little eyes glowing in the dark. It was a cat. A lady cat!
When Kuzco returned from his walk, Benjamin asked if he too seen the little cat in the bush. But Kuzco was far too busy sniffing the grass to notice.
‘Next time, will you keep an eye open for me? She looked like she was in need of help.’ Benjamin asked Kuzco.
So the next evening when Joyce, Ramon and Kuzco walked by the same bush as the evening before, Kuzco sniffed at the spot Benjamin told him about. Benjamin was right! He smelled her too. Kuzco barked at Joyce and Ramon, hoping they would take a look with him to find her.
‘What is it buddy, what do smell?’ asked Joyce, and just as she bowed down, she saw a frightened little cat. ‘O dear, are you lost sweetheart? It’s rather cold, would you want to come with us. We have food if you’re hungry, which I bet you are, and a warm place to sleep.’
The little cat was too scared to come out and join the nice man and lady, but she was so hungry, wet and cold, that she overcame her fear. Ramon held her in his arms as they walked back home, and Kuzco danced happy around them. ‘Benjamin, you were right! There was a little cat outside. Here she is.’ Benjamin took one look, and he was totally in love.
She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and he couldn’t wait to clean her up, and snuggle together by the stove. But he had to wait for Spooky. The king must approve. But Spooky wasn’t as charmed by her as Benjamin.
The next day, three strange men entered the front door, and together with Joyce and Ramon, they walked towards the living room. ‘We haven’t had any calls about a missing cat, but we’ll know where she comes from as soon as we scan her. She won’t be any trouble to you any more sir.’ One of the three men said. The little cat had hidden herself in the toiletry.
She was terribly frightened. The three men captured her before, and they weren’t friendly at all. ‘Oh, I see it already, it’s a stray cat, she has ticks and fleas all over her. I will scan her, but I believe we have met before. She hasn’t got a chip code.’ When she didn’t have one indeed, they wanted to push her in a cage and take her with them. Joyce and Ramon begged them to let her stay, until someone claimed her. But they wouldn’t want to hear of it. ‘Rules are rules madam.’
The three men walked outside to put her in the car. But they didn’t know that while they were checking the little cat, Kuzco broke the lock of the cage. So when they wanted to slide the cage in the back of the car, the cage broke open, and the little cat ran away as fast as she could. ‘Well, that’s a shame. But we will catch her a next time. If you see her again, give us a call.’ The three men got in the car and drove away.
Everyone was sad. She was such a sweet little cat. And now she ran away into the cold again. ‘Well, one thing is for sure. We will never call them again if we see her. They even lied about the ticks and fleas. They are supposed to help, not scare the little thing away.’ Ramon said to Joyce while they drank their tea.
Three nights went by, and no little cat was seen. But then, at the fourth evening when Ramon and Kuzco were outside for their walk, she appeared again.
‘He there little lady, we’re so sorry the way they treated you. Will you forgive us, and come home with us? You will never have to leave again.’ Ramon said to her.
She let herself carry home with him, and this time Benjamin didn’t wait for Spooky’s approval. He gave her a little kiss, and started washing her.
When she was all settled in, and lived there for almost a year, she sometimes sat behind the window. ‘Do you miss it Jools? Would you want to go back someday?’ Spooky asked her when she gazed out the window. ‘No, I don’t miss it any more, I love being here with all of you. I would never want to leave.’
That was exactly the right answer to give, and because it was precisely a year today that she lived with them, they decided to throw a jolly good party. And the best part of the feast, was the official welcoming by his royal highness Spooky.
It was a true honour, and they all were happy and celebrating, and love living their lives in the kingdom of his royal highness.
It was their home.
