Castle Tales

by Goldfur

The Maid

“Will that be all, Your Highness?” the maid asked, passing over the cup of fresh hot tea in the glow of unicorn magic.

“Yes, thank you, Grace,” Mark Wells replied.

Graceful Style beamed and turned to push away the tea cart, tail swishing just on the safe side of saucy.

Mark’s guest, the hippogriff ambassador, stared at the retreating yellow-coated servant with a long teal-blue mane and tail dressed in the full traditional maid’s uniform. “That maid is a stallion!” he exclaimed.

“Yes, he is,” Mark agreed.

At the equanimous response, the ambassador blinked a few times before asking, “Is it common to put cross-dressing stallions in such positions?”

Mark chuckled. “No. In fact, Grace’s position is unique, although hardly the only oddity living and working in Canterlot Castle.”

Ambassador Windsurfer took a thoughtful sip of his tea. “While it may not be any of my business, may I ask the story behind having a male maid?”

“It’s no secret. Graceful Style is the son of the Head Maid. He grew up in the servants’ quarters although he was schooled like any other young colt. Despite that, from an early age, he decided he wanted to work here too. He gained his cutie mark sooner than most foals because he was so passionate about it.”

“So, you decided he would make a good maid?”

Mark laughed. “Good heavens, no! He started off at the bottom as all servants do, but he quickly rose up the ranks. He managed to catch my interest not only because of his work ethic, but also his personable interactions with everyone. He’s able to maintain a friendly and cheerful relationship with my family and guests while nevertheless sustaining a completely professional approach to his work. Frankly, I prefer ponies like him to boring sticklers to propriety any day. Besides, somepony who likes working for you invariably does a better job than one for which this is just a way to earn a living.”

“I suppose that’s true, but still, a maid?” The hippogriff could not wrap his head around that.

Mark sipped some tea before continuing. “Graceful Style is also ambitious. There are only a few ways to reach the top echelons as a royal servant, and for some of them, that way is to become a maid. Maids are privileged. They have access to the royal bedrooms, attend to the very personal needs of my family and our guests, and have the responsibility of seamlessly attending to occasions like our private talk without getting in the way. As such, they have to be very discreet about what they see and hear. It’s a goal many ponies aspire to. The only rank higher, not counting the Head Maid, is hoofmaiden. Those are assigned one-on-one to a princess as required, so there are rarely any opportunities there. Also, to put it mildly, the position of my valet won’t be open any time soon.” Mark and the ambassador shared a chuckle at this understatement. “Anyway, when a position opened for a maid, Grace applied for it.”

“He obviously got it. Did he realize he would be required to wear that uniform?” Windsurfer queried.

“When he was interviewed for the position, it was pointed out that a maid had to wear the traditional outfit. Did that dismay him? Heck, no! He practically demanded the right to wear it! He correctly pointed out that it’s a badge of honor. He was one of three who qualified for the job, but as I said earlier, I really like the ones who can chat with you and smile while still doing their work perfectly, so I lobbied in his favor. And that’s how he became the first-ever male maid. He’s a little effeminate, as you may have noticed, but that just makes him look better in the uniform he wears so proudly.”

The hippogriff shook his head and chuckled. “I was told to expect many unusual things at this posting, but this was certainly nothing I imagined. Wouldn’t that harm his chances of finding a mate?”

“His griffon fiancée doesn’t seem to mind,” Mark pointed out with a grin. “She thinks he’s cute.”

Windsurfer rolled his eyes. “I better quit before I get thoroughly boggled by you telling me that he’s in line to be the next hoofmaiden.” He put down his now-empty teacup and rose from his chair. “This has been an enjoyable and educational conversation, Your Highness. I look forward to our next scheduled meeting. Have a good day, Princess Mark Wells.”

“And you too, Ambassador Windsurfer.”

As the hippogriff departed, Mark looked at Grace as he came to collect the empty cups. Windsurfer’s words echoed in her mind. Her hoofmaiden, Prim Daisy, would not be retiring for a long while yet, but when it did become time to replace her, would it be so odd to have a male hoofmaiden for a gender-swapping princess?

She giggled. Stranger things had happened, but not by much!

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Author's Note:

So, what do you think of Grace?

Comments

[Black--Soul]

Interested slice of life from another perspective.
Also I see maids in a new light now, I can see why some stories have them as secret service agents and anti assasination agents.

Great chapter!

[Silent Wing]

Thanks fir brightening my day like that. It makes the monotony of work far more bearable, and managed to put a smile on my face for the first time in quite a while.

[Frazikar]

11805810
Beware a cook in his kitchen (whether he is or not) ...

[erictheblue]

this reminded me of a picture i found on DeviantArt, of a Changeling in a maid outfit:
https://www.deviantart.com/vavacung/art/Reward-Bug-s-Service-680909244

[FoxyLove]

This was a thoughtful chapter Goldy. If those who weren't raised into extremism with their beliefs or prejudice, they would see an individual that was looking for a peticuliar jog and had the skills and determination to achieve it. Without the pride or fear to do the job withing the requirements presented and pulled it off very well.

[RECoyote]

I don;t care what or who you are, so long as you do your job.