The next morning, Nest wakes up very early.

"I'd better hurry to fetch Margred's breakfast," she thinks as she runs down the spiral stairs.

"Hey, take care. Look where you're going, little maid," says a voice behind her. She turns and sees a handsome young manservant carrying two empty buckets on a yoke.

"I'm sorry," she says, "but could you tell me where the kitchen is?"

"No problem," answers the manservant. "Let me fetch some water first and I'll come with you. By the way, I'm Meurig - and I'm the chamber manservant for Blind Maredudd, the Lord Rhys' son."

"And I'm Nest, Lady Gwenllian's handmaiden," Nest explains, "but hurry, or I shall have a row for loitering."

As Meurig fills the bucket from the well in the inner ward, Nest notices a row of women feathering geese, swans and peacocks for the feast. Two manservants gather feathers to make mattresses for the guests.

"Here's the kitchen," says Meurig. It's a hive of industry. - The cooks preparing pastries and bread, and a great cauldron of cawl boiling on the fire.

"It's lovely and warm here," says Nest.

"Yes, it is," answers Meurig, "but you wouldn't want to be poor old Siôn over there, having to turn the spit all day long, would you? Look at his poor face. It's all covered with blisters."

At last, Nest gets a bowl of bread in warm milk for the princess and hurries back to her mistress. And there she remains all morning, afternoon and evening, running messages hither and thither, fetching water for the wash-basin, emptying the chamber pot into the moat, brushing and tidying, preparing her mistress' clothes...and looking after little Margred of course. It's hardly surprising that she's so tired and ready for an early night. And, after all, this means that there's only two more days before Christmas Day itself.