Wishes

Freed

One day, coincidentally these characters happened to meet in the village.

Ella was ordered to retrieve some wood from a pile at the side of the house. This wall faced the neighbors, a baker and his wife. Sounds familiar? This happened to be the first child of that baker that was introduced earlier. Rapunzel's older brother. His father was not on the throne anymore. He actually never was.

A war broke out right before the baker even was declared king. His home was destroyed, with his wife trapped in it. Out of fear and confusion, he abandoned his son, who was still not even one, with only a note saying,

Someday son, you will become a baker. You shall have a wife, and quite a lovely life. Someday.

So just like Rapunzel, her brother was never told of Gothel's sister. It was kept concealed.

Ella watched through a window into the baker's kitchen. The baker's wife seemed to have made her husband laugh. He had a jolly tone in his laugh as he scooped her into the air, and kissed her. Ella smiled, trying to remember what it was like to be surrounded by those who loved her.

A child began skipping her way up the baker's front steps. It was Little Red Riding Hood. Ella immediately envied the girl. From the rosy cheeks to the cozy velvet cape, Little Red looked as if her life was perfect. Well, partly because it was. She hummed a little tune, slightly off key. But Ella recognized the song and quietly sang along. With keen hearing, Little Red abruptly stopped and looked over at Ella.

Ella was terrified. "I, I'm sorry miss. I just enjoy that song so much, I get carried away and sing along." Little Red grinned, "You have a wonderful voice!" She glanced at Ella's rags. "But I'm guessing you don't sing as a career. What do you do?"

"I um," Ella was too ashamed to tell the truth. "anyway, I have to get back to... work. Yes, work." She grabbed a pile of wood and began to turn back to her house, only to stumble and drop everything.

Reader, did I mention she was clumsy?

"Well," Little Red said, "you can't go back to work looking like that!" She began brushing strands of hair out of Ella's face, and rubbing the dirt off her cheeks. Little Red gasped. "You look like... a princess!"

"Oh, thank you," Ella looked down shyly. "I've never received such comments before."

"Ella?!" Madame shouted in the background. "If you don't come back in here this instant, you'll have to wash the windows until midnight! We're freezing!"

Ella's cheeks burned in embarrassment. Little Red's cheeks burned in fury. "Why, how cruel!" Her cheeks turned into a shade identical to her cape. She grabbed Ella by the arm. Her eyes gleamed. "Come with me," she whispered full of promise. "I'll help you escape." Ella looked up to (well, down at) Little Red. Maybe, just maybe, she would be free.