Only because I Owe You

The cliché of a far away kingdom has been way overdone. After stating that, there was a kingdom not so far away just a really long time ago. The rulers were kind, Queen Lela was the most respected Lady in the continent and her husband, King Jerrold, was the most loyal man anyone could ask for. Having owned the land first, decisions went through the Queen first despite the fact that she had an older sister, Felicity. Instead, she had married another powerful King and the family did not merge the kingdoms on the account of not knowing the other land natives as well.

Queen Lela was not only respected but she also had kindness beyond anyone's comprehension. Her generosity was looked up to and the people of the kingdom were happy with their luck. Their joy was only increased by the fact that the Queen gave birth to a healthy prince, an heir. A beautiful baby boy with warm, tan skin that only ignited his bright blue eyes paired with his black hair. The villagers were happy to know that Prince James would be raised by the kind and noble Queen to take over the duties of ruling the land.

Around five years later, Queen Lela had extended her generosity in a way that the villagers didn't know about. While reviewing the kingdom in disguise one day, Queen Lela had walked upon a small broken down shack just outside the town. The only things inside were a small mat as a makeshift bed, and a tiny malnourished girl. Her face was streaked with tears and as the Queen stepped into the shack, the girl scooted back into the corner, clearly afraid of something that had happened in the past.

Instead of scaring her further, the queen calmly knelt down, placed an apple a few feet away and patiently waited. Ever so slowly, the girl emerged from the corner and took a hesitant bite.

Using a soothing voice, the queen spoke, "You don't have to stay here. I can help you. Come with me." The lady held out her hand and patiently waited once more. A small delicate hand became encased by a warmer, softer one. The two walked back to the palace.

Once in the kitchen, the queen once again kneeled down. "I'm sorry that I can't make you a princess, no one would let me, but I can make you an employee of the castle. I'll make sure you always have food and a nice place to stay in exchange for a little bit of hard work."

A grin broke out for the first time on the child's face and two quiet words were barely heard, "Thank you."

The queen never forgot her promise, and soon the girl, whose name they discovered to be Clara, became a valued servant of the castle. She stayed in a cozy room in the servants' quarters and everyone was happier to have a little help with odd jobs. The maids had someone to set the table and wash dishes while they dealt with cleaning the castle. The cooks had someone to bring out dishes while they kept preparing supper and meals. The gardeners had someone to bring them water and tools. The royal family especially enjoyed her as the child, even in her youth, was willing to rise early, start warming the room by lighting the hearth and bring breakfast.

The Little Prince James was grateful for the warmth, but he didn't really notice the girl, if she was even in the room. Steadily, as she grew to the age of ten, the girl took on small cleaning jobs as well. She would clean the main entrance and dining room with surprising vigor. She was happy. The Prince wasn't only influenced by his kind mother however, he was also occasionally brought up by his Aunt who was happy to bring her two nine year old twin boys (read brats) along. Caleb and Jackson. Boys who always got what they wanted and were never punished for anything. They teased young James endlessly and when no one was looking, they would do little acts to make life harder for Clara. They would step in mud before entering the great hall. They would leave dishes in random places. On the occasions when they would stay the night, they would place strings in random places for her to trip over and then remove them before anyone saw. Prince James would never let them get away with their mischief. He would tell Queen Lela and she would lecture the boys. Sadly, she couldn't do much more than that, but she tried. Clara put up with their actions regardless and kept it to herself.