Secrets of Faulkner Castle

She arrives

The morning was cool and crisp. Ani had woken while stars were still hanging in the sky to wash the palace's steps. The sun had only just begun to kiss her rose cheeks that had been embraced in the chilly night embrace for so long when she started to hear voices. Being scared of who it might be the maid quickly ran to hide behind a marble pillar. Staying still and quiet the owners of the voices were unaware of her presence. "Oh c'mon, brother I am sure Princess Serena is not as bad as you make her out to be!" one male voice said. 

Without having to look Ani knew the presence that had come unannounced was the princes of the castle. The very ones that were shrouded in secrecy that even their own beloved kingdom seemed to have no idea who they truly were. Ani dared not to stray from her hiding place that kept her from possibly being beheaded for treason even though it would be a pure accident that she had gazed upon them without permission. "You do not know her as I do. She is vile, wicked, and not to mention a brat. I fear if Father has me marry her, our kingdom will surely fall."  The other had voiced his concern about this princess that would be arriving at their home today.

Ani gasped. No one had ever talked about a royal member this way, not even another royal family, or at least not ever that she had heard. The sound brought the boys to a halt. "Did you hear that?" one asks. The previous conversation fell to be discussed at a later time. Ani quickly but silently darted back to the servants' quarters.  When she had arrived all other servants were gone having gone to their duties. Quickly running to her room she grabbed her apron and dashed out to only be yanked back by her collar. "Aha! there you are, you little jinx!" Ani fell back smacking the back of her head on the cobblestone. "Hello, madam Farley. How do you fare this morning?" Ani asked ignoring the splitting headache that began to overtake her now sore head. "Do not play coy with me you foul wretch! I know you snuck out early this day. Praytell where you were!" Madam Farley scolded her. 

See Ani was brought in as a servant after her family was killed and she was left the only survivor. All the other servants thought her unlucky or the one who killed her own family. "I had awoken early to clean the steps for the royal princess' arrival." Ani tried explaining. "Lies knowing a piece of scum as yourself you were probably thieving, empty your pockets at once!" Madam Farley demanded while yanking the maiden up by her hair. The force her head had taken so far only made her wince more from the fierce tugging that her scalp was now receiving. "I promise madam I have not stolen a thing!" Ani pleaded while reaching up attempting to untangle her hair from the grasp of the elder. 

"YOU LIE! YOU ARE WORTHLESS NOT A PENNY TO YOUR PATHETIC NAME. I SAID TO EMPTY YOUR POCKETS!" With Madam Farley's yelling she threw Ani to the ground where her cheek now hit the edge of a stool. With tears in her eyes, Ani pulled out her pockets revealing not a thing in them. "See Madam nothing." Ani continued to look at the floor and her voice was quiet. With another swift tug, Ani was now looking at Madam Farley in her face. "LOOK AT ME WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TRASH!" Madam once again yelled. She threw Ani once more leaving the girl shaking on the floor. "Clean this mess up and get to your duties." Madam Farley began to walk away not caring that her heels had dug into Ani's hand. 

When her elder was out of sight Ani began to sob on the floor unsure of what part of her to hold. Her hand? Her head? Her cheek? All had considerable pain throbbing and would surely have bruising on them from the brutality the young girl had just endured. With tears still streaming down her face, the young girl began to tidy the room to be neat once more. She then stood her knees shaking and walked out to the laundry room to collect today's laundry she was charged with. As Ani grabbed the wicker basket pain shot through her hand reminding her that she was the lowest of lows. Ignoring the pain the girl lifted the basket to take it to the nearby spring she often visited. 

Halfway there Ani heard the idle chatter of the maids. "She is gorgeous yet the prince still refuses her." Without them saying a name she knew they were talking about the crowned visit from the neighboring kingdom who had come to visit. Ani was so lost in thought she hadn't remembered to pay mind to where she was going or who she was in the presence of. She bumped into someone falling on her back and scattering the laundry. There was a very audible gasp that followed from others. "Watch where you're going, Peasant!" Ani's eyes did not need to look up from the fixed position on the heels to know who she had just run into. "My apologies your highness, she is a clutz." Yet another voice she did not need to look up to, Madam Farley. Ani was instantly shoved into a bow. "Apologise to the princess!" 

Ani uttered her apologies for not watching where she was going and bumping into the princess followed by the question as to whether or not she had been hurt. Thankfully she had not and with that the princess began to continue her path to see the crowned princes'. "I will deal with you later. Now get out of my sight!" Ani once again had taken a hard blow to her frail body as Madam Farley used her heel to kick the maid to the side. Ani took no time rounding up the soiled laundry when she noticed another helping her. "I'm sorry for the princess. Travel makes her agitated." Ani looked into emerald eyes and did not recognize the young beautiful girl helping her. The girl then offered her hand to help Ani up which Ani accepted. "Im Rosebella Hawthornage. Serena is my princess, but please call me Rose."

Ani nodded silently then quietly replied. "Im Aniette Marie Stone but my family used to call me Ani. I must get back to work now." With that, she quickly made her departure to get back to work. 'What a strange girl' Rose thought to herself before continuing to follow her mistress. When Ani got to the spring she began to do her chore. After a few hours, Ani was startled by a noise and quickly stood and turned. "I apologize miss I did not know anyone was here." There stood a knight in training gear. His white hair sticking to his forehead from sweat that he obtained surely due to training. "I apologize I will leave immediately." Ani began to rush to collect the laundry before a hand reached and grabbed hers. She pulled her hand away immediately. "No please stay, it is I who will leave." Ani shook her head in silent protest. The boy approached her cautiously. "Please I insist. You were here first." His voice was soft unlike any that was ever used towards her before. Ani looked up at his face, and that was only when she noticed a red liquid coming from his eyebrow. 

"You're bleeding!" Ani without thinking reached for the boy. He smirked wiping his brow and looking at the ruby liquid on his hand. "It appears I am." He chuckled. "Please sit so I may tend to it," Ani said taking the boys' hand and leading him to a log. "I'm fine. Truly there is no need to worry." Though he protested the girl paid no mind pushing the boy gently by his shoulders to sit. With a sigh escaping him the boy realized it was of no use to argue with the girl. Ani pulled a clean rag from her apron and walked to the spring to dampen the rag before walking back over to him. "May I?" she asked for permission to touch him even though she had already done so. The boy nodded and looked at her as her fingertips delicately swept his hair to the side to expose his cut. 

Ani carefully placed the damp cloth on the cut cleaning the blood from the brow. While looking at her delicate face the boy noticed the marks on her face. When she pulled back after cleaning his wound he reached up to grab her arm. She stood still as a statue. When anyone grabbed her it was usually followed by her being injured. "I'm sorry." She apologized as though it may save her from the beating she was sure was coming. "For what?" the boy asks softly. His hand released her arm and reached up to her face. She closed her eyes tight waiting for the impact but instead, she felt his fingers brushing against her cheek. Slowly she opened her eyes to only see his eyes on her face. He had brushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. His hand then traced her cheek. Concern laced his face even though he knew nothing of the girl who stood before him. 

Ani pulled away remembering her position. He was confused by her actions but even more confused by the bruise on her cheek, the busted lip that adorned her blushed lips, and the bandage he only just now noticed on her hand. "Who-" He was cut off by the girl dashing off. He stood there stunned. For some odd reason, anger bubbled up in him. Anger that someone had caused these marks on this girl. His hands balled up in fists. Then he looked at the sky and sighed. "Who was that?" He quietly asked himself never seeing this girl before. His eyes closed as the image of this girl swirled in his mind bringing a small smirk to the corner of his lips. Peace was quickly yanked from him though as he heard a voice. "There you are, brother. Hurry dinner will be served shortly." With another sigh, the boys' expression hardened. "I will be there shortly." With a nod the intruder of peace left. The white-haired boy then looked down and noticed the young girl had dropped her handkerchief. He picked it up Admiring the dainty stitched name. "Ani. What a beautiful name." He quietly said to himself before departing to get washed up.