Once Upon a Faerie Tale

Chapter Three

Nearly three weeks later, four men came to Marbie's home early in the evening. They knocked on the door of the modest looking cottage, an official looking letter in their hands. she came out completely unaware and smiled at the gentlemen. "Yes?" She asked sweetly.

"Marbie Crere?" The tallest gentleman asked looking official in his white wig.

"Yes, that's me." SHe raised her silver brows at the men. "How may I help you?"

In response, the tall man with the wig held out the envelope. Marbie took it cautiously and read it. THe look of horror on her face caused one to wonder what was on the paper.

"No!" She cried after she was finished reading it. "I can pay off my debts by other means!" Marbi ran into her bed chamber and pulled out the money she'd been saving and squirrelling away.

"I'm sorry." The tall man said when Marbie held the money out to him. "You had plenty of time to pay off your debts with money, now you must pay it with your assests. Now where can we find the girl."

Marbie struggled with some way to get the man to leave her slave alone and take the money, but nothing came to her. "She's probablyon the cliff." She said finally, defeated. "That way." SHe pointed toward the back of the cottage.

Cleo was enjoying the beginnings of the beautiful sunset. THe castle was as picturesque as ever before. If she had any talent of drawing, she would have drawn this scene as she looked out at the beautiful valley below.

"I don't believe I've ever seen the castle from this view before." A familiar voice said from behind her.

Whirling around to see the man who had come into the shop three weeks ago, Cleo quickly remembered her manners and looked at the ground. "I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Cleo said quietly, almost reverently.

"Well, now you don't have to look at it from afar." The man said kindly. Cleo was confused at how to respond to him because he was so kind. Having never been treated better than a dog, Cleowas not used to the behavior. "Your owner, or shall I say, previous owner, has debt. You will be the payment for such debt." At this Cleo looked directly at the man.

"What?" The reality of the situation hadn't set in yet and Cleo was still confused as to what the King's man was saying.

"You now belong to the king. You will work in the palace doing what you are told, but at least it will be better than this." The King's man gestrued to encompass the only home she remembered. But just the idea of leaving, even if she wouldn't be free was wonderful.

"The palace?" Was all she could manage to say.

The King's man nodded. "Pack your things, we're leaving for the palace in thirty minutes."

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Iseret Hollisburg disliked the idea of slaves. The thought of one human owning another was cruel. Owning an animal was one thing, but an intelligent person was not right. Everytime she thought of all the slaes in the kingdom, even in the Castle, she shuddered.

Everyone of the women who attended her were slaves. None of them had ever experienced a life out of captivity, to them the idea was unthinkable. No slave was ever freed. It was just a fact of life. Iseret wanted to change that. Slaves did not deserve to be sold and owned like horses or animals of any sort. If she could do anything about it, she would.

A knock on her door pulled her from her musings. Letting out a sign of agitation Iseret went to opent he door. Her father stood there, looking large and formidable. "I have arranged for a new lady's maid for you." He said in his booming voice. "AFter the disgrace you last one was..."His voice trailed off and his face flushed just at the thought of the incident.