A Mouse's Tale

Chapter 3

The Grand Ball Room was a spectacle to behold. Lights shimmered around the room, making the room shine. The music stopped as Mouse stepped into the room with Arya and she felt every set of eyes fall on them. Arya was a spectacle herself in her beautiful deep green dress and her long dark hair tied back in a braid. She looked like a Fairy Princess, beautiful and stunning. Mouse heard the gasps of many men as they beheld her beauty.

"I would like to thank you all for coming tonight," Arya put on a smile for her guests. "I will try my best to meet and speak with each of you tonight, but until then, feel free to dance and socialize and take advantage of the delicious buffet." With that, the music resumed and Arya was instantly engulfed by hundreds of men. Mouse struggled to stay by her side as the men desperately tried to catch Arya's eye. Finally giving up, Mouse excused herself from Arya's presence and went to stand on the far side of the room. Within seconds, Lord Penton stood beside her.

"It's good to see that you can follow orders," he hissed in her ear. "Now here's my next one. Resign."

"And why would I ever do that?" she snapped at him. "This is all I've ever known. This is my life!"

"Exactly," Lord Penton smiled disdainfully. "A little street urchin like you shouldn't be the one caring for the Queen. You should be out there, who knows maybe running a bakery or being a seamstress or even off exploring the Kingdom. You don't belong here."

"Arya's safety is the only thing that matters to me," Mouse replied sharply as she stared at Arya who was talking to a man with short dark hair. "Don't try to tell me that I don't belong here, because I do. I belong at Arya's side, no matter what you or anyone else may think. I was meant to be here."

"The only reason that you're still here is because the Queen took pity on your sorry life and because no one else wanted you," Lord Penton smirked. Anger flared through Mouse.

"That's not true!" she said through clenched teeth as she tried to hold in her anger.

"Oh it's true," Lord Penton grinned, happy to have upset her. "Why do you think that no one came forward to reclaim you? Because you weren't wanted. Your parents didn't want you, no family wanted you, no one wanted you. Face it, pest. You are unwanted!" Mouse could not help the tears that sprung to her eyes. Lord Penton's harsh words had aroused her oldest fears and pain. Not wanting him to have the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she stormed away from him, quickly ducking out the balcony doors. Unfortunately, there were other people outside as well, and Mouse did not want to be caught crying in front of them either, even though they were on the far side of the balcony. Seeing no other choice, Mouse strode over to the opposite side of the balcony and threw her legs over the railings. She grabbed ahold of the vines that trailed down the Palace walls and slowly eased herself down to the ground. As soon as she reached the bottom, she let the tears flow as she dashed off into the Royal Gardens, wanting nothing more than to be alone.

She walked through the Gardens, tears streaming down her cheeks as she thought about Penton's words. She knew that he was just trying to upset her, but for once his words actually had hit home. If her parents had wanted her, why didn't they reclaim her? Even if they were dead, surely someone must have cared for her, so why hadn't they stepped forward?

Maybe I really am unwanted

, she thought sadly to herself as she turned another bend. Looking up, she was startled to see someone else sitting on a bench a little ways down the path, their head buried in their hands. Their body was slightly shaking, a movement that Mouse recognized as crying. She was about to turn around to leave them in peace when they suddenly looked up. Mouse was startled to find herself looking into the blue-green eyes of the blonde haired man that she had seen earlier that day. His beautiful eyes were red from crying and though his lips were in a frown and his nose was slightly running, Mouse still thought that he was the most handsome man that she had ever seen.