Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll (Fanfiction)

The Gardener (Part 1)

The intricate iron gates loomed in front of the short woman with long dirt brown hair. The flowery details intertwined with grapevines giving the entryway a realistic aura, but that didn't stop the girl from shaking as she opened the heavy gate. She walked through the garden before finding the wooden door described in the letter she received earlier that day. The newly risen sun reflected off the dew covered grass. She gently pulled the creaky door open, oblivious to the watchful blue eyes following her every move.

****

"This is the kitchen where you will eat most of your meals, but I would stay away from the mystery meatloaf on Thursdays. It has been known to give newcomers indigestion." The plump, curly white-haired woman said in a slight Irish accent. She pulled the woman through the basement, showing her the odds and ends of the castle where the girl would be working.

"I never caught your name young lady. Would you be so kind as to repeat it? Mine is Mrs. O'Neil, but you can just call me Ms. Dorris, I've never been one for formalities," The old woman turned around before going through another doorway.

"Katie. Katie Gardner." The young woman answered as Ms. Dorris turned back around leading both of them to the castle grounds.

"What a lovely name for a lovely face." The old woman said in an afterthought while taking Katie to a small wooden shed secluded by the castle's shadow. The hair on her neck began to stand on end, sending a disturbing chill through her spine. Ms. Dorris took out a small brass key opening the door. Katie stepped into the musty shed.

The stale air entered her nose and left through her mouth filtering out the dust. She wiped her finger along the unused selves, wiping the collected dirt on the front of her dress. She turned smiling at Ms. Dorris.

"Thank you." She planned on giving the old woman a million praise because nothing could ever measure up to the kindness she had given Katie. But the simple phrase was enough, for Katie's gratitude showed through every movement. The white-haired woman gently smiled as she watched Katie look around the abandoned gardening shed.

****

The prince shoved the thick, heavy blankets off, trying to rid himself of the object interfering with his sleep. He slipped into a light over shirt, before putting on his robe and walking out to the balcony. He felt the chill of the autumn air cool his feverish skin.

Closing his eyes he embraced the pleasant silence that enveloped him, but the pleasant lack of noise was interrupted by the shuffling of feet against the cobblestone walkway. He hesitated to open his eyes, hoping that the noise would disappear, giving him the silence back. The noise didn't go away, and eventually, he had no choice but to see what was causing the disturbance.

The woman moved down the path, heading for the iron gates leading to the servant entrance and the castle gardens, not that there was much of a garden anymore. Perhaps she was a new maid coming for one of the outer villages, forced to arrive at night just to be on time for her first day.

Though she didn't look like a maid, or like most females for that matter. Most women, aristocrats or villagers, were always short and full bodied, but not the woman walking down the path. She was tall and thin, though I don't think the thin came from her parents. But that didn't take away from the subtly of her looks. She had high cheekbones and sunken eyes. Her hair was dark brown and wavy, but dull and lifeless, not reflecting the moonlight. She could have been something