A loud noise awoke me early in the morning. I gazed around the room and I found the source of the noise. A cool breeze had blown a rickety old table over. I shivered against the wind. It being very early in the day I decided to lie in bed for a while more. My thoughts drifted to the princess. I had been ignoring this fact for quite some time; I hate her. I loathe her more than anything I have ever disliked before. She was disgusting in her revoltingly sweet way. It infuriated me how her father, the king, gave her everything she ever wanted. Everything that belonged to us was in her jewel-lined pocket. The kingdom had nothing while she had more than anyone could ever dream of. And I dreamed of it.
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I set out into town to run some errands for Her Royal Highness. Buy silk for a dozen more elegant dresses and the finest tea money could buy. As I walked into the bustling streets, I realized how poor of a condition our city really was in. So many helpless families were begging for food. Many homeless adults and children alike were huddled together to keep warm from the crisp air. Our population had depleted, many had not survived the winter with no shelter or clothes on their backs to keep from freezing to death. Even if your family had a home, you could still starve with so little food available. I realized how superb my life was compared to all these people. I also realized how unfair and cruel the royal family truly was. Taking away everything from these poor people and giving it to themselves. The king was greedy, and oblivious. His job was to protect these people, not to be the one they need to be protected from. Soldiers at every corner were lashing a poor soul for stealing provisions to stay alive. I could not stay here any longer. I had to leave and return to the illusion of comfort in the palace. I could tell the princess they had run out. Anything to escape this city of suffering.
I spun around in my tracks, the empty basket that awaited goods still swinging on my arm. I took in a smoke-filled breath, and darted down the dirt road as fast as I could, narrowly avoiding a collision with a carriage that was veering madly from side to side. The broken down shacks masquerading as houses and storefronts with knocked down signs and peeling paint whipped past me as I rushed away. Soon the huge castle of grimy white stones grew in the distance, picturesque in comparison to its ruined city.
The stone palace grew, so I could clearly see the cracks that ran through it and the ivy that crawled the walls of the many towers. The towers. I looked over to the princess’s wing; it was up several stories with two towers protruding from it, one larger than the other. I had lived in the servants quarters of the princess’s wing all my life, or at least all the life that I remember, and I had only ever seen one staircase leading up to a tower. In fact, the smaller tower of the two seemed positioned almost directly above the princess’s room. I pushed through the never-locked Iron Gate that surrounded the castle and over the lowered drawbridge, emerging into the entrance hall, turning so quickly to the hallway that led towards Faun’s room that I almost knocked over a suit of armor adorning a corner. But if I were to attempt to open the doorway for access I would need a tool. I doubt the princess kept a spare knife on her vanity. I turned around and headed for the kitchen. While Gretchen, the castle chef, was scolding an assistant for burning the pheasant intended for this evening’s feast, I slipped in and snatched the paring knife resting on a nearby table. Then I retraced my steps to the princess’ corridor.
I pushed open her door and swung hastily on the doorframe into the room, it slipping my mind for a moment that there might actually be someone in the room. I backtracked immediately, and peered in slightly to catch a glimpse of a possible occupant of the room. Looking in, I was relieved to find it empty, for if there had been someone in the room they certainly would’ve seen me. Now that I was sure I was unaccompanied, I scampered across the room towards the elegantly carved dresser, glancing at the pale pink gown laid out on the bed, but the glance turned to a pause, and I stopped to gaze at it. The gown was covered with gold embroidered lilies, the neckline and sleeves made completely of delicate lace, and looking closer the lace was embellished with tiny pearls and diamonds. No wonder the rest of us were so penniless.
But I was not here to stare at what I can’t have. I moved the dresser aside and ran my hands along the seam, I hadn’t imagined it. Without realizing I still had the paring knife in my hand, I clenched my fist tightly. A searing pain raced through my fingers where the knife had sliced them. A thin trail of ruby red blood ran along my forefinger. I gently slipped the knife between the door’s outline and the wall. Then I sliced open the wall paper and attempted to pry open the door. It was stuck. After some effort I wrenched the door open.
When I peered into the doorway I noticed cobwebs draped across the walls. I saw a rat scurry away at the sight of light flooding in from the Faun’s bedroom. Darkness constricted my view, I couldn’t see any further away from me than a foot. I lifted a candle from the dresser and proceeded into the shadows. I immediately rammed into a stone staircase. As I ascended the stairs I observed a spider crawling along slowly on the wall next to me. Eventually I came to a wooden hatch; this must lead to the tower. I unlatched the door and opened it to a blinding shaft of sunlight striking me in the eyes. As I adjusted to the bright light I realized I was staring off the tower out into open air. I slammed open the trapdoor and emerged from the darkness. A twinkling object floating in the air caught my attention. As I looked more closely at the object I saw it was a pixie.
The pixie had delicate hummingbird wings sprouting from her back and a bright blue, humanlike body with twigs for limbs. I recognized a small dress made of dead leaves and petals. She beckoned for me and I followed, caught in a trance. Suddenly the floor dropped out from beneath me and I fell. I grabbed hold of the ivy that crept up the white stones. After hanging suspended in the air for an enchanted moment, the ivy tore off and I plummeted down to the balcony two stories below.
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I opened my eyes and the sun had disappeared. I was still lying on the cold, hard stone of the balcony. I couldn’t remember why I was here or why my leg felt like it had been stabbed multiple times. It was a worse pain than I had ever felt before. After some time of lying there, writhing in agony I tried to stand up. As soon as I planted my foot on the ground it crumpled beneath me and I was again on the floor. I grappled for anything to support me and I found a chair I hadn’t realized was there. Putting all of my weight on the chair I stood up, the pain grew but I managed to stay standing for half a minute before collapsing on the ground yet again. I had missed much of the day and I had to get back before anyone realized I was missing. Not that anyone cared, they might not notice if I never came back. After lying on the ground for what felt like years I had regained enough strength to stand again. Using the chair I stood. The pain was almost unbearable but I worked through it. I apprehended that I wouldn’t be able to haul this chair around so once I had entered the room that led to the balcony I searched for a more suitable cane. The room was just an empty bed chamber so I had time to look. Eventually I found a broom in the closet that worked.
Taking the broom I hobbled out on one foot towards the maids’ quarters at an excruciatingly slow pace, and once arriving I had not the strength to climb to my bed on the higher bunk. None of the other maids had retreated to bed yet, so I reluctantly took Anna’s bed below mine, hoping she wouldn’t mind and would just take mine for tonight. I took the pillow from behind my head, wincing as I propped my leg up on it, then laid my head down on the mattress, which was sadly just as uncomfortable as mine, and blacked out for a night of fitful dreaming.
