6

    Lorietta walked up the stairs towards the prince’s room where she was to tidy up the place. She thought back to the encounter she had a week ago upon her arrival that she had had with the prince. They had walked together peacefully through the lovely gardens till they had arrived at her new home. He said he wanted to see her again soon. Lorietta thought she was dreaming when she recalled that part, she often thought she heard it because that’s what she wanted to hear.
    Well now she would find out.
    She walked a little ways then was at the tall oak door. She knocked but got no answer so she walked in. No one seemed to be around so she started to make the bed and tidy up around the room. She walked into the closet to hang up the Prince’s newly washed clothes and found the Prince dressing when she walked in.
    Out of instinct she covered her eyes and left the room although there was nothing to see except his bare chest.
“I am terribly sorry Sire I should have knocked.” She said.
    Prince Isaac walked out of the closet, now with a shirt on. “Its quiet alright” he said. Looking at the girl who still had her hands over her eyes.
    Isaac walked over to Lorietta and took her hands off her eyes, held them for a minute, then let go.
“It’s ok to look now.” Isaac said with a smile.
    Lorietta blushed at his sudden touch, and from the embarrassment she felt. She didn’t know quite what to do in that moment so she bowed, but while doing that she tripped over her long new slaves robes and fell flat on her face to the ground.
    Prince Isaac rushed to help her up, but Lorietta got up quickly on her own. Face full of embarrassment.
    Isaac laughed at her awkwardness, and Lorietta joined him. Before she knew it Lorietta and Isaac lay side by side on the ground laughing hysterically, over anything and everything.
    After about ten minutes they finely stopped laughing and Lorietta realized what she was doing. She got up quickly and grabbed her cleaning rag. “I am truly sorry Sire but I must go” she said awkwardly.  
    Prince Isaac got up and kissed her hand again lightly as he did the day they first met. “It’s Isaac not Sire, please” He added please to make her know it was not an order.
    “Prince Isaac then, I must go I’m truly sorry” she rushed out the door.
    Isaac went and sat over on his bed. I can’t remember when I have ever had that much fun with anyone! Isaac thought to himself, it felt nice to get a laugh in once and a while. It made Isaac forget all the tragedy in his life.  


    “Need help with that?” A soft voice asked from behind Lorietta. She turned around to see a tall skinny girl with long pointy ears and pail skin. She wore the simple brown robes of a slave and a silver medallion with an elfin symbol on it, her long red hair resting on her shoulders.
“Oh, no I’ve got it, thank you for asking though” Lorietta said picking up the heavy box of freshly cut wood she had just gathered from one of the other slaves. The sound of birds chirping in a nearby tree filled the ears of the two girls as they stood in the wet pasture just outside the castle walls.  
    The girl smiled. “We slaves have to stick together in the harsh work conditions” she said warmly. “My name is Alaria; I’m an elf from Myliyo.”
    Lorietta looked confused. “What are you doing so far way from elf country?” She asked.
    Alaria bowed her head in sadness then regained her warm calmness.
“I was taken from my home along with quite a few other elves to stop the population problem.” She answered.
     “Oh, I’m so sorry!” Lorietta said in the awkward silence that followed the sad tail.
“Oh it’s fine, There is worse that could have happened to me.”
“How did you end up here?” Alaria asked changing the subject.
     Lorietta looked down for a second trying to figure out what to say without remembering the past. In all her thought she accidentally let go of the box in her hand and the wood inside scattered all over the wet grassy ground. She dropped to her knees to pick up the wood and put it back in the box, but Alaria had already got it covered.
    Alaria raised her hand and levitated the wood back into the box and into her hands before Lorietta could even get up. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I promise I won’t read your mind for an answer.” Alaria laughed.
    Lorietta got up painfully; she still hadn’t healed much from her previous job. “Thank you, for everything!”
    “Your welcome! I’ll take this for you if you want” Alaria gestured at the box in her hands.
    “Oh that’s ok I’ll take it” Lorietta took the box and moved it around till she got a firm grasp on it.
    “You sure?” Alaria asked “It looks like you could take a good long rest!”
    “Yeah, I’m sure, thanks anyway!”
    “Well, see you later then!” Alaria said, then left heading towards the castle backdoor.

~Kim Weir :)