Molly was aware of the dull ache in her back. She knew it was from spending too much time on her hands and knees scrubbing the main hall of her father's manner, after she had cleaned out every fire place in the house and had burns on her hands and ash all over her.
Her father was away , again. He had to go away so often due to the debts Molly's stepmother had acquired . He had offered to sell the manner and move somewhere smaller and cheaper. But Molly's stepmother refused, she loved the status the house brought her.
Molly couldn't really remember her real mother, as she had died when Molly was very young. Everyone who had known her mother said she looked just like her with her big brown eyes and brown hair. This was also the reason her stepmother despised her so, because her father favoured her over her step sisters and their mother. Her father wasn't a bad man , well she didn't think so until he married her stepmother. But then she couldn't blame him, he hardly knew her and was lonely.
While her father was away, as well as when he was at home Molly had become nothing more than a mere servant.
"MOLLY!" Her stepmother screeched.
Molly raced as fast as she could up the stairs, but wanting to anger her stepmother. Molly knocked on the door and went in.
Her stepmother didn't acknowledge her, she just said "Go into the woods and see what you can find that's edible. And pick up don't flowers on your way back, for the dining room. Well go!".
Molly ran down the stairs, she was glad if this job as it meant she wasn't stuck wIth her family.
She ran into the kitchen and took off her dirty apron and picked up a basket, and merrily made her way to the woods.
Molly loved the woods, the way everything looked so beautiful and worked as one. It was a nice king of quiet, not an eerie silence and not like the town or her house, just peaceful bird song.
Molly made her way through the woods, she knew what was safe and what wasn't, she learned that as a child with her father and his books. Molly made her way to a very special place, the tree that her mother had planned just before she died. She daft at this tree often but never cried, well it's hard to miss someone you don't know.
After a few minutes of just listening Molly decided to move on, she saw some berries and put them in her basket, when she heard a noise.
She turned round to see a rather slim , tall man with black curly hair staying at her.
Her then went to grab some berries when Molly said " You know those berries are safe to eat, they can make you terribly ill" .He didn't say a word, which put Molly on edge.
He moved away from the bush and continued to stare at her , as if she was a puzzle.
"What's your name?" Was all he said.
"Molly,sir"
He simply smiled and said, " I would have said you were the ash princess, good day". He left.
Molly was confused. She didn't know if he had complemented her out insulted her. Molly decided to head home and not think of it.