The woman's ocean eyes pleaded with the young king "Seven children... and another on the way. She can't raise them in that... prison!" He looked at her with a sigh.
"But are you sure she is not going to try anything?" Her prim and proper demeanor broke.
"She did nothing; Tom did nothing; those kids did nothing!" The young man nodded.
"I will speak to my counsel, Your Highness" The woman nodded and left.
He was very much aware of the living conditions those people were in, not that he agreed with them, but he had to be careful. The young monarch pondered the conversation. Seven children, a failing "business", dangerous living conditions… barely enough to scrape by. It would be difficult and not without backlash, but as his new bride has taught him… the past is the past.
*Meanwhile*
"Yoohoo! Earth to Annie" the child's voice said. The ginger woman startled a bit, a hand on her swollen middle.
"Oh, I didn't see you there, forgive me." The pre-teen looked at her Aunt who was currently preoccupied with the dishes
"Imagining again?" Anastasia sighed. The girl looked at her wistfully, wise beyond her years. "It might help if you talk about it." Anastasia looked up from the pot she was scrubbing
"It's just a silly little daydream of mine. I've had it for the longest time. Oh, never mind, I shouldn't be boring a twelve-year-old with my stupid fantasies." The girl looked at her aunt eagerly.
"No, I want to hear!"
Anastasia sighed. "Oh, alright. It's a little house, with a white picket fence. Nothing too fancy like in Auradon, just a place to give the kids the life they deserve." The girl nodded.
"Anything else?" The Auburn-haired woman smiled at the girl's curiosity.
"A little shop like Tom has always dreamed of...with a big picture window that isn't covered in grime. Every little display is neat and pretty, and there's no need for padlocks on them."
Dizzy closed her eyes and saw it too. It was a little store tucked in at the end of a cozy little cobblestone lined street instead of the crumbling building in the middle of the dirt road. It wasn't dirty and covered in graffiti. Indeed, there was a picture window displaying cakes and sweets. She could almost smell the gingerbread in the winter.
The girl was snapped back to reality by voices shouting "Mama, Tommy took my dolly!" "I did not! You left it in the middle of the floor, Da coulda' slipped on it ya' know!" Anastasia rolled her eyes, noticing the time.
"You better be going, it's near dark. If you're late again, your mom and grandmother will have a cow." The child jumped.
"Oh shoot!" She sprang off the stool and ran. "I'll see you tomorrow!"