Cassie ran through the house as fast as her chubby little legs would carry her. Mummy was home! Cassie loved her mummy so much, even though she was often away. She had important work to do, work that would make life better for her little princess. Cassie loved it when Mummy called her that.
And now Mummy was home once again. She looked so beautiful with her curly, long, black hair. Mummy picked her up and tossed her in the air, making Cassie squeal with delight. When Mummy was happy, everything was right in the world, and today she was extra happy.
As Cassie snuggled close to her mummy, she listened as Mummy told her things. She didn't understand most of the words, but then Mummy said "real princess," and Cassie knew it was about herself.
Mummy dressed Cassie in her prettiest dress and fixed her hair in pretty bows. Then Aunt Sissy came in, and the grownups argued. Cassie didn't like that, so she went to play with Baby Day-doe. Then Mummy scooped her up, and said, "Now it's time to meet your king, my princess." They went into the parlor to greet Mummy's friend. But this man was scary-his eyes were red, and his nose was flat. Cassie didn't like him. She buried her face in Mummy's shoulder. The man pulled her face toward him and stared at her intently. "She'll do," he finally proclaimed.
Then Mummy pulled out her wand and said a lot of words Cassie didn't understand. That night, Cassie dreamed about the scary man and woke up crying, but no one ever came to comfort her. No one could hear her, no matter how much she screamed. In fact, no one heard her again for many years.