In a kingdom far away there lived a princess called Chloe who was very beautiful. She wore the most expensive slippers, the most stunning jewels, and the finest garments and gowns. Men came from kingdom to kingdom seeking her hand in marriage and truth to tell they were amazed by just how beautiful she was. However under neath her lovely appearance was the meanest, nastiest, and brattiest princess in the entire kingdom. She screamed at the peasants and her servants, threw stuff at them, even went as far as to strike them sometimes. When suitors came to court her she only agreed to marry them if they did dangerous and awful tasks, she claimed that it was the only way they could prove their love for her but i believe she did it purely out of cruel amusement. But out of all the people she was cruel to, the one who suffered more was her lady in waiting Marinette.

Her parents died when she was very young and the castle took her in but only if she would serve as the princess's servant. She was poor, dirty, and battered from all the hard chores and the beatings she was given if she did not do her work right. She wore only rags and her hair was constantly a mess but despite it all she was the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful servant in the entire kingdom. She would speak kindly and respectfully to anyone she met and she always offered to help them if it was needed. Many wondered how she could put up with serving such a wicked girl. The answer to that was simple, she was able to put up with it by remaining kind and good and sometimes when things were really hard she would imagine herself as a princess living in a castle with a kind and handsome prince.

One day the princess and her servant had gone into the forest for a morning walk. They were on their way to a pond which unknown to either of them was home to a frog. But he was no ordinary frog, he was a very smart and clever frog who could speak and he had his very own servant. Faithful Nino. a devoted young squire who had cursed iron chains strapped on to him that could never be undone. Now you're probably wondering why on earth would a frog need a servant? Well you'll find out soon enough.

"Excuse me sir." Nino called to the pond. "It's me Nino, please come up I need to talk to you."

A little frog as green as emeralds swam up to the surface of the pond and took a deep breath.

"Swimming can be so difficult." The frog said. "What is it Nino?"

"Remember that princess I told you about? Well she's coming this way."

"She is?"

"Yes, see for yourself."

He picked up the frog and held him up so he could get a better view. The first person arriving at the pond was a young girl wearing an old blue work dress, a tattered white shawl, and a pair of dirty shoes carrying a basket. She was humming, picking wild flowers which she used to fill her basket, and was feeding seeds to a few birds.

"She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Oh Nino she's far too beautiful, a creature as ugly as me is not even worthy of looking at her let alone speak to her."

"Uh sir that's not the princess, she's a servant."

"Oh? Is she?"

"Do not see her humble clothes."

"I was only paying attention to her face but now that I see her clothes I realize that she is just as a servant, so where is the princess?"

"Over there."

"Oh I hope she's as beautiful as that servant girl."

He pointed over to the young girl wearing a silk dress of spun gold, diamond jewelry decorated her entire body, and on her feet were a pair of satin shoes. In her hand was a golden ball that she kept tossing up and down while laughing.

"What do you think? She's beautiful huh?" Nino said.

"Oh yes she is." The frog agreed.

"Now you must approach her."

"Well perhaps."

"Perhaps you say? Is that hesitation I hear in your voice?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Why do you hesitate?"

"Because...Well...What if she doesn't like me?"

"You'll have to take that risk."

"But Nino I'm an ugly creature, she's a beautiful princess, what if I were to scare her? Nino it would break my heart if she were to treat me like I was an ugly animal."

"I'm afraid being faint of heart is out of the question sir you must be brave and bold otherwise well...You know."

"I know alright I'll go over and say hello."

He hopped out of Nino's hand and over to the two young ladies while Nino hid in a nearby tree.

"Your majesty please be careful with that ball." The servant called Marinette warned. "It is your father's most treasured possession and if you were to lose it if would be very upset."

"Shut your mouth servant!" She scolded. "No one said you could speak! And what is that you are doing?!"

"I was picking flowers, my room is so dark and dreary, I thought these yellow and white daffodils would make my room more pretty."

"What a stupid idea!"

She slapped the basket out of her hand, spilling all her flowers into the pond.

"Now go back and get my horse! I am bored with this place!"

"Yes ma'am."

She picked up her discarded basket and went to fetch Chloe's horse. Chloe continued tossing her ball up and down while the frog tried to figure out how to approach her. But before he could do anything she dropped her ball. It rolled down and fell into the pond.

"Oh no!" she cried. "Father will be so angry when he finds out I dropped his ball in the pond. I know I'll blame it all on Marinette."

"Good day your highness." The frog said politely while bowing.

"Who said that?!" She gasped.

"I did."

"Show yourself!" She demanded.

"Down here." She looked down at the little green frog.

"Ekk! A dreadful frog! How ugly! How disgusting!"

"I beg your pardon ma'am." He said. "But you're being awfully rude."

"You talk?"

"Yes I do and I suggest you apologize."

"Me? A royal princess apologize to a nasty little frog? How dare you!"

The frog was very angry, he wasn't used to people being so rude and insulting to him but then he remembered he was an ugly creature so of course he would receive this kind of treatment. He quickly forgot his rage and chose to change his manner.

"Forgive my outburst your majesty. I forgot my place." He said. "I couldn't help but hear you speak of your little problem."

"You were eves dropping! How dare you!"

"Again I apologize and I feel sorry for you."

"I don't want your pity!" She snapped.

"Well you should know that I can get your ball back."

"Really?" She said. "Is that so?"

"Of course we frogs are excellent swimmers you know."

"And you'd just be willing to go and get my ball."

"Yes...On one small condition."

"Condition? What are we talking here?"

"Nothing much, I'll I ask is that you allow me to stay in the castle just for a few days give or take."

"Stay in the castle?"

"Yes and while I'm there, if it's not too much I would like to eat at the royal table and sleep on a silk pillow."

"It's more than too much! It's ridiculous! Unheard of!"

"Very well then. I'll just be on my way."

He began to hop away.

"Stop!" She cried. "I order you to stop!"

But he just kept hopping away.

"Alright! I'll do it!"

"You will?" He said.

"Yes. If you get my ball back I'll let you stay in the castle."

"And eat at the royal table and sleep on a silk pillow."

"Of course."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay."

He then hopped into the pond and began to swim downward. Shortly after Marinette returned with her horse.

"Time to leave your highness." She said.

"In a moment! I'm waiting for something!"

"What?"

"I just promised some fool that I would let him stay in the palace, eat at the royal table, and sleep on a silk pillow if he got my golden ball back."

"That is awfully generous of you."

"Idiot! I'm not going to do that!"

"So you lied to him?"

"Of course I lied!"

"But your highness a real princess would never lie or make a promise she had no intention of keeping."

"Be quiet! Like you know what a real princess does! Now go get my handkerchief so I may clean my ball!"

"Yes ma'am."

She opened the satchel hanging on her horse to get the handkerchief only to find it gone. She realized that it must've been dropped so she went to look for it. Before long the frog returned with golden ball.

"Here you go." he said. "Now about the castle-"

In a flash Chloe snatched the ball from the frog and climbed on to her horse.

"Thanks sucker!"

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Like I would ever bring you to the palace! You're not only ugly but you're stupid too!"

"But you promised."

"Well I lied! Now go away!"

She then tossed the frog into the pond.

"Here is your handkerchief Chloe, it fell out of your bag." Marinette said returning. She handed the handkerchief to her.

"You got it dirty you filthy wretch!"

She slapped Marinette then struck her horse with a stick, riding off toward the castle. Marinette put her hand to her cheek where she had been roughly struck. She slumped down by a tree and began to cry a little. Sometimes she found it so hard to keep a happy smile especially when someone was cruel enough to strike her and it was even harder for her to hold back her tears which didn't go unnoticed by the frog.

"Why are you crying?" He asked.

She gasped at the sound of the voice and quickly dried her tears.

"Who's there?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you I just can't stand it when people cry."

"Where are you?"

"I'm down here."

She looked around for a person but all she saw was the frog.

"Well hello there." She said. "You sure are the smallest frog I've ever seen."

"Really? I thought I was bigger."

"Mercy! You can speak!" She gasped.

"Indeed I can but please don't be afraid I may be a frog but I am also a gentleman." He bowed gracefully at her to prove his point then reached for her hand. "If you'll permit me Miss?"

"Yes of course."

He took her pointer finger in his tiny hand and kissed the back of it. Marinette found it quite strange for a frog to act like this but she guessed anything was possible now a days.

"Tell me sweet lady why were you crying?"

"Oh it's nothing my mistress was just very angry with me."

"Well I'm angry with her." He said. "That brat made me a promise if I did something for her but she lied to me. Makes me wonder how such a fair princess could be so horrid."

"I don't think she meant any real harm but as a princess she must always keep her word. It is a rule even her father wouldn't stand to see broken. I'm sure if you told him he would make sure that she kept her word."

"What's the point? She's gone now and it'll take me days to get the castle by hopping."

"Then I shall carry you there."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Sure you can ride in my basket."

She picked him up and placed him in her basket.

"I hope you're comfortable." She said.

"Dear, sweet lady." The frog said. "I promise you with all my heart your good deed won't go unrewarded."

She only giggled and made her way to the castle with Nino following in secret. Marinette had absolutely no idea how much getting that little frog to the castle meant to him or how much getting the princess to like him meant but she would find out eventually.