My name is Emilie. Just Emilie. I don't know that I've ever been called anything else. I've been a serving maid in the royal castle of Frell for…forever. It's my destiny; and as much as I like to look at King Charmont's wife, Eleanor, as a beacon of hope for how one really can change his/her destiny, I know mine just…can't change.

As far as I've ever been told, I was born to a slave trader and his slave, when travelling from Kyrria to Ayortha. They had stopped at an inn for the night when my mother gave birth in the early hours of the morning. I've no idea whether or not either one truly wanted me, for King Jerrold's knights had been alerted to the slavers' presence, probably by the innkeeper.

King Jerrold and Queen Daria, kind-hearted folks they were (and still are, for they are not dead!) chose to take me in, but as (not!)Princess Eleanor was very heavily pregnant, I was given to the nurse's daughter, a kitchen scullion. She was unable to bear children of her own and considered me to be a great blessing.

Initially, Prince Charmont and Eleanor wished me to be a playmate for their unborn child, but when it turned out they were having twins – two boys, born just twelve hours after I was, in fact!—it was figured impossible. Two years later, they had a baby girl, but I was already a bit too old to be her playmate, and she had three older brothers, anyway.

The first born of King Charmont and Eleanor was Jerrold II, the crown prince. He's three years older than me. Then there are the twins, Stephan and Percival-they're both devils, and like to make my days miserable whenever they're around. And finally, there was little Princess Cecilia. She's quite prim and proper, which is just strange, considering who her mother is.

My mother, the kitchen scullion, fell ill when I turned thirteen, four years ago. I've never had a father figure, as I've just sort of been raised by all of the kitchen staff. Eleanor is a very nice woman, and she's regularly in the kitchen with the servants; but that doesn't make her exceedingly approachable. She's a very busy woman-even so, I consider her as much family as Mother.

Mother never fully recovered from her illness, and at fourteen, I had to take over for her in the kitchen. Eleanor tried to keep me from having to live that kind of life, but I had been trained for it since I was born. It's okay, working in the kitchens. I don't hate it overly much, and when we're preparing a meal, I don't get bothered by the twins. That's been my life for the last three years.

I get up at 4 in the morning, as soon as the lights hit my window panes, give my mother her morning medicine, made from a strong, pain-relieving root. Then, I go to the kitchens, where I help Mandy prepare breakfast. When the king and Eleanor are in the castle, the breakfasts are always large. When it's just the children, we just make pancakes and bacon for breakfast. I far prefer those times. Cecilia is much less likely to complain about the taste of her food, when there's not a large variety in front of her.

At 6 in the morning, breakfast is served, and I leave to eat my small meal. Then I change into more presentable clothes, while the other scullions clean up after the princes and princess. For some reason, Eleanor has always favored me a little bit, so she has decreed that I attend lessons with her children. Of course, their tutors yell at me if I do not dress appropriately.

So from 7 until 11, I am in lessons, which I leave an hour early to prepare lunch for the royal family. When lunch is finished, I have the next four hours to myself. Usually I practice riding or fencing, though sometimes I write in my journal or read. Generally, I just try to avoid Stephan and Percival. They are very, very mischievous twins-particularly for their age. They're going to be expected to marry soon, yet they both still act like they're ten!

At 4, I once again give medicine to my mother, then head to the kitchens to prepare dinner. When the royals have food on the table, I eat my second meal of the day. Then, I go back to my mother's room and spend time with her.

My life is exceedingly boring, I can't lie. And I just...I just wish that there was something more for me. I wish I wasn't destined to cook food for royals for the rest of my life. I know if I told Eleanor, she'd gladly let me leave and would help me find a better job somewhere, but...I can't leave Mother. She may not be my birth mother, but she raised me, and I can't just leave her here, alone. Especially not when she can hardly take care of herself.

I need a fairy's gift. That's the only thing that can save me from my dreadfully dull life.