Prologue

Good Doll

I was a good doll. I played my part well, letting the man in black brush my hair, dress me, and do whatever else he pleased.

I knew better than to defy him.

I'd been here for... my whole life. In my pretty room, in the pretty palace, where my pretty self was prevented from going outside in case I got hurt and marred my pale skin.

I was not allowed mirrors in my pretty dark palace, only the man in black ever gets to look upon my face.

I was only allowed to walk when the blind maids weren't around to carry me places, in order to keep my legs from becoming strong.

Everything I held had to be five pounds or lighter so now manly muscles would disfigure my twig like arms.

These were the main rules in the dark palace. If you couldn't follow these, then you were thrown away, like all broken toys.

But I was a good doll. I played my part well, letting the...