I don't own anything in this world, not even the clothing on my back. But someday I shall own all rights to the show and I shall force people to buy tapes! Mwahahahahahaha! This fic is some what sane (I mean, being written by me and all) So please enjoy.
Once upon a time there lived a young girl named Katharine or, she preferred, Kat. Kat was the pride and joy of her mother and father until the day her mother began to get sick. At first she just felt a little tired in the middle of the day until the day that the duchess was forced to lay in bed every hour of the day. The poor woman began to worry about what would happen to her young child after she died, so the duchess called in the duke and made him get on his knees and swear that he would marry and give little Kat a mother. With tears in his eyes the duke promised that he would re-marry for the sake of his beloved child, then held his wife's hand as she took her very last breath.
The household was placed into mourning as the duchess was laid to rest under a weeping willow tree as it had been her wish. Whenever Kat felt like she needed her mother the most the child would talk to the tree after the daily watering she gave it.
The months passed and the Duke searched for another woman to take the place of his wife. In vain he searched for months for a woman as kind as his late wife. After a couple of months, however, the duke was sure he'd found the perfect woman to take care of little Kat. She was the widow of a count and had two girls already, two dark haired beauties named Rachel and Laura. As the duke courted the widow she was a thousand times more kind then any woman he'd ever seen before. So soon the duke brought to his house a new wife to help him take care of his young daughter .
For the first couple of weeks, as the duke stayed home, the new duchess was kind and loving towards her new child. But all of that ended the day the duke left home on a trip to a friend's. Poor Kat suddenly found herself being forced to give all her dresses to Laura and what ever jewel caught Rachel's eye. In vain Kat protested that it was all her stuff, her step-mother would just smirk then remind Kat that no one would or could help the young girl. Kat's step-family wanted to kick her out of her room, but lived in fear of what the duke would say if he knew of the ill treatment of his only child. So Kat was allowed to keep her room and plainest clothing as she did all the chores her step-mother told her to.
The child hoped that when her father came back home he would right all wrongs that had been done to her. But no sooner had she told him of her ill treatment then she found that her step-mother had complete control of the duke's heart to. In tears Kat vowed to run away from home, so packing up her bag the child went down to the willow tree to bid her mother goodbye. As she sat on the grass sobbing Kat heard her mother's voice coming from the tree. It told her to go back to the house and bear what she was forced to do as something great waited for the young child.
Drying her tears Kat promised to stay until her award has come and that if she ever needed help to come to the tree and ask for it. Then Kat picked up her bag and marched back inside to brush Laura's hair and lace up the step-mother's dress.
The years went by and Kat grew up to be a fair but strong willed maiden. Her step-family had become so jealous of her looks that they now forced her to sleep in the kitchen and only allowed her old rags from the stable boy. All of this Kat took without a word, even though frogs and snakes seemed to always appear inside the step-family's rooms at the oddest times. But despite her mean clothing Kat was well liked by all who met her. All, upon seeing the smirk on her lips and the gleam in her eyes, could not help themselves from talking and becoming friends with the girl.
Kat still talked to the tree, as it had yet to stop talking to her. Sometimes Kat thought that she must be crazy, but the tree was the only thing that she could look forward to everyday. The young woman had yet to ask the tree for help as she didn't think that she could stand not getting any help when she asked. Even as the chores went from bad to worse Kat never even had it cross her mind to ask for help from anyone, or to even allow anyone to know how she felt about anything in fear that she would only be jeered.
One day Kat was called away from making bread into her step-mother's room. As the black haired girl watched in horror the step-mother pointed to her fire place and smiled evilly. "A stupid servant girl has dumped a bowl of beans into the coals. You need to pick the beans out of the coal before you cook dinner for my little Laura's birthday ball. You have two hours before it begins." So saying the step-mother glided out of the room, leaving Kat to cry or pled for mercy. Kat didn't do any of those things, as she looked into the fireplace the young woman groaned then looked out the window into the garden, namely her mother's final resting place.
"I wish you would help me mother," Kat whispered for what was the first time in her life. Just as she bent down to begin picking the beans out of the coal she heard the sound of a hundred wings outside of the castle. Looking up again Kat watched in wonder as birds began to fly though the window to the room. Kat flattened herself against the far wall as the birds began to fill the room and diving towards the fireplace.
To her surprise the birds left as quickly as they had come, leaving a pile of beans in a basket. Laughing about the fact that her step-mother could find no fault with this Kat picked up the basket and began to walk down the stairs so she could cook the birthday ball's food. Kat stopped when she noticed her two step-sisters talking to each other in excited voices Laura and Rachel discussed the up coming ball the prince was supposedly going to give.
"I just know that the Prince will want to marry me!" Bragged Laura as she checked her hair in a mirror and smiled sweetly at her image. Rachel just rolled her eyes at her sister then frowned and looked around.
"You know.. I've been thinking about Kat..." Deciding that this would be a good time to run away before they caught her eavesdropping the young woman ran down the stairs and began to make a feast for all the guests that had been invited for the ball to eat.
"Finally! I hate these stupid party things," Gratefully Kat slipped off her shoes and began to climb up a tree far away from the bright lights and loud music of the ball. Humming along with her favorite waltz Kat allowed herself to lean against the top branch in a lazy manner with eyes half closed. Her head came up as a twig snapped a few feet away and a young man came walking though the path. He looked over his shoulder then scurried behind a bush to peer out for something.
Not being able to help herself Kat began to laugh at the sight that the guy gave to her. He yelped and span around, only to have his foot slip on a clump of damp moss and he went crashing to the floor. Kat began to laugh even harder even as she slipped out of the tree to help him to his feet. Once they had both gotten themselves under control Kat looked at the boy with interest, he seemed a few years younger then her with dark hair and eyes.
"Hello, my name is Kat," She said bluntly trusting her hand out towards him. "I kinda work slash live here."
"Umm... Hi?" The guy answered looking down at her hand like he'd never seen anything like it before taking the offered hand and slowly shaking it. "I'm really sorry to have opposed upon you," he trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
"Meh, I'm use to it." Kat sighed as she looked around the garden. "I was just about to stop by my mother's grave." She couldn't believe she's just said that, maybe it was just because he reminded her of a lost puppy. The next words out of her mouth surprised Kat even more "Would you like to come with me?"
He looked at her with wide eyes then nodded and fell in step behind her. They walked to the tree and Kat knelt by the tree. "How old where you?" He asked in a soft voice, but not really prying, or if he was he was really good at it.
"Five," Kat replied shortly hoping that he wouldn't start telling her how sorry he was at losing her mother and how he could feel, her pain, Kat knew it was bullshit whenever anyone said that. Nobody, NOBODY could ever know how she felt about her mother's death. But the boy just nodded then looked off towards the castle. They sat in the silent garden, Kat pulling at weeds and grass around her as the kid just keep looking off, his eyes slightly dreamy.
"Kaaaat! Where are you?" Came the screeching voice of her step-mother. Biting back her sharp reply Kat smile at the boy who's company she'd been enjoying.
"I'll see you again?" He asked gripping her arm with his right hand and looking as though he was about to lose his best friend. "Please?"
"Well..." Kat nodded though she had no idea when he expected to ever see her again. "Take care!" With a wave of her hand the young woman took off running to see what it was her step-mother wanted.