"When my father died years ago, my mother only learned then we were penniless with nothing but a name. To keep from losing everything she went to balls to meet single gentlemen. She met and married a man who is now my stepfather, Donatien Alphonse François de Sade. You know him best as the Marquis. He became the father I never had. He played with me in the garden and told me stories."

"Really?" said Dr. Royer-Collard.

Aimee rolled her eyes, "He does know other stories; although I see where your mind went right away. He taught me to read and write to appreciate words and how to use them. That when we write the words, they must mean something not just empty letters on a page. He'd tuck me in at night and kiss my forehead and sing me to sleep. He was a father to me for a time then he was locked away. I've seen him here and there since then."

"I was going to say, we've never seen you here before." Said Dr. Royer-Collard walking around his desk where closed doors hid men in iron man cages then looked at the young seventeen year old girl.

She tilted her head to the side; she gave a look of disbelief as that looked to be the one the Marquis gave. She rolled her eyes, "You've never seen me around here; I attend or attended most of the theatre plays. I had the flu at the time of the last one, pity too I heard he held up a mirror about you."

Dr. Royer-Collard looked displeased and opened his mouth to say something when Abbé du Coulmier who was sitting in a chair next to Aimee said, "So, Aimee, what brings you to Charenton that's so urgent?"

"My mother passed away this morning." Said Aimee pushing her brown curly hair away from her face, "She asked that I tend to the pay of his care and him. I just wish to tell him of his wife's passing."

Abbé put his hand on Aimee's, "I am truly sorry for your loss, Mademoiselle François, I grant you permission to see the Marquis."

"I don't think that's appropriate." Said Dr. Royer-Collard.

Aimee looked at Dr. Royer-Collard with a look of disapproval, "I didn't ask you."

Abbé took Aimee down the hall grabbing a cloth as they walked. He went to the Marquis door and unlocked it and looked at the naked Marquis. Abbé throw the cloth at the Marquis, "Put this on, you have a visitor."

Marquis looked up, "Oh, who might it be this time? Another doctor to rid the savage beast with. Another round on the calming chair, bleed me with leeches. Let them see me as you have left me."



Aimee who had been standing in the hallway heard this and walked into the room. Marquis had plenty of cruel things to say but he saw his daughter and stood stunned, "Aimee."

Aimee looked at the naked room then the naked man who bore little resemblance to her father, "Oh, Papa, what have they done to you?"

"Most medieval tortures." Marquis slid back down on the floor sitting in the fetal position, "You don't belong here."

Aimee took the cloth off the floor and gave it to Marquis who covered himself up, "Maman died this morning."

Marquis looked at Aimee, "I…didn't know she was…sick."

Aimee put her hand on his shoulder, "She asked me to look after your care."

Marquis put his head on the wall, "I've lost."

Aimee sighed, "You never gave up on me."

"This time, I've lost." Said Marquis not looking at Aimee.

Aimee looked at Abbé and Dr. Royer-Collard watching, she walked over with a hatred that went beyond livid especially to Royer-Collard, "What in God's name have you done to him!?"

"We merely calmed the beast that ravaged his soul and made him a man." Said Dr. Royer-Collard proudly.

"Calm the beast? That is not a man in that cell, it a beaten animal." Said Aimee then turned to Abbé, "How could you permit him to do this to him?"

Abbé tried to justify it, "He wouldn't stop writing. He published without my approval; he used wine and a wishbone to write upon his bed sheet, and used blood to write upon his clothes."

"Your job is treat men not make them insane. It is not a hidden fact that Charenton is almost broke and if it wasn't for Papa being; two hundred madmen be on the streets and all the people who rely on this asylum for work would be helpless. And I'm no fool, word spread quickly, Dr. Royer-Collard, how you have furnished your home. I couldn't help but notice this always seem to coincide at the time my mother would pay you. You haven't been using the money towards Charenton, you've been using for yourself."

"How dare you speak to me that way, Child!" said Dr. Royer-Collard as if he was scolding a child or his young fifteen year old wife.

"No, how dare you even act like you took my mother's money for any other reason than your own profit!" said Aimee, "You stay away from him. Abbé, you will return his clothes, his furniture to him, or I will find a private doctor and take him home. And Charenton, your life's work, your beloved Charenton can go to hell."

Her voice shook telling of her anger inside and she stormed out of Charenton. She couldn't believe what she had seen. It was at one time so light and cheery now it felt dark and full of horror. She went to La Coste, the home of the Marquis and sighed lying on her bed.

She had to bury her mother and now tend to the care of her stepfather. She looked out the window to the trees outside. She could hardly keep her eyes watching the branches shake in the window. She remembered a happier time in her life. In this very house when her stepfather wasn't gone…

"Aimee. Aimee? Aimee. Bonjour, Aimee. Time to get up sleepy child." Said the Marquis leaning over in her.

Aimee opened her eyes and smiled, "Bonjour, Papa."

"Nanny will help you get dressed and I have a surprise for you downstairs." Said the Marquis then kissed her on the forehead before leaving.

Aimee's nanny got her up and dressed and Aimee hurried downstairs to find her stepfather in the parlor. She ran over to him, "What did you get me, Papa? What did you get me?"

Marquis smiled handing his stepdaughter a present wrapped in cloth. Aimee sat down on the floor and unwrapped it. She looked at the book, "Fairy Tale book, Merci, Papa, merci, merci. Oh merci, Papa, merci!"

Marquis laughed at her excitement, "How about we read it?"

"Can we?" Aimee climbed on his lap and opened the book to the first page, "Read to me, Papa, s'il vous plaît."

"I like those please." Said Marquis, "All right. Once upon a land, in a time far away."

"Papa!"

"What?"

"That's not what it says."

"It's not?" said the Marquis in an over dramatic theatrical shock, "Then you read it to me."

"Once upon a time, in a land far away…"

Aimee opened her eyes seeing it now raining outside and the tree branch still moving. She rolled onto her back and remembered what she had to do. She sighed and forced herself to get up. She had a mother to bury and a stepfather to tend to.