Chapter One

Oswald had lost his home and most importantly his wealth and family, and the once high lord of the town was cut from the wealth for abusing his power of the high life. At one time he was set to be married to Miss Cottontail, the daughter of the village's fish merchant; His family was shocked when he called off the engagement the night before the wedding. No one knew why Oswald called the engagement off but Oswald's younger brother Mickey knew why he did, for they discovered Miss Cottontail was slowly dying from tuberculosis and because of it Oswald knew he would be a widower within a month.

Sunken low Oswald was taken in by Mr. Horsecollar the blacksmith, they sometimes didn't get along and would often fight but Horace however didn't care as long as he had someone to help him in his broken down shop. There was something Oswald would usually tease Horace for, Horace loved to look at the top left window of the mansion across his shop, for in the house lived the daughter of the mayor whom his heart was set on.

"Oswald could you send this letter across the street." Horace said creating a set of chains.

Now the one thing Oswald hated the most was being the delivery boy to Horace's love letters to the mayor's daughter, but the only good benefit was he was given a raise for this corny little job.

Oswald sighed and snatched the letter. " Why not go there and talk to her, I mean she's just right across the street?"

"I would but . . . " Horace said quickly working on a sprocket.

"But what?"

"Her father . . . " Horace began to tremble.

"Yeah what about him?"

"He's one of those high class snobby rich men that want their daughters to marry someone of their class."

"You mean like in those storybooks that are just for kids."

"Exactly . . . "

"That's stupid."

" Can you just send it please? You're getting paid for this anyway"

"Fine . . . "

So Oswald made his way down the street and slipped the letter into the mailbox, later Horace and Oswald were having lunch outside the shop. Their lunch usually consisted of a slice bread, a slice of cheese and tomato, and an apple. Oswald wasn't use to eating this as a meal, but for him it was better than not eating at all.

"You know I think the apples taste a little funny" Oswald said slowly chewing the apple.

"What you think it's poisoned?"

"No it's just that it tastes really weird."

Horace took a bite and spat out his apple. "Oswald where did you get this!"

"The fruits stand outside the candle shop."

"Oswald, the fruit stand is next to the bread shop. We're eating wax fruit you idiot!"

" Look I only know two places in town this stupid shop and the pub!"

Horace knew it was true, Oswald had never been out in the village except when he ended up at the shop.

Suddenly a small little girl ran to Horace, He knew she was the five-year-old niece of the mayor's daughter. "Excuse me Mister Blacksmith," She looked up him with puppy eyes. "I was told to send this to you." She gave Horace a letter.

Horace smiled and petted her head. "Thank you young Beatrice, have a wonderful day."

Beatrice curtsied and skipped merrily back home, Oswald sneakingly snatched the letter and began to open it.

"Hey! Give it back!" Horace shouted.

Oswald opened it and began to read it. "Dear Blacksmith . . . " He began to laugh.

Horace chased Oswald throughout the shop trying to retrieve the letter, but Oswald was making up words pretending to read the rest of the letter. Finally Horace snatched the letter and began to read it himself. Oswald was snickering when Horace's face was blushing bright red, and Horace embraced the letter lovingly.

"So what did it say?" Oswald was curious snickering.

"Uh, say! How about we take a trip around the village so you can get to know it better," Horace sighed, not trying to be embarrassed. "It's a better way to help you know your way in the marketplace."

Oswald just stared at him awkwardly and shrugged. "All right lover boy." He began to laugh.

Horace closed the shop and soon the two headed off to the marketplace, Oswald was staring at the shops as some shoppers were looking at him. Oswald felt uncomfortable at the stare downs, he knew that everyone recognized him as a lord and that at one time. Horace just walked around buying food and even walked away from Oswald to buy a present for a special someone. Oswald continued to walk down the marketplace and realized he walked right into an alley.

"Say you look like your down on your luck," A tall slender fox looked down on Oswald. "Well I and my friend here have a solution to your problem."

The fox's friend, who was a dingy cat walked over to Oswald and revealed a doll that was wrapped in a dirt stained cloth.

"What it's just an old doll." Oswald looked at the doll not impressed.

"It's not just an ordinary doll," The Fox grinned. "It's a magic doll that could get rid of all your woes and it's easy to use all you have to do is tell the doll your misery and then you tell it your desires."

"I'm listening." Oswald began to show interest in the doll.

"In addition when you sleep, this doll will use its magic to fulfill your desire. It once belonged to an ancient king, but it was given to me himself." The Fox removed the doll out of the cloth. The Doll was a black cat dressed like a beautiful princess. The Fox looked at Oswald with a smut grin. "I myself have no use for the magic doll, but I can give it to you for . . . How much do you have exactly."

Oswald reached in his pocket and pulled out four farthings. "This is all I have."

"Done!" The Fox gave Oswald the doll and snatched the coins from him.

Oswald walked out confused about what, he just did he didn't know if it was true or was he conned by con artists. He looked at the doll, he thought the doll was beautiful and gazed in its eyes.

"Oswald, Oswald what's with the doll?" Horace was right behind him.

"It's not a doll! It's a figurine!" Oswald hid the doll.

Later that night after supper Oswald was in his small room looking at the doll, he followed the instructions the Fox had told him and went to sleep. Oswald woke up the next morning and saw he was still in the blacksmith shop.

"This was stupid! I knew it, you're just a worthless doll I wasted four farthings over!" Oswald was disappointed and looked at the doll with anger.

But then he looked at the doll with guilt knowing it was not the doll's fault but his for believing the con artists, Horace entered the room and offered him breakfast. Oswald lied and claimed he was not hungry. He worked his normal daily routine which included; cleaning the tools and assisting Horace working the smelter and whatever else he was told to do.

Several months of hard work later on a winter night, Oswald was holding the doll and gazed in its eyes as he did the first time.

Horace walked in holding a bowl of soup and noticed the doll. "If you love the doll then marry it." He said jokingly as he left Oswald the bowl and went back to his room.

Oswald looked at the doll and pondered for hours, he wondered if did he do the right thing calling off the engagement to Miss Cottontail. He sat the doll on the bed and began to pretend the doll was his bride.

"Why princess, I would be honored to be your husband." He spoke in a loopy tone.

The words "You may kiss the bride" rang in his mind making him believe he was getting married. Not even thinking for one moment he was playing wedding with a doll, finally he gently kissed the doll lovingly on the lips like he would to a real bride. Oswald finally rubbed his and realized he was imagining this fantasy of his, he ended up cursing himself thinking he was being foolish. He placed the doll on the small table near his bed and drifted to sleep.

At the strike of one a small speck of light hopped towards the doll, it was an angel named Jiminy. In life he first lived his life as a wanderer until he was taken in by someone who taught him everything right and wrong, his life was changed and for the better when he guided those like him to a better life. His life had ended at the age of one-hundred and three the deeds that changed his life had sent him to heaven, he found out when he reached heaven that the one that changed his life was a real angel and even he became a guardian angel.

Jiminy looked at Oswald, the one he was a guardian angel for. "You made choices that lead you here Oswald, but you have no idea what you've done now."

Jiminy looked at the doll as if he something about it, he managed to wrap his arms around the doll's neck and created a silver necklace with a beautiful amethyst jewel. Suddenly Oswald leaned over on the bed and Jiminy hid before he was spotted, realizing he was still a sleep. He looked the doll in the eyes.

He began his prayer for the doll. "Innocent soul trapped with her hellish prison, may you find the light of heaven and return to the one you were once. Heaven's light awaken her so that she maybe know. . . Princess Ortensia"

When he finished his prayer, Jiminy bid farewell and flew back to Heaven knowing that the doll would awaken to reveal it's secret. As the clock struck two the doll had finally blinked her eyes and began to stand, she stared at Oswald with a glimmer in her eyes for she remembered he kissed her. The doll made her way to Oswald and she looked at him with a soulful look and kissed him.

"Thank you..." She smiled.