This chapter's gonna be about Maddie's past, that's how it's gonna be for the next few chapters and the other girls.
Maddie lay in bed with her husband and her mind wandered to the memories of how she got here…
FLASHBACK
Thirteen year old Madison or Maddie as she was called at times, walked home from street hockey practice, which she loved playing. She was lucky that the orphanage let her. It keep her out of trouble and gave the other orphans something to look forward to. She wore long blue jean shorts, a white tee-shirt, white socks and black sneakers, on her back was a blue backpack full of her hockey equipment.
What she didn't know was that she was being followed. A pair of ogres were waiting for her to be alone. They got their wish when she turned down an alley that she used as a short cut. One clapped a knock out gas soaked rag knocking her out.
When she woke up she found herself in a steel cage wearing a raggedy brown toga or tunic like dress, she looked around there were other people there including very pregnant women.
"The new girl's up," said one woman who looked like she was going to go into labor any moment.
"You're right," said another prisoner.
"W…where are we?" Maddie asked looking around.
"In a slave holding pen my dear girl. My you are a pretty one. You'll get sold easily," came the voice of a man that was green as he walked in giving them all food the pregnant ones getting more then the rest.
The green man, an ogre, patted one of the women's bellies, "Good, I should take you to the healer in a bit you're about ripe."
Another woman was curled up sobbing as blood soaked her tunic between her legs.
"Not again you useless bitch! That's the third child you've lost!" he snapped kicking her cage before dragging her and the one he said was about ripe out of the room.
"He's not going to kill her. He's going to have the healer see why she can't keep a baby, its cheaper then having to dispose of her body," a man told her.
After two and a half years of training to be a good slave, having her wavy blond hair cut short and being starved she was put on display out side the pen so buyers could see her before she was put up for auction. She winced at the sunlight, she had been indoors so long her eyes stung, around her neck was a bronze tracking collar just in case. On that same day a certain Incubus and Snow fey were walking around the market place looking around.
"This is so boring Ivan, can we go now?" whined Gilbert.
"You were the one who wanted to see how common demons had fun," replied Ivan, "they meet here, hang out, buy things like slaves and clothes."
But Gilbert wasn't listening his eyes were transfixed by a girl in a cage rubbing her eyes. Despite her incarceration and starvation she still looked pretty. Her skin pale from lack of sun light but flushed from a fever. Her eyes were slightly closed since she was sick, she was panting, shivering and coughing.
Gilbert marched to the ogre in charge, "I want to buy that girl over there."
"Which one?" asked the Ogre.
"Her," he said pointing at Maddie who blinked.
"She's not for sale. We're planning on auctioning her off starting at 5000 gold," the ogre replied smirking.
"I'll play 50,000 for her," Gilbert said sternly placing a bag of gold coins before the ogre.
"Sold!" cried the ogre roughly pulling Maddie out of her cage and shoving her to her new owner.
Gilbert just managed to catch her, "Ivan…Get the police. They are mistreating the slaves. This girl is ill and clearly malnourished."
Ivan nodded and got the cops as Gilbert carried Maddie to his carriage and wrapped her in a blanket to warm her up. As they rode this castle Gilbert called ahead and had a bath drawn, a bed, pajamas, hot soup, and medicine prepared for her. After servents bathed, dressed and put her to bed Gilbert took her the soup and medicine himself only to find that the girl was sitting on the floor which meant she had been trained.
"Miss, please stay in the bed. You're sick and you need rest," he said putting the tray down and getting her back into the bed.
"If…Master wants me to stay in bed…I'll stay in bed," she said before hacking.
"Don't call me Master. I'm Gilbert, what's your name?" he asked tucking her in.
"Madison but most people call me Maddie…" she replied as he poured out the medicine.
"How long were you there Maddie?" as he fed her the spoonful of syrupy medication.
"Two and a half years, I'm nearly sixteen," she replied after swallowing it and making a face at the taste, "I'm an orphan so my sister and I celebrate our birthdays July fifth, the day we were left at the orphanage." (AN: I came up with that day by adding 4 and one, the days of the month their counties celebrate independence)
Gilbert gave her a kind smile, "Then we should do something to celebrate if you feel up to it when your birthday rolls around. After all its not often that such a lovely lady turns 16. And you'll be happy to know that those slave traders are in jail for mistreatment of the slaves they were selling."
Maddie blushed as Gilbert fed her the soup, it wasn't much just a simple chicken broth but it was heavenly to her, he had done so much already and she had done nothing. One day when she felt a little better she tried to tidy up but Gilbert caught her and put her right back to bed.
"What are you trying to do?"
"I was trying to repay you for freeing me. I don't see why you did it," she answered resting against the pillows.
Gilbert blushed so much that Maddie thought that his wings might turn pink, "Have…you ever heard of love at first sight?"
Maddie blinked, "Of course I have. We watched Disney princess movies at the orphanage…oh…"
She blushed too, her heart starting to pound in her chest.
"Yeah…"
"I…I think I'm falling in love with you too," she said as he got closer.
They then kissed, as they did just like in Don Booth's version of Thumbelina Maddie grew wings out of her back and her ears became slightly pointed like an elf's.
"I should of known that would happen…" he said seeing her new wings.
Maddie turned and gasped, "They…they're beautiful!"
On her sweet 16 Gilbert took her out for a night on the town in a brand new slivery dress that had a big lavender bow under her breast and a light blue shawl over her shoulders. Her hair was growing back so she looked like she had a pixie cut. They went shopping, to see a show, had dinner, all in all the best night of her live. They did again the next year but met Ivan at dinner who had a video camera with him and Maddie was about to learn why.
Gilbert got on one knee bright red, took out a box, opening it to show a ring, "Maddie…I know we haven't been together as long as other couples…but…will you marry me?"
She squeaked out, "Yes!"
On their wedding night Maddie got pregnant and nine months later had their daughter Engel.
END FLASHBACK
Maddie smiled to herself as she drifted off, she had a pretty good life after Gilbert had saved her. Maybe she could talk him into more kids in the future.
TBC
