Chapter Five

Blossom and Delicia are now gone, thank heavens. The house are already full of rats and mice. We don't need two more.

Mum Olga has more chores in store from me. Mandy said that I was out tending the chickens. That was a good excuse. We have dozens by dozens chickens.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted beyond imagining. I scrubbed the floors again, cleaned the windows, swept the floors, scrubbed the flagstones, weeded the garden even though the gardener should do it and change the sheets of every one of the twenty rooms except my own. When I arrived at the room which is a cell, I collapsed on my thin, uncomfortable bed. I wept. I was a slave to the worse family in the world! I lost everything! I lost Char, my only one true love! I lost my freedom!

I ran to my trunk and opened it. I retrieved the two things that give me comfort: my Agulen wolf and magic book. I carefully placed the wolf next to my pillow so then if Hattie or Olive or Mum Olga comes in, I could hide it. I opened the magic book. In it was an illustration of Char. His face was puzzled. He was rubbing his temples. He was also staring at the fields through the windows. In the fields was my centaur colt, Apple. I traced my finger on Char's face. I kissed the lifeless illustration and imagined it was real. I wanted so much to hold him right now. Tears started to flow. I turned the page and saw a part of his journal.

Today is a very bewildering day. Sir Stephan and Sir Aubrey came today to report the ogre skirmishes and told me a story on how they met Ella. I was surprised. Ella was married and far, far away with her jewels! But Sir Stephan and Sir Aubrey had told me that they saw Ella carrying baskets of meat and vegetables. They said she was still with Dame Olga because that was her explanation. Strange. I told them they were dreaming but they argued to me about it. They said she was still the funny ogre tamer they knew. "She was real!" Sir Aubrey pressed. "I touched her! She was breathing!" Sir Stephan too agreed with Sir Aubrey.

I have no reason to deny the knights' testimonies but Ella! Why is she here? Did she just lie to me so then she won't hurt me?



When I read that part, my hopes went up. Yes! Yes! I don't want to hurt you! He is beginning to understand! I continued reading.

Did she lie to me just to say in other words that she doesn't love me? Did her stepfamily forbid her to marry me? To love me?

But maybe Sirs Aubrey and Stephan were kidding me. But they left swearing to the heavens that it was Ella they saw. Their description seemed real. "You see, I wear some maid's uniforms everytime I market. So then I won't ruin my precious gowns! You know girls. Always careful with gowns!" they said she said. It sounded like her; self-mocking and witty.

I will visit Dame Olga's manor tomorrow. I must work out the truth. If Ella is in there, I shall find out why. If not, I am now convinced that Sirs Aubrey and Stephan are complete fools.



I laughed. Char didn't completely believed Sirs Aubrey and Stephan! He thought they were fools! Char was the last person I would thought would say. But he will come here! How can I avoid him? But then, Hattie would lock me in my room once more like before. There is nothing to worry.



-Thanks so much to FireDragon for reading and reviewing!

- Nayie ♥☼♀♣☺