I wake up the next morning, by my balcony window slamming shut. I sit
straight up in bed with a start and touch my chest, and then my head. The
slam sounded like a gun shot. It was very bright out this morning. The
drape over the window flaps and ripples in the strong morning breeze. I
slowly get out of bed and tie a robe over my night gown. I go over to the
balcony window and slide the curtains aside to look out into the flowing
green grasses of the west hills. Today was the day. Or should I say tonight
was the night? I don't know what to think, really. Should I be happy? Yes.
Should I be frightened? Yes. Should I have no clue was to think or do?
Absolutely. Living in the lap of luxury was so different from what I was
used to. I'm used to the bottom and through these past days, I've been
hoisted to the top.
"Good morning, Mistress." Victoria, my maid, says cheerfully as she opens my door.
She has gotten used to me, I guess you could say. She finally asked about my deer cloak and my torn dress. I explained most everything. There is still a side of her that likes to snoop. I think she's trying to uncover a mystery about me and reveal it to the whole kingdom. Maybe then they'd get rid of me.
"Good morning, Victoria." I reply. "I trust you slept well?" Victoria asks as she sets a tray on my bedside table. "Some-what, Victoria, some-what." I play with the sash on my robe. "Care to talk it out, Mistress?" "Oh, no." I say. "But thanks for the offer."
"You sound so worried. Are you sure there is nothing I can do?"
"Yes, Victoria, I'm sure. Thank you." I bow my head slightly. "Okay." Victoria sighs reluctantly. She then motions towards the tray. "I hope you'll have breakfast." "I'm not too terribly hungry." said I. "Oh, you've just got to eat something, Mistress! Since you came here, I've hardly seen you eat a bite. And you're so skinny! How are you living, I must ask myself sometimes. I just can't help but worry." Victoria shakes her head. "And I'm not the only one who is concerned about your heath, Mistress. When you told me about your life for the past three years, I was amazed. All you had was a loaf of bread and a round of cheese per week. And you still had unbelievable energy! The sun gave you that light brown complexion, but if it didn't, I swear you'd be ghostly white due to her lack of nourishment. I've talked to Master Ash as well and his voice shakes at times when we speak of you. It's nice to see him so happy again, yet I hate to see him worry like this. I'm worried." I don't know what to say. I am speechless. I finally look at her and whisper. "Thank you." Victoria comes over to me and gives me a hug. "I'm glad you came Mistress. Even though I wasn't so certain at first. I know now that Master is truly lucky to have your golden heart. You may be the Mythical Wild Woman of the woods, but I'd be more then happy to have you as my true Mistress. I'd be proud." I smile and try to hold back my subtle tears of happiness. Victoria smiles as well. "Now," she pats my shoulders with both of her hands. "I'll go get your ball dress out of pressing and trimming. You have something to eat and I'll be back in about twenty minutes." "Thank you, Victoria." I say and take my breakfast tray.
I must have been hungrier then I thought, because I ate everything on the tray. All of it was extremely delicious. I had porridge with raisins and cinnamon on top, a banana, a crescent roll, and a large glass of grapefruit juice. Everything tasted to fresh. All the things I've done in life, I wish they tasted this fresh. I wish I could remember them this crisp. I've done a lot of meditation over the past few years. Too much practice can make you hazy. Your memory rots because of the constant up- bringing of your experiences. Cruel acids, they are. I wish I could refresh.
"Mistress." Came a knock at the door. "Come in, Victoria." I reply and sit up to greet her. She comes in carrying a bundle of clothing and sets them down on my bed. She looks up and claps her hands together. "Bless my eyes. It's great to see an empty bowl." "It was delicious, Victoria, thank you." "Oh," she sighs. "No need for thank yous, deary, no need for thank yous." She unfolds the bundle on my bed to reveal a peony pink dress. It had a large skirt with a shinny, tight top. Flower print stitching around the bodice and thin sleeves of pink silk. It was beautiful. "Such a dazzling gown." I respire, touching the embroidery gingerly. "And it's yours, Mistress." Said Victoria. "Now, if you don't object, I need you to slip into your under dressings."
I take off my robe and pull my night gown off over my head. I go to my chest of drawers and take out my under dress to put on. After I situated it, Victoria began to fit me to the dress. First the skirt, then the stay to keep my posture proper. She pulls the strings tight. I forgot how much I hated that part. I gag and grab my stomach. Victoria eventually stops tugging and starts to put my top on. She straightens the sleeves and ties up the back to fit my small chest. She then bends down to finish hemming the bottom of the skirt. I felt so dirty in this radiant dress. Something about this whole thing triggered a memory.
"Victoria." "Yes, Mistress?" Her voice chimes. "I miss my home." I say. She pauses. "That's understandable, dear." "Ha, 'Dear'. How ironic." I laugh and my voice cracks. Victoria stands. "I know you're upset and troubled, Mistress. I know it must have been hard for you to live like that for three years. I bet I can't even imagine." "Do you think.my father will be angry with me?" I asked. "Why would he be?" "For running away like that. For disgracing the family name. For never trying to get back. For being a bad, tomboy daughter." I ramble off. My voice getting insecure. "No, no, no, and no, Mistress!" Victoria said. "How can I know?" I quietly ask. "You can settle it all when the guests arrive." Victoria smiles. My face suddenly brightens. "He's coming? He's coming tonight?"
Victoria nods slowly. I giggle gleefully and twirl on the spot. "Father is coming!"
That afternoon, after my dress was fitted, I changed into a sky blue, sleeveless summer dress to take a walk. I run across the lovely hills, the burrs getting caught on my dress. It reminded me so much of my own kingdom. If anyone is listening to my thoughts, please, take me home to the meadow that cradles my heart. Where the waves of green reach as far as you can see. Take me home to the meadow, for we've been too long apart. I can sort of hear the stretched plains calling for me. I fall backwards and let the grass pillow my head and cushion my body. I start to doze off.
"Princess!" I hear a squeaky voice and feel a hard pounce on my gut. "Princess!" I open my eyes unhurriedly and focus on the brown fuzz ball on my stomach. "Penelope." "Princess! It is so good to see you." Penelope titters. "It's nice to see you as well." I smile. "Um.Princess. If you don't mind me asking, who's he?" Penelope points her little finger to my right. I turn and jump a little. Ash lay next to me, napping as well. He looked so adorable when he slept, like a little boy. I give him a tap on the shoulder, and a kiss on the cheek. "Wake up, silly." Ash's eyes open at once and he smiles. He scoots over and puts his arm around my waist and gives me a kiss. "I'm awake." "Oh, so you're just pulling my leg?" I giggle. Penelope chicks at me and I click my tongue back. Ash laughs a bit. "You speak squirrel?" "Yes, and many others." I reply with a snicker. Something about being with Ash always made me laugh and smile.
After a while, Penelope bounds back into the forest to the south and leaves Ash and I to lay in the fields. We just laze there and stare at the clouds rolling by. I remember when I first came here as a deer, I promised myself that I could someday do this. Lay underneath this gorgeous sea of periwinkle blue and watch the blobs of white fluff coast from east to west. I grin to myself. What a brilliant start to the day, that I already know will have a brilliant finish.
"Good morning, Mistress." Victoria, my maid, says cheerfully as she opens my door.
She has gotten used to me, I guess you could say. She finally asked about my deer cloak and my torn dress. I explained most everything. There is still a side of her that likes to snoop. I think she's trying to uncover a mystery about me and reveal it to the whole kingdom. Maybe then they'd get rid of me.
"Good morning, Victoria." I reply. "I trust you slept well?" Victoria asks as she sets a tray on my bedside table. "Some-what, Victoria, some-what." I play with the sash on my robe. "Care to talk it out, Mistress?" "Oh, no." I say. "But thanks for the offer."
"You sound so worried. Are you sure there is nothing I can do?"
"Yes, Victoria, I'm sure. Thank you." I bow my head slightly. "Okay." Victoria sighs reluctantly. She then motions towards the tray. "I hope you'll have breakfast." "I'm not too terribly hungry." said I. "Oh, you've just got to eat something, Mistress! Since you came here, I've hardly seen you eat a bite. And you're so skinny! How are you living, I must ask myself sometimes. I just can't help but worry." Victoria shakes her head. "And I'm not the only one who is concerned about your heath, Mistress. When you told me about your life for the past three years, I was amazed. All you had was a loaf of bread and a round of cheese per week. And you still had unbelievable energy! The sun gave you that light brown complexion, but if it didn't, I swear you'd be ghostly white due to her lack of nourishment. I've talked to Master Ash as well and his voice shakes at times when we speak of you. It's nice to see him so happy again, yet I hate to see him worry like this. I'm worried." I don't know what to say. I am speechless. I finally look at her and whisper. "Thank you." Victoria comes over to me and gives me a hug. "I'm glad you came Mistress. Even though I wasn't so certain at first. I know now that Master is truly lucky to have your golden heart. You may be the Mythical Wild Woman of the woods, but I'd be more then happy to have you as my true Mistress. I'd be proud." I smile and try to hold back my subtle tears of happiness. Victoria smiles as well. "Now," she pats my shoulders with both of her hands. "I'll go get your ball dress out of pressing and trimming. You have something to eat and I'll be back in about twenty minutes." "Thank you, Victoria." I say and take my breakfast tray.
I must have been hungrier then I thought, because I ate everything on the tray. All of it was extremely delicious. I had porridge with raisins and cinnamon on top, a banana, a crescent roll, and a large glass of grapefruit juice. Everything tasted to fresh. All the things I've done in life, I wish they tasted this fresh. I wish I could remember them this crisp. I've done a lot of meditation over the past few years. Too much practice can make you hazy. Your memory rots because of the constant up- bringing of your experiences. Cruel acids, they are. I wish I could refresh.
"Mistress." Came a knock at the door. "Come in, Victoria." I reply and sit up to greet her. She comes in carrying a bundle of clothing and sets them down on my bed. She looks up and claps her hands together. "Bless my eyes. It's great to see an empty bowl." "It was delicious, Victoria, thank you." "Oh," she sighs. "No need for thank yous, deary, no need for thank yous." She unfolds the bundle on my bed to reveal a peony pink dress. It had a large skirt with a shinny, tight top. Flower print stitching around the bodice and thin sleeves of pink silk. It was beautiful. "Such a dazzling gown." I respire, touching the embroidery gingerly. "And it's yours, Mistress." Said Victoria. "Now, if you don't object, I need you to slip into your under dressings."
I take off my robe and pull my night gown off over my head. I go to my chest of drawers and take out my under dress to put on. After I situated it, Victoria began to fit me to the dress. First the skirt, then the stay to keep my posture proper. She pulls the strings tight. I forgot how much I hated that part. I gag and grab my stomach. Victoria eventually stops tugging and starts to put my top on. She straightens the sleeves and ties up the back to fit my small chest. She then bends down to finish hemming the bottom of the skirt. I felt so dirty in this radiant dress. Something about this whole thing triggered a memory.
"Victoria." "Yes, Mistress?" Her voice chimes. "I miss my home." I say. She pauses. "That's understandable, dear." "Ha, 'Dear'. How ironic." I laugh and my voice cracks. Victoria stands. "I know you're upset and troubled, Mistress. I know it must have been hard for you to live like that for three years. I bet I can't even imagine." "Do you think.my father will be angry with me?" I asked. "Why would he be?" "For running away like that. For disgracing the family name. For never trying to get back. For being a bad, tomboy daughter." I ramble off. My voice getting insecure. "No, no, no, and no, Mistress!" Victoria said. "How can I know?" I quietly ask. "You can settle it all when the guests arrive." Victoria smiles. My face suddenly brightens. "He's coming? He's coming tonight?"
Victoria nods slowly. I giggle gleefully and twirl on the spot. "Father is coming!"
That afternoon, after my dress was fitted, I changed into a sky blue, sleeveless summer dress to take a walk. I run across the lovely hills, the burrs getting caught on my dress. It reminded me so much of my own kingdom. If anyone is listening to my thoughts, please, take me home to the meadow that cradles my heart. Where the waves of green reach as far as you can see. Take me home to the meadow, for we've been too long apart. I can sort of hear the stretched plains calling for me. I fall backwards and let the grass pillow my head and cushion my body. I start to doze off.
"Princess!" I hear a squeaky voice and feel a hard pounce on my gut. "Princess!" I open my eyes unhurriedly and focus on the brown fuzz ball on my stomach. "Penelope." "Princess! It is so good to see you." Penelope titters. "It's nice to see you as well." I smile. "Um.Princess. If you don't mind me asking, who's he?" Penelope points her little finger to my right. I turn and jump a little. Ash lay next to me, napping as well. He looked so adorable when he slept, like a little boy. I give him a tap on the shoulder, and a kiss on the cheek. "Wake up, silly." Ash's eyes open at once and he smiles. He scoots over and puts his arm around my waist and gives me a kiss. "I'm awake." "Oh, so you're just pulling my leg?" I giggle. Penelope chicks at me and I click my tongue back. Ash laughs a bit. "You speak squirrel?" "Yes, and many others." I reply with a snicker. Something about being with Ash always made me laugh and smile.
After a while, Penelope bounds back into the forest to the south and leaves Ash and I to lay in the fields. We just laze there and stare at the clouds rolling by. I remember when I first came here as a deer, I promised myself that I could someday do this. Lay underneath this gorgeous sea of periwinkle blue and watch the blobs of white fluff coast from east to west. I grin to myself. What a brilliant start to the day, that I already know will have a brilliant finish.
