A lone girl and her horse walked slowly up the hill leading to the castel. No one knew her name and no one knew where she came from. "Hell" she thought "I don't even know who I am or where I come from."
Although she couldn't remember anything from more than 6 weeks back she somehow knew where the stables where. She slowly walked to the stables and looked for the head ostler. She found him quite quickly and said "excuse me sir I was hoping you could help me. I'm looking for a place to stable my horse for a week and then maybe if I can find work here for longer"
"Twenty silver coins for a week and my names Stefan." He stated "If you need work I'm sure that is you go to the servant's quarters that you are sure to find a job. We are short of servant a lot suddenly walked out two days ago."
An hour later in the king's chambers
"Sire I have found someone to take the place of the nanny that walked out" Said Stefan.
"Who can vouch for her" asked the king
"All the animals in the palace" replied Stefan "her horse said that in every village that she passed she either had to fight her way out because she insulted some man's honour by refusing to marry him or she took care of the village nursery in exchange for food and a weeks lodging."
"Ok send her to me" the king said.
As they where talking the girl was busy cleaning her horse unaware that she was the subject of a life changing discussion. She removed her saddlebags from the horse which she had named "Full moon" because his eyes where like the full moon and she slowly went through her bag. A sewing kit, a medical kit a pouch of coins, a pouch with jewellery in, three pairs of pants and shirt and two dresses. "I have to go and buy some new clothes and a new pair of boots" she said looking at what she was wearing.
She put all of her stuff in a cloth bag that she had bought in the last town that she had passed through and was about to leave when Stefan came rushing in. He searched the stables and his eyes rested on her.
"Finally I found you" he gasped "I've been looking for you everywhere. I found you a job" he said regaining his breath from running around looking for her.
"I'm not going to be someone's bed warmer" She stated quite tartly "I could have just stayed where I was if I wanted to have that occupation."
"No the person that offered you the job is happily married and actually needs a nanny for his children" Stefan said.
"How did you know that I'm good with children" She asked
"Your horse told me" he said "although he wouldn't tell me your name he said that if I wanted to know your name I must ask you."
"Thanks. My name is Jasmine." She said "or Jaz for short.
"So who is my new employer?" Jaz asked
"The king" Stefan replied.
Jaz gasped. "How did you get me a job working for the king?"
"Well Jaz" Stefan started "last week a group of servants of every station walked out and the royal nanny was one of them. The king and queen have been keeping and eye on the kids since then but they have found that they just don't have enough time to do anything else if they take care of the kids as well as be king and queen of Tortall."
"Let's go and get you some new clothes" He said
"I don't have that much money" Jaz said worriedly. Thinking about the fact that she didn't know how long she would be there in Tortall.
"Don't worry" Stefan said "all of your clothes get paid for by the crown, it's the least that they can do"
So Jaz and Stefan went to the town and went shopping for clothes.
When Jaz put on the first dress Stefan saw why she had to fight her way out of a few towns. She was gorgeous. She also had a few bruises and cuts. When Stefan saw these he said
"We best go to a healer and have those seen to, we don't want anyone to think that the king and queen abuse there nanny."
Jaz looked at her arms and realised that she was actually injured "well I never saw those" she grinned "I guess that is what happens when you always wear long pants and a long gypsy shirt"
Stefan took Jaz to a house along a quiet street. He knocked on the door and called out "Mrs Cooper!! I have a patient for you"
An elderly lady opened the door. "Great mother goddess" she whispered "Stefan where did you find her"
"She came to the palace looking for work so I got her a job as a nanny for Jon and Thayet.
"Don't you recognise her you fool" Mrs Cooper shouted.
"Elaine" Jaz whispered half scared because of the memories that the memory of Elaine Cooper had uncovered.
"Do you remember me" Elaine asked
"Yes but just barely" Jaz said with tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong" Elaine asked worried.
"I don't remember anything except the fact that I couldn't save my husband from the evil witch that killed him while I was trapped. I couldn't do anything to save him and believe me I tried." Jaz cried.
"Do you want me to tell you what happened" Elaine asked
"Yes please" Jaz asked.