Chapter 6

Ellie slowly hopped into the water to about mid waist, she gasped out as she felt the freezing water against her skin. "Oh my lord, it's freezing!" She gasped while rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

"What's wrong dear?" Martha asked, walking over to her.

"It's so cold!" Ellie explained.

"It's a bit chilly yes; look I heard what Jocelyn said about you just then." Martha said.

"Really?" Ellie said.

Martha pulled her over a little so Jocelyn wouldn't hear. "Don't pay any attention to what she says about you ok? Yes you may be a little skinny, but I know why that is." Jocelyn said.

Ellie looked down at herself and chewed her lip, was she really that bad?

"But don't worry." Martha piped up.

Ellie raised her head to look at Martha.

"You have a very pretty face and that makes up for everything." Martha explained.

Ellie let out a shy smile.

"Unlike her over there." Martha said looking at Jocelyn. "She looks like she's been run over too many times by the horse and cart."

Ellie let out a small giggle. "You can't say that about her."

"She has no right to comment about you like that, regardless who she is." Martha explained.

"Mmmm." Ellie nodded.

"I seriously don't know what her problem is." Martha said.

"Me neither." Ellie replied, looking at Jocelyn.

Ellie noticed Mark starting to walk down the track towards the creek. She gasped and quickly dived under the water so he wouldn't see her.

Martha looked up and noticed Mark walking towards them, she chuckled.

"Hello." He said, as he walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around Jocelyn's waist.

"Hi." She giggled and leaned back on him.

"Are they obeying you?" Mark asked, looking over at the servants in the creek.

"Yes." Jocelyn replied.

"Good, cause if they weren't, it'd only be a short trip to the executioner." Mark explained.

"Well…." Jocelyn began, scanning the servants to try and spot Ellie, but she couldn't see her. "No, they've all behaved."

"Fair enough, well I need to attend a few meetings in the village. I'll be gone for about three hours." Mark explained.

Jocelyn turned around to face him. "Ok." She smiled.

She leaned up and kissed him all over his face. "I love you, I love you, I love you." She said, in between kisses.

"I love you too." He replied.

Ellie popped her head up for air and sneered at the scene she saw up on the creek bank. Did he have any idea of how rude and mean she was? She thought, but then again he mustn't be too kind either if he's engaged to her. She shrugged her shoulders and bobbed down under the water again.

"Can I walk you to the cart?" Jocelyn asked.

"Of course." He chuckled.

"Alright servants, you are to exit from the water now and return to the tasks you were performing earlier this morning immediately." Mark called out. He took Jocelyn's hand and headed back up to the kingdom.

"I don't know what her problem is with you Ellie?" A woman spoke up as Ellie and the other women were heading back to the laundry.

"I don't know either, I just have to try and not let her get to me." Ellie replied while running her fingers through her wet hair to remove the tangles.

"I know what's bugging her." Another one said from behind Ellie.

"What then?" Ellie asked.

"She feels threatened by you." The woman explained.

"Threatened?" Ellie said confused.

"Yes, you know, you're a young, pretty girl and you're working for her fiancé." She explained.

"That's absurd, I've never spoken to Prince Marcus before, he probably doesn't even know that I exist." Ellie explained.

"Trust me, it won't take long." The woman chuckled.

"Well by the little scene I witnessed before between the two of them, I could say that they're very much in love." Ellie replied.

"Yeah sure." The woman replied, sarcastically.

"I very much doubt it, according to Jocelyn, no man would want me." Ellie said.

"Ellie dearest, I said to take no notice of that bitch." Martha said.

The others including Ellie starting laughing, while continuing on their walk back to the laundry hall.