Disclaimer: seeing as I don't believe in slavery I do not own the Peasant's Wise Daughter or the Frog Prince.
A young woman of about eighteen sat in the pale moonlight, an expression of desperation etched across her face as she stared out the window. She had been sitting just like this for several hours-she was not used to being the helpless maiden. She was usually the one out there getting things done. That's just the kind of person she was and this waiting was tearing her apart.
A cloud moved, covering up the moon and she could not help but relax (a little) now that one of her worst fears was hidden. This slight relaxation was enough of an opening for her body to use to get some much needed sleep and the woman fell, helplessly onto the ground as sleep over took her.
An hour or so later the call of a rooster awoke her and reminded all the residents of this woods that the danger was over. The woman lifted herself off the floor walked to the window. Had she not known exactly what to look for she would have missed the slight flicker of movement from a tree near the mansion. A sigh of relief left her lips and she hurried down the steps with new found energy.
The man (for it was a man she had seen) wearily opened the door and entered the mansion only to find himself slammed against it and tearfully embraced by the woman.
"Oh thank god." She whispered into his chest. "Charles I was so worried."
Charles wrapped his arms around her into a deep embrace and allowed a slight smile to come to his lips.
"See I told you I'd come back-and I haven't let you down yet…and don't worry…I didn't…errr…meet anyone in the woods so all is well." He kissed the top of her head and continued to embrace her with the utmost tenderness.
The woman felt herself give in hopelessly to his embrace. She felt her eyes drooping. All this worrying had tired her out. It was ironic, really. That the most dangerous man in the forest if not in all the kingdom, could make her feel safer then anything else in the world.
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Death glared at the witch's dazed expression. When you are something important like death you are not used to having to wait for people. This witch was really getting on his nerves. One moment she was talking and the next she was staring into space a dreamy expression on her face.
"WITCH!" Death shouted, not able to contain himself anymore.
The witch jumped and then looked around. On seeing Death a flash of understanding came into her eyes.
"I'm sorry Mr. Death." she said slowly. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting. I was just…thinking…yeah…thinking." Death rolled his eyes.
"Just get on with it woman!"
"Alright, alright, relax…now where was I?" Death gave a loud groan and glared at her from the other side of the room. "Oh that's right!" the witch cried nervously. Then she cleared her throat and continued…
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It was pitch black in that hall and even more black (if possible) in the cell. The old man sat with his arms wrapped around his legs and his face buried in his knees. If you were to sit outside the door and listen very carefully you would be able to just make out between the sobs the repeating of the same phrase over and over again.
"What's he saying?" the King asked the guard irritably.
"If only I had listened to my wise daughter." And like an echo they both heard:
"…to my wise daughter."
"His wise daughter?" the King said thoughtfully. "Now why did Gilbert send him here again?"
"He gave him a mortar sire."
"WHAT!"
"Well the Prince thought that he was holding back a pestle from him so he put him here and I believe also sentenced the peasant's daughter to dig their land until they find it and only then will he be released." The King moaned and dropped his head into his hands.
"Bring this peasant forth, I wish to speak to him."
"Yes sire."
"How the guards around here find the cells is quite beyond me" the King thought to himself as he heard the sounds of the cell door being opened and the peasant being brought out.
The peasant bowed deeply to his King.
"Your Majesty." …Well at least they were fairly sure he bowed deeply.
"Now peasant, are you aware that the Prince is missing?"
"No sire." The surprise in the peasant's voice was unmistakable.
"Well he is. He disappeared almost seconds after your arrest…in fact it is quite likely he disappeared while you were being dragged away."
"What do you mean sire?"
"Well when I say disappeared I don't mean we couldn't find him, I mean he disappeared right under our noses as we watched."
"Ah sire you mean it was witchcraft?"
"Yes…or WIZARDCRAFT." The King pointed accusingly at the old man-not that anyone could tell.
"Sire," the guard said unable to stop himself. "there is no such thing as wizardcr-"
"Silence!" said the King who hated to be corrected. "Now peasant, I want you to be very, very, honest with me…are you or are you not a witch!"
"No sire." Said the peasant nervously. "They can't be males…can they?"
"No…" said the King regretfully. "Well then what's all this about your daughter?"
"My daughter is no witch sire! Honest! She was accused once of being one but she proved herself to as non-magical as you sire!" The King stroked his chin, thoughtfully.
"Hmmm…well I suppose for the time being I'll take your word for it…"
"Thank you sire!"
"I think however, I ought to have a word with this wise daughter of yours and see if she can't figure out this mystery…yes…and if she does find out I will not only release you but also give her one thing of her choice from the palace." Then he turned and said quietly to the guard "take this man to a cell that has sunlight coming in and serves three meals a day or a fear all we'll have to release from the prison is a pile of bones."
"Yes sire!"
"Oh thank you sire!" said the old man tearfully. "If there's one person who can get me out of this" he thought to himself "surely it's my daughter."
And with this happy thought the man allowed himself to be dragged off to a much more sunny cell.
Author's Note: Once again thanks for all the reviews they keep me writing which is the most important thing. Virtual chocolate pudding to you all!
