"Is she going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine, after she stays in bed and eats more."

That's what Rita heard as she was getting ready to open her eyes again.

"Hey, she's moving."

Rita's eyes snapped open. The first thing she noticed was how toasty warm her body felt against the heating blanket. The bed she was laying in was a king sized canopy bed with gold curtains. The sand sheets were white, with gorgeous linings of gold, matching the walls. She noticed how shiny the marble floor was as the flames in the marble fireplace gave the room an enchanting feel. Rita sat up but Roddy gently pressed her down.

"The nurse says you need a lot of rest." He told her. "If you need anything, ask me."

She felt something on her arms and legs that made her imagine fleas were all over her. Small suction cups were stuck to her skin to make all the soar spots better. There was another one on the side of her forehead saying her temperature and another on her chest to measure her heartbeat.

She was wearing a white strapless silk nightgown that made her feel like a queen.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes." Said Rita.

"Great." He pecked her forehead quickly. "I have something for you."

He pulled a gold chain out of his pocket with a diamond cursive R on it. He placed it around her neck carefully.

"It's gorgeous." Said Rita. "What does the R stand for? Roddy or Rita?"

"However you see it as."

A parade of young voices echoed through the halls. She also heard the voice of a man and a woman and an old lady.

"Their here?" she said excited.

"RODERICK!" the booming screams of the king ourran the sound of her family. "WHY ARE PEASENTS IS MY CASTLE?"

"Uh oh. I have to go. I'll be back."

He placed his hand under her head, bent down and kissed her on the lips. Then he rushed out. Behind the entrance were her parents.

"Rita!" Her mother approached her with open arms. "You're safe!" She stroked Rita's messy hair. Then she got nasty. "When I find Le Toad, I'm going to kick his fat green…"

"Mum! Kids." Rita alerted. Amanda blushed. "Oy, hop up all of you!"

All her siblings came from every side of the bed.

"I wanna be under the covers." Mimi said. Rita let Shocky and Mimi relax under the cover while the others sat on the bed. It was a new feeling for them.

"My goodness Rita!" he grand mum shrieked. "Are you naked?"

Because her arms were out and the comforter was covering her chest, she looked nude.

"No. I'm wearing a strapless nightgown."

"Lemmie see." Said Annie who sat in front of her. She pulled the blanket and felt the softness of the fabric.

"Rita, when I grow to your size, can I keep this?"

"Ask the prince. It's not mine. But I agree. It's beautiful."

Roddy walked up to his red faced father.

"Well! Explain why their here!"

"That's Rita's family."

"The girl?"

"Yes."

"So you were in love with a peasant."

"I really don't see what the big deal is!" Roddy snapped.

"The problem my boy, is that you're a prince."

"I don't have to marry a princess! The law now says I can marry anybody."

"Well if I were the head of England that would be illegal. It makes no sense. A servant and a prince?"

"She's the perfect girl. She'll make a great queen! Besides, she had to come here."

"Give me a good reason for that."

"Le Toad was her boss you see."

"Oh that warts been after my job for years."

"And you see, I think he drugged her. When I went over there, I overheard the guards talking about a wedding. Turns out she was about to be forcefully wed to his biggest guard. They put her to sleep, and if I didn't do something, she would be a slave forever."

"Feminine abuse is illegal." Said the king. "Did he not know that?"

"He thought he couldn't get caught."

"Hmm…"

"Just meet her at least. You'll love her."

August sighed.

"Fine. Just make sure she's cleaned up. I don't expect her to come down dressed but I expect her family too. Make sure they all get clean. I never wanna see a single rag in my life."

"Thank you!"

He ran upstairs and tripped.

"I'm ok!"

August nodded and walked off into the kitchen.

Roddy made way into the bedroom.

"Excuse me. I hate to interrupt your chat but you can continue it at dinner." Said Roddy. "The King asks that you get cleaned up and properly dressed. There were two maids behind him.

"Everyone except Rita will follow me." Said the brunette.

After they left, the blonde maid pushed Rita on a gold plush wheelchair to a luxurious bathroom. She felt like she was up top. The ceiling had stars on them and the walls were painted to look like Greece. The bathtub was in the ground like a hot tub. The maid filled it with hot water and asked Rita to undress. Rita never felt so relaxed. She pulled her head in the water to soak her hair.

"I'll be back." said the maid. "Just relax yourself dear."

Rita laid back on the bath pillow and soothed herself. She thought the maid was back already because she heard someone in the room. She sat up as her ears widened. She did see a shape in the room, but it wasn't the petite blonde maid. It was round and repulsive, and it was walking toward her.

"There you are." Said Le Toad. "Your coming with me."

"No." Rita refused as she covered her breasts. "No!"

He hopped onto the ceiling as the maid stepped back in. Rita looked up and watched him as he stared at her with burning eyes as the maid squeezed some shampoo into her palm. As the maid was working, Rita picked up the rubber duck at the side and poked it. She was rather amused by the sound. She dropped it in the water as the maid poured a bucket of water on her. When Rita looked up to the ceiling, Le Toad wasn't there. Even as the hot water sailed around the outside her skin, she felt the bitterness of a blizzard inside it. When the maid was finished, Rita got out and wrapped herself in a white towel.

"Miss, I advise you not to walk in your condition. Allow me to escort you to the dryer."

As dinner began, Rita sat down in the wheelchair, still in her nightgown, waiting to be wheeled to the dining room. Her brother Shocky was sitting on her lap. The maid wheeled them to the elevator. Shockey got off Rita when they got there to sit down. Everyone was nicely dressed in slick tuxedos and flowing gowns. She was placed next to the king and Roddy. They ate tadpoles, shrimp and snake. The children were never so satisfied.

"So Rita, tell me about yourself."

"Well," she began. "I was born on new years eve and I spent my first eight years sailing with my dad. We hunted for snakes and toads for food. We began to starve as mum had more children. We killed so many snakes, they got harder to find."

Well good thing were serving snake tonight."

"It's very good." Her mother glared at her. "Not as good as the way mum cooks them but still to die for."

"Do you do anything else?"

"I was an ice skater." She said. "I used to compete in tournaments."

"She was a champion." Her father pointed out.

"Why did you start working for Le Toad?"

"Well, as you know, we didn't have any money. I came up with a plan to rob him and we got caught. Either I'd lose my father or I'd work for him. I knew it was illegal, but as rats, it's our nature to steal. And we need the money more than he did."

"I happen to agree. He doesn't spend his money on anything but his children. He's like Marie Antoinette."

"He lost his wife."

"How do you know?"

"As a little girl, I would always sneak into his room and read all his diaries. He's like Shakespeare actually. They sure look like novels Shakespeare would right. There were pictures and everything. She was nice looking for an amphibian really."

She stabbed the tadpole with her fork and popped it in her mouth.

"He abused us to get it off his mind." Rita explained. "Do you abuse your servants?"

"Me? Heavens no child. If they were abused then how could I be good to my people?"

"You have a point. If Le Toad took over, our lives would sure be a living hell. He's been trying to replace you for years."

"And I hate the wretched man." Said August. "Define 'abuse'."

"Well, he'll slap a girl if she doesn't do their job right, he will beat up guys who don't satisfy him. And did I forget to mention amputation of the hands, feet and tail? He tortured us."

"Servant abuse has been illegal here since my great grandfather ruled."

"Well seems to me he thinks he can do anything with his pretty little gems and get away with it."

The King decided to end the discussion. He began to change his mind about all simpletons. Rita was a symbol of the middle class and poor folks of the city. The Malones thanked him for the glorious meal and they were escorted to their rooms. As Rita got out of the wheelchair and started walking like new again, August went up to his son.

"You were right. She'll make a great queen. I hope she says yes."

"I'll ask her tomorrow at the party." Said Roddy.

"That a boy."

Roddy stepped into Rita's room to say goodnight. The lights were still on. She stood by the fireplace, deep in thought.

"Rita…"

She turned her head.

"Thank God it's you." She said. Roddy noticed she was twitching in the rocking chair. She stood up and put her arms around him.

"What's wrong?"

"He's in here. He's in this castle, maybe in this room."

"Who?"

"Le Toad."

"What makes you think that?"

"I saw him, in the bathroom and here. He was trying to take me back. I cant go to sleep without waking up in front of him."

Roddy picked her up and carried her to the bed where he slid her under the covers.

"He's not laying a finger on you." He said. "He's going to be executed when we find him anyway because he's been breaking laws for many years."

"But they haven't found him. What if he comes? I cant sleep."

Roddy stroked her cheeks.

"Alright. How about you and I have a sleepover tonight. I'll stay awake and protect you. I hope you don't mind."

"Why would I?"

She saw him removing his jacket and shoes. Seconds later, he was in his underwear. He crawled into bed and turned off the lights. The moment he held the girl in his arms, she was peacefully sleeping.