Zoe felt hatred and envy boil inside of her as she watched Frida scrubbed the floors of the kitchen. She couldn't possibly see how that mirror could declare her the fairest, after all she was just some dirty scullery maid who spent her days cleaning on her hands and knees. As she watched her she listened carefully to the comments the servants made when they saw her.

"What a pretty child and she'll be even more beautiful by the time she is ready to wed."

"She's so beautiful and fair, just like her dear mother was."

"Oh if only King Emiliano and Queen Carmela could've lived to see just how beautiful their daughter has become over the years."

"No doubt with beauty like hers she'll marry a prince."

"Ahem!" Zoe scoffed.

"Oh your majesty forgive us." The servant women said curtsying respectfully. "We did not see you."

"Get back to work! Now!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Your majesty." Her servant Chakal said.

"Yes?"

"Prince Manny has arrived unexpectedly."

"Oh has he now?" She said blowing.

"Tell him I shall meet him in the throne room."

"Yes your majesty."

She then went to meet him in the throne room. At first she wasn't looking forward to seeing him at all as she expected him to be the same annoying little boyfriend of Frida's that he was when they were kids but when she saw how handsome and strong he had grown. Her dislike was immediately forgotten. A man as handsome as he is, is most certainly worthy of being married to a queen as beautiful as I am.

"Hello Zoe." He saw bowing respectfully. "It's good to see you again."

"You too." She said offering her hand for him to kiss which he did. "My you've changed, you've become more handsome."

"And you look beautiful as always."

"So what brings by?"

"Well I haven't been in here in four years so I thought now that my studies are done why not pay a visit to old friends also I heard about your mother's death so I'd like to pay my respects."

"No need for that, here's a little secret Mother never really liked you."

"Oh...Well that explains why she always gave me dirty looks."

"Yes apparently she was engaged to your father until he called off the marriage and married your mother."

"Oh yes I remember that but in my father's defense your mother was secretly married to another man during the time."

"That was never proven."

"Actually it was because three months into the engagement my father found out your mother was pregnant."

"Well the past is in the past and I can assure you that aside from my looks and I am nothing like my mother."

"Right." He said sarcastically.

"So there will be a feast tonight, will you be joining?"

"Sure I could use a good meal."

"Wonderful."

During the feast Zoe tried to seduce him but he was paying any attention to her. He was too busy searching for Frida, why wasn't she dinning with them? She was a princess right? Then he glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost seven.

"Excuse me."

He got up and went to the gardens. There Frida stood waiting for him wearing one of the very few dresses that she had managed to keep hidden from her stepsister. It was a white regency dress with short sleeves and had red thread stitched into the fabric. She wore a red cape and a matching red ribbon was tied in her hair while her locket hung around her neck.

"You're late." She said giggling. "I guess somethings never change."

"Sorry your sister kept me busy."

"I think you mean stepsister."

They could hear music coming from inside the castle. It was real bright and cheery, the kind that Frida hadn't heard in a long time.

"May I have this dance?" Manny asked bowing and kissing her hand.

"It would be my honor." She giggled while curtsying.

Their hands joined and they began to dance with each other cheerfully and playfully like they did as children. They laughed and smiled, overjoyed to be in each other's company after so long. When the song ended she broke away from him and started running.

"Can't catch me!" She called playfully.

He began chasing her all around the gardens, her laughter and smile teasing him to keep going.

"Give up Manny! You couldn't catch me when we were kids and you can't catch me now!"

"We'll see about that!"

He then ran backwards the other way and hid behind some bushes that Frida was running to. Once she got close enough he jumped out, grabbed her by the waist, and spun her around. Soon they were both dizzy with happiness and they fell down on to the grass.

"Caught you this time." He teased.

"Yes you did but you won't next time." She assured him.

Once their laughter died down their eyes met and they found themselves unable to look at the other person.

"You know Frida you're really beautiful."

"That's strange last time we met you said that I looked like some ugly frog."

"Well I lied and I was a boy. If I had told you what I really thought of you, the other boys would've made fun of me."

"And what did you really think of me?"

He blushed hard and it took him awhile to answer.

"If you want to know the truth I thought you were the most beautiful girl in the whole world."

Now it was her turn to blush, she felt her heart beat pick up. What was this feeling? Was this love? Was she falling for the silly little boy she knew during her childhood?

"Frida during the feast I didn't see you at the table." He said breaking her thoughts. "Don't you eat at the royal dinning table?"

"I already told you, I'm not a princess anymore I'm a maid now."

"Why?"

"I don't know she hates me."

"But why?"

"I don't know but we never got along not even as children. Ever since Papa died she and her mother have made my life miserable. You visiting was the only thing that made me happy."

"You're that miserable huh?"

"Yep."

"Then why don't you come live with me?"

"What?"

"You'll be treated way better back in my kingdom and you said so yourself you're only happy when you see me."

"Yes but...Are you sure? I mean I'm pretty hard to live with."

"I know but I don't care. I'm not going to leave you here when all you have is misery, I want you to be happy."

"Really?"

"Really, really. So what do you say?"

"Alright I'll go with you."

"Then we'll leave tomorrow."

"When?"

"In the morning."

"I'll be waiting."

"Okay."

They hugged each other and smiled while blushing unaware that Zoe was watching them through her window. She was now overcome with some much anger and jealousy that she couldn't stand it any longer. Seeing her pesky little stepsister swoop in and steal her prince was the final straw, she would not allow her to live any longer. So she summoned her huntsman Tonio to her throne room and instructed him to take Frida away tomorrow.

"Take her far into the forest, find some secluded glade where she can distract herself by picking flowers or skipping stones."

"Yes your majesty." Tonio replied.

"And there my faithful huntsman you will kill her." She ordered.

"But your majesty! The little princess!" He gasped horrified.

"Silence!" She snapped. "You know the penalty if you fail."

"Yes your majesty." He agreed reluctantly.

"But to make doubly sure you do not fail, bring back her heart in this." She said holding up a wooden chest.