After her father died, Carmelita revealed herself to be a cold and cruel woman and her daughter selfish and mean. They took away all of Frida's nice clothes leaving her to wear only a gray ragged dress and no shoes. The room she was supposed to share with Zoe now became only Zoe's room while she slept in the cold basement where the iguanas lived.
Everyday Carmelita would assign the most difficult chores for her to do and if she refused she would receive beatings. At first Frida rebelled but after ten beatings she gave in. So she did all the work while Zoe would sit around and insult the girl. One time Frida lost her temper and called Zoe an ugly chicken, she got five beatings for that so she learned to keep her mouth shut.
When the girls grew older and out grew their clothes Carmelita bought Zoe a purple dress, black stockings, and new shiny black shoes. For Frida she got her an old and used yellow dress with white sleeves and she pratcally had to beg her stepmother to buy her shoes but they were dirty brown ones. She also made her wear a yellow shawl over her head to hide her hair which she considered to be an embarrassment to the family but there was nothing they could do about her stubborn bangs that would hang out.
Her family was so cruel that they stopped calling her by her name. They often referred to her as slave or maid or dirty little wench which Zoe called her often. Poor Frida was so accustomed to the abuse that she started to forget her name or who she was before.
Yet despite this she grew into a beautiful young lady with long blue hair that framed her face and brought out her blue eyes. Although Zoe was pretty as well her beauty could not compare to Frida's for she was vile and black of heart which made her very jealous and act twice as mean. She would often convince her mother to give her more difficult tasks but not even working in the dirt on a hot day could tarnish her lovely face. Her beauty was like a flower which grew so much that by the time she was eighteen years old she might have been the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.
And Frida's life was not all sadness, she did have some friends. The iguanas were never mean to Frida in fact they actually pitted the girl and would keep her company. The doves that lived in the church also liked Frida and would visit her everyday. So she wasn't completely alone in the world.
"Happy anniversary Mother and Father." Frida said. She laid a bouquet of primroses on their graves. "I hope they're still your favorite Mother, and don't worry I haven't broken my promise."
"Slave!" Carmelita called.
"Oh no. I'm coming!" She ran back to the house and set a tray on the table then went upstairs to Carmelita's room.
"Yes ma'am?" Frida answered.
"What took you so long?"
"I was weeding the garden."
"Where is my breakfast?"
"All cooked and ready for you Madame."
"Very good. Now go out to the stream and wash my sheets."
"And my stockings." Zoe added.
"But I washed them yesterday." Frida protested.
Zoe pulled out her stockings and poured her tea on them.
"You call this clean?!" Zoe shrieked. "You're a lazy thing."
"Honestly Maid. Is this the thanks I get for what I've done for you?" Carmelita said. "I fed you, I clothed you, I-"
"You put a roof over my head I know." Frida sighed.
"That's right! And the least you can do is help out around here."
"Yes Madame." She loaded her basket with the sheets and stockings then made her way to the river. Two doves followed her. "Good morning." She pulled some bird feed from her dress pocket and fed them. Then she went to work cleaning the sheets and stockings. When she was done washing the doves would hang them to dry.
"Thank you Perla, Thank you Tanya." She said. "I can't believe Zoe, I washed these for hours yesterday. Well they won't control me forever someday I'll get away from them."
The doves nodded in agreement.
"So what's new with you?" She asked. "Found any mates?"
They shook their heads.
"Well it'll happen. Father always said love happens when you least expect it."
If any of you are wondering what Frida, Manny, and Zoe will look like. There is an artist on devianart called LittleTiger488 and her drawings of them as teenagers is how I pictured them in this.