When Frida returned home she was very happy, it was the first friendly face she had met since her father died. She wondered where that young man came from. Her thoughts were then interrupted by the screams of Zoe. She sighed and went inside to see what all the commotion was about.
"Mother! Mother!" Zoe shrieked. She glared at Frida. "You did it! As a joke!"
"Did what?"
"Put those two iguanas in my room so they could eat me."
"Don't be ridiculous. Iguanas are vegetarians."
"What's going on here?" Carmelita said.
"This dirty little wench put iguanas in my room!" Zoe screeched.
"That's not true." Frida protested. "And even if I did iguanas are harmless. She's acting like they're a ten feet kimono dragons."
"One bit me! Look at my finger!"
"Oh please I highly doubt-"
"Hold your tongue!" Carmelita said coldly. "I see you wanted to play a little trick on my little Zoe."
"But I didn't!"
"Not another word! Remove those iguanas from her room at once!"
"Yes ma'am."
Frida went into Zoe's room and chased the two iguanas outside.
"Thanks a lot Luiz, Miguel." She groaned.
"And as punishment I want you to go into the woods and find..." she said thinking.
"My favorite scarf." Zoe said.
"But you lost that thing in the woods two years ago."
"Yes and I want it back! Now!"
"But-"
Without warning Zoe slapped Frida knocking her to the floor. She looked up at her stepmother hoping she would object but as usual she agreed with her daughter.
"Go on girl." She said. "And don't come back until you have it."
Now any other girl would most likely burst into tears and start crying right now. But Frida would not give them the satisfaction of knowing they had hurt her. So she bit back her tears, swallow her cries, and went into the woods.
The iguanas looked at her apologeticly. They didn't mean to cause anymore trouble for her. She looked for hours but it was no use, all she found were trees and bushes. She was tired and so very hungry, she sat down and pulled out some bread Carmelita had given her. But it was actually leftover from their lunch which was no more than crust. But beggars can't be choosers. She was just about to take a bite when...
"Excuse me." She turned to see an old woman behind her. "May I please have a bit of your bread? I am so hungry."
Frida looked at the old woman, she looked so tiered and weak. In fact she looked like she was about to collapse. Frida was hungry but the old woman was starving.
"Here." She said handing her the crust.
"Thank you. Tell me child, why are you in these woods at such a late hour?"
"I'm looking for a scarf that was lost here."
"Silly girl, you can't possibly find it in the dark."
"I know but my stepsister lost it here and my stepmother won't let me come home til I find it."
"Why is that?"
Frida told the old woman the whole story.
"What a wicked woman!" The old lady said when Frida finished. "And such a horrible girl. My Dear, you should not be staying with them."
"I know but I don't have any where else to go."
"Well why don't you come stay with me for awhile. My house is just down here. There are somethings that need to be done there and if you help me I promise you won't regret it."
"Beats searching in here all night."
So Frida followed the old woman farther into the woods until they reached a small house. Once inside the old woman sat on a chair and took a deep breath.
"Now I do most of the chores around here but there are some things I'm just too old and tiered to do." She handed Frida a broom. "Could you please sweep the pourch outside? The dirt from there leaks in and gets into my nose."
"Alright." Frida took the broom and swept the pourch clean of dirt. She went back inside to find a fire going in the fire place. Did that frail little old woman do that?
"Very good." She said. The old woman pulled out a pot and gave it to Frida. "Now fill this pot up with water then heat it on my stove and put this in it." She handed her a chicken bone. "Once that's done open my cupboard and you'll find a grain of wheat. Take my pan out of the oven, put the grain inside, then put it back in the oven."
Frida looked at her confused. "Are you sure?"
"Trust me Dear things are not always as they appear."
Frida went to the kitchen and did as she was told. She filled the pot with water and heated it on the stove then she put the bone inside. After that she put the grain of wheat in the pan and stuck it in the oven.
"Wonderful. Now you go wash up for dinner and I'll get the kettle on."
"This is one strange old woman." Frida thought to herself. She washed her hands and went back into the kitchen. To her surprise she found the pot bubbling with stew, the pan out of the oven with fresh baked bread inside, and a kettle filled with warm tea.
"I do hope you like tea with your dinner." The old woman said pouring a cup.
Frida had to blink and rub her eyes a few times. After that she sat down and ate. As they had their dinner, Frida told the old woman everything about herself, her parents, the doves and iguanas. After dinner the old woman gave Frida a nice feather bed to sleep on. It was the best sleep she had in a long time.
"Good morning." The old woman said the next day. "I trust you slept well."
"Yes. Thank you."
"You know, you can always live here with me if you want."
"Oh that would be great. But I have to go back, you see there's someone expecting to see me tomorrow."
"I see. A young man?"
"How did you know that?"
"Oh I know much more than that Fridaniella."
Frida gasped, no one had called her that since her father died. In fact she didn't even tell the old woman her name.
"I...How..."
"I am no ordinary old woman Fridaniella. In fact I'm a lot better looking than this." Then right before Frida's eyes, gold dust circled the old woman turning her into a tall but beautiful woman with pale skin and dark hair. She wore a deep red dress and a hat of lit candles.
"Who are you?"
"I am La Murete."
"The La Murete? But I thought-"
"That I was just a story? Well that's what I want most mortals to think but for you I'll make an exception." She said. "Now if you must go home to see your gentleman caller then at least allow me to give you a gift."
She snapped her fingers and a black silk scarf appeared. "Zoe's scarf! Thanks."
"And now for your gift."
She pushed back Frida's bangs and patted her forehead then a star appeared on it.
"Wow!"
"This star will allow you to shine bright wherever you go and if you ever need me the star will lead me to where you are."
"Thank you so much." She said hugging her. "How can I repay you?"
"Your happiness is payment enough. However you must promise never to tell anyone that you have seen me in my true form. If anyone asks I'm just an old woman living in the woods, understand?"
"Yes I promise."
"Good. Now go home and be happy."
Frida said goodbye to La Muerte and hurried home.