Little help

A few days later the rumor that a young prince from the neighboring country was visiting the palace to sign a trading contract with the king was going around and all the young women that heard it were ecstatic about the opportunity and hoped to catch a glimpse of the prince, although nobody really knew what he looked like.

The same day when the rumor reached the manor the Lady was going to leave with Beatrice to see the village's cobbler to get new pair of slippers to Beatrice as she had complained that her old ones were getting too worn looking, but the truth was that she too wanted to look her best if she would see the prince and hopefully catch his eye. And if one would ask the Lady, she would one hundred percent support her daughter's quest to catch the prince. Who'd be a better husband than a rich young handsome prince?

And so once again, as the Lady was leaving she made sure that Kat had a lot of work to do around the manor before they went. She had ordered her to clean the hen house at the backyard, to root out the weeds from all the flower beds around the manor, scrub the front yard's gateway tiles, replant the rosebush from the backyard so it was under Beatrice's window and feed the chickens.

Kat had started her list of chores by cleaning the hen house and then after she had managed to do that, and get pecked by couple of chickens who didn't want her in their house and managing to get the rooster mad, she moved to scrub the tiles. And while she scrubbed, she was softly singing the lullaby that haunted her dreams.

''Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,

When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen,

Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?

T'was my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so,''

''Beautiful song,'' she suddenly heard a male voice say. Kat looked up and was surprised to see Aidan's smiling face as he was looking at her from the other side of the fence.

''Mr. Aidan,'' Kat smiled as she rose up to face him, but then her face turned into confused one, ''what are you doing here?''

''I came to see you,'' Aidan said as he smiled.

''Me. Why?'' Kat asked. After that question in the inside Aidan started to panic. He couldn't tell her that the true reason was that he couldn't get her out of his head during these few days, not even being able to fully focus on the trading contract with the King. So Aidan knew he had to lie about that.

''I just thought I'd find a way to repay your kindness,'' he then said as it was the half-truth.

''I told you it was nothing,'' Kat said as she went to the well to refill her half empty bucket.

''To you maybe, but to me it isn't. You saved me,'' Aidan insisted as he followed her on the other side of the fence.

''Well what do you think you can do? I don't ride a horse so you can't save me from one,'' Kat said slightly teasing the young man.

''I know…I mean I didn't know you don't ride, but I still want to repay you,'' Aidan struggled to say while blushing madly. How is it that she always manages to make him lose his words and blush like a maniac?

''Relax, I'm just kidding,'' Kat laughed, making Aidan sigh in relief. Just then he noticed the bucket and a wet soapy brush in her hands. And that gave him an idea.

''May I help you?'' Aidan asked gesturing towards the bucket and the brush, making Kat look at him in astonishment.

''You want to help me? Do chores?'' Kat asked while looking at his casual yet way nicer clothes than hers that would most likely get dirty if he did help her.

''Yes I do. It may not be enough to pay you back, but it's a start,'' Aidan said as he opened the iron gate and walked into the garden. He then took the bucket from Kat's hands and helped her carry it to the tiles, where they together, once Kat had given him a spare brush, started to scrub the mossy tiles. Aidan may not have ever done much housework, but he had tried to help his servants whenever he could and Kat's presence made the hard work easier to do.

During the scrubbing Kat had asked Aidan about his life and Aidan, carefully avoiding the fact that he was a prince, told her about his study filled life and hard training and how he had come to the kingdom to talk about business with the king.

And Kat could honestly say that she liked his calm and gentle voice and she listened every word that he said. And every time Aidan would turn to look at her in the eyes, she would immediately turn her head away to hide her blushing cheeks.

After getting the tiles clean and moss free they moved to replant the rose bush, where Kat had to admit that she couldn't have done it without Aidan's help since the bush had grown so big that it was very heavy.

Aidan was a little confused when they moved the bush from a very sunny place to a slightly more shadowed one, where the bush surely would not grow as successfully as in the previous one. But when Kat explained that the manor's mistress' daughter wanted it under her window, he started to understand what kind of people lived in the small manor. And to be honest he didn't like it. The tone Kat used when she spoke of them told him that they did not treat her with kindness and that she herself was not overly fond of them either.

They then rooted out the flower beds that were very beautiful and once Aidan heard that it was Kat who had taken care of them for years, he was very impressed by the young girl's talent since he had heard from the palace's gardener that the gardening and making the flowers bloom beautifully every year was hard and time consuming work.

After getting that job done they were both tired, sweaty and dirty from the soil. Kat then took the bucket she had while scrubbing the tiles and filled it with water so she and Aidan could wash up a little and once they had gotten most of the dirt and sweat off of their faces and hands she went to the kitchen to get some fresh orange juice and some rolls that were left over from the breakfast.

They then sat on the kitchens doorstep and ate their small lunch together in a comfortable silence.

''So are you this manor's gardener?'' Aidan suddenly asked as he finished his roll.

''No, I'm the only servant,'' Kat corrected as she drank her juice. That statement made Aidan almost choke on his juice and turn his head wildly to her way.

''How do you manage to do everything alone in such a big house?'' He asked worry clear in his voice.

''I have to or the Lady will cut down my food or sleep or both,'' Kat said. Aidan was now clutching his fists tightly shut. How can anyone make one women do so much hard work?

''Why don't you leave? You have given me the impression that you don't like to be here,'' Aidan asked.

''And where would I go? Nobody wants to hire the daughter of the Devil,'' Kat said while waving her left hand, where the strange birthmark was as she rose from the step and took their glasses back to the kitchen. Aidan rose too and followed her inside where she was starting to wash the glasses.

''I'm sorry,'' Aidan said not knowing what else to say to comfort this young woman in front of him.

''It's alright; I've grown used to it. No use crying over something you can't change,'' Kat said while she dried the glasses and placed them on the shelf. Aidan though could see through her strong façade as he could how she was hurting from inside as she had no way out of this miserable life and Aidan couldn't help but to scold himself knowing that he was a prince for crying out loud and could do absolutely nothing to help her.

Just then they could hear a carriage pulling to the front of the manor.

''Quickly you have to leave before they see you,'' Kat said as she started pushing Aidan out of the kitchen. Aidan then, before leaving, turned around and took a hold of her hands,

''Can I see you again?'' He suddenly asked surprising Kat. But just then Kat could hear how the front door slammed shut and now she was starting to panic so she was ready to agree to practically anything just so he would leave unnoticed.

''Yes, you can see me again. Now go,'' she whispered as she pushed him once again and then watched how he, after getting his answer, ran out of the house, luckily unnoticed by the Lady or her daughter.