Chapter two
Maya lay on her bed and cried. It was unfair. Her sister would get her happily ever after but not her. She would be stuck in a forced marriage with a man who was in his late twenties. She would never see the world that books had shown her. She would never fight her way through the rainforest or see the lions of Africa or smell the spices of India. She would be trapped in a home with no escape.
"Now what's all this then?" a voice called out.
Maya glanced up to see her Indian nurse maid, Alla, standing there with her supper.
Alla placed the girl's meal on a table before walking over to the girl.
"What is with all the tears and such? Child what has upset you so?" Alla asked.
The older woman reached over and pushed the girl's hair out of her face.
"I do not want to grow up Alla. I want to see the world, but I feel like everything is closing in on me. Hermia is to be married and father is sending me away to school to learn about being a proper wife. I am to be wed on my thirteenth birthday. I will lose the little freedom I have left."
Alla frowned "Child do not cry. I'm sure it will be all right. Come now is time to eat. While you eat, I will tell you a story."
Maya slowly got up and walked over to sit in the chair.
Alla nodded her head. "For supper we have tomato soup with honey bread, grilled chicken and roasted potatoes."
Alla smiled and started her story.
"Long ago there was an Indian princess. She was a follower of the fairy queen. It was said that the girl had eaten and danced in the fairy queen's court. The Indian princess fell in love with a handsome prince from the neighboring kingdom. The girl begged and pleaded with her father to intervene, but he refused. He did not like the other kingdom. The father made plans to force the girl to marry another king that was old enough to be the girl's grandfather. It devastated the girl. She pleaded with her father, but he insisted. The girl fled to the wooded area outside the palace and wept bitter tears. As she cried, the fairy queen appeared. She was troubled at the tears her follower shed. The girl poured out her soul to the fairy queen of her fate. It angered the queen so she swore that she would right this wrong in exchange that the girl's family would always worship her. The girl agreed. The fairy queen used fairy magic to punish the girl's father and drive the old suiter away. The father finally agreed the girl could marry the younger prince. However, happiness was not to come for the young girl. As the child turned 4, the young woman died from a sickness. That same night the child vanished. Rumor has it the fairy queen took the child or at least that is what the nursemaid swore to all who would listen. The prince died from a broken heart."
Maya slowly pushed her food around glancing at the darkness coming.
Alla frowned "Come child, you love when I tell you stories from my homeland. I thought you would be excited about it being the midsummer night. I know that you love this night."
Maya glanced up. "It is the midsummer night! The fairies will be out tonight!"
Alla glanced at the door. "Yes, it is and if you intend to leave your fairy gift you had better eat and quickly. Just remember. Fairies are tricksters. They will promise a gift, but it always has a consequence to the mortal who asks for it."
Maya nodded her head and ate the food quickly. After eating she stood up and ran to change her clothes. She grabbed her gifts for the fairies before running to the door.
She jerked to a stop facing her nurse. "Thank you, Alla."
Maya slipped out the door.
Alla sighed sadly, feeling pity for the poor child. She had taken care of the child since the date of her birth. Egeus did not care for the child because of her mother's death. She prayed that the girl would be all right. The woman sighed before grabbing her robe from by the door. She could not let the child wander alone so late at night.