The sunlight peeked through the curtains falling on the onto the servant's outfit hung outside the sight of the door. Breakfast was already placed at the foot of his bed. his head fell back onto the pillow.

He had learned her name. Her name!  Though he didn't learn much else, it was a step. A step in the right direction. Hopefully, today would take him running.  

There were three soft knocks on the door. A little girl of no more than seven bounded into the room. Her curls dangled in front of her eyes, pushed away by the blow of her breath as she stood at the foot of the bed.

"Why are you not awake?" She cocked her head in curiosity.

"Not everyone is bribed in the morning with a chocolate drink," he replied staring at the breakfast of freshly cooked eggs brought in earlier.

She gave a small shrug before climbing into the bed, slipping under the covers next to her big brother.

He looked over, "What do you want to do today?" She narrowed her eyes mulling over the decision.

"Can we take a walk around the castle? Like how we used to!" She spoke eagerly, hope eminent on her face.

"Perhaps we could," he stood from the bed grabbing the days clothes laid out for him. The little girl shoved her face into one of the many pillows allowing him to change.

"All ready!" She jumped from the bed grabbed his hand and pulling him to the nearest exit.

The walk was as expected dull, but entertaining. The little girl was at the climax of the story pertaining to forest bears and an unlucky girl captured in the beasts' cave. Another voice caught his attention.

It argued in hushed tones between two large trees some twenty feet away. The little girl was lost in her own little world, not noticing her brother had stopped and was currently edging closer to the tree line.

He made it to under five feet away. He could hear every word.

"-said I had a year. I would have to work for a lifetime if this is the money I'm receiving," Katie's voice slowly raised.

"I'm sorry dear," Mrs. O'Neil, the head housekeeper, replied, "These are the wages given to everyone." He watched as Katie stared ahead, her face washed clean of emotion. She leaned against the closest tree, small sobs racked her frame. 

"I wish I could be free,"  The whisper could barely be heard above the wind-shaken branches. A slight tug at my sleeve brought me back to the present, back to the story of little girls and big scary bears. 

                                                                                                ****

She was kneeling on the ground, her fingers working faster than he could follow. The cold nipped his chest through the thin shirt. She looked beautiful. He tapped her shoulder. 

"What do you need?" Her voice was on edge. 

"I came for a repeat of yesterday. Mind if I stay?" She dusted the dirt from her hands, pushing to stand up. 

"Will you distract me?" Her hand placed on a cocked hip. 

"I hope not," He didn't want her to stop. "Though, may I ask?" He took a step closer, "Why did you begin working here?" Her eyes fixed on the ground. 

She straightened her back, showcasing a confidence found only at the skin. "I needed the money," Her words were final. he didn't press on.

"I could ask you the same question," She knelt back on the ground. The weeds piled in the corner. "I was introduced to everyone. Everyone but you that is." His heartbeat quickened.

"I have always been here. Born and raised in between the castle walls," She only nodded her head. "Though I must be the most interesting person thus far," A smirk played on his lips. 

She turned around to look at him. Her gaze moving up and down his body. "No," She stared into his eyes.

"Maybe I will just have to prove you wrong," She gave out an uncontained laugh. Humor glistened in her eyes and he to laughed at her inability to see the truth behind his words.

He tried.

For two weeks every morning, he returned to the garden. Every day he would bring her a wildflower from the gardens. Everyday he told her a story, each more ridiculous than the last. Every day he learned something new.

****

The small pile glittered through the floor. It has been over two weeks since he started coming. He was a constant. Irritatingly dependable. But she started finding it at the same time. One under her pillow. Two slipped into her laundry. Another slide under her door. So she hid them. Under the floorboards, out of site. Though never out of mind.

They plagued her throughout the day and feasted upon her at night. But she couldn't simply throw them away. How could anyone throw something like this away? She rubbed the coin between her index finger and her thumb. Her messy brown hair reflected off the gold surface. she dropped the coin into her pocket, closing the hole with a plank of wood. 

The garden was close to perfection, a beauty only obtainable by plants. She picked her appointed favorite tree and sat with the hard bark digging into her shoulder blades. The coin passed over her knuckles and between her fingers. Her eyes never leaving the back and forth pattern. He walked towards her.

She put the coin between her teeth and stood to greet him.

"I suppose you have another one for me?" She grabbed his hand and brought him to the section where she needed to work.

"I've been saving this one for last," he sat down. Last? She sat beside him. He took a long over exaggerated breath to rile her up. She had little to no patience. She was seated in front of him, her hands tucked under the outside of her pants like usual. He never commented on the coin.

"Once upon a time a small colony of mice fled from a large storm sought refuge and habitat in the valley at the base of a small mountain. Upon the land a house was built, large and luxurious only the leader had to right to live in such a palace. Within the climbing towers and rooms of stone and jewels the Tsar lived with his wife and child.  They reigned over the colony controlling every aspect of life for the poor mice-folk that lived in the lush green valley. Not after long the parties ensued. Grand events filled with wine made from the berry bushes that grew along the creek side and lavish costumes woven from the stringy grass common at the climax of the mountain.

"The Tsar's son, a kind mouse-folk, grew up thriving in this world, everything was handed to him on a silver gleaming tray, but he always despised shiny things. He grew bitter to his family and to the Lord's and Ladies who surfaced every forth night to take advantage of the servants and so called lesser beings. He detested the dancing and petty conversations, but year after year he watched as the people grew hungrier and hungrier and the parties more and more lavish.

"He couldn't do anything, not yet at least. The prince bided his time over the years, waiting for the throne. He suffered through useless small talk over whiny insignificant matters through the winter. As he watched the snow fall outside the window he thought of his subjects, his people, freezing to death as mother's, father's and children died.

"There can spring and the prince was lost, the winter had brought upon him such a state of complete pessimism that he feared he would never fix the mistakes his forefathers had created. He gloomed in his unnecessarily dark room. For almost a month he stayed in this depressive state, until the time between summer and spring when something unexpected happened.

"The ground thawed as the leaves grew back again, and the blue birds nested in the y shaped branches. The bees had returned as the lilies budded in the gardens. And the prince had become happier, something had arrived. Something so full of hot white hope, he was forced to accept the challenge."

He took in a breath as he reached the end of the story. Katie looked up expecting more.

"Please continue, what's to happen to the kingdom?" Katie pleaded. Her head leaned on Travis's shoulder as silent tears slipped from her eyes. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't know how the story ends. Why don't we find out together?" Katie fell asleep leaning upon him. The warmth he emanated lulled her mind to rest.

Travis picked her up, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her head on his shoulder. He walked to the servant quarters careful not to wake her, but not careful enough.

Ms. Dorris stood in front of them with wide eyes, recognizing the prince. The old women's eyes fell upon Katie before looking at Travis and back again. A smirk appeared on her lips giving a knowing glance. The prince gave a small smile before entering Katie's room and placing her on the bed.

She was beautiful, her face calm, as if no troubles had ever graced her. He placed a gentle kiss on the cheek leaving soon after returning to his room as sleep over came him.

****

The kitchen was alive as servants chatted and ate breakfast. Katie sat alone in the far corner nibbling on a slice of corn bread. Ms. Dorris had told her to not to leave the kitchen early, so here she sat uncomfortable and alone.

She pondered Travis's story and the pain she remembered that lapsed through his voice as he spoke. She empathized with the mice prince, being in a... place where you never belonged. But unlike him she will never be free. Her father, if she can even call him that, totaled debt before his much needed death. The same debt was then forced onto Katie. Thus she was here alone in this dark and mildewy room. She would never get the chance to be free, her dreams from the night before reminding her of her inescapable past and future.

She wished she was working, the dirt running through her fingers as she perfected the far corner of the tree grove, but she had been called by Ms. Dorris.

Travis might have come round and told another one of his outlandish stories. She always scoffed after, but secretly she loved hearing him recite grand adventures with people much to foolish and clumsy for their own good. She always liked how his lips quirked up at his own jokes and how he would watch her from the corner of his eye as they sat in the shade of the trees.

"Marie is out with her sick mother for tonight's dinner. I would very much appreciate some help with serving king's family and their guests tonight," Ms. Dorris scared Katie out of her stupor.

(1851)