Chapter One: Friendship
I was told when I was young ‘Love is a game, so don’t cheat, don’t speed ahead, and enjoy the things you have because in one wrong move you could lose it all.’ I tried to live like that my whole life. But what I had to go through truly tested my belief in that.
Let me introduce myself. Pleased to make your acquaintance, I’m Ivy Jade, and I live in the big beautiful kingdom of Arreis. The charming metropolis that is thriving with life. And in this humble valley I have the best job in the whole city. I am a personal assistant for the royal family’s heir. It is like being part of the family, especially for me.
You see, when I was little, my father worked as a knight for the king. And when no one was watching I would wander around the castle, and one day I stumbled into a big bedroom. I saw a large bed with artwork on the walls and a closet bigger than my room! I gazed around studying the craftsmanship of a little wooden sword propped up against a chair.
I looked around admiring everything when I saw a little shadow behind me walk up. I turned around to see a boy my age with blonde hair and in formal wear smiling at me with a polite, but confused tilted head. It soon dawned on me that I was in the bedroom of the king’s son! (AKA the prince!)
“Oh, your highness!” I shouted as if I wanted people around us to hear me. “I…I..” I had no idea what to say, my little mind could only think to wait. I stared at the ground awaiting a punishment fit for my crimes. But it never came. I looked back up at him. He seemed to want to say something but he couldn’t spit it out. I waited a little longer before I started to wonder if I should just walk away. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He then glanced at the door as if to say that if I were to leave he wouldn’t tell anyone I was there. I took that opportunity and began walking out the door slowly, but once I was out the door I began running faster than a rabbit when it feels threatened. I looked back at him one last time. He just watched with an almost sad look in his eye. I tried to forget about it the next day.
As usual it was another bright and sunny day. I was cleaning my one window in a room I share with my father when I heard knocking on our tired door. I opened it a crack to see who it was. It was the prince! I bowed thinking he changed his mind and wanted to punish me. He just stared at me with a confused expression until I finally lifted my head.
“Is there anything you need, your majesty?” My heart quivered just thinking about how disappointed my father would be if he found out I was thrown in prison. He just looked at me with hope then pulled out a little top. It appeared brand new and had a bright red paint on it. I looked at him with surprise, until I finally nodded my head. He spread out his hand and I accepted it, and we went outside to play. We soon bonded afterward and have been inseparable ever since. And one thing I quickly had to realize is that he could not speak. As a solution he taught me a type of language with his hands, like symbols you would make for shadow puppets, but they mean words. And in him teaching me I could help him with those who couldn’t understand what he needed. I finally found my place in the kingdom.
Now I work in the palace, Telling people what he’s trying to say Because I am one of the few people in the kingdom that can read sign. and I not only get to knock on his door now, I also get the “Privilege” of waking up the sleeping beauty. His blonde tangled hair fights with me as I try to get him ready for the day. He is rather grumbley in the morning and I sometimes have the urge to slap him, and he never appreciates my hastiness, but as the day progresses we end up having fun together. I appreciate his way of thinking and strive to be a kind person in every atmosphere. Whereas he seems to enjoy my ‘Slightly’ rude humor.
We go about our day doing tasks. He has many responsibilities and he always needs help. Help that I’m hired to give. He has many lessons as well such as fencing, archery, basic agility, and academics. And since I have assisted him my whole life even before I was paid for it I am now well versed in every art previously mentioned. Although it is very strange for a girl to know things such as math or the art of fighting. Which means I don’t make a lot of friends with the young women who wear big dresses and even bigger hats, which is about every girl in town. Besides, I really wouldn’t have time to make friends anyway, with my schedule tighter than a wealthy woman’s dress.
Speaking of wardrobe, Though I wear a simple maid’s dress I always wear some form of pants. Of course when I first was made an assistant I was dressed by people every day, as many maids have to be. They unapproved of my rather boy-ish behavior and my tendency to tear my dresses. Eventually they grew tired of me to the point where they stopped dressing me much to my delight. (and theirs)
Anyway, Though I no longer get dressed, I now help the prince (Who’s name by the way is Thomas, but I call Tom) put on his accessories such as jackets, belts, and various types of handkerchiefs. To be honest I don’t know what he would do without me, I mean I help him in not only simple things like tying a shoe, but being someone he can talk to and them actually understand and I suppose I like being important too. I really needed him when my father passed away. I think that was the only time I’d ever cried in front of anyone before. So in some ways I suppose we both need each other. But I don’t think I’ll ever admit it.