The Prince & The Pauper

Chapter 4 - Chasing Wonder

It's been a few days since the incident at the King's Road, and everyday since then I've been fearing that my stepmother will find out about my inference with the royal carriage.

But not matter what she might or might not do, I don't regret blocking Johnny from that whip. Knowing that if he would have gotten whipped it would have hurt him more than me, and that little boy has suffered enough in his young life. In fact I would have done that for any child, no child deserves the physical repercussions of being "disobedient".

"Winter!" I hear my name being yelled from upstairs, "Hurry up!" my stepmother snaps. I'm currently down in the basement boiling up a kettle of water for some tea, and feeding the horses as I do so.

"Almost done!" I shout up, with nearly not enough gusto as she used.

I quickly pour the tea into each cup and place the cup of hot tea on a tray then very carefully carry the trays up the stairs. Once upstairs I walk swiftly over to the kitchen and place their warm breakfast on their individual trays, than carry it all up to each of their rooms.

I first go to Hazel and Ivy's room and set down father and stepmother's tray before I knock on the girls room. Waiting a little while until the girls finally shout back to enter.

Once I open the door I can see that their room is covered in clothes, even though I cleaned up the room last night, it looks like a tornado ran through it.

Curiously, I walk over to the girls beds as they sit up and stretch out their arms and yawn. "Good morning Hazel," I turn to her as I place her tray on her lap, then I turn around to Ivy, "Good morning Ivy," I say as I set down her tray.

"Ugh Winter, you still have awful pale skin, what have I told you, no man would ever want a girl with skin as pale as yours." Ivy says, giggling, and Hazel snorts at her sister's comment. I just stand there, frozen to the floor.

"Oh Ivy she'll never get a man in the first place. Look at her posture, she always slouches. Never holds eye contact, I bet she's never even spoken to a boy." She says as they look me up and down, examining every flaw. And according to my family, I'm a walking flaw, everywhere from my abnormally dark hair, to my small feet.

I just stay quiet as they examine me, thankful that I have long sleeves on so that don't see the scar left by that whip. "Is that all you need girls?" I ask, "Yes for now, but we'll need you here later to design our gowns for the Prince's ball." Hazel squeals at the last part.

"And we need you to make us the best dresses in the world. The most extravagant, the most beautiful gowns anyone has ever seen!" Ivy shouts as she moves her hands all over the place. "As you wish," I bow my head, then quickly turn away and exit their room.

I walk over to the room that used to be mother and father's room, a place where I would always go to if I ever had a nightmare and need the comfort of my mother's soothing voice to reassure me that there were no monsters outside my window. Or to sing me back to sleep if my stomach hurt, to pet my hair and tell me how much she loved and adored me.

This room would always bring so much comfort, from the soft pine door frame to the constant smell of my mother; daisy's and bright summer days.

But now this is room holds nothing but lost dreams and coldness.

Putting my feelings aside I knock on the door and wait for the sharp "Enter," that I always hear from my step mother. Opening the door I put a smile on my face and I can see my father getting ready for work. But my stepmother is staying in bed, she never gets out of bed until she has her breakfast. I move over to her side of the bed and set down the tray in her waiting lap.