Once Upon a Miserable Soul

Chapter 10: Generosity

Bing-bong!

The storekeeper of Hera Cheeses looked up to see the bell at his door chiming. The first costumer of the day arrived.

"May I help you sir?"

"Yes. I'd like your highest quality cheeses. It's a present for a girl."

"Woah ho ho." The fat man chuckled. "Well come and take a look around your highness, there's a huge selection. I have heart shaped cheeses of all types. Swiss, bleu, American, mozzarella, jack... every king of cheese you could think of."

The prince looked at all the cheese displayed in different shapes. He was very impressed with the service the small store had.

"I'd like two of each type of cheese you have, heart shaped and in a heart shaped box. Could you fill them with melted cheese?"

"Why certainly. That's what we're famous for!"

He put on a pair of rubber gloves. Roddy watched him take the cheese when a memory of Rita crying because her family had no food. "Can I have another box, just plain cheese deluxe size?"

The store keeper nodded his head and continued to pack up the cheese. Starting to get bored, Roddy walked around the store to look at the other cheeses. Then a newspaper caught his eye.

A PRINCESS FOR RODDY?

He was on the front page. In the picture, he was holding hands with Rita at the ball. Her face was hiding behind her hair and he looked as if he was going to kill the camera man. On the side was a picture of a young girl near the age of eight.

"Don't these people ever give me a break?" Roddy yelled in frustration. He slammed the newspaper back to the counter and sighed.

"Those nasty people will do anything to make money." Said the shopkeeper. "Whoever took that photo now is probably buying a castle in France." He brought the boxes up to the cash register and added up the prices. "I hope you brought a ton of money."

Roddy pulled his credit card out of his pocket and swiped it onto the scanner.

"Have a good day sir." Said Roddy.

"Have a wonderful day Prince Roderick."

He hated it when people called him that, even when they didn't know how he felt deep down inside.

"Attention all slaves!" the loudspeaker turned on and everyone stopped working. "Report to the main hall. For the next three days there will be a change in all your schedules."

"Where's Rita?" Laura asked. "She should have been here hours ago."

"I don't know dear." Said Maria. "Now come. Le Toad's not patient man."

All the rats gathered around. The guards wouldn't let them sit down on the chairs or couches. Le Toad went in front of them and stood on a chair.

"Silence!" he roared. The hall then was nothing with dead silence. "As I said before, your schedules are completely different. You see, we are having a wedding celebration right here. My best guard Whitey is getting married!"

"Who's the bride?" Laura asked. Maria shushed her in fear of Le Toad's wrath.

"I will explain that later. Now, the preparations are more important. I need all the chefs to make a deluxe wedding dinner. That means the food must be cooked to perfection. I have a list of dishes you are to prepare. Spike, you're in charge. Make sure they do it right and in addition, make sure they make a wedding cake, six story's tall."

"But I'm in charge of the chefs." Said Remy. "Why is that twi-"

"Because he's a guard. He'll do a better job than you! As for the maids, you will decorate all the rooms. White and gold ribbons and balloons. I expect this place to look like a palace. Clean every spec of dust."

"You heard the man." Said Thimblenose. "Let's get to work ladies."

"Why is he coming with us?" said Laura.

"Be quiet." He mother sneered.

"To make sure they get it right. And also, we found your little hideout. Whitey found it actually and this marriage is his reward." All the servants were appalled by this. They could possible have their hands cut off. But the guards started evacuating the scene to get started, the slaves following them. "You two... Maria, I want you to make the gown. Laura can make the veil."

"Well tell me about the bride and I'll be done in five hours. Who is she?"

Le Toad stopped and walked back to them.

"Let's just say the size is extra small."

Laura gasped. Maria could feel tears begin to well up.

"You cant do this. It's not fair to the family."

"She's my property. She'll be wed before new years anyway."

"This isn't fair!" Laura snapped. Le Toad stared at her evilly.

"You talk back to me one more time young lady and you'll loose that tongue! Understand?"

Laura shook her head, fearfully as she burst into tears.

"Now get started." He sneered. "I want her to look like a princess."

He locked all the servants in the rooms they were working in. Maria and Laura were the only ones who knew Rita was the bride. They knew they had to tell them.

"In three days it'll be too late." Maria sighed as she looked through the design book.

"This isn't fair!" Laura screamed. "She worked ten years for him to get it out of the way! Now she'll never be free!" The poor girl started sobbing as she got out the fabric for Rita's veil. "Never..."

Amanda Malone heard a knock on her door. She stopped preparing cold tea to answer it.

"Mum it's the prince!" Annie screamed with joy and delight.

"The prince? That's rubbish." She opened the door.

"Is this the Malone family?"

"Yes it is. May I ask why you're here?"

"Well I just dropped by to bring you some cheese."

He handed her a gold box. Amanda almost fainted when she saw. There were about forty chunks of cheese in there.

"Why your highness... I don't know what to tell you."

"Rita told me you guys were starved to death, so I got these from the best cheese store in the city."

"You know my daughter? Well please come in and tell us what she's been doing."

"Thank you." Roddy stepped in and sat down on the couch. Everyone stopped playing and stared at him.

"Sit down kids." Said Amanda. "Nigel! We have a guest!"

"Coming love!"

"Is Nigel your husband?" Roddy asked.

"Yes."

A tall and very fit man came down.

"Nigel, the prince saw Rita."

"Well did he then?" Nigel sat down on his big TV chair. "Well, tell us how she is."

The children were all nibbling on their cheese.

"Well I met her at the seamstress shop. She was getting ball gowns for Le Toad's daughters..."

Roddy told his story to the family. He also mentioned that New Years was less than a week away. The only thing he didn't tell them was his plan for the next time he saw Rita.