Jarida - Cinderella Ch2

Ch2 There Is More To Fate

In the castle there stood a young fearless, red headed princess who was to get married at her parents’ request.  Merida is a feisty girl and old enough to take care of herself.  But the Queen, Elinor would feel a lot more comfortable if her daughter had someone to look after her and their kingdom when both she and her husband are gone.

Elinor knew that arranged marriage wouldn’t please her daughter and she wants her to be happy, so the best way for Merida to pick a husband is to have a ball, with young men from many lands and from the kingdom; even from the village.  Merida is a very stubborn girl.

“Try to smile,” Merida’s lady in waiting, Rapunzel asked her, “I’m sure the ball won’t be that bad.”

“’That bad?’” Merida asked, “I’m being forced to get married because I’m nothing like my mother or any other noble lady!”

“She means well and she’s letting you pick him, so the decision will be yours!”

“I just don’t feel ready,” Merida sighed, “I know that I’ll have to be queen someday, but not like this.”

Merida peered out of her window thinking of how lucky her people in the village are.  Getting to be themselves without anyone telling them what to do, who and when they can be in love and when they can start a future together.

“I just want to have freedom” Merida confessed.

Rapunzel and Merida have known each other for a long time and became friends, so Merida knew that she wouldn’t rat her out to the Queen about her dream.

“That doesn’t mean that you won’t get it!” Rapunzel replied, “I would do anything for love.  Someone who loves me for who I am, to give me wings and to make me feel free!”

“But feeling isn’t the same as freedom itself!”

The red-headed princess knew that her maid was trying to help her, but she would do anything to control her fate and to make decisions of her own.  As she was daydreaming, a small bird flew into her room and nested itself on her bed.

It’s feathers were light brown with some white and blue eyes.  Merida didn’t know why she was focusing on the bird’s eyes, but she felt like she was looking into a human’s eyes.

Another hard day for Jack as he slaved away by doing another long list of chores.  It had been six days since he handed the bottle to Hiccup and his friends and wonders if they found out anything about it.

The Stabbington Brothers were out hunting while their father was in ‘his’ office, so Jack can sneak a little time playing ball with the children as he was doing the brothers’ laundry.  He kept an empty basket near the clothes line so they can use it as a goal.

The small mice cheered as the children played, if only it was like that everyday.  Seeing them play reminded Jack what it was like when his grandfather was alive and that there were smiles everywhere you turn.  But not know, not since Pitch took charge.

One of the children Jack is closest to, Jamie Bennett and his little sister, Sophie came running up to him and asked if he could play with them.  But of course,

“I got work to do and if Pitch catches me, I’ll be working until next winter with nothing but crumbs for meals!”

A place under the control of Pitch is no place for Jamie and Sophie; Jack wishes that Tooth and Aster could take them in.  But it wouldn’t be fair for the other kids and the two can’t take all of them in.

Then out of nowhere, a bird with snowy white feathers landed in one of the baskets.  Luckily it wasn’t one that held Pitch’s or his sons’ clothes because it’s wing was bleeding with an arrow sticking through it.  It must have been flying by and then got shot by one of the Stabbington Brothers’ arrows.

The children stopped what they were doing to see what was going on with Jack and the Bennetts and why they were looking at a basket of clothes?

“What’s going on?” one of boys asked.

“Go inside and grab an empty basket and a cloth big enough to cover the top,” Jack asked the children for help, “We can’t let Pitch know about this!”

While Jamie and one of his friends went inside, Jack and the other kids acted like nothing was wrong.  They didn’t want Pitch to know what they are doing if he sees them through his window.  Once they were back, Jack made a scene to make it look like he was out of pegs and went inside to get more, when he was really getting the wounded bird up to his room.

Once he removed the arrow, cleaned the wound and bandaged it, he turned the basket into a bed and then hid his feathered patient behind an old trunk filled with his late parents’ belongings.  He kept the key for it with Kevin and the other mice.

“There you go” Jack made sure the bird was comfortable.  “I would place you some where a bit nicer, but I’ll be in a lot of trouble if they find you.  You can stay here as long as you want, even when your wing is healed!”

Jack would like to get to know his new friend, but he still has work to do.  But the look in the bird’s blue eyes made him feel like he was looking at a person; not a bird?

Two birds in two different places felt each others presence and the feelings of the ones who were caring for them.  One in the care of a girl who has everything but freedom and the other in the care of a boy who has nothing but memories of a happier time.  The two will repay them by bringing their carers together.  It’s only a matter of time.

The next few days Jack was given permission to go to the village.  Even if he doesn’t need help with his reading, he still has a book to return and some money to make.  As well as to see if Hiccup has found anything about their mystery bottle.

At the castle Merida was feeding her feathered friend that flew into her room a few days ago.  Even when it was staying with her, Merida refused to place it in a cage.  Then there was a knock on the door and Rapunzel came in with clothes in her hands and Merida’s footman, Flynn (or Eugene to his friends) by her side.

“Rapunzel!  Eugene!” Merida welcomed her friends, “What a surprise.”

It was no secret that Rapunzel has a crush on the young Footman, but Eugene doesn’t know it!  So it was rare to see her lady in waiting with Eugene without looking nervous.

“We came to get you ready” Rapunzel explained.

“What?” Merida was confused, “But the ball isn’t-”

“It isn’t about the ball” Eugene reassured her, “Well not all of it, but the Queen as asked us to look after you!”

“She did, why?”

The King and Queen had felt guilty about making their daughter feel like they don’t care about her and making her think that they want to get rid of her by finding a suitor at the upcoming ball.  So they thought that it was best to give her a gift that is unlike anything they had given her before.  A day in the village.

The Princess was given some of Rapunzel’s spare clothes and cape so no one will know who she is until the ball.  Eugene would bring the girls down by carriage and then the three will walk on foot so they can really enjoy the day.  Merida felt like she could never leave as she walked down the village street for the first time.

“What better way to enjoy the day before the invitations get handed out” Merida smiled.

“I know you want nothing to do with the ball” Rapunzel understood, “But your mother is also inviting men from the village.  So if you meet someone here, you could see him again at the ball!”

“Rapunzel!!!”  Rapunzel just laughed as her lady blushed.

Merida saw more than she ever did from her window and is much closer than she was before.  The villagers have no idea who she is, so she was being treated like a real person.  It was wonderful and so was the food and it is nowhere near fancy.  She also wandered off away from her companions as they were getting themselves a drink.  She wanted to give the two sometime to ‘themselves’ and so she could truly feel like she isn’t a princess.

As she kept going down the street she saw a group of people gathering around a well.  They didn’t have any buckets with them and nothing looked wrong, but there was a boy who was putting on a show with dancing clothed mice and hummingbirds.

Jack had some time after he got the bread and thought he could earn some money for the kids with one of his shows.  His friends had trained themselves to dance and to do tricks.  The village laughed as the mice back flipped and stood on each other’s shoulders; and fighting each other like crazy when they got it wrong.  The money was placed in a tin can; things started to look up for the orphanage, like it was going to have a future again.  Until....

“JACK!!!” yelled one of the Stabbington Brothers, the one that can talk.

Jack was speechless and shocked to see them, he couldn’t find the words to explain.  “Uunnn.....  Doing some shopping of your own?”

The second brother scared the mice and hummingbirds away as he picked up the can and handed his brother the money that was in it.  Jack was about to take it back, but the mute brother stopped him.

“I earned that for the kids” he barked.

The brothers just knocked him to the ground.  “And we own you!  Did you really think you can make a living with dancing vermin and give all of father’s money to the ‘kids’ without us knowing?”  One of the brothers’ slapped him as he tried to get up.  “Remember your place orphan and do your work, or we will rat you out to father!”

Jack wiped the blood from his lips as the brothers threw the empty can at his feet.  The people left without offering him help as his friends came out of their hiding place, wishing that they could have done something.

Jack was about to pick up the can, but a red-headed girl picked it up for him and placed in a handful of coins.  She then helped him up and gave him a handkerchief to wipe his face.

“Friends of yours?” the girl asked.  Merida wanted to make sure that the boy was alright.

“More like the sons of the one whom I’m forced to call ‘master!’”  Jack knew that he sounded harsh to her, but he was so enraged.  “By the way, thanks!”

“You live around here?” Merida asked, as she pulled her hood down.  (She was getting too warm and this boy doesn’t even know who she is!)

“I come down from time to time; I live in the orphanage.  It was once owned by my grandfather before he passed away and his partner took over!”

“So the partner is your ‘master’?  But I think that you should have it, you are the heir!”

“Tell that to him without getting whipped.”

“He hurts you?” Merida wouldn’t believe someone could be so cruel, especially to someone that is the rightful owner and cares for children.

“Starves me too, hints why I’m so thin.  But cooking, cleaning and doing the house work keeps you in shape!”  Jack gave his lip one more dab with the cloth before handing it back, but she told him to keep it.

He never felt or thought that he could enjoy being told want to do.  They just met and it felt like they knew each other for a long time.  Merida felt the same, she could see what Rapunzel meant; love can make you feel free.

Jack showed Merida around the village to repay her for her kindness; he still has some spare time.  He showed her all the best spots, but he didn’t go to see his friends; he didn’t want to give them the wrong idea, like Baby Tooth, Dave and the others have.  Then finally he took her to his favourite place in the village.  On top of one of the buildings; where you can get a full view of the castle.

Merida had never seen the castle from this view, but looking at it reminded her of who she is, but she didn’t let it show.

“Looks amazing doesn’t it?” Jack asked her.

“Oh!  It’s lovely.”  Jack must feel like she does with the village.  But she did her best to sound amazed.

“I wonder what it would be like to go through those gates?  Seeing the village like you were watching it in the sky and people working together to keep it in shape.  The servants must be treated well.  Shows you that the King cares for both his people inside and outside those walls.”

“You would like to go in there, wouldn’t you?” Merida asked.  She wished that she could tell him the truth about her.

“It would be nice, but even if I’m aloud Pitch would never have it!  But if I could sneak in, I’ll tell the King what Pitch has been doing at the orphanage and to the kids.”

“I can help you with that!”

“Thanks, but I’d rather do it on my own.  I’ve lived there ever since my parents passed away and my grandfather took me in.”

“Your parents are gone?”

“Yeah, they passed away when I was a baby.  My grandfather heard what had happened to his daughter and son-in-law so he took me in.  He was like a second father, but after he died I was on my own and his partner took over and kept me as his pet.”

“But why would you talk to the King all by yourself, I could do it for you!”

“Thanks but I’ll feel best if I do it on my own.  I’ve started this quest to set things right and I’ll be the one to end it.  And what did you mean by ‘I could do it for you,’ um......?  I’m sorry throughout the day I haven’t even got your name.”

Merida was about to answer, but she then saw Rapunzel and Eugene looking for her; and Jack saw Hiccup and Astrid doing the same.  The two went their own ways without knowing where the other was going or doing.

Rapunzel and Eugene were glad to finally find her and told her that they stayed long enough.  Merida wanted to say goodbye to Jack; if that was even his name.  But he was gone.

Hiccup and Astrid had learned about the bottle and came looking for Jack so they could tell him.  The bottle was in fact one of the bottles used by doctors, but it didn’t contain medicine.

“What??” Jack gasped.

“Your grandfather’s illness didn’t kill him,” Hiccup explained, “It was the poison that was in the bottle.  The first sip made him sick and the more he took; the more he life withered away.”

“Pitch!” Jack snarled, “He made him sick in the first place and then kept feeding it to him so he could be ‘king’ of the orphanage!”

“I’m sorry.  But why were you with the princess?”

“What?!?!?”  Now Jack was confused.

“That girl you were with is Princess Merida; I met her and her family with Gobber when we gave the King his new sword!”

Jack couldn’t believe his own ears.  He has met the princess and asked her not to help him to meet her father.  When he turned around to see if she was still with him, she was gone!

Merida felt guilty for not telling Jack who she was as the carriage brought her back to the castle.  She may not be able to see him from the way he described Pitch and she knew that he’ll hate her if she tells her father what he told her.  He wanted to do it, so he will, at the ball!  Merida believes that Jack will find a way to come!