The Pauper by Becky Hanks
A small snippet of a story, I may write about a young girl named Evie Jacobs who has spent her whole life in the security of her overprotective parents and when she is finally 'set free' into the teenage world of comprehensive schools, friendships and crushes, She finds herself completely isolated, until she meets Trent - a 23 year old handy man who is just as lonely as she is.
The fall of the King
Once upon a time in a far away land there was a king and a Queen, who every day longed for one thing, and one thing only. "If only we had a child." They would say, pondering at their castle, the great spaces of green grass and beautiful flowers, the empty and silent rooms. But their wish was never fulfilled until one spring morning, when the Queen was perched at her window, watching the clouds pass in a blue sky a witch appeared, with long black hair, a hooked nose and waxy skin. The Queen shrieked but the witch spoke "Do not be afraid, for I have come to grant you a wish, and one wish only."
The Queen was suspicious but wanted a child so sincerely that she ignored her instincts and said "I wish to have a baby girl."
The witch raised a wicked eyebrow and said "Then a baby girl you shall have, however I ask a favor of you - I am very hungry and tired and in return would like a meal and a bed for the night."
But the Queen was too excited, she didn't listen to the Witch and burst out of the room to inform the King. As she did so the angry Witch cast a spell - the King and the Queen could have their baby girl, but the world in which they live would turn to disaster, with thieves, murderers and terrible people and so when the Queen gave birth to a beautiful girl, her parents locked her in the tallest tower of the castle, away from harm and away from the terrible world that the witch had created.
From the tallest tower the Princess would look out at the greens of gardens, the darkest forest and clear blue skies and wonder how dreadful such beautiful things could be. And one day, when the Princess was thinking this, the Witch appeared behind her. The Princess didn't shriek as her mother had before, instead she noticed how frail the old woman looked, how hungry and tired she seemed. The Princess offered her a bread roll from her own plate and for her to rest her head on her pillow. The witch felt a warmth inside of her and said to the Princess "In return I will grant you one wish and one wish only."
The Princess looked out of the window and upon the world in which she longed to explore. And so she said to the witch "I wish I was free."
The witch nodded her head, and spoke with heavy eyes "And so I will set you free."
"Evie!" My mother bellowed up the staircase, her voice at an ear piercing pitch. I put down my pen and closed my notebook, headed toward the door and bounded down the staircase. Mother has copper hair, and through it strands of Gray shimmer under the light of the sun streaming through the hall. She has a red lipstick mouth, pink cheeks and heavily lined eyes. Today she is wearing a floral dress with hose. "Come on, Evie." She said, looking down at the gold watch on her wrist. "You're almost a minute late." My mother is, metaphorically speaking - the Queen of my tale, daddy is the King and of course I am the Princess. My name is Evie Jacobs and I live in a castle. Not a grand castle with a moat and a church and an army, but a big house with high Walls and tall black gates at the front. On a gold plaque by the gates it reads 'Jacobs' Castle'. I don't venture out further then that, since they're always locked. But sometimes, when mother needs to go into town or if I have an appointment we leave the boundaries together.
Today is Saturday, which means no learning - no numeracy, history or religious education. The Queen is also my teacher. I have never been to school, mum says "It is dirty in there, and the children are monstrous. Why anybody would want to go there for five days out of the week is beyond me. Children should be taught at home with their mothers."
I think I'd quite liked to go to school, get on a yellow bus to the red brick building. Percy High School is wondrous, when we pass it, is always surrounded by pretty girls with groups of friends, boys throwing footballs and teachers waiting for the bell with their cups of coffee.
The table is set with breakfast, a fruit bowl, cereal, toast and preserves. I sit myself next to daddy after pecking him on the cheek. "Morning sweetie." He said without taking his eyes from the open newspaper held in front of him. His dark hair is combed neatly, all of his shirt buttons up and a navy tie in place. Daddy works on weekends, in fact - there isn't a day that passes by when he isn't working. He owns his own business, selling used cars. And although he sells shabby Fiestas and Rovers, he drives an Audi. But, little did I know - when I was spreading marmalade on hot toast, today was the day my dreams would come true - because today was the day my Daddy would lose his business. It would be the fall of the King.
Once upon a time in a far away land there was a king and a Queen, who every day longed for one thing, and one thing only. "If only we had a child." They would say, pondering at their castle, the great spaces of green grass and beautiful flowers, the empty and silent rooms. But their wish was never fulfilled until one spring morning, when the Queen was perched at her window, watching the clouds pass in a blue sky a witch appeared, with long black hair, a hooked nose and waxy skin. The Queen shrieked but the witch spoke "Do not be afraid, for I have come to grant you a wish, and one wish only."
The Queen was suspicious but wanted a child so sincerely that she ignored her instincts and said "I wish to have a baby girl."
The witch raised a wicked eyebrow and said "Then a baby girl you shall have, however I ask a favor of you - I am very hungry and tired and in return would like a meal and a bed for the night."
But the Queen was too excited, she didn't listen to the Witch and burst out of the room to inform the King. As she did so the angry Witch cast a spell - the King and the Queen could have their baby girl, but the world in which they live would turn to disaster, with thieves, murderers and terrible people and so when the Queen gave birth to a beautiful girl, her parents locked her in the tallest tower of the castle, away from harm and away from the terrible world that the witch had created.
From the tallest tower the Princess would look out at the greens of gardens, the darkest forest and clear blue skies and wonder how dreadful such beautiful things could be. And one day, when the Princess was thinking this, the Witch appeared behind her. The Princess didn't shriek as her mother had before, instead she noticed how frail the old woman looked, how hungry and tired she seemed. The Princess offered her a bread roll from her own plate and for her to rest her head on her pillow. The witch felt a warmth inside of her and said to the Princess "In return I will grant you one wish and one wish only."
The Princess looked out of the window and upon the world in which she longed to explore. And so she said to the witch "I wish I was free."
The witch nodded her head, and spoke with heavy eyes "And so I will set you free."
"Evie!" My mother bellowed up the staircase, her voice at an ear piercing pitch. I put down my pen and closed my notebook, headed toward the door and bounded down the staircase. Mother has copper hair, and through it strands of Gray shimmer under the light of the sun streaming through the hall. She has a red lipstick mouth, pink cheeks and heavily lined eyes. Today she is wearing a floral dress with hose. "Come on, Evie." She said, looking down at the gold watch on her wrist. "You're almost a minute late." My mother is, metaphorically speaking - the Queen of my tale, daddy is the King and of course I am the Princess. My name is Evie Jacobs and I live in a castle. Not a grand castle with a moat and a church and an army, but a big house with high Walls and tall black gates at the front. On a gold plaque by the gates it reads 'Jacobs' Castle'. I don't venture out further then that, since they're always locked. But sometimes, when mother needs to go into town or if I have an appointment we leave the boundaries together.
Today is Saturday, which means no learning - no numeracy, history or religious education. The Queen is also my teacher. I have never been to school, mum says "It is dirty in there, and the children are monstrous. Why anybody would want to go there for five days out of the week is beyond me. Children should be taught at home with their mothers."
I think I'd quite liked to go to school, get on a yellow bus to the red brick building. Percy High School is wondrous, when we pass it, is always surrounded by pretty girls with groups of friends, boys throwing footballs and teachers waiting for the bell with their cups of coffee.
The table is set with breakfast, a fruit bowl, cereal, toast and preserves. I sit myself next to daddy after pecking him on the cheek. "Morning sweetie." He said without taking his eyes from the open newspaper held in front of him. His dark hair is combed neatly, all of his shirt buttons up and a navy tie in place. Daddy works on weekends, in fact - there isn't a day that passes by when he isn't working. He owns his own business, selling used cars. And although he sells shabby Fiestas and Rovers, he drives an Audi. But, little did I know - when I was spreading marmalade on hot toast, today was the day my dreams would come true - because today was the day my Daddy would lose his business. It would be the fall of the King.
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