- Elizabeth Porter, Grade 12
People always talk about how the youngest child is the spoiled one, gets all the attention, so on and so forth. But what they don't tell you is if the youngest kid comes out less perfect than the first one, they get tossed to the wolves. This is how it always was with me. You would think, being the youngest daughter of the royal family, I'd be treated as a lady of grace, with suitors craving my attention - no such luck. I was far too short and scrawny to be considered 'elegant', and my mud brown hair and dull brown eyes hardly caused any men of the court to lose their breath.
But my sister, three years my senior, was tall, whimsically built in proper proportions, and blessed with hair the color of pure gold. Whenever she entered a room, it lit up from the luminescent glow of her pure white skin. But Adelle, that is, my sister, was not blessed with intelligence in any sense of the word. You could barely hold down a conversation with her, since after two minutes of talking she would forget what was being talked about. Often, she had to be calmly retold what was going on around her, or else her sudden loss of understanding would send her into a childish fit of hysterics.
For a long time I resented my sister for this debilitating feature, but as I grew older I only felt pity for her. She simply couldn't understand and remember things. I decided to do my best to take care of her, and essentially I demoted myself to become her handmaiden, so that I could always help her when need be. Sometimes she appreciated my efforts. Other times she became annoyed with my presence, unable to remember why I followed her around - but I never minded. I grew to love the sister I had so long been jealous of, and we became the closest friends.
When our mother decided that the time had come for Adelle to marry, Adelle had no idea what that even meant. But I did. It meant that Adelle would be thrown into a new court where no one knew of her special needs, where she would be scared and confused, and then forced to marry a man she'd never met. I had to protect her. So I instantly volunteered to go with her as her servant.
"But Pel," said my sister (my name is Petronilla, by the way; another curse my family laid upon their disfavorable child), "you don't have to go. Why would you want to leave home?" I couldn't tell her how I needed to be there for her without upsetting her, so I just said I wanted a change of scenery.
A fortnight later, the two of us packed all of our belongings onto a packhorse and rode off for Adelle's fiance's kingdom. Although it was only a day's ride away, the heat of the day bore down on us the whole way.
After a while, my sister halted her horse, a fairy mare named Falada, and whined to me, "Pel, will you go get me a drink of water?"
Now, I may take care of my sister, but I don't baby her. I insisted that she was capable of getting the water herself, and should do so. She pouted a bit, but eventually gave in and went to the stream herself. Falada, a wise creature with the ability to speak, praised my firm handling of Adelle. "Her parents coddle her too much," said the mare. "She has to learn how to do some things for herself."
Adelle returned and we again set off. But it was not long until Adelle again wanted some water, and again I told her to get it herself. She whined, and even wept a little, but I remained firm. At last, she went to the stream herself, returned, and we moved on.
As the heat of the day increased, Adelle again asked me to get her a drink of water. This time I lost my temper a bit. I told her to act as a twenty-year-old should and get her own damn drink. She flew off towards the stream, crying. I regretted my words instantly. I hated upsetting my sister. When she returned, her face streaked with tears, I suggested we rest for a while and play a little bit of a game. Her face brightened instantly.
"Oh, Pel, I know! Let's play dress up!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. With what, though? I asked her.
"Well.we could dress up as each other! Trade cloths and see how we look!"
So she took off her beautiful blue and gold gown and traded it for my simple green frock. She spun around in my rough dress, giggling with delight. I, however, felt awkward wearing her fine gown.
But she laughed at me, "Oh Pel, you look so pretty! You should wear that for the rest of the day. It looks so good on you!" I smiled. She always knew the sweetest way to make me feel better. So I agreed to wear the dress, and she insisted on wearing my frock as well.
"It's so much more comfortable than those giant dresses!"
So we continued on our way. It was dusk when at long last we reached the castle gate. We announced ourselves to the guard, and soon Prince Kaden himself arrived to welcome us in.
But that was when everything started going to hell.
The Prince turned to me; "Sweet Princess, it brings me the greatest joy to welcome you to my home - your new home, my beautiful bride." Adelle took no notice of these words, but my face blanched. He had us confused!
"N-n-no - " I stammered, but the Prince cut me off.
"I know you are nervous; as am I. But do not fear! As you settle into your new quarters, everything will seem better. Here are your new servants - they will assist you." Instantly I was surrounded by a crowd of serving maids, and they herded me off into the depths of the castle, leaving Adelle alone in the courtyard, dazed and confused at my sudden disappearance.
For days I neither heard nor saw anything of Adelle. Over and over I tried to tell the servants that I was not the Prince's bride, that the other girl was, but no one listened to me. I tried to find Adelle, asking all over the palace where she had gone, but no one knew who I was talking about.
About a week later, I wandered down into the main courtyard, and found a small passageway that led to the fields behind the castle. Traveling down it, I beheld a horrific sight - the head of wise old Falada, the fairy horse, mounted on the wall. I fell to tears, for Falada had been a dear friend to both myself and my sister. But the head, still blessed with fairy magic, spoke to me.
"Petronilla," she said, and my heart nearly stopped. "Petronilla, you must find your sister. For a time she was quite well - these people had her herding the flocks of geese. But this boy, Conrad, who was sent to help her, frightened her into using her royal magics to control the wind. I fear that the boy told the King of this, for this morning I saw his Majesty follow Adelle out to the fields. He is a stubborn and senile old man, Petronilla - I'm sure he will be hard on her. You must intervene!"
I ran off at once, bidding Falada farewell as I rushed back to the palace. Dusk was falling, and there was little time before my handmaidens would again try to shove me back into my chambers. I flew through passageways, down corridors, and up staircases, looking into each room for signs of my sister. After what seemed like hours, I came to the Western tower and collapsed at the foot of the stairs. It was then that I heard the sounds of weeping. With my heart pounding, I clambered up to a doorway along the staircase. The door was locked, but now I could clearly tell that the crying was in fact Adelle; my poor sister, locked in a tower chamber! I knocked gently on the door so as not to frighten her. "Adelle? Is that you? It's Pel."
"Pel! Where have you been? I'm so scared Pel - the old man wanted to know how I knew royal magics. He yelled at me and called me a thief - and he's sure to come back! Oh Pel, help me!"
"Adelle, listen, I'm going to try and find the King. I'll clear all of this up and get you out of here, alirght? Don't be scared, I'll be back soon!"
I ran further up the staircase, frantic to find the King and finally set this mess straight. To my luck, the King was in a sunroom chamber atop the tower, conversing with one of his advisors. As I approached, I heard him say something about "the Princess"; I paused to listen at the door.
"The girl was completely hysterical when I spoke to her before, you know, that peasant girl who came with that Princess. But I'll get the truth out of her. If I know anything about women, it's when they think they're all alone, they spill their guts out to the open air. As if talking to no one will ease their conscience!" The King laughed in a despicable sort of way, thinking himself so clever. "So," he continued, "I'm simply going to sit here and wait for the sounds of her confession come floating up the chimney stack!" He laughed again, and the advisor laughed along, to humor this strange old man.
But I struck upon an idea from the King's absurd theory, and hurried back down to the room where Adelle was locked. I told her what to do, and she repeated it back to me several times until I was satisfied. With my plan set in motion, I calmly left the tower, praying that Adelle would remember exactly what to say.
The next morning was the day long celebration of Prince Kaden's engagement to 'his Princess'. As my servants dressed me, I continued to insist that I was not the princess Kaden was meant to marry, but as usual I was ignored. Once I was gowned and ready, I made my way down to the courtyard to the feast, alert and watchful. After a few moments of searching the crowd, I at last found her - my dear sister Adelle, properly gown of palest pink and silver, sitting and laughing with the Prince at the banquet table. My plan had worked! The King must have overheard Adelle's 'confession' about how she had traded clothes with me, and thus she was the real Princess. At last, everything was set right! And from the looks of things, Adelle and Kaden were getting along well - now that I looked at them, they did make quite a handsome couple.
But I wondered - why had no one informed me that I was no longer the one marrying the Prince? They must be announcing this soon, or else Adelle would not be here.
I looked to the King. He was talking with some of the members of court. But when he saw me looking at him, he turned his focus to me. He called, "Princess, we are discussing matters of treason. What do you think; if a servant betrays their royal master, what should their punishment be?"
Such a simple question!
"Well, in my country at least, the punishment for such treason is death. In some cases, severe forms such as being dragged by a team of horses through the street in a barrel full of nails were used." I shuddered at the thought; the royal family is required to watch public executions, but I certainly never enjoyed such events.
"Then, treacherous maid, that shall be your fate!" cried the King.
Instantly I was surrounded by guards, and the entire celebration erupted into uproar. I was flung to the ground and hit my head on the flagstones; somewhere in the distance I heard Adelle screaming, "That's not what I said! That's not what I said!"; other women were wailing; men were jeering; three guards hauled me to my feet, and began pushing and pulling me back inside the castle.
Before I reached the gate I glanced back; Adelle was weeping into Kaden's chest while the Prince himself tried to reason with his father - but the King was unmoved, and did not even acknowledge his son's presence.
Adelle looked up, and her eyes met mine. With tears streaming down her face, she cried out, "PEL! Pel, please forgive me!! I never called you a traitor; God, please, I'm so sorry!!"
She fell to her knees, weeping and wailing, praying to God.
That was the last I saw of my sister. I hope that she can find happiness in the comfort Kaden can give her; he seems a good man. Tomorrow they are to be married - just four hours after my execution.
