One upon a time there was a young girl, slave to a band of gypsies. She was about eight years old and had no recollection of what her life had been like in those first eight years. Her earliest remembrance of existing was waking up in the back of one of the carts the gypsies used, feeling extremely sick. Soon after, they stopped at a town where the gypsies 'employed'(sold) her to the king of the land's head cook as a 'servant'(slave), and went on their way, telling the cook that the girl's name was Silvia. Life in the kitchen as a cook's assistant was not too hard. Although the cook never forgot to remind her of her place several times each day. In her spare time she would gamble, and play poker with the other cook's 'assistants'(slaves), which she got quite good at. Although while the cooks used real money the 'assistants'(slaves) used breadcrumbs. She would also read, something the cook would wonder how she had learned, and take walks in the castle garden on clear nights.
It was on a such-like night when she was fifteen yeas old that she observed a cloaked figure moving through the garden. Thinking it to be another 'servant'(slave) playing a simple trick she confronted it and found that it was the prince of the land. He confessed that he was running away, but Silvia was clever and convinced him to stay, reminding him that as the prince he had an obligation to his kingdom to learn how to rule, not serve himself. He agreed to stay for these reasons, but mostly because there was a fascinatingly intelligent servant girl who worked in the kitchen. They soon became best friends, but kept it a secret to avoid jealousy from the other 'servants'(slaves).
There was a singularly awful evening when a foreign ambassador came and thought she may be a lost princess from a far off kingdom. This ambassador couldn't be sure but he was not an honest man and decided that even if she was not, no one would know the mistake and he would get a reward anyway. So one night he stole her away and sent a letter to the kingdom she may be princess of. Silvia was not told anything by the man and spent the next few days weeping, locked in an expensive, but dark carriage without windows, bumping along to a destination she did not know.
To be continued...
