Ninpsy's Story

Ninpsy was tired of having to be a servant to the king. She was bullied constantly by the Princess. She was royal blood what did the princess know of her other than when she helped her into her corsets and lavish gowns. " As if she could understand what it's like to be me, " Ninpsy said under her breath.

She walked back to the hut she shared with a cat and a chicken. She felt so alone. The sun was just setting as she walked into the hut.

Farcee the cat was laid out on the floor of the hut that was sand. The cat didn't seem to care though.

Ninpsy looked at him and shook her head. " I really wish I could lie around and do nothing but eat and sleep all day," She told the cat. The cat just looked at her stretched and let out a " meow," on greeting her. " I think you're name should be no help," she said as she made a fire and got a pot. She added some water from rain she had collected from a rainstorm. She opened her pouch she had brought with her and took out some stale bread. The kitchen staff in the castle had given it to her along with a few vegetables they were going to have to throw away. She made soup with them. As the soup was cooking she checked for eggs from the chicken. They were small, but they would do for breakfast. She fed the chicken.

Once the soup was ready she put it in a bowl and ate it with the bread. Then she unfolded her cot and laid down. She fell asleep soon afterwards.

As Ninpsy slept she dreamed. In the dream she was the princess and she was riding in a carriage. The green land of Ireland was streched out on each side. Other carriages passed and she waved to the people on them. She heard the horse's hooves as they moved along the cobblestone road. She turned to the man next to her and they kissed. It was a strange wet kiss.

Ninpsy woke up. Farcee was licking her. She moved the cat off of her and sat up. The sun was up and in the distance a rooster was crowing. It was a dream.

Ninpsy stood up and rolled her cot and streached. It was another day of being a servant to the king and dealing with the spoiled princess. She fed Farcee and cooked herself the eggs. After she ate,she started to walk to the castle. This was her life in Ireland. When she got to the castle she could tell something was different. She walked into the kitchen and all the cooks were busy.

" Is something wrong?" Ninpsy asked a cook.

" No time to talk, " the cook said. " We have to have the meal prepared for when the prince gets here."

" Prince?" Ninpsy said. She hadn't heard of anything.

" Prince Alexander from the next tuatha is coming to hopefully court Princess Alisa the cook said. " You'd better get up to her quarters and help her get ready,"

Ninpsy gasped. She nodded. She left the kitchen and walked as fast as she could to the princess's quarters. She opened the door and the princess turned and saw her.

" There you are," the princess said. " Make my bath. I must be my absolute best for the prince. ".

Ninpsy modded and went to make the princess's bath. She boiled water and put it in the tub.

The princess came in a little bit later. Ninpsy checked the water temperature. Then she cooled it off with her finger until it was warm.

The princess sank into the tub. Ninpsy found a sponge and soap and bathed the princess. A little while later Ninpsy was helping the princess into a large yellow gown. The princess was big so Ninpsy had a time helping her.

When the princess was at last ready Ninpsy walked behind her to go meet the prince.

Ninpsy was shocked when she saw the prince. He was the man in her dream that she had kissed. She saw the prince look at the princess and try to smile. ' Hello my lady," the prince said. He bowed.

The princess laughed a little. She said nothing.

The king who was next to the princess motioned to the dinning room. " Please join us, " he said. He lead the prince and princess to the lavish dinning room. They were served and Ninpsy was recruted to pour the wine for the kitchen staff so she could keep them informed of what was going on.

The prince saw Ninpsy as she poured him wine. He smiled at her.

Ninpsy smiled back, but stopped when she saw the princess looking at her. She moved back into the kitchen.

" What's going on?" the cook who had spoken to her before asked.

" Nothing much right now, " Ninpsy said.

" Get back out there then," the cook said. They pushed her back into the dinning area.

When Ninpsy walked back out the prince saw her. " I'd like some more wine," he said to her.

Ninpsy modded. She ran back to the kitchen and got a bottle of wine. She poured some on the prince's cup.

" Thank you," the prince said smiling.

The princess saw the exchange between Ninpsy and the prince. She frowned. She looked at the prince. " I think after dinner you and I should take a tour of the beautiful gardens," she said.

The prince nodded but Ninpsy could tell he really didn't want to. She couldn't blame him either.

The princess for her part was actually smitten with the prince. She batted her eyes at him.

Ninpsy felt like puking seeing that. The princess was really putting on airs to get this man. She wondered where he came from.

Dinner was over all too soon. The prince was lead by the princess out of the dinning area.

The princess took the prince's hand as they reached the gardens. She looked at him. The night was clear and the full moon was out. The princess sighed. " It's beautiful isn't it? " she said. " The night and the gardens."

The prince just nodded. He wanted to go back inside.

Ninpsy was watching them from behind a headge.

" Why don't we go back inside?" the prince offered.

The princess looked at him with a frown. " How are we going to get to know each other if we aren't alone?" she asked.

" Poor guy," Ninpsy said. She shook her head. She knew the princess was a handfull. This was her fifth potential suiter. The princess had a terrible time with men. Ninpsy didn't understand why the king still wanted to have his daughter married even if it wouldn't mean he would have his family line go on if she stayed unmarried. She just wasn't capable of finding a man who suited her or would care enough about the petigree she had to be married to her as was required.

The princess finally gave in after the prince seemed to ignore her. She didn't take kindly to being ignored. " I'll show you your lodging quarters," she said.

The prince nodded and smiled.

The princess lead him to the rooms that had been made ready for him.

The prince was glad that he would be rid of the princess. When he walked into the quarters he said, " Good night," and closed the door in her face.

The princess huffed she stood there a little bit, but when the prince didn't open the door she went to her own quarters.

Ninpsy saw the whole thing and reported it to the kitchen staff. There was a lot of laughter in the kitchen.

He'll be gone by morning," one of the kitchen staff said. They took bets on it.

Ninpsy didn't want him to go though. She couldn't say that to anyone either. Her life really couldn't be any worse, so she thought. She walked in the gardens thinking. She wasn't watching where she was going and ran into someone. " I am, " she said looking up. She saw the prince smiling down at her.

" Well hello," the prince said.

"I beg your pardon, " Ninpsy said. She was embarrassed.

" No my lady I beg your pardon," the prince said and bowed.

" I'm just a servant girl, " Ninpsy said.

" To me you are a beautiful lady," the prince said.

Ninpsy blushed though she tried not to. " Thank you your highness," she said.

" Highness sounds so formal," the prince said. " Call me Alexander."

' Alexander," Ninpsy said.

Alexander nodded. " And you are?" he asked.

"N," Ninpsy said. "Ninpsy, sir"

" Ninpsy," Prince Alexander said. " I like it."

Ninpsy blushed again. " Thank you sir," she said.

" Alexander," the prince said. " And you are very welcomed. Where do you live?"

Ninpsy told him.

Alexander frowned. " You should be a princess," he said. " Not living in a hut."

Ninpsy blushed again. I wish, she thought. " I'd better go," she said.

The prince took her hand. Then a shock, he kissed her.

Ninpsy had never been kissed before. She liked it. They kissed for a while under the moonlight.

The next morning Ninpsy woke, but she was happy. She was on love.

Prince Alexander woke as well. He knew what he was going to do this morning. He was on love.

At breakfast Ninpsy served them as the kitchen staff had heard about Ninpsy' s meeting with Prince Alexander.

The princess was dressed to try and impress Prince Alexander not knowing that she was about to get rejected once again.

After breakfast the king, princess, and prince took a walk in the gardens. " So when can we expect the wedding to take place?" The king asked Alexander.

Ninpsy was hiding behind a bush so she could watch.

Alexander looked at the princess and the king. " I'm sorry, " he said. " I can't marry your daughter." The king and the princess were shocked.

"For heaven's sake why not?" The king said.

Alexander looked and saw Ninpsy behind the bush. " I'm in love with someone else' he said. " I intend on marrying them."

The princess started to cry and cried on her father's shoulder.

The prince walked over to where Ninpsy was. Then he motioned to her.

As the princess cried Ninpsy and Alexander left the castle.

Ninpsy left her cat Farcee and chicken. She left the life of a servant behind. She got into the Prince's carriage and left it all for good.

A few short months later she and Alexander were married. She took a tour of her new kingdom with the prince who was now king of his tuatha. She waved at other carriages as they passed just as she had in her dream.