Chapitre 9: Home sweet cage!
[Music Recommendation: Young and Beautiful ~ Lana Del Rey]
Meanwhile...
Griselda's grip on the princess's hand remained tight as she dragged her farther away from the bustling market. The woman lost a few years of her life when she turned and didn't see Jacquelyn by her side. Panic set in, and she regretted her decision to bring the princess outside. When she spotted Jacquelyn talking with a stranger, her fear intensified.
"Grise, stop! My leg hurts," Jacquelyn pleaded, tugging on Griselda's hand to stop her pace. "I... can't... breathe..."
Griselda stopped, scanning their surroundings to ensure they were alone. She finally released Jacquelyn's hand, her forehead creasing into a small frown.
"You!"
Jacquelyn raised her hands defensively, anticipating Griselda's scolding. "I know what you're about to say, but hear me out... Grise, have I ever... ever acted without thinking?"
Griselda pondered the girl's words, then nodded. "Yes, like the time you removed the goldfish from the water because you thought it was drowning."
Jacquelyn's face flushed as she recalled the incident. "I was just a child... this small," she protested, holding her hand up to demonstrate her former height. "I didn't know fish needed water to survive."
But the older woman wasn't done; her expression remained stern as she continued. "Or the time you ate while jumping, thinking the food wouldn't reach every part of your body if you sat down... or when you attempted to build a castle to stop the rain, believing it was tears..."
Jacquelyn's face turned beet red as she covered Griselda's mouth with her palm. "Enough! Fine! Fine!! I know I've done foolish things in the past..."
Griselda narrowed her eyes, moving her face away from Jacquelyn's hand. "In the past? Just yesterday, you thought it was a good idea to eat corn and the cob because you didn't want the corn to feel lonely."
Jacquelyn rolled her eyes, blowing the hair on her forehead away. "I was just teasing you, and I didn't actually do it. All I'm trying to say is that I moved from there because I wanted to help the old man."
Griselda huffed, turning around as she walked along the path leading back to the palace, with Jacquelyn following behind her. "The old man didn't ask for your help, did he?"
Jacquelyn shook her head slightly. "But you should have seen him, Grisie... all alone, carrying something heavy by himself. You taught me to be kind. Have you forgotten?"
"I said to be kind when necessary," Griselda replied. "Some strangers don't deserve your kindness... Watch your step; there's a puddle of water."
Jacquelyn nodded, raising her gown but still stepped into the puddle, drenching the hem of her dress. "Ah!" she sighed, pushing the water from her shoe. "It's so dark, how do you even see where you're going, Grisie?"
Griselda paused, turning to meet Jacquelyn's eyes. "I'm used to this path, so I know it well. Here, hold my hand." She stretched out her hand, and Jacquelyn took it, allowing Griselda to guide her through the forest.
Finally, they arrived at the palace, taking the same small path as before to enter the isolated quarters.
"Home sweet cage!" Jacquelyn exclaimed, inhaling deeply as she reached the front door. Without waiting for Griselda, she began to pull off her shoes and discard the first layer of her dress.
Griselda, who had stayed behind to cover their secret path, looked around to ensure they weren't seen. When she turned and saw the princess getting undressed outside, Griselda rushed to stop her.
"Lyn! I've told you before, no getting undressed outside! You're not a child anymore."
Jacquelyn, now in only her undergown, flashed the woman a mischievous smile. "But we're alone here, Grisie. No one will see me." She pushed the door open and picked up her dress and shoes from the floor, carrying them inside. Griselda followed, shaking her head in exasperation.
"I know, but undressing outside isn't proper for a princess," Griselda continued, closing the door behind them.
Jacquelyn walked straight to the bathroom, dropping her dirty clothes into a wooden basket. She turned the tap, filling her bathing tub with warm water. Once it was half full, she locked the tap and removed the remaining piece of her dress. With a contented sigh, she sank into the warm water, submerging herself up to her neck.
"Ah... this feels like heaven..." she murmured, tilting her head back in relaxation.
Griselda stood in the doorway, watching her with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. The woman loved Jacquelyn dearly, but some days the girl's sweetness made her want to hug her tight, while other days she made Griselda so frustrated that she felt exhausted. And tonight was one of those days she felt exhausted.
Grabbing a dry towel from the closet, Griselda pulled a stool closer to the princess, helping her wash her soft hair.
Jacquelyn hummed, basking in the comfort of the woman's gentle touch. It was the same Griselda with her every day, but she couldn't get enough of the woman's nurturing warmth. When the princess remembered something, her eyes shot open, shining under the warm candlelight.
"Grisie! I met a hopeless father..." The girl started, almost forgetting about the man and his son she met earlier. "He hits his own son!"
Griselda paused, her fingers on the girl's hair trembling. If only the princess knew about her own father and how he had abandoned her.
"I'm really glad I went outside today. In the past, I used to blame Father for leaving me all alone here, but he makes sure I'm comfortable and doesn't hit me. I really pity the poor boy," Jacquelyn continued, raising her leg up as she wriggled her feet before putting it back down.
Griselda remained silent, her heart heavy with words that she wanted to say, but she didn't know if it was right to tell the girl about her father.
"I'm so happy! Today is the happiest day of my life... I got to meet other people and talk to others! I can't wait to leave the palace tomorrow to meet my husband!" Jacquelyn continued, flapping her legs inside the water.
Griselda decided against telling the girl. She was already happy, and there was no need to ruin it for her. Maybe her getting married was for the best, and she would live a better life. Though the girl didn't know much about life, if she was beside her, then everything would be fine.
After bathing, Griselda first wrapped her hair with a smaller towel before giving her a bigger one to cover her body. Jacquelyn stepped out of the tub, walking into her room where she changed into a lighter dress, her movements carefree.
"Grisie, what about the fluffycakes... did you get them?" she asked, going to sit on the bed.
Griselda brought a wooden platter, laden with bread, cheese, and grapes.
"I left it there when I didn't see you. But you can have this."
Folding her legs on the bed, Jacquelyn inhaled deeply, taking in the aroma of fresh bread and sweet grapes mingling with the scent of candle wax and damp hair. She ate hungrily, savoring the food before her. Done with eating, Griselda moved the platter before tucking the girl into her bed, sitting beside her.
The older woman held the girl's hand, patting it gently as she watched her.
"Grisie, I love being outside with people..." Jacquelyn muttered, her eyes now heavy with sleep.
Griselda, who had turned silent since they returned, continued looking at the girl. It was just one night more for her to be innocent, and after that, the world would try to break her.
"In... a land..." Griselda started a song that she always hummed for the girl before she slept, "Far far... away... a little girl..."
"Lost her coin... she asked the king... to help her... he asked for her soul in return..." Jacquelyn joined in as both of them hummed the soft song.
Before Jacquelyn finally succumbed to sleep, she muttered.
"Grisie... how am I going to survive without you..."
Griselda sighed, touching the girl's small face. "I won't ever leave your side, Lyn."
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone