Short stories

The Princess and the Handmaiden

As she played the piano, flames start to lick the foot of her door. How she came to the position as she played Fantasy-Welt No. 5. An original masterpiece by a friend long gone. Tears steadily rolled down her cheeks as memories start to play. They had so much planned ahead of them. They were going to Japan and travel all around the world. Only for it to all fall by the hands of thugs. She wasn't from a rich family. She came from Chur, Switzerland and her name was Marion Rorschach. She remembers the promise they made as they twirled in fields of gold wearing pure white dresses. They were going to be together forever.

Every day, they played many games but their favourite game was 'Princess'. Marion would always make her be the princess and her, the handmaiden. Objections flew as they argued but when it was over, nothing changed. She was always her 'princess'. Marion always called her by her nickname, Aury or mi' lady when they played. She was such an enigma. Always waiting for her; even if it rained. She would sit at the stairs or even climb to her bedroom window to get her undivided attention. Buying her presents or taking her to town when her parents weren't home. They had each other backs and if one falls, the other was always there to pick them up. Until that day, they were inseparable.

When Marion's parents were out of town and she was at an Auntie's house in the Netherlands, Marion's house had been attacked by some thugs. They threatened the lives of her innocent siblings. They didn't understand what was happening. They were only toddlers. The thugs promised not to hurt a hair on their heads if she brings something valuable. She only had thirty minutes to do so. The house was turned upside down but she found nothing they deemed "valuable" until she finally has managed to find her whole family's saving. It was a total of a million dollars. But she was too late. After she gave them the money, they said she was a minute too late and showed her the mangled corpses of her baby siblings. Before she could run, they shot her and ran. Luckily for her, someone heard the gunshots and took her to the hospital.

When she finally came back the next day, the neighbours told her what happened. Once heard about Marion's condition, she ran to the hospital immediately. She only had enough time to say goodbye before Marion died.

Her last words were "Hey Mi' lady, we're together forever. Remember that."

As the fire consumed the room and all its contents, she shed one last tear and close her eyes. Praying to be with her beloved friend again. Her beloved handmaiden. After all, she isn't one to break promises.