Chapter Text
Once upon a time in a land far from Camelot there was a Queen with a beautiful daughter.
¨I am not going without you mother.¨
¨You must. I am too weak to make such a journey.¨ mumbled the Queen.
¨What if he's really a jerk? Or a tyrant like his father?¨ pleaded Elisabeth.
¨You will say no such things!¨
¨But mother… What if I can't love him?¨
¨You must, my dear child. You must.¨ the Queen said as she sat up in bed.
She took a small knife and cut open her finger. Letting 3 drops of her blood fall on the delicate fabric of her white handkerchief.
¨Even if I can't be with you I will always protect you.¨
The princess took the handkerchief in her hands and sobbed. The queen gently caresses her head.
¨Take Falada with you my dear, he will also keep you from harm.¨
She placed a kind kiss on her only daughter's forehead.
— — —
¨Have you packed everything?¨
¨I hope so.¨ said Magelena, the princesses servant.
¨Great then we can go.¨ said the princess as she looked up at the queen.
This is the last time I will see her, thought Elizabeth as they rode off towards sun up. They had a long journey ahead of them.
This would at least take an eternity is the only thought that went through Magdelena´s mind. Her expression filled with disgust.
After 2 days of travel they encountered something strange.
¨Did you hear that?¨ Elisabeth asked, freaked out.
¨It was probably an animal or- ¨
Magdelena´s words were cut off by a man standing in their path hand on his sword.
¨Or something that looks like it.¨ Finishing the girl's sentence.
Elisabeth noticed him first.
The man got close to her. ¨Looks like you ladies have quite the expensive taste.¨
He grinded showing his chipped front tooth.
Elisabeth gave him a look of disgust. She didn't dare to inhale, avoiding what she could only imagine such a bandit to smell like.
The man took out a dagger and gently slid it across Elisabeth´s shift which peeked out of her blue dress.
¨We could use a maid to clean our clothing like that.¨ another man said. Magdalena stumbled back in fear.
¨O mother help us.¨ Elisabeth whispered under her breath.
¨O mother help!¨ the men shouted. ¨O mother come please help us poor ladies.¨
Mocking the poor women alone in the forest.
Suddenly the sky went dark. Dark storm clouds forming. Thunder started to rumble above them. And then a lightning strike hit close to them. Startling the horses.
¨That´s just a coincidence!¨ one of the men yelled.
Other men crawled from the bushes. Ready to attack. The sound of thunder getting louder and louder. As more men appeared.
Then something miraculous happened. Every single man got struck by lightning, not a single strike hitting the princess or her horse. Magdalena was also spared.
The men ran off scared.
— — —
¨You should get some sleep.¨ said Magdelena as she added more wood to their fire.
Elisabeth nodded and lied down.
¨ Goodnight.¨ she said as she closed her eyes.
Magdalena did not respond. Instead she watched Elisabeth fall into a deep sleep caused by the berries she gave the princess. Magdalena scoffed of course she wouldn't know those were great to make people fall asleep easily.
She saddled the horses back on and left. The princess being left defenceless.
Magdalena walked till dawn. As soon as she thought about sitting down she realised she was with the princess again. She looked at Falada and hit him as hard as she could.
¨You monster¨ she shouted. ¨You made me walk in a big circle?¨
As soon as she was done yelling the princess woke up.
¨Good morning.¨ she said with a yawn. ¨I had such a bad dream, I dreamed that there were wolves here. Surrounding me and wanting to kill me.¨
Elizabeth took out her handkerchief which now only had one drop of blood left.
¨It was real.¨ she whispered.
¨What?¨
¨The wolves. They were here. It wasn't a dream. They were here.¨
¨And you can tell by that handkerchief?¨
¨When I left my mother gave me this with three drops of her blood on it. She told me she would protect me. One drop for the bandits…¨
¨And one for the wolves.¨ said Magdalena reached for the handkerchief. Elizabeth pulled it away in a reflex.
¨I'm thirsty. Will you get me some water?¨
¨If you want water you can get it yourself.¨ Said Magdalena as she threw the cup at the princess.
Elisabeth took the cup and walked towards the river. There was a small dock. She walked onto it and bent over to get some water. Not noticing Magdalena behind her. Magdalena towers over the princess.
¨Have you ever wondered what life would have been like if you were not born of royal blood? Have you ever wondered how I feel getting you water all the time?¨
Elisabeth looked up at Magdalena, fear bursting out of her face. Magdelena took the handkerchief and threw it in the water. Elisabeth looked at it, the water turning all red around it. ¨NO!¨ She yelled.
Magdalena pushed Elizabeth into the water. ¨From now onward I will be the princess. I will marry the prince not you.¨
Elizabeth gasped for air. But not quite succeeding. Magdalena took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her up.
¨I´m the princess now. Understood?¨
Elizabeth nodded. She looked back at the handkerchief. A large pool of blood was formed around it. The ripples in the water appeared to speak to her: ¨If your mother knew of this surely her motherly heart would break into a thousand pieces.¨
The voice from the river slowly fading away.
— — —
¨Remember your place.¨ said Magdelena now wearing Elisabath's blue dress.
Elizabeth nodded gently.
After a little while they arrived at Camelot. All the people waved at who they thought was the princess. Magdalena looked at Elisabeth waving back and whispered: ¨Know your place servant.¨
Elisabeth looked down and stopped waving. After lots of waving they finally got to the court yard. Magdalena got help dismounting Falada by Arthur.
Elisabeth got off her horse as well.
¨I´ll help you with that.¨ said Merlin as he took Falada's reins in his hands.
¨Thanks.¨
¨No problem.¨ said Merlin with a smile.
¨Come on Merlin this cant take ALL day.¨ said Arthur as he took Magdalena by her arm.
¨Come, we have lots to do.¨ said Merlin as he took the horses with him towards the stables.
— — —
Elisabeth tried her best to keep up with the mucking out but couldn't quite keep up with Merlin.
¨Is this your first time in a stable?¨ joked Merlin.
¨Uhmm… what?” Elisabeth said, startled. ¨Ye- Ummm no i just-¨
¨Where do you usually work in the castle? Like the kitchen?¨ asked Merlin.
Elizabeth took a moment to look for an appropriate response. But Merlin seemed to already know the answer.
¨Come with me. I will show you where the kitchen is.¨
Elisabeth put her pitchfork away and followed Merlin to the kitchens. Through all the halls and large rooms. And finally down a staircase right to the kitchens.
“Here is someone in need of a job.” He practically shouted into the kitchens. Some ladies ran up to them.
¨Go sit here, you can help us with all these potatoes.¨ the lady said, setting down a stool for Elisabeth.
¨Here are your knives” said another lady.
¨And these are the potatoes.¨ said somebody else pointing to a mountain of potatoes that needed peeling.
So Elisabeth started with a couple. The ladies give her advice through the gossip.
¨So how are you and you know doing? ̈ said one lady to another.
¨Ow, stop it.¨ she said as she turned more red than a tomato. Elisabeth giggles.
¨AUW!¨ Elisabeth suddenly exclaims.
¨Come here.¨ said one of the ladies as she pressed a cloth to the wound caused by the sharp knife she was just holding.
¨You're lucky it's not deep.¨ she said, looking at her hands. ¨Have you ever worked in a kitchen before? Your hands sure don't look like it.¨
Elisabeth pulled her hand away. At that moment Merlin walked in.
¨New job for you, Magdalena. Do you like geese? Because our goose herder suddenly fell very ill.¨ he said, picking Elisabeth up from her stool and happily dragging you away.
He showed Elisabeth the new job. It seemed easy, she thought. Also get some time outside the castle, that would be nice. Because every which way she turned Magdelena seemed to be lurking about the palace.
— — —
After Elisabeth finished geese herding she was told to sweep the courtyard. What a meaningless task she thought while sweeping. But she knew she just needed to do it. She would never know what Magdelena would do if she disobeyed. Elisabeth sighed. Not hearing a familiar sound of hooves on the stones. Suddenly she felt a snout on her shoulder. She turned around. It was Falada.
¨Hey there.¨ she said calmly.
Falada brushed his head against the former princes.
¨Do you like your new stables? How is Magdelena treating you? I hope good. O, how i've missed you Falada.¨ she said petting the black horse.
Falada neighs to her. At that moment Arthur and Magdalena ran across the courtyard towards them.
¨Are you hurt!?¨ yelled Arthur.
¨No, why do you ask my lord?¨ said Elizabeth politely.
¨This horse just broke loose and almost ran over princes Elisabeth.¨ said the prince.
Magdalena stepped forward: ¨He almost killed me. He is dangerous. You saw it! We must do something.¨
¨He would never do such a thing out of no where.¨ explains Elisabeth, putting her hands over Falada's soft muzzle. Falada responding by leaning his head over Elizabeth's shoulder.
¨Do something!¨ exclaimed Magdalena.
Arthur turned to look at her, and said: ¨But he was your fathers horse. It happens. Horses are flight animals after all.¨
All the commotion had attracted a bit of a crowd.
¨He hurt me. I can't stand to look at him any longer. I want him gone by tomorrow.¨ said Magdelena with a tone of disgust.
Arthur gestured for the horse to be taken away.
Elisabeth started screaming: ¨You can't do this! I can't believe you're like this!¨
As she was dragged away by two knights towards her chambers and told to calm down and keep her composure.
Elisabeth spent the whole rest of the day crying. Not even Merlin was able to cheer her back up. After it seemed like the whole of Camelot was asleep she snuck out. Elisabeth went to the butcher. She knocked on his door. Hoping he would still be awake.
Luckily he opened the door a tiny bit. Just enough to see who was standing in front of the door.
¨What are you doing here at this hour young lady?¨ he asked with a grumpy tone.
¨I´m here to ask you for a favour. Could you cut off Falada's head and hang it up on the tower on the east side of the castle? Above the gate if you mind. It would mean so much to me if you did.¨
The man sighed and eventually said ¨Yeah, sure. I will if I have the time tomorrow.¨
Elisabeth smiled, a couple of tears making their way down her cheeks and meeting on her chin. She ran back to her chambers and sobbed the whole night into her pillow.