Everything Tastes Better With Salt (A Fairy Tale Retold)

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

It had been a month since Jack Caroll kicked his most prized daughter, Rosslyn, our of their household.

She was living on her own now on the street. Her clothes were tattered, and she was thirsty and starving.

Of course she was able to pack things, but being smart she only brought the things that were needed and dearest to her.

Some of the things she brought were her deceased mother's dresses: Rosslyn's favorite things in the whole entire house. One of them was a dress that was black and had white diamonds that made the dress seem like it was ripped out of the midnight sky that was full of stars. The second dress was a dazzling white color that resembled snow and was trimmed with sapphire jewels. The third one was the most beautiful of all. It was a scarlet red that was made of velvet. Gold trimmed the deep neck line and gold accented the low waist around the ruby that matched the color of the dress. It had a deep slit which made the dress move gracefully around her.

Her mother passed when she was only six years old. She vaguely remembered her, but knew what she looked like, what she smelled like, and how she acted. A lot of people, especially Rosslyn's father, told her that she acted and looked like her mother most.

Rosslyn smiled as she wiped away a tear realizing how much she missed her entire family. She wondered how she would survive. She was already barely holding on. She'd have to think of something.

Rosslyn gingerly picked herself off of the street and looked down at her clothes. She was almost exposed to the world. She blushed as she tried to cover herself with the remaining pieces. She, then, walked out of the city that she had grown up in and made her way to a forest that her and her mom had usually walked in. If she remembered correctly, there was a small pond in the middle of the forest.

She finally came across it and quickly ran over and started picking as many of the vegetation that was strong and thick enough.

She didn't have that much experience in weaving, but thankfully she knew the basics. She slowly and surely made a dress out of the vegetation with grass, sticks, and moss from the pond to cover up the parts that were exposed from the tattering of her clothes.

Now if she could only take care of her hunger and thirst...

Rosslyn remembered a neighboring company that her family had partnered up with. Maybe she could go there and ask them if they needed someone to work for them. Someone to cook or something. Surely they needed someone to take care of things considering how big of a company they were.

She followed a weak dirt trail out of the woods, opposite from the direction she came from. By the end of the day, she saw the sight of the city she was looking for.

"I must look so pathetic right now," Rosslyn mumbled to herself when she looked down at her hideous garments she wore and a pack slung to her back full of her mother's dresses.

She sighed, then treaded on towards the city. Finally, she found the maid's chambers and bashfully knocked on the door.

An old woman answered the door. She had a tired face, and it was full of worry wrinkles. But besides that, she looked very kind and gentle.

"Yes?" she answered, taking in the sight of her.

"Umm.. I was wondering if you had any positions open? I'll do anything. I just need somewhere to rest my head for the night, heat to keep me warm, and food and water to drink and eat," Rosslyn replied.

The old woman hesitantly looked back behind her shoulder, then stared at Rosslyn. "I think we could use an extra hand around here. But the only place you can sleep is by the stove," she said. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?" she sighed. "Do, come in. I'll get you settled."

"Oh thank you," Rosslyn smiled sweetly, nodding her thanks.

The old woman smiled and led her into the kitchen. Pots and pans were scattered every where and all different types of food covered the counters and floor.

I'll go get you a blanket and pillow," the woman smiled, then disappeared.

Rosslyn sighed, shrugging her shoulders. She was definitely not used to this. She shook her head. 'This will just have to do,' she thought to herself.

The woman returned with a blanket and pillow shortly after.

"Here you go, dear. You can just call me Cook. I'm the cook and chef around here, so that's how I got the nickname. Now, you have a good rest, and tomorrow I'll start putting you to work. Is that alright?"

Rosslyn nodded sheepishly.

"Good. I see you're not much of a talker, so you shouldn't be much of a problem here, sweetie. I like you already."

Then, she turned her heel to leave, but looked behind her shoulder and said one last thing.

"And whatever you do, do not go upstairs or anywhere else besides here. I don't want you to get into any trouble since you are a sweet girl. The masters don't appreciate us scullery maids walking around loose," she scoffed.

By masters she meant Mr. Parker Peterson and his son, his heir to his precious company, Christopher Peterson.