je t'aime Means I Love You

I gazed outside my window at the village beneath me with it's cobblestone streets covered in snow and ice, the windows were emitting a warm light from the fires that constantly burned inside each house because otherwise the people would freeze to death; I had a wonderful view from the palaces' high tower. The wind blew ferociously outside my window whipping the snow around in dancing circles in and out of the small houses. The wind howled and cried sending a shiver down my spine at the thought of how cold the villagers must be. I sighed and turned away from the window, and looked at the warm hearth in my room. The fire crackled warmly and sent shadows flying around my room giving it a warmer appearance that the room actually was. I sighed and pulled the white tiger wrap tighter around myself and watched the flames dance around the volcanic rock hearth.

We used volcanic rocks because it holds heat longer that any other stone, and when you live in a world of constant winter heat is a treasured source. I heard a wail above the wind outside my window, and stood to look out of it startled out of my sleepy stupor, it must have been at least one in the morning. I looked down at the ground at the closed castle walls, and saw a little boy locked out in the cold, lost and freezing. I frowned as I saw that the guard towers were lit up, and no one let the poor child in. Pulling my wrap tighter around me I headed out of my room to go see what the problem was. It wasn't a far walk from my room too the guard towers, but it was a cold one since most of the walk was outside.

 Finally though I came to the door to the guard tower and I knocked on it politely and waited patiently even though I was freezing! I stamped my feet to try to get some of the cold out of my legs, but then the door opened and I rushed inside. "Princess, what brings you up here at such a un-lady like hour?" Asked a one of my father's generals, and I sneered my nose at him, because he was always acting like he was so much better than anyone else, and he sucked up to my father all the time.

 "It is not your place to tell me what hour is un-lady like, and I am here to ask you why there is a boy crying to be let into the gate and you deny him entrance. Have you looked outside your window? It is freezing out there!" I said calmly, but with an heir of annoyance in my voice.

 "Begging your pardon Princess, I didn't mean to step out of my place, and the young boy I believe you are referring to is a peasant orphan, and has no business in the castle." He said smiling at me tauntingly.

"He will die out there if you don't let him in the walls it is freezing out there!" I said letting my slight hints of annoyance melt away to reveal anger.

"It doesn't matter to anyone if that boy lived or dies tonight in the cold, and no one would care anyway. I really don't see the point." He said looking entirely unconcerned. I stepped further into the room straitening up to my full height and daring him to look me in the eye. Outrageously he was taller than me at his full height, and he met my challenge with glee looking me in the eye with a hint of mischievousness in them.

"Who are you to decide who lives and dies? Who do you think you are to look at that poor boy and think his precious life doesn't matter? In my eyes you and he are the same rank, and your life and his have the same value to them." He shrunk at my words and dropped his eyes. "Open that Gate and let him in. He can sleep in my room tonight." I said calmly.

He hastened to open the gate and I left the tower feeling like I had won a small battle, and I was proud of it. I ran down the gate tower to meet the boy at the gate as it opened. He was looking up with shock in his eyes and a few tears running down his face which he quickly whipped away when he saw me. I ran over to him shedding my tiger wrap so I could pull it around him. His body was shaking from the cold so badly he couldn't walk. The guard by the gate that had watched the whole scene take place gawked at me standing there in my sleeveless floor length white nightgown.