I Am Not Cinderella

Chapter 7

Barrie sat on her small throne listening to the concerns of the people.  She enjoyed doing this, but she realized at a young age that her parents played favorites.  It annoyed her that they'd give one poor peasant money, but tell another one to work harder. 

Barrie shifted on her throne and wished it was cushioned like her mothers was or more like Cinderella's was.  How she hated thinking that, but it was the truth.  Since Cinderella had married her cousin, she had gotten lazy and never did anything for herself.  She let the servants do all of the work.  Barrie had no idea how her cousin Beau put up with her.

Hours passed while Barrie's mind drifted to Arthur and what he was doing.  It had been 2 years since Barrie had met Arthur.  Today Arthur was 14 seasons old.  She quietly fingered the rough and plain bracelet that Arthur had made for her on her birthday last year.  She had worn it since and refused to take it off much to the annoyance of her parents.

Finally, Barrie was released and she hurried to her rooms.  She burst into her rooms and with help from Grekken, quickly changed into her riding clothes and sneaked away.  She made it to the stables before she was spotted.  The stable master saw her.  Barrie opened her mouth to speak, but the old man brought a finger to his lips and winked at her before he walked away.  Barrie smiled after him she saddled one of the stable horses.  Her parents refused to give her a horse so she made due with one of the castle horses.

Barrie rode several miles north till she turned west and arched back around to the south.  The trip took her twice as long, but she didn't want anyone following her.  She stopped her horse and dismounted before she led her horse inside the sheltered cave that Arthur had recently discovered.  The cave was big enough to ride a horse into and it grew larger the deeper in you traveled.  It ended in an area that was open to the sky.  The floor of the cave was covered with growing things and a water softly sang as it fell into a pool that flowed into a river before it disappeared underground.  Barrie led her horse over to a patch of grass and removed it's bridle, bit, and saddle before she went over by the pool to wait.

Barrie dipped her fingers in the pool and played with the fish that swam in the pool.  They were golden in color and were very playful.  They nibbled at her fingers and splashed her with water.  Barrie giggled at their playful antics.  The fish enjoyed being petted and it was funny to see a fish acting like a cat when it was petted.

"Barrie?  Are you here?"

Barrie turned her head and shouted at Arthur. "I'm over here Arthur!"

Arthur appeared by her side.  Barrie smiled up at him as he sat down beside her.  Arthur had bothered to wash today.  He smelled of soap and his hair was smoothed back.  Barrie reached up and plucked at his hair.  "Did you cut your hair?"

Arthur gave her a sideways look as he brushed a lock of hair out of his face.  "I tried to."

Barrie hid a smile as she climbed to her knees and held a hand out to Arthur.  "Give me your knife."

Arthur gave her a wary look before he reluctantly handed it over.  He sat there stiffly as Barrie tried to even out his hair.  It ended up being very short, but it'd grow out.  Barrie ran her hand through his hair.  "That'll have to do.  Let it grow out and next time you want it cut ask me.  I'll gladly cut it or my lady in waiting is really good at cutting hair."

"Grekken?"

"Yes."  Barrie settled back down beside Arthur.  They sat in comfortable silence before she pulled a small bag from her pocket.  She handed it to Arthur.  "It's not much," she apologized. 

"You didn't need to get me anything Princess."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Barrie watched as Arthur untied the bag and then upended it's contents into his lap.  He reached down and picked up the ring that had fallen out.  He examined it carefully.  His handsome features were marred by a frown.  Arthur turned to Barrie.  "What is it exactly?"