"Jane, Jane, are you alright?"
Marinette could not believe it.
She had not seen her sister in years, and she found her lying in the street.
A cow refused to budge from Jane's side.
She tried to move Jane but with no success.
Soon, another voice spoke, "Princess, come back to the cave, for I heard footprints approach, and it isn't safe out here in the open."
Marinette saw the goblin and smiled.
The goblin helped her carry Jane to the cave.
"Hush, you overgrown beast of burden." The goblin fussed at the creature.
He also gave some bits of hay to it to calm the animal down. He helped Marinette carry the girl into the cave.
Once inside, Marinette pushed a lever that sealed off the entrance.
The goblin wasn't sure what to make of the situation.
Why did Marinette help a servant of the king?
"Marinette, who is she?"
"Jane, she is my sister."
"Sister, oh, that explains it then."
"Explains what?"
"The risk you took getting exposed to rescue her."
Marinette sat across from the goblin as her sister remained unconscious.
The mouse ate some cheese and crackers, the goblin ate some cheese, and the princess ate some cheese, crackers, and grapes.
Jane stretched her arms as she came too.
She gasped when she saw the strange greenish-gray, pale-looking man, but smiled when she saw Marinette.
"Marinette, is that you?"
"Yes, Jane, it is me."
"Phew, I was worried someone had kidnapped me for a while there. What about Daisy?"
"Daisy, who?"
"The cow, silly."
"Oh, that Daisy. I saw her eating hay and being on her best behavior when we saw her last."
Jane and Marinette caught up on old times while the goblin watched in amazement. He knew Marinette was a chatterbox, but he never knew she had a sister until today, and now it turns out the king's servant girl was the princess' sister.
He scowled at the thought of anyone taking Marinette away or him from her.
"Don't stare at him that way, He did help save your life," Marinette stated.
"Dear sister, you keep company with a mouse and goblin?"
"Yes, I do."
"Hmm, you have adjusted well to life outside the palace."
"Jane, where have you been keeping yourself these days?"
"Sis, I have been in service of the king as one of his many milkmaids, for I am in charge of milking the cows."
"Daisy is one of the finest milk cows, but she isn't the only royal cow."
The story continues in Chapter 10: A New World
Until then, bye-bye, little owlets!
Summer out!