Eleven Years Later

ELEVEN EARTH YEARS LATER

The sun shone down on the mountains and in the little valley where the maid school was as the girls and teachers waved to a cart which was rounding a corner carrying four girls who were now of age and were allowed to go and see the world. When the cart was out of sight all the girls went back inside. Anise, (who was now fourteen years old but looked younger), had always wondered what the outside world was like.

Her only memories of it was a big man, (her father), yelling at everyone to put their heads down and storm clouds out the window and an explosion. She had promised herself she would never forget it.

Anise had never seen a man, except her father, so she thought they were wicked because burglars were always men, and the people she had been taught to avoid were always men, well mostly. She knew that men married women but she assumed this was so the women could reform the men. She had decided thereafter that she wouldn't marry ever. She still couldn't help thinking it would be very exciting to see the outside world.

It was that evening when the life-changing event happened; Anise was reading a book sitting in one of the library chairs when Marigold burst into the door and ran over to Anise.(behavior strictly forbidden by order of the etiquette book.) “Anise! Anise! There's a prince and his escort up stairs and they want to see everyone!” “Do they look wicked?” “Yes, the prince especially, he has brown hair. Everyone is assembling in the hall.”

Anise stood up, she was shorter than Marigold and looked two years younger. Her hair was short and black and still no one knew exactly what colour her eyes were. 

When she was in a crowd she was usually overlooked unless the person looking knew what he was looking for. On the other hand she herself noticed lots of things. Most importantly she had the power of persuasion.

The girls walked quickly to the hall where there was already quite a crowd. The prince, (who did indeed have brown hair), was standing at the far end of the hall in front of a line of girls which he was surveying with disconcerting calmness.

When Anise's turn came she tried to make herself as unnoticeable as possible by standing near but not on the end, her efforts were in vain however for the prince saw her as soon as the line came to the front and asked her to step forward. “I shall see you this evening. I am searching for a little girl who was lost eleven years ago.” he waved his hand and the hall quickly emptied. In the bedroom Anise sat down on a bed and tried to compose herself; she was just going to be left alone with the first man she had ever met, that was all, and he was probably just going to ask her some questions and then he would leave. Probably. She was so nervous she only ate half her tea. Soon she was alone with the prince who was looking more wicked than ever from his chair. “Your name is Anise, isn't it?” he said, 
“Yes it is.” 
“and you're fourteen?” she nodded, “you were three when you got here? Did you come here in a...” 

“do you mean a plane?” 
“yes. What was your father's name?” 
“um... I don't know.” 
“your mother's name?” 
“Jill I think.”
 The prince nodded, a wicked smile spreading over his face. He tapped the floor with his foot and suddenly his escort appeared out of nowhere and knocked Anise out.

END OF PART TWO