The doll story-2

Polly was very confused and she was tired. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to see her grandpa. He must be so worried.
"Prescilla, lets go. There is lot more to discuss. "
Polly walked slowly with the lady.She did not have a choice. They walked down the hill. The palace looked majestic. There were several guards surrounding the fort. Most of the guards shook their head in recognition of the lady Tensila. She must have known them. Some of them looked at her,she must be so out of the place. But no one asked anything.
As they entered the palace there were few ladies. They were dressed uniformally so Polly assumed that they should be working in the palace. Tensila called out to one of the maids.
"Christine, I want you to be the Governess and caretaker of Lady Prescilla. Take the help of few helps if you need them."
"Lady Prescilla!!! Oh my God. This is a pleasure. We have been so amiss without you princess. I hope you will solve all our problems. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Christine, head of staff and housekeeping. My great grandmother was the caretaker of her highness the queen when she was a child. I mean your grandmother.Lady Tensila , I must say this is a pleasure."
"Christine, I know you will be the best for the child. But for now get the princess ready as soon as possible. I need to discuss a lot with the princess.And watch out for the guards."
"Yes, lady." said Christine.
"What about the guards?" asked Polly
"Many of the guards are loyal towards the kingdom. But there are a few who work for the sorcerer. We need to be careful."
Polly followed the governess to the room. It was a big room,three times the size of the house where she and her grandpa lived. There was a huge mirror, a bed enough to accommodate the whole of Julie's family and lot many things which Polly was not able to identify what they were. There were also two more maids who held their head down and had a tray in each of their hand.
"Princess, this is your room. If it seems smaller we can change the room."
"No, no this is absolutely fine."
"Ok Princess. These two, Carline and Stepane will help you take bath.They are your personal help. I will oversee if everything is alright."
Ohhh so this is the maid's maid,Polly understood.
Polly kindly excused them from helping her take bath. She can do this much herself.
She was given a white dress with a lot of fittings. It was a beautiful dress with lot of designs and patterns which she had never seen. The maids helped her with her dress, then braided her hair and then did a little of coloring to her eyes and then cheek.Finally she was ready.
She went to the main hall.The lady was waiting there. She seemed a little restless.
"Sit down Prescilla. It must have been quite a shock for you. But things are as such haphazard here."
"Lady Tensila, tell me why did I come here or rather why was I brought here?"
"The story starts during the time when your grandmother was the queen. The king was a person with no respect for anyone. He was very arrogant and cruel. He had an affair with the chamber maid and she was conceived. The queen found about this and took the chambermaid under her custody. The maid bore a male child and she passed away. The child was named Thomas .The queen brought him up like her own child. After several years the queen had a child of her own, your father, Prince Promfer. The queen still liked Thomas. She considered him as her own son.
After few years the king passed away. And the question came to who will be the next king. The queen considered making Thomas as the king but he rejected it right away saying he never can earn the trust of the people and his brother Promfer is the ideal choice for the crown. But Promfer was still a minor so the queen decided that Promfer will become a king when he will turn 18 years old and till then Thomas will rule in the name of Promfer. It was this time Thomas met a lady and fell in love. The lady was not of royal blood but she was kind hearted and they both married. Within a year of their marriage she bore a child, Mathew. She also like Thomas birth mother passed away after giving birth to the child. Thomas was very heart broken. But he loved the child. Mathew was an extraordinary child. He showed all signs of royal blood. Unlike his father he was able to command and there was an attitude in him which made people fear. When Mathew was nine years, Promfer was crowed the king. There was a sudden change in the attitude of Mathew. The queen called the child and talked to him. She was quite upset when the talk ended. The queen called me and confided in me that Mathew's heart is quite dark. She told me as I remember. "He is quite vicious for his age. I did not except this from Thomas's son. He terrifies me. I am not quite sure of what I should do with him. Tensila, tell me can you do something about him?"
I told the queen that changing the past is something like going against the Gods which I will not be able to do. But I promised her that should something happen I will see that the future does not favour Mathew.
Then the next day the most terrible thing happened.

to be contd...

The doll story -contd

Polly got up and was unable to believe her eyes. There stood a dazzling palace with a big fortress and red flags throughout the palace. It looked right out of her posters. She realized a hand placed over her shoulder. She turned and looked behind. The most beautiful lady with a flowing long dress in the lightest shade of green stood behind. Her cheeks were pinkish and she had golden hair and a small tiara over her head. She was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. Polly thought that the lady was an angel. But aren't angels supposed to be dressed in white??
She had seen the angel pictures in books. Then Polly was confused.
"You look confused my child".
Polly heard a voice. So the lady was real.
"Am I not dead?"
"No Priscilla, you are not dead. We will not allow you die" the lady said.
"Priscilla?? We?? I am not Priscilla and I do not understand what you are talking about. I am supposedly dreaming. My grandpa will be back anytime. "
"Oh dear you are in a shock.Lets go to the palace and freshen you up.Then we shall talk."
"Oh please. Let me go back to my grandpa. He must be worrying about me."
"Do not worry Prescilla. Your grandpa will not worry. Trust me."
"But for God's sake, I am not Prescilla. Stop calling me by that name."
" Polly, if you like that name.But you were born with the name Prescilla."
"Birth name? I do not get what you are talking about. But who are you? Where am I?"
"To answer your questions. Yes, Prescilla is your birth name. I am the Lady of time. My name is Tensila. You are in the Strombton the kingdom of your father. "
" Kingdom of my father? Please tell me this is a joke. "
"It is not princess. You are Priscilla, the lady of hope and the unwinder of mysteries. In short you are the 'problem solver' ".
"Problem solver? But I have never been to a school."
"Knowledge does not come from places alone princess. Schools are in the time where you came from. In here there are tutors who can bring out the best in you."
"But why am I here? If I belong here why was I there with my grandpa? Grandpa always told me that my parents are with God. "
"You are here because you have responsibilities towards your kingdom. We have been waiting for a long time when you will pick the dolls and play with them. Your friend Julie was always there. So you ignored the dolls. I found a way to send Julie out to her aunt's house. Finally you picked the lady doll and told that she is your guide. So I am here with you and I am your guide."
Polly was shocked beyond words. Yes the lady truly resembles the doll she had in her hand before the house split into two. She remembered holding the doll in one hand while falling down. It must have dropped out of her hands when she fall. So the doll became the lady? This cannot be true. But today nothing seemed quite normal.
"Prescilla.. Sorry, Polly lets go to the palace. This time of the year the sorcerer does not come to the palace.Its quite safe as well. "
"But you haven't told me why I am here?"
"You are here because you need to tell us where your brother and sister are?"
"My brother and sister? And how will I tell where they are? This is completely ridiculous.


to be contd

The doll story

There was once a little girl who was very pretty that everyone called her dollface. Her name was Polly. By nature she was very sweet except when some one called her "dollface".Polly lived by the river with her grandfather. Her grandfather told her stories of far and wide. Polly used to get so immersed in the stories that she will think herself of the main character of the story.
Her grandfather went to forest daily to pick woods and they lived by selling the woods in the market. One day as the grandfather went out for the daily work he called out to Polly " Dollface I am going to work".
"Grandpa, do not call me dollface. I do not like that name. " She made a big face.
"Sorry sweetheart I forgot about that. These kids around here keep calling that name, got to warn these kids." He grinned to himself. "I have made egg bacon and sausages. Have it and be at home, I will just be in time".
" OK grandpa.Take care in the woods. Come back soon."
When her grandpa went for work Polly used to go to play with her friend Julie. But now Julie had gone to her aunt's home in England.
Polly felt bored. She had a small collection of dolls which her grandpa had bought her for christmas and every birthday of hers. How much she longed for her parents every birthday. When Julie used to tell that her mother made her cake,pudding Polly used to feel bad that she had nothing to tell.
Her grandpa did not know what a small girl might like for a toy. He brought her warrior, queen, king, socerer, sword, dairy,armchair, a beautiful lady,cradle. The cradle was empty. When she asked her grandpa, he told her " It was meant to be empty" with a sadness in his voice.
Polly decided to play with her toys and gathered them together. "Today we are alone at home, lets play a game. Let the king be king and queen be queen and I am the little princess. " She drew a palace on the floor and kept the king and queen. She took the beautiful lady and pointed to her. You will be my guide. As soon as she said the following words the house started rotating and split into two. Polly thought there was an earthquake and her grandpa had told her a lot about earthquakes. She tried to hold on to nearest pillar. Her hands started aching and she was not able to hold anymore. She fell into the darkness. It was deep deep darkness. She was screaming and falling down. There was a loud thud. Polly had reached the bottom. Her eyes were full of tears. She thought she had died as many in the village used to tell that little Paul who lived nearby had an accident and died. Polly lay in the ground. A gentle hand touched her. Polly got up and opened her eyes. She shrieked. "This cannot be true. Where am I? Am I dreaming? Grandpa please come. Where are you?"

to be contd