Chloe. The Tale of a Dead Flower. Olga Kholodova

a new maid? Our king has a kind heart," Eric said, and smiled.

      "Follow me, little girl. I'll show you and tell you what you'll do in the palace," Eric said, and began to descend quickly down the stairs. Chloe hurried after him.

      Butler told Chloe in detail that she would have to help the princess every day to wash, dress and fulfill all her orders. Then Eric showed the girl a small room in which she would live, and left.

      Chloe inspected the room and went to the window. She looked through the window at a piece of blue sky and whispered, "How to proceed? Escape or stay?"

      Chloe has got clean clothes of the servant from a case and began to change clothes. The old bolt of the door creaked and Richard looked into the room.

      "Shut the door," Chloe said.

      "The coward," the prince laughed.

      "The prince was lucky that I had time to change. Otherwise, I would," Chloe threatened.

      "You would cry," laughed Richard.

      "An ill-mannered boy," Chloe muttered and left the room.

      From this moment, a child feud began between her and the prince. At the slightest convenient opportunity, Richard ridiculed Chloe's behavior. She, in response to the Prince's carping, was adjusted to him by petty mischief. Secretly poured he in the water or tea salt and even occasionally accidentally tipped his favorite cake on his shoes. Elizabeth was delighted with the new assistant and day by day became more attached to her.

      Chloe no longer bothered with the question: to escape or stay. The answer was obvious – the palace and the royal family liked Chloe no less than the life in the palace itself.

      Chloe learned everything that Princess Elizabeth learned from, which made him an interesting conversationalist and friend.

      Time passed. One day was replaced by another, treacherously taking the serene and mischievous childhood of Chloe to an empty past. Seven years passed. The king is a little old, and his beloved son Richard has matured noticeably and grown stronger. The princess, on the contrary, became more feminine and tender unlike Chloe. Chloe was still at odds with the prince. She showed in every possible way to others their persistent will and steep temper. Children's antics remained in the past and gave way to a verbal skirmish, from which Chloe managed to emerge victorious and remain in superiority. Prince Richard was not upset, but joked and left.

      The cold came and the princess suddenly fell ill. The doctor looked at Elizabeth and asked Chloe to collect some medicinal herbs for tea. Chloe was a diligent student and well versed in herbs. She threw her purple cloak and went into the forest.

      Black clouds hovered over the forest, warning of the approaching thunderstorm. Chloe quickly gathered herbs, but did not manage to get out of the woods. The rain caught the girl and collapsed from the sky with large cold drops. Luckily in the distance, Chloe saw a small hut and ran to her. She hid under a canopy at the door of the hut and began to look around.

      "Who can live here?" Chloe asked in a whisper.

      "I live here," the young man answered and opened the door of the hut. He looked at Chloe with an interested look and invited her to enter the hut.

      "No. Thank you," Chloe said. "I'll wait until the rain stops at the hut."

      "A stubborn girl," the young man chuckled and went to her from the hut.

      "My name is Tederik," the young man introduced himself. "What's your name as a stranger?"

      Chloe was embarrassed, but tried to hold back.

      "My name is Chloe," the girl replied graciously.