by Julie Helms

Created on: September 03, 2011   Last Updated: September 24, 2011

All of her childhood she had been beaten. Life under her thatched-roof cottage was brutal. From morning to night she worked as a slave. While scrubbing the floor she was kicked in the ribs; while serving the meals, slapped in the face. There was no pleasing anyone.

At dark she would slink off quietly to the cold corner of the cottage where her pallet lay. There still was no peace as this is when her parents turned on one another. Her father would come home drunk from the tavern, having blown the week's wages in a night. Her mother would screech at him, trying to claw his face in hatred and frustration.

There were a few blessed moments available to her. She would arise just before dawn, the sky pinkening in the east. Putting on her shawl, she would soundlessly slip out of the cottage and hurry to edge of the wood.

Only a few paces into the woods was a meadow with a small pool. She lay down in the soft grass, the dew soothing the bruises on her face. Deer came to feed. They were unafraid of her as she was always so still. She watched the sun's rays just begin to penetrate the trees, reaching for the pool where they would make the water sparkle. It was a magical few moments every morning.

Then she would need to hurry back home to get breakfast started before her parents awoke.

One day her mother, chewing on a sausage, informed her daughter that she was to be married. Even when the girl heard the details, essentially she had been sold to an old widower, she dared to hope. Life could be better.

After three days of marriage, the girl lay on her bed in the early hours of morning. Distantly in her mind she remembered this was her favorite time of day. She had trouble recalling why though. Her mind was dark and confused. He had hit her in the head repeatedly throughout the night.

She took a deep breath, her last. Then rolling over she felt free and light. She was in her meadow! The dew was on her cheek and the sun was soft and warm. The woodland animals gathered around to greet her. She shed all of her previous memories, only aware now of the beauty of her new home.

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