Chapter One

The big 18! Nearly two decades Emily had graced the earth, yet she couldn't help but feel the world may have been better off without her. Even this day that was special for so many was just another day. When Emily awoke that morning her father instructed her to make the breakfast as he had every morning. Emily knew better than to refuse her father. She went about her chores, as she did everyday, without a single complaint.

Much later in the day, nearly 9:00 PM, Emily had finished all her regular tasks, cooking, cleaning, caring for the livestock. Emily did not necessarily mind these tasks for they were all she had ever known. She did often wonder, however, if this would always be her life. That night as she watched he father, sleeping in his armchair with a beer loosely gripped in his hand, Emily had wished she could be somewhere else. Be someone else.

Emily went to her room in the dark cold basement of the house. There was no heating down there and the only light came from a lamp her father had no longer wanted. She quickly found herself in front of her most prized possession, an old beat up computer. Emily had put it together from various pieces of broken computers until she had a working system. It was not fancy, but it ran her favorite game, The Knight's Table. It was not a complex game, you designed a character, chose a class, and hunted monsters for the king. Emily fell asleep at the keyboard.

When Emily woke in the morning it was cold and dark just as it had been the previous night. Though Emily was surprised, she seemed to have woken of her own accord rather than the drunken screams of her father. It wasn't until she reached the door that she realized something wasn't right. The handle had completely changed. Instead of a knob it was a handle. In fact the whole door had changed, from brown wooden slab to a cold metal gate.

Emily spun on her heels to look where she had come from. He beloved computer was nowhere to be seen. In its place sat an open-faced book. She walked toward it slowly, taking in the rest of the room as she did. In general, it didn't look that different from what she remembered her room to be. Her lamp was gone, and her bed and dresser seemed... older than they had the previous night.

When Emily finally reached the wooden desk, she picked up the book it held to inspect it further. "Children's and Household Tales" the title read. Before Emily had a chance to fully process why this book could possibly be sitting on this desk, she heard a loud knock on the solid iron door. She jumped at the sound.

"Miss? May I come in? Master is requesting your presence for breakfast." A woman's voice rang, although muffled through the door.

Emily had no idea how to respond. What on earth was going on here? Master? Miss? Where was she?

"Miss? Are you alright? I must insist on coming in." The woman spoke again. This time she did not attempt to wait for a response. She opened the door with a screech.

If Emily hadn't been surprised enough, she was completely taken aback by the woman she saw before her. She was a small woman, short and plump, but it was her outfit that shocked Emily. She was dressed like, well some sort of maid.

"Miss?" The woman spoke once more, entering the room.

"W-who are you?" Emily stammered. Emily needed answers but she felt this was the only logical question to start with.

"I do apologize miss. It was quite late when you came in last night and you did seem to be in rough shape. I'm glad you seem to be doing better this morning. My name is Molly, miss. I am the servant you have been assigned." The woman shuffled towards her. "We must get you ready." She began shuffling through the dresser, upon closer inspection it seemed to be a wardrobe.

Servant? How on earth would Emily get a servant? Why would she need one? "Um, Molly. Would you mind telling me where I am? It seems my memory is a bit fuzzy."

Molly had picked a dress and was holding it up to Emily as if to measure her. "Oh, why you're in the North Star Kingdom, miss. The guards found you late last night and brought you here."

"North Star Kingdom?" Emily's blood ran cold, her heart seemed to skip.

"Yes, that's right, miss." Molly began unlacing the back of the dress.

It was not possible. "Molly, who is your master?"

"Pardon me, miss but I must insist you but this dress on. I need to get to work on your hair. You'll see the master soon enough and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to answer your questions." Molly said with a smile.

Emily argued no more. She cooperated with Molly. If Emily were where she seemed to be it would do her no good to resist. Seeing this master would give her the answer she wanted. Though she found herself afraid of the answer. Emily did not see her reflection before she and Molly left the cold room. She imagined her normally rosy cheeks were completely white as they made it to a window lit hallway, bright and vast.

Emily felt lost as they weaved from room to hall, but they eventually arrived in a large dining area. Molly gestured for Emily to sit at one end of the table. It seemed to be set for only two people, one on each end though the table looked big enough to seat at least eight. Emily sat and waited. Though the wait wasn't long before food began arriving and shortly after a man, wearing a crown and something of a cape sat opposite Emily at the table.