The Baker's girl

Leo's memory

Little Leo wore his wig everywhere. He kept it clean and placed it delicately on a dedicated bust at the end of each night. He powdered it and kept it dry. He would style it and model it with different outfits. 

And with it, Little Leo made many more friends. He spent less time in his library alone with his books or practicing with his sword, alone by the old tree in the yard. He would go into town each day and play with the local children. They would play "hoop and stick," and "chase the coward," and "riddle me this riddle me that." One commoner, the local baker's girl by the name of Bethie, was his favorite to play with. They became the closest of friends.  They played nearly every day, first with all the other kids, and then later all by themselves.

She would call him "her Prince," and he would call her "his Lady." Of course, they both knew she was no lady. It was only pretended. They went exploring the town together, searching for stray cats and long-hanging fruits, and new spots to watch the clouds. They loved to lie on the hill and just watch the clouds. They would name this one and that, and then laugh and roll down the hill and start again.

They told each other that they would get married one day and had even played kissing once. Little Leo didn't like playing kissing. It felt all wrong to him. They didn't play that game ever again. Still, they played something else together the next day.

They talked a lot. They talked about all kinds of things. About animals,  knights, and baking. Little Leo told her how he wanted to be a knight one day and fight alongside his father. They played "the knight and the Princess" that day. Bethie told Leo that she just wanted to be a great baker like her father. She wanted to invent new kinds of bread and bake something that would make Leo want to marry her. Leo couldn't imagine any food that would do that. She was only a baker's girl.

Little Leo would read her books when he was able to sneak them out of his library without his father's knowing. He would read her tales like The Forest King, the Unihorn Knight, and Helio the DragonGod. Bethie liked the stories about knights the best.

One time, Little Leo tried to sneak her into the castle to see his library. They were quickly caught when Leo fell trying to climb into a window on the wall. Leo begged the guard not to tell his father, but the guard said he would have to.

Leo's father was not pleased. When Little Leo went out to play the next day, Bethie was nowhere to be seen. When he went home, one of the guards brought him down into the dungeon. Leo never got to go into the dungeon. He made his way down the spiraling steps with whimsy and excitement. That faded when he arrived. He found his father, very angry, and a crying little girl tied down backwards in a chair. It was Bethie! 

Before Little Leo could say anything, his father began to flog the baker's girl. Leo cried and begged for his father to stop. stop! STOP!

The guards held Little Leo up and still, and forced him to watch. He kept hitting her and hitting her harder and harder. It went on for what felt like hours. The Duke only stopped when his arm got tired. 

"I swear you do everything you can to shame this family. It's bad enough you wear that ridiculous wig. Now you are mixing with commoners? A dirty, filthy baker's girl? Trying to bring them into my castle! I have tolerated your foolishness for too long. You shall never again play with these commoners. You shall stay in the castle where you belong. You shall not shame me anymore. Helios has cursed me. All I wanted was a son, and they gave me you. Curse that woman. This is her fault as much as it is yours. This girl will know her place." 

Little Leo cried and cried, and cried until his duct went empty. Little Leo never cried again.

Little Leo's love for his father died that day. After that day, he was just the Duke to Little Leo.

Bethie's screams still haunted Leo's dreams.