Chapter 2 - The East Wing Tower

Candy woke up with the bright sun light shining on her. Her head maid, Mary had already open the curtains to the huge window that was in the room. Candy realizing it was morning got up from her bed and went to hug Mary.

"Oh Mary! I was so scared last night. Why must I be punished?!" Candy cried out.

"It's ok dear. What happened?" Mary said while trying to calm down Candy.

"It was horrible! There were rats! Not just one! Hundreds of them! They wouldn't stop making noises all night long!" Candy said while crying hard.

"Oh dear! That is a problem. I'll tell them to set up traps and maybe we can get some cats to help with the rat problem. I do agree young miss. It's horrible how your father made you move to the tower." Mary said in a soothing voice.

"Mary! I'm too scare to stay another night. Will you sleep with me tonight?" Candy said with her eyes pleading.

"I'll try to see what I can do. I would need your father permission though" Mary said with a perplexed look on her face.

Candy stop crying as her stomach made a loud growl. She was hungry and quickly went to sit down for her breakfast that the other maids have already set up on the table in her room. It was a simple meal but it was a much better meal than what the servants were given. She gulp down the porridge.

"I'll tell the chef to give you extra portions for your lunch today" Mary said while tidying Candy bed. Candy just nodded her head and stuff a piece of bread in her mouth.

After finishing her breakfast, it was time for Candy to get ready for the day. Mary brushed Candy hair and tied it into braids. After getting dresses up, Candy was now looking at the view outside the window.

"I didn't get to check the view from here but you can see the entire estate! Being so high up, it does seem kind of scary." Candy said while looking down.

"I do fear your father is adamant on making you live here for quite a while" Mary said in a worrisome voice.

"Sigh...I just wonder how long?" Candy said with a downcasted voice.

"Cheer up young miss! I have an idea. Although, I might get in trouble for this. But I just hate to see you like this!" Mary said.

"Oh Mary it's ok. It is what it is. We can't do much about what's already happen. Anyway, look at the bright side. I don't have to see my stepmother or stepsister face!" Candy said with a grin.

"No. It's not ok! Let's escape! Escape and enjoy the fresh air. It's such a beautiful day today!" Mary said.

"ESCAPE! But ho...how?" Candy said excited at the thought.

"We can only be gone for a few hours and we must come back. I'll have you dressed up as one of the maids" Mary said in a whisper.

"Oh Mary! Thank you! Thank you! I can't wait! When can we leave?"

"After you had your lunch. But we must return before dinner"

"Yes!"

"But we must try our best to not get caught or it will be trouble for me and you! So don't try to cause any sort of trouble" Mary said in a worry tone.

"Of course! I will be my upmost best! It's once in a lifetime! I won't let it go to waste. Who knows how long I will be locked up in this tower?" Candy said while jumping up and down in excitement.

Soon after lunch, Candy was already dressed up and ready to go.

"Where should we go, Mary?"

"Sadly, we can only stay within the estate"

"That's fine with me. With this disguise on, it will be hard for anyone to recognize me!" Candy said with a smile as she gallop along towards the main estate.

For the next few hours, Candy got to explore new areas of the estate that she was never allowed in. Suddenly, a maid came rushing towards them.

"Mary, we need your help" said the maid trying to catch her breath.

"Candy, I have to go for a while. Will you be ok by yourself?" Mary said with a concern look on her face.

"Of course! Go on Mary! I'll be fine on my own."

"I don't know. I'm still worried. Remember what I said earlier. You must not get caught."

"I'll be fine, Mary. Hurry go on!"

"Ok then. Remember to go back before dinner time!" Mary said as she shuffled away with the other maid.

With such freedom now, Candy felt free like a bird. No one to tell her no or what to do!

"Hmm...Where should I go? Oh! The library!" Candy yell in excitement as she walk to the library room.

The library was a big room fill with shelves and shelves of books. Candy was never allowed into the library room but now she could finally see it.

"Wow! So many books!" Candy exclaim as she went towards the bookshelf and grab a book. She flip through the pages but sadly she couldn't read it as she was never taught how to read.

"I wonder what it says?" Candy mutter fo herself as she flip through the pages.

Candy was in a the library room for almost an hour just flipping through the books. Some books had pictures in them and some books were just filled with words. She jump at the sound of the library door opening and quickly drop her book and hid behind the table in the room. In came through the door was her stepsister and Ivy who was one of her stepsister friend.

"Argh...I hate that teacher. I told mother I wanted a new one. She's too strict making me study!" Alicia yelled while slamming the library door.

"Oh no!" Candy started to panic. If she got caught, it will be over for her. She must think of an escape but how when her stepsister and her friend were blocking the only exit to the room.

"Father did a good job locking that trash in the tower! I don't have to see her and it makes me feel so that much better!" Alicia said while giggling.

"Yes, I can't believe you have a trash as your sister!" Ivy said while also giggling.

"Ugh...Don't remind me. Her mother is a slut who bore a trash. Now that her mother is gone, we just have to get rid of the little trash she left behind. Obviously, father is not that cruel to kill her. He might have just dump her off at the orphanage instead of taking her in."

"You know, it she was born a boy, things might not look so pretty for you. If she was a boy, despite being younger than you, she would hold a higher status and more power than you."

"Argh...shut up Ivy! You don't think I know! But luckily, things end up in my favor. Anyway, mother got me new dresses. All thanks to the trash!"

"Is it because you put the blame on Candy for breaking your mother vase?"

"Shh...Be quiet! Will you!"

"What? It's not like anyone is here beside you and me?" Ivy said annoyed.

"I knew it! It wasn't me!" Candy quietly mutter to herself angrily. But she had to escape before she gets found out.

"Think Candy! Come on, think!" she hit her head with her fist to come up with an escape plan. Then she saw the book on the floor that she previously dropped. She grab it and threw it over the table without looking and quickly duck her head back under the table.

"OW!" Alicia scream. The book hit her hard on the head.

"Wha...What was that? Who threw that?! Come out!" Ivy yell while checking Alicia bruised head.

"COME OUT NOW!" Alicia yell with anger.

But Candy was too scared to come out. But she could see and hear them approaching her. She had to escape now! As soon as they were close to the table, Candy grab another book and hit them in the face with it while covering her face with her other hand. She shove them and was able to open the library door and quickly escape.

"OW! Guards! Someone! Help! HELP! Catch that that person who just escape the library!" Alicia yell while trying to gain back her composure.

With Alicia yelling, almost all the servants and knights were out to see what was all the commotion was about. Candy ran and ran, she ran all the way to the tower. Despite being tired, she didn't stop at all or look back. At the front of the tower were two knights guarding the entrance. She calm herself down and went up to one of the guards.

"Please open up, the young miss ask me to wash her before dinner" Candy said while keeping her head down so the guards couldn't look at her face.

"Is that so?" The knight said with a quimmiscal tone trying to decide if he should open up the door.

"Ye..Yes! Please hurry or else the young miss will be angry and I will put the blame on you for not opening the door!" Candy said quickly trying to rush the knight to open up the door

"Fine, fine. Come on!" The knight said to the other knight to help him open up the door.

Once inside the tower, Candy drop to her knees and sigh.

"I almost got caught!" Candy breath heavily. But smile to herself seeing her stepsister bruised face. She quickly got up from the ground and went up the long stairway to her room to change back to her clothes.

"Today was fun! I can't wait to tell Mary what happened!" Candy said so happily while sitting on her bed. But little did she know, Mary never came back to the tower.