hapter 1- Life at the Palace ... 400 Years Ago

"Parvati...come over here and scrub these floors", the Chief Maid demanded.
"Yes miss", I shuddered.

I am an Arabian slave to the Sultan Mohamack, the ruler of Arabia. The Sultan has a daughter named Jasmine, that I am friends with, but our friendship is kept a secret. We have almost no time to talk.

"Get over here girl!" The maid screamed, "I have been waiting long enough."

"Oh", I sighed, "coming."

"When you are done with that, go help the cook chop onions, she is allergic to them." The maid ordered.

"But she chopped onions last week and she was fine," I grumbled quietly.

"Are you complaining?" The maid screeched. "Get to work."

Later ...
"Excuse me?" Someone questioned. "Are you the one called Parvati?"

I turned around in the middle of chopping onions for Shawna, the cook. "Yes I am," I answered, to a child servant that was maybe six years old.

"Than the princess Andoria wants to see you." She squealed in her little voice.

"Okay, as soon as I'm done with these onions," I answered.

"Then you had better hurry, she won't want to be kept waiting," the girl insisted.

Princess Andoria is not the kind of girl you want to mess with. She is my friend, princess Jasmine's older sister. The Sultan takes pride in saying that someday she will be queen. You see Princess Jasmine or "Java" as I call her. Always hated being a princess and loathes life at the palace.

Chapter 2-Princess Andoria

Princess Andoria walks around the palace, ordering people around all day. She loves it, but the people she orders do not, believe me. Java (Princess Jasmine) is nothing like that, and she only orders when her father is around. She is more like a regular person than a princess. We made friends one day, when I was assigned to dress her and to do her hair for a Ja-Ling Ball. Well I guess I dropped a box of Anza ribbon, and she helped me pick it up, if I remember correctly. Then we became good friends. Now that I think of it she is the only friend I have ever had.

Now back to reality, I'd better see what Princess Andoria wants. I am standing in her doorway. Now, on the count of three, I go in. 1...2...3...

Chapter 3-Spy

"Ahh, there you are girl," a voice whispered in the darkened room. "Sit down girl, there is something I want to talk to you about." Princess Andoria's voice came again.

I obediently sat down.

"Good girl," she cooed. "Now listen to me Parvati, I have been watching my sister, your mistress, and I believe that she is planning on running away." Princess Andoria spoke again. "I want you to be my spy, she likes you. You will do this for me." She insisted.

"Yes miss," I lied.

"Go talk to Jasmine and find out her plans to run away, and I will reward you greatly," she instructed. "Leave me now and don't come into my sight until you have my sisters plans."

Chapter 4-Plans

I am not going to spy on my only friend; I am going to tell her what Andoria said, and we will find a way to trick her. Maybe I can help her run away, or even run away with her. Oh, I would like that. My friend and I, free and alone that would be something.

That Night
"Java? Java?" I whispered tentatively. "Are you awake?"

"Yes is that you Parvati?" She whispered back.

"Yes I need to talk to you, alone." I replied quietly.

"Okay, I will meet you on the balcony," she decided.

Chapter 5-Balcony

"Parvati, you know that I am going to run away, don't you?" Jasmine accused tenderly.

"Yes I do, and so does you sister," · I explained.

She looked shocked. "Oh no," she exclaimed.

"I am going to tell you what I think Java. I want to run away with you. Oh, please let me go with you," I pleaded.

"Of course I want company," she assured. "But we will have to leave tonight."

Chapter 6-Runaways

Midnight

Andoria is following us. I can see her red gown coming through the trees, towards us.
She calls ever so quietly, "Come little sister, I will not hurt you." She was walking faster and faster.

"Run!" I screamed to Java. We ran so fast my legs felt like they were flying over the ground. Maybe they were, I will never know. "Climb that tree," I whispered to Java. We climbed the tree and hid in the branches.

Just shortly before Andoria entered the clearing. She waited awhile hoping we would make a noise to give us away, but we kept our silence. She left, heading back to her dumb old castle. And to a greedy Sultan. Away from us, forever.