Once upon a time, there lived three beautiful young girls by the name of Rosalina, Viola and Marcella who lived with their mother, the queen and their step father, the Nobel king in the kingdom of Nova Hollow. Nova Hollow was in its time of peacefulness and tranquility, or at least that’s what the king kept insisting on. Truthfully, the “restfulness” of Nova Hollow was all a charade to make sure the commoners don’t fret over what was really happening. It seems the king has gotten himself into a little bit of “gambling trouble” you might call it. In his old age, he wanted a sense of thrill and adventure so he decided to play a game of Jack with a couple of shady fellows at the nearest pub. He may have been too drunk to bid but alas, he was a couple thousand pounds of gold over his head and had the thugs that he couldn’t pay for it. The men decided to compromise with the king and said that if they can have his daughters, they’ll back off for now.

Appalled by the offer of giving up his girls, the king refuses at first before realizing just how ruthless these thugs really were. They threatened him by saying he wouldn’t compromise then the whole kingdom will be victim to their tyranny. Not seeing another way out of this deal, he agrees reluctantly to let them take his children the next day. He goes home in fear for what may come of his daughters and his kingdom. How would he tell them? His wife would surely protest it even if it were for the good of the kingdom. Rosalina and Viola would at least trust that he knew what he was doing, or so he hopes. Marcella was in her own little world so leaving her with the other two would be safest for her.


Later that night, he called a family meeting and told the girls that they would be going away for a while “daddy” does business. The queen gave her husband a concerned look and asked

“Where are the children going?”
The king sighed hoping he could skip this until after the children went to bed.



“I seem to have made a mistake in bargaining a few things and the girls must leave for a while.” He informed hoping she would understand. The queen simply stood there in shock and horror at her daughters. What would become of them? She didn’t speak however until the children went to bed.


“What were you thinking?! Gambling like that?!” she shouted at him. He sighed.


“I know I know, I didn’t mean to but, it was the alcohol talking dearest.” The queen let out an irritated sigh.


“It’s always the alcohol talking isn’t it?” She questioned. He didn’t reply much to her dismay. She let out another exasperated breath and went to go tell the three good night. Viola was currently tucking Marcella in bed, giving her a kiss on the forehead before looking up at her mother. Rosalina walked up to her with a calm smile asking her mother why she came up at this hour. The queen told Rosalina and Viola that they need to pack their things and leave with Marcella quickly before morning came. The eldest questioned why to which she responded that their father was in debt to a few men at the pub and that he was using them to pay his debt. Viola gasped in surprised at her mother’s response. She told her mother that father would never do that and that even if he did, they would understand his method of dealing. The queen exhaled in defeat. She then went to Marcella’s bedside and shook her sleep form. The little girl groaned groggily, opening her blue eyes slowly.




“M-Mommy?” Marcella questioned, wondering why her mother woke her from her pleasant rest. The queen looked down at her youngest with sad eyes. “Marcella, I want you to listen to mommy ok?” she asked, Marcella nodded rubbing her eyes. “Your father seems to have made a mistake with his money again.” She started. “Marcella, all you have to do is run, ok? Don’t think, just run.” She told her daughter. The short haired blonde squinted at her mother in confusion.
“B-But-“
“Quickly Marcella, Come, before your sisters come back from the lavatory.” She urged the little to get out of bed and put on a dress from her wardrobe. Marcella quickly got out of bed and complied with her mother’s wishes. She put on a plain turquoise dress with a white square embroidered on the skirt portion of the dress. She put on black shoes and was handed a pack her mother had made for her.
“Come now, Marcy, it’s time for you to leave. I think your sisters are coming back.” Her mother warned. Marcella then made her quick descent down the stairs of the huge castle under her mother’s guidance. They quickly head out the back door and once they get close enough to the woods near the back of the castle her mother stops. “Good luck, Marcella, your mother loves you.” Her mother said giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Marcella frowned, a few tears rushing down her face.
“Mother, I’m scared.” She whimpered, wiping a few tears away. Her mother pets her head and handed her a locket.
“Keep this in your pack and it will remind me of you. Now go my child, run!” She gave Marcella a little nudge as the young girl took off into the forest without looking back. She ran and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her until she stumbled across a rickety, old abandoned house in the middle of the woods. By this time it was nearly morning and the poor girl was almost too tired to even carry herself up the steps of the tiny house. She rubbed the beaded sweat off her forehead as she went through the door less frame. The house was a complete mess with leaves and twigs all over the floor. The floor board was made up of a bunch of crooked, broken wood planks that were probably not the safest thing to walk on. There was a small bed that was pushed up against the farthest corner on the right hand side. There was also a book shelf face the bed on the opposite side of the room and a toy box too. She began to smile gleefully as she walked towards the bed with a skip in her step. It seems her mother had planned ahead after. She collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep shortly after.
It had been roughly five years since Marcella had ran away and not a day has gone by without her touching the beautiful silver locket her mother gave. She cherished it as if it were her mother herself. During her years at the house she made friends with many of the woodland creatures such as the deer, the stray cats or dogs, etc. She was now 15 years old still the sweet little thing she was when she left. She sincerely hoped that her siblings were alright but there wasn’t much at all that she could do for them other than pray long and hard. Occasionally, there would come weary travelers crossing the woods becoming lost and, if she could, Marcella or her animal friends would help them find the path out of the forest. Many sightings of the beautiful blonde hair blue eyed girl have been titled as ‘Queen of the Forest’ and her faithful animal friends. Some even recognize her as Princess Marcella of Nova woods. She might not be able to see her family but Marcella was just happy to be remembered.





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