LJ Idol Season 7: Week 23 Intersections; No man is a hero to his valet
“I already have my own servants, I certainly won’t be needing any more.” The man practically spat the hateful words into her face.
“Excuse me, but I wasn’t a servant...Miss Alva was like a mother to me...” Elli tried to plead her case to the cruel old man that looked upon her as if she were a burden even then, standing in the home that was once just as much hers as it was Miss Alva’s.
But he would have none of it and sent her on her way, claiming his right to Miss Alva’s estate based purely on the fact that they shared blood. There was no proof that Elli was anything more than a lowly servant. No one knew how Miss Alva had taken the girl under her wing and taught her how to read and write, and how to paint and create stories within her journals. No one knew the bond that they shared, or perhaps they just didn’t care.
Elli wandered into the nearby town, anxiously trying to find work and a place to stay for the first time in her life. She was lost and confused, and at only 16 years old...she was scared. She missed Miss Alva more than anything in the world. She knew that the old woman’s time was coming, but one can never prepare emotionally for such things.
As luck would have it, she saw a painted wooden sign outside the door of an elaborate house that made Miss Alva’s estate look downright miniscule. The sign said they were looking for help, someone to assist their young daughter. Elli got excited by the possibilities...perhaps this girl would be her friend? This family would surely take her in. They could never replace Miss Alva, of course. No one could ever fill the hole that she had inside of her now that the older woman was gone, but at least she wouldn’t have to be alone.
She was taken on to care for the family’s only daughter, Beatrice. Beatrice was the same age as young Elli, but that was where the similarities ended. While Elli had vivid and wild red hair that stood out in every direction with its crazy curls, Beatrice had straight golden hair that cascaded down her back like silk. She was never seen brushing it, it just seemed to fall down her back effortlessly and perfectly from the moment she rose from bed. Beatrice also came from wealth, while Elli had no idea where she came from before she arrived on guardian’s doorstep. Miss Alva told her that the fairies delivered her one rainy evening, no note or anything, just a crying baby with no home to call its own. All the memories Elli ever had involved Miss Alva.
Elli’s job was to run errands for the girl, and in return she would get a place to stay and one meal a day. Beatrice often had her baking treats for her, as she had quite the sweet tooth. But no matter how hard Elli tried, according to Beatrice she could never get it just right.
“This tart needs more berries! It’s too dry!”
“This muffin would taste better with walnuts in it!”
“This cake is not sweet enough, it needs more sugar!”
Then it would be:
“This cake is too sweet! It needs a little less sugar to be just right!”
She picked over every little detail, made her scrutinize every speck of sugar that went in... everything had to be just right or Beatrice would send her back into the kitchen once more. Then, after hours upon hours and countless tarts, muffins or cakes (or whatever the girl desired that evening), Beatrice would take a bite into a delicate pastry, her eyes would grow wide and she would exclaim “This is perfect! Absolutely perfect!” and she would devour everything, leaving nothing for Elli to sample for herself.
Thus, that was the life of a servant girl in those days. Elli longed for the days of living in the forest with Miss Alva where she would spend her afternoons playing amongst the fairies instead of slaving over every little thing for one very blessed little girl.
Then one day, Elli came across Beatrice painting. Elli loved painting and asked if she could join her. The girl turned her nose up at her, but agreed.
“Sure...I suppose it could be fun to see who the stronger painter is...” she snickered and Elli could have sworn she heard her say something under her breath that sounded like “because we both know it will be me.”
Elli had the talents that Miss Alva ingrained into her from a young age. She whipped the paintbrush around, using vibrant shades of purple and green, while Beatrice stuck to the lighter, more natural colors. It wasn’t long before Beatrice was staring over her shoulder, watching Elli work.
“That girl has purple hair? Who has ever heard of a girl with purple hair!” She doubled over in laughter.
“Why, I have met fairies with purple hair, isn’t it lovely? I’d love to have purple hair!”
Beatrice snorted “We all know that true beauty are the girls with the golden hair...like me. Just ask anyone you meet and they will tell you precisely that...besides, fairies don’t exist. Anyone with half a brain knows that! What a ridiculous painting you have there!”
“But they do exist!” Elli tried to interject, but Beatrice was no longer paying attention to her. She was smiling at her own painting of a princess with golden hair just like her own.
Later on, her parents hung the painting where everyone would see it. They would invite their friends over and shower Beatrice with praise for her amazing artistic talents. No one, besides Elli, ever saw her purple haired fairy painting again.
One evening, after her chores and right before bed, Elli saw Beatrice writing in her journal.
“Oh you like to write? So do I!” Elli exclaimed happily.
“Oh you know how to write? I wouldn’t have thought so.” Beatrice hardly looked up from her tablet.
“Why yes, I not only know how...but Miss Alva said I am very good too! Want to hear a story I wrote?”
Beatrice sighed. “If it will get you to shut up, yes, I will listen to one of your silly little stories...” and once again, Elli swore she said something quietly that sounded like “It can’t be any worse than your hideous painting.”
Elli came back with her journal and started reading from it. Beatrice seemed stunned that not only could her servant write, but she could read as well. Elli didn’t even notice the shocked look in the girl’s eyes and read joyfully from her book. When she finished with the story, she anxiously looked up at Beatrice, hoping to hear the praise that Miss Alva would have given her...but no, only bitter words ever came out of Beatrice’s mouth.
“Wait...a female pirate? That travels in time?” Beatrice was rolling the story through her head once more...”and two females actually were together...in that way” an expression of disgust crossed over her face.
Elli couldn’t figure out what the problem could be. After all, she had never heard of a story like hers before, and Miss Alva had always told her that was a good thing. She said it was good to be different and write about ideas people have never had before.
“Wh...what’s the matter with that?” Elli asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Stupid! Girls can’t be pirates! Everyone knows that! And time travel? What is that even?” Beatrice was irate about her story and Elli could not figure out why. "And let’s not even get into that disgusting bit with the girls being together...that is just...wrong!”
Elli closed her book, no longer wanting to share her stories with anyone. At one time, the fairies (and Miss Alva too) would gather round and listen, while praising her creativity...but perhaps they were only being nice? After all, Beatrice seemed to know what was good and what wasn’t. Why else would everyone make such a fuss over her accomplishments if she didn’t?
Beatrice then read a story from her book. It included a princess who was in danger and a valiant prince that saved the day. She looked Elli directly in the eyes and said “Romance can only happen between a boy and a girl, like in my story...any real writer would know that!"
For a second, Elli felt something take hold of her insides...it wasn’t anger, as she would have thought. Oh no...there was something else oozing its way inside her, something she had never felt while living outside of the city, in her old home.
For the first time in her life, Elli began wishing she was somebody else. She began wishing she was Beatrice. It would be wonderful to have such nice things. She would love to have the big, cozy bed to sleep in at night and be able to eat exotic fruits instead of the bread and gravy she was rationed once a day. She would do anything to be as beautiful as Beatrice too, with long golden hair and perfectly clear skin. Elli was riddled with freckles, and in that moment, she hated every single one of those spots that decorated her face and shoulders.
But most of all, she hated herself. She hated herself for being different. Why couldn’t she think like Beatrice? Why must her stories have girls kissing other girls instead of boys? Why must she paint pictures of fairies, which everyone tells her don’t exist even though she once frolicked in the forest amongst them? She must be crazy.
Why, oh why, couldn’t she be normal? Why couldn’t she ever do things right?
Miss Alva had told her all about the evil known as jealousy...but she had never experienced it for herself. She was sheltered by a life where she was always good enough by simply being herself. Out here, in this world though...things were different. For once in her life, she wasn’t sure that just being herself was good enough anymore. She pushed those thoughts away so as to not disappoint Miss Alva’s memory. Surely, she wouldn’t want Elli thinking such thoughts about herself. She would tell her “I raised you better than that, Elli...You know you’re better than that.”
She believed that Elli was capable of doing anything she put her mind to, regardless of what it was. She told her stories about wood nymphs and how jealousy was unknown to them until they ventured out, let it seep within their society...it can only bring pain and self doubt, she said. You should never succumb to such feelings.
But it sure was hard...Elli was going to try her best to rise up against these new feelings and remember that she only has to be good enough for herself. Some days were certainly better than others.
The next day, she was back in the kitchen, this time trying to perfect Gingerbread that would satisfy Beatrice’s picky palate. She was on her fifth or sixth attempt when Beatrice decided this batch was truly good enough to eat and devoured every little bit down, not so much as leaving a crumb for Elli.
There was a knock on the door. Elli heard one of the other servants open it followed by their voices.
“Elli? Why would you want to speak to her?” The older servant exclaimed in shock.
Upon hearing her name, she rushed to the door to see a man dressed in a fancy outfit which bespoke of his importance.
“Have I done something wrong?” Elli had never broken any rules that she was aware of, but perhaps she did so by mistake?
“Oh no, Elli, I am here on behalf of Miss Alva’s estate. Apparently, she left a will after all...”
Elli could barely comprehend the rest of what the man said...but her life was about to change once again, this time for the better.
*** Approximately Ten Years Later. ***
Beatrice made her way into the town center, and looked up at the sign.
“The Purple Fairy”.
There was a line down the street, and she slowly took her place amongst the crowd. While everyone else was anxiously awaiting their turn to sample the tastiest treats for miles around, Beatrice had another mission on her mind. She waited patiently for her turn, and as she walked up to the red haired girl at the counter, she wondered if Elli would recognize her.
“Elli?” she asked.
The girl behind the counter stopped rolling the dough in her hands and looked up upon hearing her name.
“Beatrice! I had hoped you would try one of my creations one day! What will it be? A berry tart for old time’s sake?”
Beatrice held her head down, almost afraid to speak. “I...I’m not here to buy anything, as I can’t afford to. I was hoping you might have a job for me?”
“A job? What happened to your writing career? Or the painting? You were always very talented!” Elli sincerely meant it too, as she knew who the stronger artist was amongst the two of them. “Or your parents wealth, whatever happened to all that?”
“Umm well...apparently I am not as talented as my parents thought. People aren’t into reading the same old story about princesses and frogs, or for paintings of perfectly beautiful girls...they like variety or something...” Beatrice held her head down low, not looking Elli in the eye. “As far as my parents money goes...umm well...I have sort of spent every last dime they left to me upon their death...I’m completely broke...”
Elli couldn’t help but think of the irony, and she could have easily turned her back on the girl and told her to get lost for all the cruelty she had suffered at her hand.
“So about that job? I would do anything you would have me do, I just need to find something...anything at this point...” Beatrice asked with tears starting to form in her eyes, her desperation had been clear upon her face. She must have really hit some hard times. Her lavish lifestyle was just too much for the money her parents left her and her career aspirations were going nowhere.
Elli would never be able to live with herself if she sent the girl away, the sadness in those eyes would eat at her heart forever. She very well could have been the only option Beatrice had at that point, and she knew it couldn't be easy asking for help like that. Besides, Miss Alva raised her better than to turn her back on those in need.
She grabbed an apron and tossed it to Beatrice.
“Sure...let me teach you all about making gingerbread...”
(This week was another delightful round of intersections! But instead of just working with one partner, we had to form a threesome. I got very lucky to get paired up with some amazing girls. You can read these entries in any order, but PLEASE consider reading their entries as well since they are absolutely fabulous in their own right! So please head on over and read
mstrobel's Fairy Tale and 
comedychick's Pirate Love Story and learn some valuable lessons on jealousy while you're at it!)
“Excuse me, but I wasn’t a servant...Miss Alva was like a mother to me...” Elli tried to plead her case to the cruel old man that looked upon her as if she were a burden even then, standing in the home that was once just as much hers as it was Miss Alva’s.
But he would have none of it and sent her on her way, claiming his right to Miss Alva’s estate based purely on the fact that they shared blood. There was no proof that Elli was anything more than a lowly servant. No one knew how Miss Alva had taken the girl under her wing and taught her how to read and write, and how to paint and create stories within her journals. No one knew the bond that they shared, or perhaps they just didn’t care.
Elli wandered into the nearby town, anxiously trying to find work and a place to stay for the first time in her life. She was lost and confused, and at only 16 years old...she was scared. She missed Miss Alva more than anything in the world. She knew that the old woman’s time was coming, but one can never prepare emotionally for such things.
As luck would have it, she saw a painted wooden sign outside the door of an elaborate house that made Miss Alva’s estate look downright miniscule. The sign said they were looking for help, someone to assist their young daughter. Elli got excited by the possibilities...perhaps this girl would be her friend? This family would surely take her in. They could never replace Miss Alva, of course. No one could ever fill the hole that she had inside of her now that the older woman was gone, but at least she wouldn’t have to be alone.
She was taken on to care for the family’s only daughter, Beatrice. Beatrice was the same age as young Elli, but that was where the similarities ended. While Elli had vivid and wild red hair that stood out in every direction with its crazy curls, Beatrice had straight golden hair that cascaded down her back like silk. She was never seen brushing it, it just seemed to fall down her back effortlessly and perfectly from the moment she rose from bed. Beatrice also came from wealth, while Elli had no idea where she came from before she arrived on guardian’s doorstep. Miss Alva told her that the fairies delivered her one rainy evening, no note or anything, just a crying baby with no home to call its own. All the memories Elli ever had involved Miss Alva.
Elli’s job was to run errands for the girl, and in return she would get a place to stay and one meal a day. Beatrice often had her baking treats for her, as she had quite the sweet tooth. But no matter how hard Elli tried, according to Beatrice she could never get it just right.
“This tart needs more berries! It’s too dry!”
“This muffin would taste better with walnuts in it!”
“This cake is not sweet enough, it needs more sugar!”
Then it would be:
“This cake is too sweet! It needs a little less sugar to be just right!”
She picked over every little detail, made her scrutinize every speck of sugar that went in... everything had to be just right or Beatrice would send her back into the kitchen once more. Then, after hours upon hours and countless tarts, muffins or cakes (or whatever the girl desired that evening), Beatrice would take a bite into a delicate pastry, her eyes would grow wide and she would exclaim “This is perfect! Absolutely perfect!” and she would devour everything, leaving nothing for Elli to sample for herself.
Thus, that was the life of a servant girl in those days. Elli longed for the days of living in the forest with Miss Alva where she would spend her afternoons playing amongst the fairies instead of slaving over every little thing for one very blessed little girl.
Then one day, Elli came across Beatrice painting. Elli loved painting and asked if she could join her. The girl turned her nose up at her, but agreed.
“Sure...I suppose it could be fun to see who the stronger painter is...” she snickered and Elli could have sworn she heard her say something under her breath that sounded like “because we both know it will be me.”
Elli had the talents that Miss Alva ingrained into her from a young age. She whipped the paintbrush around, using vibrant shades of purple and green, while Beatrice stuck to the lighter, more natural colors. It wasn’t long before Beatrice was staring over her shoulder, watching Elli work.
“That girl has purple hair? Who has ever heard of a girl with purple hair!” She doubled over in laughter.
“Why, I have met fairies with purple hair, isn’t it lovely? I’d love to have purple hair!”
Beatrice snorted “We all know that true beauty are the girls with the golden hair...like me. Just ask anyone you meet and they will tell you precisely that...besides, fairies don’t exist. Anyone with half a brain knows that! What a ridiculous painting you have there!”
“But they do exist!” Elli tried to interject, but Beatrice was no longer paying attention to her. She was smiling at her own painting of a princess with golden hair just like her own.
Later on, her parents hung the painting where everyone would see it. They would invite their friends over and shower Beatrice with praise for her amazing artistic talents. No one, besides Elli, ever saw her purple haired fairy painting again.
One evening, after her chores and right before bed, Elli saw Beatrice writing in her journal.
“Oh you like to write? So do I!” Elli exclaimed happily.
“Oh you know how to write? I wouldn’t have thought so.” Beatrice hardly looked up from her tablet.
“Why yes, I not only know how...but Miss Alva said I am very good too! Want to hear a story I wrote?”
Beatrice sighed. “If it will get you to shut up, yes, I will listen to one of your silly little stories...” and once again, Elli swore she said something quietly that sounded like “It can’t be any worse than your hideous painting.”
Elli came back with her journal and started reading from it. Beatrice seemed stunned that not only could her servant write, but she could read as well. Elli didn’t even notice the shocked look in the girl’s eyes and read joyfully from her book. When she finished with the story, she anxiously looked up at Beatrice, hoping to hear the praise that Miss Alva would have given her...but no, only bitter words ever came out of Beatrice’s mouth.
“Wait...a female pirate? That travels in time?” Beatrice was rolling the story through her head once more...”and two females actually were together...in that way” an expression of disgust crossed over her face.
Elli couldn’t figure out what the problem could be. After all, she had never heard of a story like hers before, and Miss Alva had always told her that was a good thing. She said it was good to be different and write about ideas people have never had before.
“Wh...what’s the matter with that?” Elli asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Stupid! Girls can’t be pirates! Everyone knows that! And time travel? What is that even?” Beatrice was irate about her story and Elli could not figure out why. "And let’s not even get into that disgusting bit with the girls being together...that is just...wrong!”
Elli closed her book, no longer wanting to share her stories with anyone. At one time, the fairies (and Miss Alva too) would gather round and listen, while praising her creativity...but perhaps they were only being nice? After all, Beatrice seemed to know what was good and what wasn’t. Why else would everyone make such a fuss over her accomplishments if she didn’t?
Beatrice then read a story from her book. It included a princess who was in danger and a valiant prince that saved the day. She looked Elli directly in the eyes and said “Romance can only happen between a boy and a girl, like in my story...any real writer would know that!"
For a second, Elli felt something take hold of her insides...it wasn’t anger, as she would have thought. Oh no...there was something else oozing its way inside her, something she had never felt while living outside of the city, in her old home.
For the first time in her life, Elli began wishing she was somebody else. She began wishing she was Beatrice. It would be wonderful to have such nice things. She would love to have the big, cozy bed to sleep in at night and be able to eat exotic fruits instead of the bread and gravy she was rationed once a day. She would do anything to be as beautiful as Beatrice too, with long golden hair and perfectly clear skin. Elli was riddled with freckles, and in that moment, she hated every single one of those spots that decorated her face and shoulders.
But most of all, she hated herself. She hated herself for being different. Why couldn’t she think like Beatrice? Why must her stories have girls kissing other girls instead of boys? Why must she paint pictures of fairies, which everyone tells her don’t exist even though she once frolicked in the forest amongst them? She must be crazy.
Why, oh why, couldn’t she be normal? Why couldn’t she ever do things right?
Miss Alva had told her all about the evil known as jealousy...but she had never experienced it for herself. She was sheltered by a life where she was always good enough by simply being herself. Out here, in this world though...things were different. For once in her life, she wasn’t sure that just being herself was good enough anymore. She pushed those thoughts away so as to not disappoint Miss Alva’s memory. Surely, she wouldn’t want Elli thinking such thoughts about herself. She would tell her “I raised you better than that, Elli...You know you’re better than that.”
She believed that Elli was capable of doing anything she put her mind to, regardless of what it was. She told her stories about wood nymphs and how jealousy was unknown to them until they ventured out, let it seep within their society...it can only bring pain and self doubt, she said. You should never succumb to such feelings.
But it sure was hard...Elli was going to try her best to rise up against these new feelings and remember that she only has to be good enough for herself. Some days were certainly better than others.
The next day, she was back in the kitchen, this time trying to perfect Gingerbread that would satisfy Beatrice’s picky palate. She was on her fifth or sixth attempt when Beatrice decided this batch was truly good enough to eat and devoured every little bit down, not so much as leaving a crumb for Elli.
There was a knock on the door. Elli heard one of the other servants open it followed by their voices.
“Elli? Why would you want to speak to her?” The older servant exclaimed in shock.
Upon hearing her name, she rushed to the door to see a man dressed in a fancy outfit which bespoke of his importance.
“Have I done something wrong?” Elli had never broken any rules that she was aware of, but perhaps she did so by mistake?
“Oh no, Elli, I am here on behalf of Miss Alva’s estate. Apparently, she left a will after all...”
Elli could barely comprehend the rest of what the man said...but her life was about to change once again, this time for the better.
Beatrice made her way into the town center, and looked up at the sign.
“The Purple Fairy”.
There was a line down the street, and she slowly took her place amongst the crowd. While everyone else was anxiously awaiting their turn to sample the tastiest treats for miles around, Beatrice had another mission on her mind. She waited patiently for her turn, and as she walked up to the red haired girl at the counter, she wondered if Elli would recognize her.
“Elli?” she asked.
The girl behind the counter stopped rolling the dough in her hands and looked up upon hearing her name.
“Beatrice! I had hoped you would try one of my creations one day! What will it be? A berry tart for old time’s sake?”
Beatrice held her head down, almost afraid to speak. “I...I’m not here to buy anything, as I can’t afford to. I was hoping you might have a job for me?”
“A job? What happened to your writing career? Or the painting? You were always very talented!” Elli sincerely meant it too, as she knew who the stronger artist was amongst the two of them. “Or your parents wealth, whatever happened to all that?”
“Umm well...apparently I am not as talented as my parents thought. People aren’t into reading the same old story about princesses and frogs, or for paintings of perfectly beautiful girls...they like variety or something...” Beatrice held her head down low, not looking Elli in the eye. “As far as my parents money goes...umm well...I have sort of spent every last dime they left to me upon their death...I’m completely broke...”
Elli couldn’t help but think of the irony, and she could have easily turned her back on the girl and told her to get lost for all the cruelty she had suffered at her hand.
“So about that job? I would do anything you would have me do, I just need to find something...anything at this point...” Beatrice asked with tears starting to form in her eyes, her desperation had been clear upon her face. She must have really hit some hard times. Her lavish lifestyle was just too much for the money her parents left her and her career aspirations were going nowhere.
Elli would never be able to live with herself if she sent the girl away, the sadness in those eyes would eat at her heart forever. She very well could have been the only option Beatrice had at that point, and she knew it couldn't be easy asking for help like that. Besides, Miss Alva raised her better than to turn her back on those in need.
She grabbed an apron and tossed it to Beatrice.
“Sure...let me teach you all about making gingerbread...”
(This week was another delightful round of intersections! But instead of just working with one partner, we had to form a threesome. I got very lucky to get paired up with some amazing girls. You can read these entries in any order, but PLEASE consider reading their entries as well since they are absolutely fabulous in their own right! So please head on over and read
mstrobel's Fairy Tale and