"Who are you?" Chloe heard behind her. She turned around and saw Kolin.
"I, I," said Chloe, and took three steps from the boy.
"Who are you?" Colin asked again.
"My name is Chloe," the girl answered and ran away from the boy.
"Do not run away," Colin shouted.
Chloe did not look back and ran with all her might. Colin ran to his father and woke him.
"Father, the girl was hiding in the wagon. She, she just ran away," Colin said.
"If the bear does not eat it, the wolves will catch up and tear," the robber answered his son.
"And if she has taken away something valuable from the wagon?" Colin did not stop.
"Okay, you tired me son. Go and wake Breda. We'll catch up with the little thief," Butch ordered.
Colin ran to Bred.
"Wake up wake up. My father needs you," Colin said.
Black-haired and shaggy Brad opened his eyes and looked at the boy.
"Colin, you can go. I'll be right there," Brad said and rubbed his eyes.
Colin left the hut and went to his father. Brad dressed and followed the boy. The robbers went in search of Chloe.
The sun rose and began to warm the air. Chloe stopped and sat down on the grass to rest a little. The shadow of the trees sheltered the girl from the stinging sun.
"I want to drink," Chloe mumbled.
"We'll give you water," cried the robbers and surrounded the girl.
Chloe screamed in surprise. She put her feet under her and closed her eyes in her hands.
"Oh, you rascal, you wanted to escape. Immediately show me what you took with you from the cart," said Butch in a rasping voice. He walked over to Chloe and grabbed her arm.
"I did not take anything from the cart. I beg you to let me go," the girl asked.
"No! I'll sell you in the market," the robber answered and rudely pulled Chloe by the arm. Chloe began to fight and scream.
Barking dogs could be heard in the distance.
"It's time for us to go," Butch shouted. He dragged the girl along with him.
"Help," cried Chloe, and fell to her knees.
Butch was angry with the girl. He swung his hand on it to strike, but did not have time. A man on horseback struck Butch with a whip on his back, and the robber crouched in pain.
"How dare you," Butch asked in a rude and malicious voice.
"Be silent! I'm King Harold. You are in my kingdom. If you do not want to go to the dungeon, then you must obey me," ordered the king.
"I do not want to be in prison. Let me go, Your Majesty," Butch asked.
"Go away," said King Harold.
Butch called his son and Bred. The robber grabbed Chloe's hand and pulled after him. Chloe jerked her hand away.
"You must come with us," Butch said.
"No, I will not go with you!" Chloe cried.
"Why does not the girl want to go with you," the king asked.
"My sister's dead. Her daughter does not want to live in my family, so snaps," the robber answered politely.
"You all lie the pilferer. You kidnapped me and you want to sell on the market," Chloe cried.
"Baby does not insult me," Butch said politely. He clenched his fists, barely restraining his anger.
"As her name," the king asked.
Butch did not expect such a question and was confused. He looked at his son in the hope of getting a clue.
"The girl's name …" Butch said slowly.
"Get away from the girl," the king ordered the robber. He took some gold coins out of his coat pocket.
"I take away the girl from you. She will go with me to the palace," said King Harold.
"Is that enough coins?" The king asked the king and threw the gold coins to the robber.
“Yes, your majesty," said Butch in a satisfied voice. He waved his hand to his son and disappeared behind a tree. Colin and Brad hurried after the robber.
"Baby come to me," ordered the king.
Chloe stood up and walked over to the horse on which king Harold sat.
"What's your name?" asked Harold.
"Better in the palace to serve, than again to return to robbers," the girl thought and answered, "my name is Chloe."
"Charming," said the king. "You will serve my daughter Princess Elizabeth."
Chloe dutifully nodded her head in agreement and in the evening for the first time entered the huge white-stone palace.
The marble floor of the palace was decorated with beautiful carpets, and on the windows hung dark green drapes.
"A beautiful palace. Even in my dreams, I could not imagine such a beautiful decoration of the rooms," thought Chloe
"Father who is this girl?" asked the little prince Richard at the king.
"I found her in the forest. She will serve your sister Elizabeth," replied King Harold.
The prince went around Chloe and his face twisted in displeasure. He was three years older than the girl and looked down on Chloe.
"Another crybaby," Richard chuckled.
"Where's my butler?" the king asked the servant.
"He examines the bedrooms," the servant answered.
"Take the girl to him. Let him tell the girl about her new duties in the palace," the king ordered the servant.
The servant took Chloe's hand and led him up the stairs to the second floor of the palace. A huge picture depicting King Harold hung at the door of one of the bedrooms. She caught the girl's attention. Chloe stopped and looked at the picture.
"What's your name?" the princess has asked. She approached Chloe and looked at her.
"My name is Chloe," the girl answered.
The princess took the tip of her snow-white curly locks in her hand and smiled sweetly. Princess Elizabeth was older than Chloe for one year, despite the fact that the height was slightly lower than the girl.
"Who is this young assistant?" Eric asked the servant. Eric served as a butler for more than one year and perfectly performed all the assignments of the royal family.
"Yes. The king told me to bring her to you. She will serve as an assistant to the princess," the servant replied.
"Again a new maid? Our king has a kind heart," Eric said, and smiled.
"Follow me, little girl. I'll show you and tell you what you'll do in the palace," Eric said, and began to descend quickly down the stairs. Chloe hurried after him.
Butler told Chloe in detail that she would have to help the princess every day to wash, dress and fulfill all her orders. Then Eric showed the girl a small room in which she would live, and left.
Chloe inspected the room and went to the window. She looked through the window at a piece of blue sky and whispered, "How to proceed? Escape or stay?"
Chloe has got clean clothes of the servant from a case and began to change clothes. The old bolt of the door creaked and Richard looked into the room.
"Shut the door," Chloe said.
"The coward," the prince laughed.
"The prince was lucky that I had time to change. Otherwise, I would," Chloe threatened.
"You would cry," laughed Richard.
"An ill-mannered boy," Chloe muttered and left the room.
From this moment, a child feud began between her and the prince. At the slightest convenient opportunity, Richard ridiculed Chloe's behavior. She, in response to the Prince's carping, was adjusted to him by petty mischief. Secretly poured he in the water or tea salt and even occasionally accidentally tipped his favorite cake on his shoes. Elizabeth was delighted with the new assistant and day by day became more attached to her.
Chloe no longer bothered with the question: to escape or stay. The answer was obvious – the palace and the royal family liked Chloe no less than the life in the palace itself.
Chloe learned everything that Princess Elizabeth learned from, which made him an interesting conversationalist and friend.
Time passed. One day was replaced by another, treacherously taking the serene and mischievous childhood of Chloe to an empty past. Seven years passed. The king is a little old, and his beloved son Richard has matured noticeably and grown stronger. The princess, on the contrary, became more feminine and tender unlike Chloe. Chloe was still at odds with the prince. She showed in every possible way to others their persistent will and steep temper. Children's antics remained in the past and gave way to a verbal skirmish, from which Chloe managed to emerge victorious and remain in superiority. Prince Richard was not upset, but joked and left.