Rey wiped the sweat from her brow. It was cold out, but she'd been working hard since dawn. It was getting late and it was almost time for her to go home. She was exhausted, working in the prince's garden was hard work. She had to clear the yards of any fallen limbs, sweep the snow off of all the walkways, and sometimes she even had to carry firewood. But at least she had enough money to provide for herself and her little brother. Though she could barely afford enough bread for them both with what the prince paid her, let alone a place to live.

Her parents had left her and her brother when he was just three. They hadn't told either of them goodbye, they just left. Temiri still thought that they would come back, Rey hoped they would too. But she couldn't wait for them, she and Temiri had already been thrown out of their home by their landlord and she knew that if she didn't get a job they would both starve. She was glad that she'd been able to get a job at the castle at least, even if it was the job nobody wanted, and it didn't pay much. She didn't mind during summer when it was warm and she could tend to the flowers, but in winter she had to spend all day out in the snow and she had no warm home to go to at the end of the day. More often than not her nose ran from the cold, and on a few occasions she had gotten frostbite, though she wasn't really sure if spending everyday out in the snow was to blame, or if it was because the only place she and her brother had to sleep was a tent in an alleyway.

She ran through the castle yards, she had to get back home before it got dark. If she didn't build a fire now while it was daylight, she'd never be able to find enough wood. Not to mention poor Temiri would freeze. She had built a fire before she left to keep him warm, but he would run out of wood if she didn't bring more soon. That was one benefit of her job, she could keep all of the fallen branches to burn.

She halted suddenly as she smacked right into someone. She looked up horrified as she realized that it was the prince. Inwardly she prayed that he wouldn't fire her for her clumsiness.

"I'm... I'm sorry your majesty," she stammered. Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the ground, unable to meet his gaze.

He stared at her for a long moment, then made a dismissive gesture, seeming lost in thought. He looked troubled and didn't seem to even be paying her any attention. She quickly left before he could recognize her in case he did get angry with her for almost knocking him into the snow. He was known to have a bit of a temper, and she had heard that he and his cousin didn't hesitate to fire staff that displeased them.

She gathered a heavy pile of wood as she went.

Once she had enough she hurried to the alleyway that she and her brother called home. She frowned as she heard him cough fiercely. It had began after the last snowfall, and it seemed that he was only getting worse. He really needed a doctor, but she couldn't afford to feed him and pay a doctor. Many nights she would go hungry so that he could eat, there was nothing she could do to cut corners in order to save up the money for a doctor. She had considered asking the prince for a little more money, but she was afraid he would fire her if she did. His cousin certainly would, he was the one who paid the servants and he was really stingy when it came to money.

She touched Temiri's cheek once she had a fire going. He had a fever.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine," he whispered, but she knew that he was anything but.

"Come to work with me tomorrow, you can sit inside the castle while I work. I have friends there and they won't mind as long as you're good."

"I've always wanted to go to the castle," he answered.

She smiled at him.

"Do you think mum and dad will be home for Christmas?" he asked.

"I... I don't know. I fear we'll never see them again."

He nodded. "I barely remember them anymore. I know you're my sister, but to me you're my mum too."

Rey felt her heart breaking. She hugged him tightly. "I wish I could be a better mother for you. All I can give you is a tent in an alleyway and a piece of bread. I wish I had enough money to take you to a doctor or buy a proper place for us to live."

"But at least you love me. Mum and dad didn't, if they did they would be back by now."

"Don't say that, I'm sure they love you. They send letters."

"But they always promise to visit us and they never do."

Rey nodded sadly. She wished her parents would come back for him more than herself. At least she got to have them for sixteen years, he didn't even know them. She was the only mother he knew and she didn't get to spend much time with him because she had to work.

She would have to ask Prince Ben if she could work double shifts or do some extra chores so that she would be able to pay for a doctor. She was worried sick about him. Surely there was some kind of extra chores she could do around the castle. Maybe she could work on Christmas, many of the other workers would be off that day and she imagined they would pay extra if she helped made up for the lack of staff.

"Rey, can I ask you something?"

Rey kissed his forehead and snuggled in the blankets next to him. "Of course you can, sweetheart."

"Since I don't remember my real mum and she may never come back. Can I call you mum or mummy?"

Rey stroked his head. "Yes you can, if you want to."

She would do anything to help her brother feel loved, and forget that he had been abandoned by those who should have loved him most.