Princess and the pauper: Julian's point of view.

My life was normal. I was a peasant. Poor and hungry. My parents did the best they could for me. However my father hated me for reading and learning to write. He used to take away my books. My father abusive. He could become angry with the simplest thing. "Men do not write. Men do hard and tiring work. Do you understand Julian?" He would say taking away my books and tearing them apart. But my mother, she was so proud of me. Not many peasants could read or write. She would buy me books for my birthday. She was the only one who cared about what I did. She loved to listen to the poetry I used to write for her.

Her love is like
an island in life's ocean,
vast and wide
a peaceful, quiet shelter
from the wind, the rain, the tide.
'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
by tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
and thro' the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.

It always brought tears to her green eyes. "What a clever boy you are. I wish we had the money to spend you to school. You're my special little boy." She would beam with pride and joy. I didn't look anything like my father. I was more like my mother but instead of green eyes I had blue.

My mother was named after the sun. Helia. Because of her kind and bright smile. She had shoulder length hair. Golden like the sun. Eyes as green as emeralds.

My father was the complete opposite. He was dark and scary. His brown eyes full of fury. Jet black hair. And a moustache to match. He was named after the Greek word for destruction, Abbadon.

Late one evening.

"Please, honey. He's such an intelligent boy. I want him to go to school, I want him to succeed unlike i. I had to leave school because of my family. He would get a proper job. An amazing boy like him could be a scribe for the king."

"What!" my boy isn't going to any snuck up education unit." Father roared. The whole room shook. "And he would get a job. If he stopped reading those stupid books, he could finally be a true man. He would get a normal job like me. What's wrong with working as a black's smith?"

"Abbadon, I didn't mean that your job is bad or anything. I just thought…" Helia Whispered.

"You just thought, oh we don't have enough money for bread so im sure we can afford, to take our precious son to school. And my job gives us the money. To keep a roof on our head and food on the table. Well I have news for you, you weren't smart enough for school, no actually your parents couldn't afford it, so they lied to you, so that you would home and they didn't need to pay anymore" Abbadon barked.

"Please, I didn't mean it…i…i"

"SHUT UP!"

All was quiet and then I heard a loud thud. Father stormed off, leaving mother to cry. She silently whimpered. That loud thud most has been father hitting mother. When father was angry he usually hit mother. She would take the blow for me when father was angry at me. And when I asked why she let father hit her instead of me, all she would say was "because I love you too much to see you get hurt. Your father could easily kill you with a single blow; you are my pride and joy. My little treasure I could never stand aside and see you be bruised."

When I woke up in the morning I rushed to see mother. She was in the food room laying the table and pouring the left over strew from last night in to a bowl. She very quiet. She was singing quietly.

All the time I have layed in your light
When your love kept me safe through the night
All the time I was sure you were mine
And before time demands our goodbye
Can you sing me a last lullaby?

She sounded like an angle. My mother was singing my lullaby and she sung beautifully. She looked up and gave a smile. "Oh. Julian you have me a fright" she forced a laugh. "I heard father and you arguing last night. What did you mean, did you go to school?" And for the first time ever mother gave me an angry look and she started to shout. "How dare you eavesdrop. I never raised you like that. Me and your father are having some time apart and you are never allowed to ask about my past, that is to do with school."

My eyes were wide with shock and surprise. Mother had never shouted at me. And the truth was I was terrified. My calm and collected mum was furious.

Mother must have noticed the scared look on my face because, she placed the bowl on the table, and came running to me. She hugged me tightly. She was crying. "Im sorry Julian I shouldn't have snapped at you. You have every right to be curious. I will tell you everything after breakfast. You must have been so scared cause I never shout, do I"