To be or not to be

To be or not to be...that is the question.

In our story, the protaganist is an eight year old foster child.  Bounced from foster home to foster home in her short life, and now on the verge of being rescued from the dark tower of temporary homes, she waits...and waits...and waits.

Her long, curly dark hair blows in the wind as she gazes out the arched window of the tower, searching for the dream that lays just beyond the shadows in her tiny world.

In her realm, two people appear every now and again...they ride in on white horses and ask the Queen (the antagonist in our story) to have her for a day or two...and wisk her away to a fairyland of exciting new places and people. These two people, a man and a woman, tell her fairytale stories...fables in which she becomes their very own princess, in her very own castle.

Eagerly, she soaks up all the attention that is showered upon her, for she well knows that come the morrow, all will be back to it's original place.  She will no longer be the adored princess, but just one of the foster children living in the tower.

The keepers of this tower are kind people, but they are still only temporary guardians, and with 5 other girls in their care, just don't have the time or energy to make each one feel like they are a princess, nor do they desire to keep these girls as their own. 

To be...a temporary child.

Today, a Saturday, lovelygirl seeks the return of the man and woman, and quietly waits to hear the pounding hooves of white steeds that bring the couple to her once again. 

Alas, the wait is in vain.  They do not arrive to break the spell.  Not this weekend.

Promises of more visits, and most of all, promises of a new life, hand like black shrouds over her, threatening to cover her completely. Promises that she wants to believe in, but is finding more and more difficult to do so.

On the breeze, she swears she hears the plaintive call of her little kitten, Rosie, who lives with the couple. She thinks about her little pet all the day long. She is one link that makes it all seem so real.

Dare she continue to believe in this fairytale?

To be or not to be?

Will she be adopted or not?

Will she become the princess she always dreamt of...or not?

Meanwhile, in fairytale land, the couple work hard to make it all happen. To push and get answers, to call and demand for the Queen to take notice, and they dream of lovelygirl every night.

The Queen takes her time. She has so many duties that this particular little girl in the tower is but a number.  She can't do everything at once can she? The couple waits and waits for what seems like an eternity.

Finally, a messenger on a gray horse rides to them, carrying news on a satiny scroll.  The Queen has finally asked for one of her servants, the Foster Certifier, to come forth and check the couple's home and lands and see if it is suitable to inhabit a young princess.

Oh, the joy in the man and woman's hearts. The waiting is getting close to being over. They dance with happiness and ready themselves for the visit of the Foster Certifier.

Up in the tower, a little girl waits. She can't feel the winds of change just yet. In her heart she is still wondering if the visits were even real. She doesn't quite believe that she will be rescued. To be their princess.
How much longer before she lets her soul wither and die in doubt.

To be or not to be.