I swiftly opened the door halfway. The first I noticed was the smell. My
mouth immediately started to water. A million different foods wafted
towards my nose. Elk, sausage, cookies, cider, soups, sandwiches.... and my
absolute favorite...pudding! Many of them I could not recognize, but I
fully intended to learn them. The next thing I noticed was Mandy. Her back
was to me, but I could see that she had been sweating from all the work and
from the stoves and oven that filled the kitchen with heat. She jumped as I
let go of the door and it slammed shut. She quickly turned around and faced
me, potato peeler in hand.
"Need some help Mandy?" I teased. She hated being scared.
"What are you doing here? Go on, hurry up to the bath and wash. You're covered in dirt and dust!" She scolded sternly. I looked down at myself and realized she was right. It was much worse than it had been when it had been recovered from the depths of my bed.
"I'll hurry, don't worry so much. And I'll come back and help you too." I retorted.
"I know you can't keep your hands off cooking, but you'll do no such thing. If lady found you all floured up in your nice dress, she'd know to turn to me. Now get up there and wash sweet!" She argued.
"Alright, alright." I hugged her and ran up the kitchen staircase, tripping halfway. I reached the corridor and made my way to my bathing room. There was already a towel on the marble bench and the water was perfect. As I washed with my favorite mint soap I realized that the water never really got dirty or cold. Once I declared myself sparkling clean, I wrapped in a towel and ran to my room.
Lily had already kindly laid out my dress for my. It was dark green with pink vines embroidered on the skirt. I brushed my hair of its usual braid and tied some of it back with a pink ribbon that matched the vines. I spinned in front of the mirror and wished I was old enough to wear jewelry. A necklace like my mothers would have been perfect. It actually had belonged to my grandmother, but she had inherited it. I did not mind too much though, I loved that dress. It brought the green out my greenish-brown eyes. Or were they brownish-green? I didn't care, I was happy to be young and happy and I thought again of my planned escape. I would miss this place, but even balls get horribly tiring. I sighed and practiced curtsying out of habit, eventually slipping and falling to the luckily clean ground.
"I won't have to practice curtsying anymore after tonight! " I thought angrily. If everything went right, I would reach the elves forest by morning. Smiling, I turned around and headed for my door.
Mother and father were walking arm in arm together, chatting happily. They were both dressed up and headed for the stairs to the ballroom. They stopped chatting and smiled. I quickly walked over and hugged them, happy to be safe in someone's arms. We walked towards the staircase in silence, and smiled at each other.
"I'm sorry. " Mother interrupted the silence as we descended the first step. "We can't slide today. We have to be dignified." She began to walk airily down the steps, smiling and waving to people. Father and I stifled our laughter, occasionally snorting and getting a bit red in the face.
I looked down to the ballroom and saw with amazement that it was covered with girls in dresses of every color imaginable. I picked it for faces of anyone I knew. I smiled as I saw that my Aunt Areida had come. She wasn't really my aunt, but I called her that because my mother and her were so close. I tapped my mother on the shoulder and whispered that she was here. Mother smiled.
"I wonder what she's doing here." Mother whispered. "Would she travel all that way to see Isti turn 16? " She was smiling, but her eyes looked worried.
"Should I go say hi? " I asked.
"Yes, please do." Mother replied. I reached the last step and weaved through the crowds pushing towards my mother and father. I finally reached Areida after much rustling of skirts and almost stepping on feet.
"Hello Aunt Areida! " I called, rushing in front of her.
"Little Ella!" She chirped, opening her arms to me. She had always called me 'Little Ella', because mother has always been Ella. I embraced her happily.
"Why are you so far from home? " I asked once she had let me go.
"That," She teased, "is between your mother and I." I smiled. Surprises are always fun, aren't they?
" I'll go report to my mother now, and have her return quickly. " I recited politely with a curtsy. Those stupid classes had gotten me. She returned the curtsy smiling. She knew I loathed those classes.
I found mother talking to Sir Stephen, a knight who had helped her once. She had even named my youngest brother after him. "Aunt Areida wants to talk to you, mother. " I interrupted after a traditional bow and curtsy all around.
"About what? " She asked kindly. I shrugged.
" It's a secret from me, I suppose." Mother smiled and Sir Stephen bowed again.
" I think I'll go pay Char a visit. " He said, departing.
"I'm going to see Areida. You stay away if she wants to talk to me in private." She pointed her finger at me, joke-threatening. I smiled and started walking around. I knew no one who was very friendly towards me. I even attempted to make contact with a few girls, who immediately saw Isti behind me. Eventually, I got hopelessly bored and made my way towards the kitchen. I saw Isti, he was chattering away with a group of girls who all looked breathless. I rolled my eyes and sighed. He was probably telling them all about the time he ran in the country race. I left him to himself and opened the kitchen door to find Mandy making raspberry jam. I sat on a stool and pumped water into a basin noisily.
"What are you doing Ella?" Mandy said, not bothering to look up.
"Can't I wash dishes anymore?" I replied sarcastically.
" Not in that dress you can't!" She scolded.
"Oh fine then Mandy. " I found a towel and dried off my hands. "It's completely boring out there. The only thing remotely exciting is the fact that Aunt Areida is talking with mother about something I'm not allowed to know yet." I scowled.
"Oh sweet, it's not that terrible is it?" Mandy looked up at me, a drop of worry in her voice.
"No, I suppose not." I sighed heavily. I walked over to Mandy and hugged her reassuringly. I could smell the sugar on her apron. She smiled.
"Run along then dear, don't keep the party waiting." She teased. I smiled.
"Farewell Mandy!" I said, and went back to the ballroom. There weren't any more guests than before. Some people I didn't know were eating half they're weight in Mandy's cooling. I figured that either they had never tasted anything so good, or that they hadn't eaten in months. I walked past them and avoided eye contact. They were huge. I decided to look for someone to befriend, but there weren't many people my age there, so my search was quickly finished. I crossed the great hall, quickly looking from side to side, my brown hair waving.
As I bravely passed my brothers followers, I noticed that, for once, Isti was allowing another to speak. His face looked distorted, probably from trying not to smile, but fighting to look serious. I had to stifle my laughter as I crept closer, in order to hear what she (for there were only girls around him) was saying. I had to close too, all the other girls were pressing against each other to glimpse the scene.
"I have perfected myself." The girl was saying, "To be exactly how you wish. My whole life I have worked to become this way in order to please you, to make you happy."
"Oh really?!" I blurted. All the faces turned towards me. I didn't blush. Instead I put my hands on my hips and continued, "Are you really that keen?" She frowned. My brother's eyes bulged, I knew he was begging me not to say what I was about to say. I didn't care. Oops, here I go anyway big brother! "Must you be so obvious? He knows you want money. As do I. "Her face cringed. The awful truth. She wanted to say something, I could tell.
"What gives you the right to say that?" The girl questioned. I heard a few murmurs from the crowd. Phrases like: 'doesn't know' and 'she's crazy!'. I smirked.
"Don't you know who I am? Since its obvious you don't, I'll inform you with small words that you'll be able to understand. Isti is my brother. King Charmont is my father. Does that make sense to you?" I asked nodding. She gasped and her face turned red. A few girls giggled. I curtsied and said, "Excuse me, I have other business to attend to. "I said politely. I then walked off happily.
You must understand that I was not mean to that wench. I felt the need to protect my palace and my family. Would you not do the same if a stupid girl had tried to get in on your riches? I hated her, and had to teach her a lesson for her rudeness. Don't get me wrong, I just often get bored in this castle without friends but centaurs and a family of brothers that pester me and parents that travel constantly. I often have to get revenge to amuse myself.
"Need some help Mandy?" I teased. She hated being scared.
"What are you doing here? Go on, hurry up to the bath and wash. You're covered in dirt and dust!" She scolded sternly. I looked down at myself and realized she was right. It was much worse than it had been when it had been recovered from the depths of my bed.
"I'll hurry, don't worry so much. And I'll come back and help you too." I retorted.
"I know you can't keep your hands off cooking, but you'll do no such thing. If lady found you all floured up in your nice dress, she'd know to turn to me. Now get up there and wash sweet!" She argued.
"Alright, alright." I hugged her and ran up the kitchen staircase, tripping halfway. I reached the corridor and made my way to my bathing room. There was already a towel on the marble bench and the water was perfect. As I washed with my favorite mint soap I realized that the water never really got dirty or cold. Once I declared myself sparkling clean, I wrapped in a towel and ran to my room.
Lily had already kindly laid out my dress for my. It was dark green with pink vines embroidered on the skirt. I brushed my hair of its usual braid and tied some of it back with a pink ribbon that matched the vines. I spinned in front of the mirror and wished I was old enough to wear jewelry. A necklace like my mothers would have been perfect. It actually had belonged to my grandmother, but she had inherited it. I did not mind too much though, I loved that dress. It brought the green out my greenish-brown eyes. Or were they brownish-green? I didn't care, I was happy to be young and happy and I thought again of my planned escape. I would miss this place, but even balls get horribly tiring. I sighed and practiced curtsying out of habit, eventually slipping and falling to the luckily clean ground.
"I won't have to practice curtsying anymore after tonight! " I thought angrily. If everything went right, I would reach the elves forest by morning. Smiling, I turned around and headed for my door.
Mother and father were walking arm in arm together, chatting happily. They were both dressed up and headed for the stairs to the ballroom. They stopped chatting and smiled. I quickly walked over and hugged them, happy to be safe in someone's arms. We walked towards the staircase in silence, and smiled at each other.
"I'm sorry. " Mother interrupted the silence as we descended the first step. "We can't slide today. We have to be dignified." She began to walk airily down the steps, smiling and waving to people. Father and I stifled our laughter, occasionally snorting and getting a bit red in the face.
I looked down to the ballroom and saw with amazement that it was covered with girls in dresses of every color imaginable. I picked it for faces of anyone I knew. I smiled as I saw that my Aunt Areida had come. She wasn't really my aunt, but I called her that because my mother and her were so close. I tapped my mother on the shoulder and whispered that she was here. Mother smiled.
"I wonder what she's doing here." Mother whispered. "Would she travel all that way to see Isti turn 16? " She was smiling, but her eyes looked worried.
"Should I go say hi? " I asked.
"Yes, please do." Mother replied. I reached the last step and weaved through the crowds pushing towards my mother and father. I finally reached Areida after much rustling of skirts and almost stepping on feet.
"Hello Aunt Areida! " I called, rushing in front of her.
"Little Ella!" She chirped, opening her arms to me. She had always called me 'Little Ella', because mother has always been Ella. I embraced her happily.
"Why are you so far from home? " I asked once she had let me go.
"That," She teased, "is between your mother and I." I smiled. Surprises are always fun, aren't they?
" I'll go report to my mother now, and have her return quickly. " I recited politely with a curtsy. Those stupid classes had gotten me. She returned the curtsy smiling. She knew I loathed those classes.
I found mother talking to Sir Stephen, a knight who had helped her once. She had even named my youngest brother after him. "Aunt Areida wants to talk to you, mother. " I interrupted after a traditional bow and curtsy all around.
"About what? " She asked kindly. I shrugged.
" It's a secret from me, I suppose." Mother smiled and Sir Stephen bowed again.
" I think I'll go pay Char a visit. " He said, departing.
"I'm going to see Areida. You stay away if she wants to talk to me in private." She pointed her finger at me, joke-threatening. I smiled and started walking around. I knew no one who was very friendly towards me. I even attempted to make contact with a few girls, who immediately saw Isti behind me. Eventually, I got hopelessly bored and made my way towards the kitchen. I saw Isti, he was chattering away with a group of girls who all looked breathless. I rolled my eyes and sighed. He was probably telling them all about the time he ran in the country race. I left him to himself and opened the kitchen door to find Mandy making raspberry jam. I sat on a stool and pumped water into a basin noisily.
"What are you doing Ella?" Mandy said, not bothering to look up.
"Can't I wash dishes anymore?" I replied sarcastically.
" Not in that dress you can't!" She scolded.
"Oh fine then Mandy. " I found a towel and dried off my hands. "It's completely boring out there. The only thing remotely exciting is the fact that Aunt Areida is talking with mother about something I'm not allowed to know yet." I scowled.
"Oh sweet, it's not that terrible is it?" Mandy looked up at me, a drop of worry in her voice.
"No, I suppose not." I sighed heavily. I walked over to Mandy and hugged her reassuringly. I could smell the sugar on her apron. She smiled.
"Run along then dear, don't keep the party waiting." She teased. I smiled.
"Farewell Mandy!" I said, and went back to the ballroom. There weren't any more guests than before. Some people I didn't know were eating half they're weight in Mandy's cooling. I figured that either they had never tasted anything so good, or that they hadn't eaten in months. I walked past them and avoided eye contact. They were huge. I decided to look for someone to befriend, but there weren't many people my age there, so my search was quickly finished. I crossed the great hall, quickly looking from side to side, my brown hair waving.
As I bravely passed my brothers followers, I noticed that, for once, Isti was allowing another to speak. His face looked distorted, probably from trying not to smile, but fighting to look serious. I had to stifle my laughter as I crept closer, in order to hear what she (for there were only girls around him) was saying. I had to close too, all the other girls were pressing against each other to glimpse the scene.
"I have perfected myself." The girl was saying, "To be exactly how you wish. My whole life I have worked to become this way in order to please you, to make you happy."
"Oh really?!" I blurted. All the faces turned towards me. I didn't blush. Instead I put my hands on my hips and continued, "Are you really that keen?" She frowned. My brother's eyes bulged, I knew he was begging me not to say what I was about to say. I didn't care. Oops, here I go anyway big brother! "Must you be so obvious? He knows you want money. As do I. "Her face cringed. The awful truth. She wanted to say something, I could tell.
"What gives you the right to say that?" The girl questioned. I heard a few murmurs from the crowd. Phrases like: 'doesn't know' and 'she's crazy!'. I smirked.
"Don't you know who I am? Since its obvious you don't, I'll inform you with small words that you'll be able to understand. Isti is my brother. King Charmont is my father. Does that make sense to you?" I asked nodding. She gasped and her face turned red. A few girls giggled. I curtsied and said, "Excuse me, I have other business to attend to. "I said politely. I then walked off happily.
You must understand that I was not mean to that wench. I felt the need to protect my palace and my family. Would you not do the same if a stupid girl had tried to get in on your riches? I hated her, and had to teach her a lesson for her rudeness. Don't get me wrong, I just often get bored in this castle without friends but centaurs and a family of brothers that pester me and parents that travel constantly. I often have to get revenge to amuse myself.