An Enchanted Evening
"WINRY!" I heard my grandmother yell through the house. I slowly sat up in my bed and looked around the empty servant quarters. It was small and dusty. My workbench was sitting in the corner and my grandmother's bed was right beside it. I slid out of bed and put my work clothes on. It was going to be a very long day.
As my grandmother entered the room, I had finally gotten myself completely ready. "Winry, you know what today is. We have to get the house cleaned up because the prince is coming to see Lady Rose. Come on we have to get a move on." She said as she left. Of course I knew what the day was. Prince Edward and Prince Alphonse were coming to visit their friend Lady Rose who was in love with Edward.
"Alright I'm coming." I left and headed for the kitchen. Grandmother would make breakfast as I headed out to feed the animals in the barn. After I finished those chores, I headed back inside to sweep the entire house. As I grabbed the broom from the closet, Rose made her grand entrance.
"Oh Winry, You have no sense of time do you. They should be here any minute and you are now sweeping the floors?" She said as she brushed out her hair on the couch. I glared at her. I then quickly swept the house and began mopping the upstairs as I heard a soft rap on the door.
"WINRY GET THE DOOR!" Rose screamed from her room. I did as she told me to do. I leaned the mop up against the wall and headed downstairs to open the front door. I swung the door open and saw the two princes standing there with their very tall body guard.
"Lady Rose will be with you in a moment. Please come in and rest in the living room." I told them. Then I curtsied as the two boys walk across the threshold. They took their seats on the couches in the living room. "May I get your highnesses something while you wait for Lady Rose?"
"I would love some tea with mint." Prince Alphonse said to me. I nodded and turned to Edward.
"And for you, Sir?" I asked.
"Nothing, I'm fine." He replied to me. As I left the room, I could feel someone's eyes following me. AS I peered back into the room, our eyes made contact. He then quickly turned and his face flushed. I then entered the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. My grandmother was making some sort of cookies. I always loved the smell. As the water heated I pulled out all of the ingredients to make an apple pie. I remembered how Alphonse loved my apple pies from his singular visit last time.
As the kettle started to whistle, the big man with the princes entered the room. He sat at the counter and looked at all of the apple pie ingredients. "What are you two fine ladies making?" he finally asked.
"Well I am going to make an apple pie," I replied to him as I poured the water into a tea cup. I then placed a tea bag into the cup and waited for the tea to take over the water.
"The princes would love it I am sure. However, they told me to tell you to not make them anything. They had a meal with their father before they came here and don't want to have you make them a meal as well." He said.
"Mr. Armstrong are you sure?" My grandmother asked as she pulled her cookies out of the oven. I then reached over to the mint plant and pulled two mint leaves off of it. I then ran them quickly under the water and placed them in the tea.
I left the kitchen hearing my mother and Mr. Armstrong going at it. When I entered the other room, I saw that Rose had made her grand entrance and was now sitting conversing with the two princes. I walked over and gave Alphonse his tea. Again I felt a pair of eyes watching me. I slightly turned my head and saw Edward's gaze on mine. I broke my glance to look over at Rose.
"My lady, may I get you anything?" I asked. She glared at my statement.
"No, now back to your chores."I heard her say. I bowed and left for the upstairs. I still had to mop the floor up there as well as grab Rose's laundry. Not much later the princes said their goodbyes and left with a plate of cookies from grandmother.
The next few days, all we heard was how it was because of our lack of cleaning that the princes left. This went on until an invitation had made its way to the house. Rose was invited to the Prince's ball. She was very excited for it. This meant that I had to make her a new ball gown. This meant we had to go to the market.
Ugh, Central Market. It's the busiest place. People where always there, and the fabric shop was sure to be even busier with the new ball. Girls were fighting over fabrics. Rose got in got her fabrics and got out. At least, she was a fast shopper, or she knew how to get what she wanted.
We now had to go get other accessories. I had no idea where she was taking me but I just followed. It was my place to say nothing, to not complain, and to never out step my position. Even if I thought Rose was going overboard, I couldn't say anything.
I was up all night making her dress. It had to be perfect. Not because she wanted a perfect dress, but that was how I worked. I make all types of things, and I made sure everything was perfect. By sunrise, her dress was beautiful and completed. I was pleased with my work, and she did as well.
"Winry you have done it again." My grandmother responded as Rose pulled away in her golden carriage.
"Yeah I know." I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. I headed back into the room and saw another dress. It was more beautiful than the one I had made. A pair of beautiful glass slippers sat next to the dress. On top of the slippers was a simple mask. "What's going on?" I asked as my grandmother walked to the door and opened it. Mr. Armstrong entered the room.
"Ms. Winry, this ball is mean for the princes to find a wife. Prince Alphonse has Mei. They are to be married in a few months, howver, prince Edward has to make a choice. I saw the way his eyes never left you the other day. He must be infatuated with you. I do believe that we send you to the ball, you dance with Edward and I know you will fall in love with him if you had a few minutes with him. Plus he won't be able to take his eyes off you. Your dress is one of his favorite colors." He said as he ran his hand over the gown.
"I don't know." I said as I reached for the mask on the table.
"The best part is that no one will know it is you because of the mask. Edward will have to take the mask off to figure out your true identity." Mr. Armstrong said as he picked up the dress. I decided against my better judgment, to go to the ball. The dress just slid over my slender figure. It was a strapless gown that flowed to the floor and was a beautiful shade of red. The very top of the dress was a vibrant red but it blended to the deep maroon color that was at the bottom. I loved this gown. My grandmother then wrapped my hair up into a tight bun but left the usual two strips of hair down that was in my face. They then placed the mask and I slid into the slippers.
"Alright I'm all dressed up, now how am I going to get to the ball?" I asked. They both just laughed at me.
"Winry, just let me take care of everything." Mr. Armstrong replied to me. I did as he told me.
You know how Cinderella had a fairy godmother. Well I had Mr. Armstrong. He had a beautiful carriage waiting outside for me. It was exactly like a Cinderella tale. I mean except they were setting me up with the prince and I had no time limit.
When we made it to the palace, Mr. Armstrong instructed me where to go. He led me to the main stair case that led into the ballroom. I could hear the orchestra playing beautiful waltzing music. That's when my nerves kicked in. I felt my stomach twist into knots. I about threw up.
"Now you go up these stairs and they lead to the grand staircase that leads into the ballroom. Now go." He shoved me up the stairs.
"Wait, I have to get back well before Lady Rose!" Great I did have a time limit. We both agreed upon midnight on the time that I had to leave, no matter how much fun I was having. I then headed up the stairs and paused before I made it to the top. I was about to enter a ballroom full of people. I then decided to just go. I walked up the rest of the stairs to the top.
When I made it to the top of the stairs, I paused for a brief moment. That's when I spotted the prince. His gaze was upon me. I had locked eyes with him and started my decent down the rest of the stairs. He had left his dance partner and walked to greet me at the bottom of the stairs. I bowed and he grabbed my hand and pulled me back up. We then, both in unison, started dancing. I just looked into his golden orbs. Even though I was near his height, I didn't care. I loved this feeling of being held by him. We danced for what seemed like hours. Girls glared at me, even Rose. Mr. Armstrong was correct about him being naturally attracted to me.
"You know you seem so familiar." He said to me as he spun me into him.
"I don't know what you mean. I don't remember ever seeing you."
"Well I feel as if I know you. Did I meet you at the lodge in the mountain or the lake?" He asked me so nonchalantly.
"Well I can't ski, and I never liked swimming." I said as I was hypnotized by his eyes. They were so intense. I loved them.
"Come with me." He said as he pulled me out of the ballroom. I mean I had no choice. I was memorized. I loved this feeling of being with him. He felt warm and safe.
"You know, I really want to know how come I feel as if I know you." He said as we sat down in the garden.
"Can't you just enjoy the moment?" I asked as I looked up to the sky.
"UGH! Why can't you just tell me?" He asked me. I then nudged him a little too hard.
"What the hell?" He asked as he rubbed his arm. I just smiled.
"Why can't you just enjoy the moment? It's beautiful night. There's nice music playing." I said. His hand found mine. I looked at it then looked at him.
"Yeah there's all that. And I am here with one of the most beautiful girls here." At this my face flushed to the same color of my dress. He then tilted my face towards him. I looked into his eyes and melted. Then he leaned in and kissed me.
This kiss was wonderful. It was so full of passion. He pulled me in tighter and closer to his body. I felt his fingers run through my hair. I then wrapped my fingers into his. We both pulled back and I looked into his eyes. I felt his hands leave my back. He started to reach for my mask. I closed my eyes and prepared for him to remove the mask. His hands grabbed the mask and started to pull when the clock struck midnight.
"Shoot!" I stood up and started for the ballroom. I had to go. We had both agreed upon midnight and even though I was having such an enchanted evening but I had to end. I felt him reach for my hand and he grasped it.
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go!" I pulled my hand away and ran through the crowd. I ran into people which slowed me down. Eventually, the crowd thinned out and I was at the grand staircase.
I could fell Edward running behind me, but this only made me run faster. I then tripped up the stairs., yet I continued on my uphill climb. I suddenly felt the ground. I knew I left a shoe behind. As I made it outside to the carriages, I pulled my mask off and ran into the carriage that Mr. Armstrong had been waiting in. I felt my mask fall out of my hands and to the ground. The carriage started to pull away before I had time to realize that it had fallen out of my hands. As we pulled away, I saw Edward standing there. My eyes started to tear. I left him there. I wanted to be there with him. It was the worst feeling. I leaned back against the chair and started to cry. Mr. Armstrong looked at me and smiled.
"I told you that you would fall in love with him." He said as I smiled. It was true. Even though I had seen him many times, I hadn't let myself think those thoughts about him. He was handsome, sweet, strong, extremely smart, stubborn, and royal. That was the main reason why I never allowed myself to think like that. But tonight was different. He had no idea who I was. We danced the night away and he had kissed me. He KISSED me. It was a wonderful night.
But this happiness ended when I saw Lady Rose's carriage right behind mine. We had to race home so I could get back into the house and to my room before she made it. And we did it. Barely. However, my hair was still up and she questioned me. And then she put two and two together. She saw the dress peak out from under my bed. I was in a lot of trouble.
That night I was whipped by her. She had to remind me where my place was. I wasn't allowed to leave my room. I was in so much pain anyhow. But I couldn't leave because she didn't want me to go find Prince Edward. I was stuck in my room for a long time, until I decided that enough was enough.
"Winry the prince is coming today; don't you want to meet him?" My grandmother asked me. I rolled my eyes at her. My scars on my back had barely healed and I was ready to go and find a new life.
I had made a make shift travel dress from the red gown I had worn to the ball. I also made a little headband to wear in my hair. I was leaving for good this time. I packed my work clothes in a bag and headed for the back door.
"Is this all of the young women here?" I heard Mr. Armstrong's voice from the parlor. I ignored it. Even though I was in love with the prince, I wanted a new life, if it didn't include him, I could care less. I wanted to go.
I opened the back door and headed for the road that left my house. However, I stopped in my tracks. There was a man standing there. It was Edward.
He turned and smiled at me. He face full of life. I was in shock. He walked over to me and looked at me.
"I knew I recognized you from somewhere." He said to me. I felt his hand brush the hair from my face.
"I don't know what you mean." I said and looked away. He turned my face back to his.
"I knew it was you." He said as he leaned in.
"How?" I asked. He kept leaning in. I could feel his breath on my cheeks.
"I couldn't ever take my eyes off you at the dance. That has only happened to me in one other situation, and it was at this house. We started our search today and I wanted to come here. You have given me a lot of trouble." He was smiling. I couldn't help but smile as well. He then softly kissed me. It was just as good as the night of the ball. He kissed me more passionately than before. It was nice. I felt his hands wrap around my back. It didn't bother me at first. Then he pulled my body closer to his. I broke the kiss and let out a shriek. He then let go.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." I then looked up at him. He seemed scared.
"It's nothing. I promise." He didn't believe me. He then turned me around and he adjusted my shirt to where he could see my scars from where I was whipped.
"I'm taking you away from here. I am not going to let her hurt you anymore. You know, I have kissed you and have promised to take you away but I still don't know your name." He said as I wrapped my arms around him.
"It's Winry." I said as he hugged me.
"Well Winry, will you give me your life if I give you all of mine?" He asked me. It was a weird way of proposing but sweet at the same time.
"Sure, if you take my grandmother as well." I replied to him. He then smiled and kissed me again. And we lived happily ever after.
"But how do you know?" My daughter asked me as I kissed her forehead.
"What do you mean?"
"You and daddy are still alive. How do you know if you lived happily ever after?"
"Well we are happy aren't we honey?" Edward said as he came over to kiss his daughter on the forehead.
"Yes. I am happy." I replied to his question.
"Well just say the end." My son piped in. He had come to listen to the story. It seemed that this was both of their favorite stories.
"But its not the end." My daughter piped in.
"Well how about this. They are living happily together, forever." I said. Edward then looked at me and smiled.
"Yeah I guess." My daughter said as she lay down in her bed. I then kissed her check and shooed out my son. Edward kissed our daughter's forehead, wished her a good night, and followed me out.
"We are living happily together." He said as he pulled me into him.
"Yep, happily together forever." I said. He then kissed me and I knew that this kiss would just lead to a thousand more.