I felt something at the back of my head. Hattie, dancing with the Earl of Demby nearby, snatched off my mask. I covered my face with my hands, but not quick enough.
"Ella!" Hattie shreiked.
"Ella?" Char said. This one word was filled with so many emotions: shock, hurt, surprise, intrigue.
I didn't know what to do but run. So I did. Char would have caught me in a moment, but Hattie must have held him back. I fled down the front staircase, dodging a few mice in my path. Somewhere, my right shoe got lost. I didn't know exactly where, but when it hit me that running with high heels is much different than running in ONE high heel, it hit me hard. In the foot and ankle. I stepped oddly on my foot, and it was painful.
I couldn't stop then. I had to keep running. Adrenaline does a lot to a person, even when they're painful. I ran all the way home and burst through the kitchen doors, gasping in pain.
"Mandy!" I called between breaths.
She came into the kitchen, a puzzled look across her face. "Sweet, what is it? What happened"
"Hattie caught me! Char saw my face and I ran! My shoe got lost and I hurt my foot"
Mandy bent down and peered at my foot, which was quite swollen. "You need to get this in some cold water"
Just then, a servant ran in. I think it was Nancy, but through my tears and the blood pounding in my ears, I didn't know who it was. "The prince is here! He wants to see every maiden in the household"
Mandy and I shared a look of panic.
"Quick, Ella, change!" She thrust a servant's garb at me and I changed-the adrenaline helping me again. I covered my beautifully done hair with a rag and rubbed the soot from the fireplace on my face.
The servant entered again. "They want EVERY maiden in the household, Ella," she said. I limped toward her, and she led me out into the main hall, where Char and five of his soldiers were lining up many of the other girls.
"Find the girl who fits this shoe," said Char. He was so majestic and brave. "It was Ella's, and she alone can fit it"
Since I had just entered, they placed me and Nancy at the back of the line. I tried to sit since my foot was hurting horribly, but the line went very quickly-no one fit the shoe. When they got to me, Char peered through the soot. Our eyes met and he let out a sigh of relief, smiling.
"Ella," he said, no question in his voice.
"I'm not," I said.
He looked saddened by this last remark. "If you don't want to be, I understand. Just try on the shoe so I can really see"
I extended my hurt foot carefully. I clenched my teeth in pain as Char attempted to put the shoe on it. It would not go on, the swelling stopping it. Char looked panicked, and sweat broke out on his forehead beneath his brown curls.
"It doesn't fit," he said, more to himself than anyone else. Tears came to his eyes; I was the last maiden in the household. "It doesn't fit," he said louder, announcing it to his guards. He the shoe up from the floor where it was resting next to my foot. He looked me in the eyes sadly, then stood up and walked a few paces away. "I'm sorry, Miss. I see now that you are NOT Ella. Please forgive me"
I said nothing. Char motioned to his guards, and lead them toward the door. He paused, his hand hovering above the handle. "Pardon the intrusion," he said humbly. He lookd me straight in the eye and said, "If you ever do find a girl that fits my description, tell me. Her name is Ella"
With that, he left the household, never to be seen again by me.
THE END! yayyyyyyy
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