Elaina sat in front of the vanity mirror of her room in her nightgown, brushing her silky raven-black hair. The sun had set long before and a bright crescent moon floated in its place in the vast sky. She hummed a tune as she brushed, the light of the candles flickering ever so slightly.
A quiet tap sounded at the glass window and then another just a few moments later. Elaina silently placed her brush down before heading over to the window; she opened it up and looked down into the gloom.
Below on the cobblestoned streets stood a well-muscled boy, his light brown hair fell like golden waves around his face as it was illuminated by the candle-lit streetlight. One hand was filled with tiny pebbles and the other was cocked back in a throwing position, as he prepared to toss another tiny stone at the girl's window. He lowered his arm at the sight of her and smiled slightly.
"Oliver!" Elaina whispered down into the streets, "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you!" He whispered back.
"Can't it wait until tomorrow? I'm getting ready for bed!"
"No! It can't wait, it's urgent." The last part he didn't bother to whisper, and his face took on seriousness Elaina had never seen on him.
Then, her little sister Ani was at her side, hissing out the window, "Shush Oliver you fool! You'll ruin the surprise! Go, go away before I rouse our father!"
Oliver frowned, staring up into the young girl's face. He turned and left after a moment with a scowl, his shoulders slumped in defeat, for he knew the little Ani would be true to her words. He tossed the left over pebbles across the streets, causing a procession of clacking on the cobblestones that echoed into the darkness.
Ani quickly shut up the window as Elaina asked, "What surprise is this? And you know, you should be nicer Ani." She added.
"Oliver is of a lower-rank, I can speak to him as I wish."
"You're beginning to sound like mother."
"And why not?" Ani said defiantly, "She is noble, as are we. The town fool has no right throwing rocks at your window at such an hour."
"Oh, he's just lonely Ani! He has no family, and besides he's very nice."
"Well I don't know about you but it's obvious he likes you, and that's no good at all!" Ani huffed, as she stormed out of the room.
Elaina simply smiled and shook her head as her door closed with a squeak. Although everything her sister said about rank was true, she highly doubted Oliver felt anything more than friendship. And with that thought she fell quickly into a sweet, dreamless sleep. Completely forgetting the young town fool who walked the streets, his urgent news lost amongst muddled thoughts.
The next morning Oliver stood outside a splendid house, near the stained glass window of the dining room. He leaned against the stonewall, lazily eating an apple. By now Elaina and her family would be settling down for breakfast, and so he waited for the inevitable he knew would soon come.
And sure enough, not but a few moments later came her scream. It was long and loud, and caused the chirping birds that nestled in the trees to cease their morning song. After the scream came a very short silence before the yelling began. Luckily the yelling was short, but this crushed Oliver when it was over.
He stopped chewing as he listened intently. And for a second time he turned on his heel and slumped his shoulders in defeat. So Elaina accepted…of course. She didn't even try to run; try to persuade her father to hold it off just a little longer. Just enough for her to come to him to talk, then he would have told her his plan. But now it was all too late.
'Who would pick you over a prince." He thought in spite, as he trudged away.
When Elaina had come down for breakfast she found her family already seated at the table. The cook had already brought in the food and her young brother Leo did not need an invitation once a meal was set before him. He was shoveling eggs and breakfast meats onto his plate, not seeming to care that everyone else needed to eat as well.
Her sister Ani already had her plate well filled and she daintily took small bird bites of food at a time. Her mother was just as proper, and strangely Elaina saw that her everyone's goblet was already filled to the brim with rich red wine.
"Father, what's the occasion?" Elaina asked as she began to fill her plate.
"Ah my daughter! A good morning to you! Your father is wise for he has brought upon you a thousand years of happiness!" He guffawed.
"Oh?" she replied with a slight smile.
"Oh yes! You're father—" her mother began, but Ani cut her off.
"Oh do let me tell her!" their parents nodded in approval. "Elaina," said Ani, taking her older sister's hands into her own, "Father has arranged for you to be married to prince Seth!"
Elaina heard someone scream, she didn't realize until later that it was her.
"What do you mean I'm getting married?" Elaina exclaimed, "What right have you to marry me off like some peasant?"
Her father Gusteau was normally a calm man, who preferred to relax if anything, but today he was not that man. His daughter's words painted his face red with anger.
"You dare question my match? The match to a PRINCE?" he bellowed. He stood up quickly, his stomach causing the table to shake and the plates of food to fly. He pounded his fist onto the table and the wine spilled from the cups. "You are my daughter. It is my every right to choose your husband! AND IF YOU REMAIN UNGRATEFUL THEN YOU DON'T BELONG IN THIS HOUSEHOLD!"
"FATHER YOU'RE A SELFISH MAN! How can you do this to your own daughter?" Elaina screeched.
There was a short pause. "Get out! GET OUT!" her father yelled. Tears sprung into Ani's eyes as Leo just sat open mouthed, quickly her mother, Helen, pushed her way into the argument.
"Stop it! Stop it the both of you! It doesn't matter anymore what anyone thinks." she turned to her daughter and her voice dropped, "Tis' already final. You are to be married to the Prince and there will be not one more negative word on the matter." with that said, Helen sat down and began to arrange her plating, she picked up her goblet; which had toppled over in the commotion; and called for someone to fill up there glasses once again. When everything was as it was before, Helen stiffly raised her glass and said, "To Elaina's betrothal. May the marriage be ever prosperous." and took a sip. Her husband, Harold, drained his own wine before demanding more.
Elaina could not keep her hand from shaking, wine spilled onto her hand, dripping onto the tablecloth. Seeing this Ani placed her hand on top of it and forced it lightly onto the table.
"My dear older sister," she said in a hushed tone, "Marrying a prince won't be that bad, you'll get to live in the palace and you can come visit any time. Besides, tis' not as if Prince Seth is a troll, find yourself lucky that he is such a man of perfection." she tried to laugh, but it came out all strange.
Elaina stared out the stained glass window numbly, beyond she could see the monstrous castle perched on the hill. Normally it would have been a majestic sight, but now, it just looked like a prison.