"Hattie?" Ella said sweetly.

"Yeah?"

"Give me my necklace back."

"No!"

"She's going to be the Queen you know." I said, relishing the look of sheer jealousy on Hattie's face. She should be jealous. Ella is everything Hattie isn't. "Hattie gave the necklace to Ella who put it on, smiling that perfect smile. "Thank you!" She exclaimed. Hattie glowered at her. "Ella!" Mandy cried.

"Yes?" Ella said absently, hugging me.

"You can't see the King and Queen Like THAT."

"Like wha- Mandy!"

"Hey!" I exclaimed. As the cook, with surprising strength, tore Ella away from me. The door next to us slammed shut and Dame Olga winced. Five minutes of worrying that Ella had escaped later she reappeared with the cook, her filthy dress spotless and the holes patched, the rag was gone from her hair, the soot was gone from her skin and her chapped fingers were bandaged. I wouldn't have particularly cared if she was still filthy but the effort Mandy put in is touching.

I took Ella and Mandy out of that house with their sparse belongings. Mandy insisted on walking and eventually we let her, she eyed the horses and muttered about them being shifty animals who have no respect for her. Ella was behind me on the horse and clutched onto my waist. In stark contrast to the ride here, the ride back was done at a walk. I was relaxed and the knights were chuckling at me behind my back. I simply rolled my eyes. "Ella?' I murmured.

"Hmm?"

"What was your curse?"

She stiffened. "It's a long story."

"We do have forever."

"Fine." She pouted. I laughed and she continued. "I was cursed with obedience."

"OBEDIENCE?" Ella, obedient?

"Shhh! You'll scare every animal in a ten-mile radius!"

"Obedience?" I whispered.

"Yes. A mad fairy cursed me at birth. I couldn't tell you because my mother forbade me. Obedience meant I had to do everything anyone asked of me. With the ogres. . . If they had wanted to boil me alive I would have cheerfully hopped into the pot. Well, if they told me to be cheerful."

"Oh." Thank god she talked them to sleep.

"I always played tricks to get out of the obedience curse. I would bow, but not much. I would get one pecan instead of some pecans. It just happened like that."

"Typical you." I laughed.

Ella sobered. "Char, Please forgive me."

"For what?" I've already forgiven you. I could never stay mad at you.

"That letter from Hattie."

"The letter." Anger welled up inside me. That letter Hattie wrote, that letter that ruined everything.

"I wrote that letter."

"Pardon?"

"I had to write it. I was obedient and I had to make you hate me. If I married you, which I really want to do, I would have obeyed any order, even one that killed you. I can't do that. I love you." The rest of Ella's words were nearly lost as I rejoiced. She loves me! She does! Char, pay attention. "I've loved you for a long time, Char. Maybe not since we met but I really do."

I understand now. "Ella-"

"WE'RE HERE PRINCE!"

I cringed. "Uh oh."

"What?" Ella asked.

"I kind of ran out of the ball and didn't tell my parents exactly why. They think I've gone insane."

"Really?" Ella giggled, delighted.

"Not funny Ella. They might ground me! I haven't been grounded since I was six and I refused to eat my vegetables! I threw a carrot at my sister!"

Ella just laughed harder.

"Ellaaaaaa." I groaned.

"You're getting married, Char. They'll forgive you! Unless you have cold feet already!"

Well, they did want me to get married. "Fine. We'll explain."

"It looks like the party's over," Ella said happily.

"Yes." Mandy headed to the Cook's quarters and we walked inside to face utter silence. We avoided the ballroom just in case and I went to my parent's sitting room, where I knew they would be waiting. Ella whispered, "Let's look for secret passages here sometime."

"Okay." I knocked on the door and two soft voices answered. I cracked open the door to look sat the concerned faces of my parents. Well, my mother is concerned, my father looks frustrated. "Where on earth did he go?" He asked.

"He's at the door." My mother sighed.

Father looked up. "Oh."

"Ever unobservant!" Mother laughed.

"So," I said awkwardly.

"It's wonderful to meet you again." Ella said cheerfully ducking under my arm and into the room. She swept them a curtsey that would have impressed anybody and then tripped on the hem of her dress. I caught her. "Guess I have to relearn some things Manners Mistress told me." Ella muttered.

I grinned. "That's my clumsy Ella."

"Quiet. Just because everyone isn't a small elephant doesn't mean you should mock them. We are a rare breed of human."

My father cleared his throat. "Care to introduce Ella to us?"

"OH!" I exclaimed. I quickly let go of Ella who scowled but stood up straighter. "This is Ella. She's my betrothed."

"Excuse me?" My father's mouth dropped open.

"Ella! You're the spitting image of your mother!" My mother exclaimed. "Lady Elanor am I correct? Close your mouth dear." She instructed my father. He closed it.

"I was corresponding with Ella during my stay in Authoria." I explained. How much do I tell them?

"So you lied to me when you said no lady had caught your fancy." My father said.

"Ella isn't Authorian."

"That's just a complication. Why haven't I heard of her from you before?"

"I spoke of her on many occasions."

"Your FRIEND Ella. NOT the girl you love."

Ella flushed a brilliant scarlet. She's so cute. I tried to explain. "Erm. Ella had to decline my offer when I wrote to her for . . . reasons."

"Such as?" My Mother asked.

"Ah, well. . . "

"Char, be articulate."

Ella took pity on me. "A fairy cursed me. I've broken the curse now but If I had married Char while under it. . . I was cursed with obedience so any order I was given I had to follow. Any order. I said no to protect him. I also couldn't tell him about the curse due to an order I was given as a child so. . . yes"

My parents nodded in understanding. "Why did you leave the ball so hastily?"

"Ella ran away from me. I didn't know if I'd ever see her again."

"All right," my mother sighed. "I'll set up a room for Ella. it won't be fancy due to the late hour. . ."

"My stepfamily has made me live and work as a scullery maid so any kind of proper bedding would be much appreciated." Ella said cheerfully.

My parents looked horrified but recovered. Ten minutes later I bid goodnight to Ella and went to bed for the best sleep I've had since she rejected me.