A/N: Hey, thanks to all my reviewers! (piratesswriter, weirdo-onzstreet-ya, livdarcy, and last but certainly not least, floraandfauna, my best friend!) I'm glad you like it. I will warn you though, i'm not a quick updater. This is probably the quickest update you'll ever get. Sorry in advance. Kt knows how slow I write/ type! hehe. Any way.. on to chapter two
Cindy was looking into the crowd following my eyes which had just watched him disappear and turned to me smiling, scheming as usual, "Oh My, Evvie, he was blushing almost as much as you are!" I put my hands to my cheeks as Cindy laughed. I grabbed the lemons and stood up.
"I've got to be getting home, "I told her as I started in that direction, "You could come too as long as the stepsisters wouldn't be mad at you for 'tallying'."
She rolled her eyes. "Who cares? I'm coming to your house," she said decisively.
"Why are you so bold when you talk about them, but when your actually around Pricilla and Joy, you are so meek?" I questioned.
"I don't know," she sadly replied, "Father told me to respect them and treat them well."
"But they don't respect you at all, nor do they treat you well!" I defended my friend. Honestly, sometimes it's maddening how much loyalty Cindy has to her dead father. I know he meant well in leaving her with Cecelia Shanard (her stepsister) and her two daughters, but he knew nothing of their true personalities.
"I know, but you know that I don't like to talk about this," she responded with pain in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. You're right, I do know," I said as I opened the door to my house.
My mother saw Cindy and smiled. "Cynthia! How nice to see you, can you stay for dinner?"
Almost on cue, my younger sister, Sara, ran up to her, hugged her around the knees and said, in her oh-too-sweet six year old way, "Please say you can stay!"
Cindy laughed. "Alright, I'll stay for dinner, but I have to leave right after that." Sara shrieked with joy and dragged Cindy from the room.
I went into the kitchen to help Mother finish dinner and when we had finished, my family, plus Cindy, sat down to eat. Suddenly, there was an inpatient knock on the door.
I stood up. "I'll answer it." I walked up to the door and opened it.
"By decree of His Royal Majesty, King Maximilian, all eligible madens of fifteen Years of age or older are required to attend three balls in succession this Thursday, Friday and Saturday in honor of Prince Christopher's twentieth birthday. All three balls will begin at sunset," announced a royal messenger with a slightly bored look on his face. He bowed and then walked away.
"Thanks?" I said as I slowly closed the door and walked back to the table. My parents were grinning (both for different reasons, mind you: Father for the business this would bring to the shop in the next five days and Mother because it is something she would have loved to do at our age) and Cindy was gazing dreamily out the window in the direction of the palace
My mother clapped her hands. "Oh girls, this is wonderful! You will have such a time!"
"I can't go," said Cindy, in a flat monotone.
"Why not?" I turned to her, concerned.
"They won't let me go," she replied, the sadness becoming evident in her voice and eyes. We all knew who "they" were.
"How do you know?" I asked her, "Besides you're required 'by decree of His Royal Majesty'." I tried to imitate the messenger in a futile attempt to cheer her up.
"They will find a way to make me stay home," she replied dejected