Another chapter….enjoy…ideas always loved….

-x-x-x-x

….Dinner Time was close at hand.

Clare sat in her room still taking everything in as she examined her reflection in her mirror biting her lip as she still thought about just how surreal this was. Clare Edwards sitting in a ball gown. She wondered what Eli would think when he eventually saw her. Would he like it or would he call her out on being a fish out of water.

As if by magic the instant she began to talk about Eli a door opened up and he appeared dressed in a dark suit that looked amazing on him.

"You clean up good Goldsworthy," Clare said with a smile as she threw her arms around him.

"And you Edwards glisten like a thousand twinkly lights," he spoke with a trademark smirk as Clare let out a small laugh.

"It's not always about twinkly lights you know," she said before adding, "Anyway, how did things with Tony go?"

"I think they went rather well," Eli said, "I mean I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Bullfrog and Cece aren't my real parents however he mention that whoever this 'Wolf' character was that I looked like him."

Clare simply nodded thinking that Wolf sounded like an odd name then again it was just as outlandish as Bullfrog was and he was a great guy so she wasn't going to judge.

"So, what else did Tony and you talk about…besides your parents?"

"I told him about my plays…NYU….Morty…." Eli said, "He was actually impressed with my choice in vehicle."

Clare flashed Eli a smile glad that he and his alleged grandfather seemed to be getting along as she looked over toward Katie who somehow slipped into the hallway without them seeing her. As she spotted the other girl she couldn't help but be slightly jealous of just how graceful she was.

"Wow," Clare said eyeing the older girl up and down, "Katie you look amazing."

At Clare's complement Katie's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She was still getting over how her reflection looked and Clare's complement only confirmed things.

"However," Clare said, "I am jealous."

Motioning toward the tiara on Katie's head Clare flashed the older girl a playful pout, "how come you got a tiara and I didn't."

At Clare's comment Katie let out a small laugh.

"Haven't you heard," Katie said with a playful smile as she began to speak in a horrible faux British accent, "I'm a Princess."

"Yea….right….." Eli said shaking his head in disbelief as Katie just flashed Eli a look saying she'd been serious.

"It had something to do with me being the Prince's betrothed."

"Betrothed?" Clare asked putting her hands on her hips, "And why am I the last to know that you and my brother are engaged."

"I'd like to know that answer too Katie," Jake said coming into the hallway dressed in a suit similar to Eli's only in a medium shade of gray.

"I'm just relaying what the maid said Jake," Katie said with a smile, "and get this…the tiara belonged to Snow White herself."

"Well it's fitting," Jake said, "considering you Katie Matlin are the fairest one of all."

Leaning in Jake gave Katie a deep kiss not caring that his sister and her boyfriend were glaring at her.

Once they pulled back Katie's cheeks began to flush pink.

"You're making me blush your majesty," Katie said with a curtsy as Jake shook his head.

"No need to curtsy fair Princess."

Katie shook her head.

"I'm not a Princess."

"You're my Princess," Jake said with a smile as servants soon arrived to escort them down to the dining room for dinner.

Once the quad arrived they were stunned with what they saw. There had been a long banquet table set filled to the brim with breads and meats and cheeses of all kinds.

The King had sat at one end while Tony sat at the other and the four teens soon found spots in between.

"You kids clean up nicely," Tony said trying to immediately break the odd silence in the room.

"They do," the King agreed. "And Princess Katherine," he added clearly unsure how to address the brunette, "my grandmother's crown fits on your head as if it were made for you."

Katie blushed a bit.

"Thank You your majesty," she said, "though if you don't mind informally I'd prefer being called just Katie for now."

"Well then," the king said, "Katie, how did you like the tour you got earlier."

Smiling as she took a bite of food which was more amazing then anything she'd ever had before she looked at the King and said, "Well, I must admit I fell deeply in love with your gardens."

The King nodded noting a passion in the young girl's eyes.

"Consider it yours for the duration of your stay," he said with a smile as he began to tend to his own meal.

Making some more small talk for a while the King finally commanded everyone attention once more as he spoke up once more.

"I was thinking we should hold a ball in your honor," Wendell announced as the teens looked at him.

"A Ball," Eli said, "you really pull out all the stops don't you there Uncle Wendy."

The King rolled his eyes at the highly pedestrian nickname his nephew had just bestowed upon him before he continued.

"However instead of throwing one at a moment's notice I thought we'd hold out just a bit. I mean my step sister the Lady Virginia and her husband Wolf will return on the morrow and it would be nice for them to meet their son before a big to do."

Eli just nodded thinking of meeting these so called 'parents'.

"And then I was thinking that maybe you four should take a tour of the Kingdoms….get a feel for them especially if you stay and," the King said looking at Jake, "and especially if you decide to stay to rule one day."

Jake blushed at the thought of eventually being King in this land one day as the king went on.

"That said I think tomorrow we should teach you some more of our history son," Wendell said, "and you ladies have an appointment with the royal seamstress to get you some more fitting cloths instead of these borrowed gowns."

Katie and Clare looked down at the dresses which at the moment were the nicest things they'd ever worn wondering just what they'd be dressed in the next day before they finished up their meal and decided to retire back toward their own rooms.

Sure there was much more to explore and talk about however they had a long day and sleep was just what they needed even if once they woke up they found that this was all an elaborate dream.

-x-x-x

TBC?