I was walking around grinning like an idiot. Ceci teased me about it a lot. She liked Ella, the fairy book had won her over. That and Ella enjoyed her tea the same way Ceci did. I found that out two days into Ella's bed rest. I walked in to find mother sewing on the settee with Ceci in bed next to Ella flipping through her fairy book. Mandy was serving them tea, smiling as Ceci read the fairy tales out loud.
"Char!" she looked up at me and smiled. "Ella's fairy book is amazing! I've read so many different stories, but there's a picture of you in here as well!" I frowned. Me?
I walked over to the bed, as Ceci scooted to the edge with the book, Ella's eyes were fearful. I looked at her, smiling, reassuring her. "Look!" I looked over the thick white book, and gasped. it was a picture of me, from several months ago, when I was burning Ella's letters. I looked up into Ella's eyes. She saw me burning what she wrote to me. I immediately stood, and walked over to Ella's side of the bed and immediately crushed her to me. I buried my head in her hair, wrapping my arms around her body, feeling her heartbeat and breathing, reassuring her that I loved her.
I don't know how long I held her, it felt like hours. Ella pulled away, looking up at me, smiling. "I was just happy to see you, regardless of what you were doing. I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again, so I asked the book to keep the picture." I stared at her, shocked. She never thought she would see me again.
"You came to the balls though" I sated, confused. She smiled. "Yes, I was being selfish, and wanted to see you so much. I gave into what I wanted to do, regardless of the danger."
I smiled. "I'm glad you were selfish," I ran my hand down her soft cheek. "Cause there is nobody for me but you." Ella smiled, and tears came to her eyes, as I leaned down and kissed her with all the love in my heart.
It took another week for Ella to heal. 'Stubborn as always' Mandy mumbled as she told me Ella was ready to go see Father.
It was three days before Christmas Eve, and the ball. It was there that our engagement would be announced. A few weeks later, a month from the day of the third ball, Ella and I would be married. I stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Ella to come down to talk to father. I was nearly pacing on the carpet. Mother had insisted that the hallways be carpeted once she learned how much we liked to fly down stair rails.
I didn't even hear her coming down the stairs. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around and gasped staring at her. The pearl and diamond headband still graced her dark hair. It was braided and curled serenely on her head. Her mother's necklace was around her neck, perfectly accented by her headband. A gown of deep rose graved Ella's frame. embroidered in a lighter rose with white rosebuds. She was a vision.
Ella's eyes sparkled with humor, "Did I scare you, Your Highness?" I chuckled. "Not at all My Lady. I was just anxiously awaiting your arrival." I grabbed her hand, and smiling brought it to my lips, kissing it. "Ready?" She nodded. I tucked her hand into my elbow and we started down the hall to Father's study. I worried about what was going to be revealed to Ella, and how she would take the news. I looked over and smiled at Ella, and stopping in front of the carved oak door, I knocked, and we walked in.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Father had been as gentle as possible when telling Ella about her inheritance. She sat in her chair by the fire in my father's study as he told her. "Yes my dear," father told her. Ella had won him over as well, once it was all explained. She reminded him of mother in a way he told me. He was happy that I had chosen well.
"You've been a very wealthy noblewoman since your seventeenth birthday. Ella stared at him. "How, why didn't father tell me? Or my mother before she died?"
I took her hand. "Sir Peter didn't even know dear. It was your mother's family who left it all to you. The missive arriving at your home only two days before your mother's death." I squeezed her hand. "Your father wouldn't have had access to it anyway as you are your mother's only heir."
Ella looked awed, and scared. "I had an alternate life that if I had been able to I could have lived?"
My father shook his head. "Ella, if your father had known about it, your stepmother could have used it to her advantage. Ordered you to give it to them. It's better that you didn't know." Ella nodded, acknowledging that it was best not to have known. Ella stood up, and hugged Father. "Thank you. It's been enlightening. I think i need some air though." He nodded, and patted her hand. "Of course my dear. Char will escort you through the gardens." pulling a tassel by the fireplace, a bell rang and a servant appeared. "Get lady Ella's cloak and gloves, and Prince Charmont's gloves and cloak, they wish to walk in the gardens." the servant bowed and rushed off to retrieve the items.
After putting them on, I walked with Ella to the garden entrance, and kept a steady pace, as to not tire her. "Are you sure you're alright?"
We walked in the gardens, snow covering them. Ella's arm was linked in mine, she shivered and we stopped. "Ella, darling are you sure that you're okay?" I looked into her eyes, almost taken aback on how lovely she looked. The deep blue cloak, edged in gold framing her, long white gloves up her arms. Ella looked up at me, her eyes clear. "Yes, I was just a little cold." I smiled and pulled her close to me, tucking her into my chest, and wrapping my black cloak around us.
"Christmas is soon. Are you excited?" I asked Ella nodded. "I'm excited that I am free of the curse, and am able to do what I want."
She smiled. "I'm happy to learn what i have from your father, to have a title and a dowry. I feel more regal and empowered that I never knew about them, as that my stepfamily got their hands on what was my mother's." I smiled at her. "You're a free woman Ella. No longer bound to anybody. Free to do what you desire."
Ella started to giggle. I leaned back, and looked into her eyes, which twinkled with humor. "I can do whatever I want Char?" I smiled back, my arms wrapping around her. "What is it that you want to do most my love?" I whispered to her. "I want to marry the prince whom I love." She whispered back. I smiled, whooping to the sky, spun Ella around in our happiness.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
The day of the ball, I had to spend with Father. Overlooking the plans for the feast, and then the quiet family party tomorrow. "Your Uncle Edgar won't be there of course." father mumbled. I nodded. "Still off in his reptile house?" Father sighed and nodded. "Yes, but he is pleased to hear that you are marrying." I snorted. Giving uncle Edgar the reptile house in one of the country sides had been beneficial to him and the royal family. He resented father for marrying my mother, whom Edgar had always loved. So much that he tried to poison me, but sucseeded in poisoning father with snake venom. He thought that if he killed us both, mother would be heartbroken and marry him.
Father couldn't execute his own brother, and mother felt so terrible for never knowing how Edgar felt that they decided that he should run a reptile, mainly snake habitat in a far part of the kingdom. He has shown improvements, but asked that he never leave his home now, which suits everyone fine.
"Sadly, the invitations were sent out the day of the third ball. Everyone accepted them. Including Dame Olga and her daughters."
I dropped my quill. "What?" Father looked at me. "Charmont. How would it look if the stepfamily of the future Princess, and then Queen of Kyrria, weren't invited to the Christmas ball, as they have been every year?"
" It would look like we removed them from court which is what they deserve." I told him furious that they had even accepted.
" Please Char, don't make it worse. Ella hasn't been informed yet, but the family knows their bounds. They cannot address her when she is alone, they cannot speak of what has happened to her over the last year. The penalty is death."
I sat there, letting it sink in. I nodded. "That should prevent them from causing a scene and creating more catastrophe."
father nodded. "It's settled then. Go and get ready, the guests will be here in an hour." I nodded, and went to my room. Gregory was there, with the full dress uniform, medals, sword and crown. "Your father said to dress fully tonight sir." I nodded, and started getting ready.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
I was pacing outside of Ella's room. Ten minutes till the guests arrive, and she has still not come out yet. I was so nervous about her being presented, also about her present.
"Char?" I turned and saw an angel. Dressed in a deep blue gown, Ella looked beautiful. The dress accented her waist, bringing it into a narrow point, before falling into a lovely skirt. It was like her green gown from the first ball. There were no vines for flowers, just deep blue, a light blue edged in cream sash across her torso, and silver edging on the gown. "Ella," I gasped but I was still entranced. Her hair had been curled and piled on her head, a diamond and pearl tiara sitting on it. Her mother's necklace hung at her neck, and white gloves to her elbows completed the look. She was a vision, save one thing.
I bowed deeply to her, "My lady." She curtsied. "Your Highness." I smiled, straightening, and put my hand under her chin, gently lifting her face up to me, and causing her to rise. I smiled, and kissed her gently on the lips.
I took the box out of my pocket and held it up to her. "Merry Christmas my love" She smiled, opening the box. Inside was a pearl and diamond ring. "Pearls built slowly over time, and diamonds are everlasting. I know our love is both." I whispered as I slid the ring onto her left hand. Luckily for my the silk glove was thin enough that it didn't make her finger bigger.
She smiled. "I love it. And I agree with the sentiment." She went onto her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I smiled, and felt my face heat.
Offering her my arm, we walked down to the main stair case in the ballroom slowly. We were to be announced after father made his announcement. I took a deep breath. Ella did the same.
"Char." I turned and looked at her. "I know that they're going to be here." I felt my eyes widen in fear. How did she know... Right servant, seen not heard. I pulled her into my arms. "Ella, I won't leave you alone, no one will. Not in my family. I promise you that." I kissed her forehead, cupping her cheek I looked into her eyes.
"They're only here for tonight. We're to be married soon, it's Christmas. Let's not worry or be sad." I saw her love shining in her eyes. "Oh Char," she placed her hand on mine on her face, the ring glittering in the light. "I love you so much, and am so happy to be with you."
Smiling, I bent down to kiss her, and crushed her to me. The kiss was full of love, and passion, maybe a little too passionately, cause we were out of breath when we parted. Ella's eyes were wide, I'd never kissed her that way before. "Ella, I'm, I'm sorry if I scared you." She smiled, and stood on her tip toes to kiss me just as passionately back. I closed my eyes, and picked her up kissing her back.
"Ahem" I was brought back to earth by the clearing of a throat. We broke apart, and I set Ella back down on her feet. I turned and saw Sir Stephan.. Whoops.
"You're father is almost done with his address, the announcement will come at the end your Highness, my Lady." He bowed and walked off.
I turned and smiled at Ella, she was smiling too. "Ready to face the anxious hoards my love?" Smiling, she giggled. "As ever my darling." Arm in arm we walked toward the stair case.
