Disclaimer: I do not own Barbie.


Chapter 8:

"I'd be glad to help out." Bertie smiled, glancing around even as she took in the chaos of her shop. Seamstresses were running to and fro, all carrying yards of different coloured fabrics.

"Will your shop be alright?" Julian asked in concern. He of all people knew that businesses could shut down anytime if sales dipped just a bit. The Emporium was good because the Royal Family often used it, but it was dangerous to leave it without a capable and experienced boss such as Bertie.

"Of course." Bertie said. "They're equipped to handle enough. We haven't received any new orders due to the scale of the ones we have now." She smiled, tilting her head. "Though I am thankful that there are no more wedding dresses to sew."

The three shared a chuckle before Julian and Dominick's expression turned serious. "Bertie, this is of the utmost importance and secrecy. Will it be necessary to bring along any seamstresses with you?"

At this, Bertie hesitated, looking down as though calculating. "I should be alright with just one, but it is always better to have an extra set of hands. It has been a long time since I've done work on my own under Madame Carp. Will Erika be able to help?"

But even as she asked about Erika, Dominick and Julian were exchanging glances. "Excuse us for a second, Bertie." Dominick smiled pleasantly and allowed himself to be led away to a quiet corner in the back.

"I believe we're thinking of the same thing." Julian said.

"Will she go for it though?" Dominick asked worriedly.

"She doesn't necessarily have a choice. She is under house arrest and has just broken her banishment." Julian crossed his arms. "But that does mean we have no motivation."

"What about shortening her sentence?" Dominick asked. "Or maybe just having her live out the rest of her banishment with no further punishment?"

Julian frowned. "I'd say that it is likely. But we still have to go over this with the Queen. For now, let's just get Bertie to the palace and explain. We also have to make sure that Anneliese and Erika are on board with this idea."

"I don't think we're in any position to refuse the idea." Dominick sighed. "But we might as well check."


Queen Genevieve stopped, frowning down at the two men. Sitting in her throne in one of her dresses without the high collar, she made quite an imposing sight. Her hair was still in it's braid, though it did not appear as tight as it had been before. "Are you certain about this?"

"With all due respect, your highness, we don't exactly have a choice. If news of the princess and the Queen gets out to the villagers, they might descend into panic." Julian explained. "And we would like to avoid that until we have answers for them."

"Very well then." Queen Genevieve sighed. "I suppose it is a good idea without Preminger to try and manipulate her."

The two bowed as she dismissed them, and headed off to the library, which had become their headquarters.


Bertie was, quite frankly, surprised. The Erika looking up at her was not the happily married woman who had fought and gained her own independence. This Erika was still young, before she had met Dominick, still forced to hunch over the table and sew dress after dress until she had paid off her parents' debt.

"Hi Bertie." Erika smiled.

"Hello Erika, Princess Anneliese."

"Just Anneliese, please." The Princess smiled at her, her golden hair and pink dress giving her an angelic countenance.

Bertie smiled and nodded, but knew that it would be hard to see the Princess, who had been raised and had the bearings of a Royal, as anything more than a Princess.

"Have Julian and Dominick told you what you are here for?" Anneliese asked, hands neatly folded in her lap, a stark contrast to Erika's hands which were bracing her body back on the table.

Bertie nodded slowly. "Yes."

"But?" Erika asked quietly, able to read her body language as well as she used to.

Bertie shrugged nervously. "Well, they mentioned Madame Carp might be working with me."

Erika stood up and placed a reassuring hand on Bertie's shoulder. "You're no longer under her beck and call, Bertie. We'll all be nearby to intervene if she steps just one foot wrong."

Smiling, Bertie nodded and acknowledged the point. "I wish that you could work with me though."

"Who's to say I can't?" Erika asked cheekily. "They will have to drag me away at night."

Anneliese laughed, free and bright, and Bertie felt the weight lift off her shoulders. "I am sure."

Erika smiled, but before she could say anything more, footsteps sounded outside. Julian and Dominick entered. "The Queen agreed to the idea?" Erika asked.

Dominick nodded, but it was Julian who spoke. "We're going to get her now. The Queen agreed that leaving Madame Carp for so long with Preminger would be detrimental to her helping us."

"Agreed." Anneliese said immediately, standing up and taking Julian's hand. Julian started leading the way into the west wing. Taking Dominick's offered arm, Erika shot Bertie one last reassuring grin before they walked out the door.


Madame Carp was not impressed, to say the least. She has been underwhelmed for several days at various things around the palace, and it looked like the underwhelming expectation was going to continue. "Are you joking?"

"Not at all." Julian said.

"Why on earth would I accept such a stupid deal?" Carp snarled. "How am I to know that you won't throw me back in the dungeons? I'd rather stay here than have to face another banishment."

"If you don't agree," Anneliese's tone darkened, "then banishment will be the last thing that you'll have to worry about."

Erika and Bertie shot her a surprised look, unaware of the darker side of their friend. It figured, though. Anneliese was raised a princess and to see both the pretty and ugly sides of being part of the Royal Family. Just because she only showed the light side to the villagers and her friends did not mean that the darker side did not exist.

Carp swallowed, clearly recognising that the princess was not joking, and having reached the same conclusion that Erika had reached. "So if I help out making a few measly dresses, I'll return to banishment with no more punishments?"

"Yes." Julian nodded. "And take note that this is the best offer you will get, considering that you released a man who was imprisoned for treason against the throne."

Madame Carp stopped, looking down as she considered the offer. She pointed at Bertie. "And I'll have to work with her?"

"Yes." Anneliese nodded. "With. You aren't her boss, as before. You will work with or we'll be throwing you back in the dungeons."

Erika smiled reassuringly at Bertie as the older woman stood firm in front of Madame Carp's glare. Seeing that her scowl was not going to work, Madame Carp looked at the table in front of her and sighed heavily, making her displeasure known. "Fine."

It was the best they could have asked for.

Trying not to let their relief show too plainly, Anneliese cleared her throat. "You will stay here for the time being. You will not be allowed to go anywhere but this room and the workroom, which we will show you later." There was an authoritative tone in her voice that had even Madame Carp nodding.


Madame Carp settled herself in her room. Considering the circumstances, it was a privilege to have such a big room to herself, with food, drink and clothes provided for her. Admittedly, the clothes weren't of the best quality, but it was better than what she originally had.

She briefly wondered where Preminger was, but shook that thought out of her head. The man had led her to be captured after she had freed him. He was dead to her.

But even as she looked in the mirror after her bath and wiped the mist of the mirror, her eyes widened upon noticing how her eyes are less droopy even without the makeup, how her eyes seem brighter than usual, and how her hair no longer contain the hints of white that had accompanied it for so long.


Bertie re-calculated the amount of fabric that she would need. She had brought some along, but she had quickly figured that she would need more, especially for the Queen, who appeared to have been growing steadily smaller. Not at the rapid pace that the princess were, they had reported, but still, nonetheless.

And of course, the Queen couldn't go around looking anything less than her best.

She wanted to go and ask Julian or Dominick to help her, but she wasn't sure how to approach them. Glancing up at Madame Carp, who was diligently scowling at the thread and needle as she attempted to thread it, Bertie found herself hesitating. She once again measured the fabric.

Maybe she could just go down herself with Erika?

But Erika was on lockdown in the castle with the others until it was revealed why they were de-aging more than the others. Bertie exhaled.

"What?!" Madame Carp finally snapped at her.

Bertie barely caught her flinch. "What?" She replied, impressed at how steady she kept her tone.

"You've been sighing like a melodramatic woman the whole time we've been working." Madame Carp growled. "I can't stand it."

Bertie exhaled heavily. Again. "I need more fabric from the store."

"Then why aren't you going to get it?" Madame Carp rolled her eyes.

"I need help." Bertie admitted more readily than she wanted to.

Madame Carp sighed, rolling her eyes again. "Just go and ask one of them princes or girlies to help you."

"First of all, they are princesses." Bertie frowned at the older woman. "And secondly, they are busy."

"With this miraculous cure?" Madame Carp growled. She barked out a laugh at Bertie's surprise. "It isn't exactly a well-kept secret, woman. And people talk in the village."

Bertie looked at her.

Madame Carp sighed and threw her needle down. "I'll help."

Bertie raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were banned from leaving the palace."

"Not if you talk them down."

Bertie remained unconvinced.

"What am I going to do? Run? I've got nothing, no money, no belongings. I'm better off here." Madame Carp rolled back her shoulders. "You get as many guards as you like, if you want."

Exhaling but looking at the fabrics - and cursing her short-sightedness when she had had the help of both men - Bertie nodded and stood up. "Stay here. I'll see if I can find them."


Naturally, the princes and princesses were reluctant to let her go with Madame Carp to the village alone, no matter how short the trip was. Eventually though, they agreed, and Bertie sat opposite Madame Carp in a carriage, focusing on the view outside the window and wondering how her life managed to become this.

It had seemed so long ago that she had been nothing but a labourer under Madame Carp, and now she was running the Emporium with all sorts of friends and acquaintances in high places, with a profitable business and friendly co-workers and seamstresses.

So lost in her thoughts was Bertie that she had barely registered when the carriage stopped and the guard driving the carriage called for them. She stepped out first, watching Madame Carp carefully as the larger woman squeezed herself out and shook herself off before striding purposefully towards the Emporium. Bertie ignored the sneer of derision that Carp gave her upon noticing the various displays, and hurried in to pick out more fabrics.

She smiled reassuringly at the other seamstresses, who glanced worriedly up at Madame Carp, and quickly grabbed yards of fabric, handing them to Madame Carp. Once they had more than enough, they made their way back into the carriage. Bertie made one last calculation in her head, and then nodded determinedly and closed the door, signalling for the driver to return to the palace.