Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Universe. I own a twisted imagination.
Chapter 13
The ogre's eyes followed Bella as she preformed her duties the next morning. Not only was Bella tired and distracted but she was down heartened as well. The ogre noticed that there was something different about the girl but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it could be. She was determined to find out.
Angela worried for Bella and tried to help her with her work to make the day go faster. However, with the increased population in the castle, there were still too many people to feed and not enough hands. They toiled through out the day, barely having time to eat let alone rest. By the time the day was over and the last of the meals served, Bella was exhausted but still set on trying an other walnut. She was fairly certain that there would be another dress, for that is was her heart hoped for, another dress would be another chance to have Prince Edward see her as a Princess.
She hid herself behind the tapestry again and reached in her pocket for the nut. The dress that appeared on her body when she broke the shell was pale yellow peau de soie, like soft morning sunshine. There was a very fine white lace overlay about her hips that has tiny glass beading in as delicate floral pattern. The bodice was unadorned but there was a glittering diamond necklace that dropped to a point just above her cleavage as it appeared out of the scooped neckline. Her slippers were white kid as were the gloves that came to just below her shoulders.
When she looked in the glass at the end of the hall she saw that her hair was styled very simply but graced with a fine tiara dotted with pale yellow stones. She gave herself a tired smile and walked down to the ball room. Again the room was awash with colour as couples danced around. The King and Queen sat on their thrones on an area raised above the dance floor. The orchestra was much smaller than the night before and the music lent a more intimate feel to the room.
It seemed to be almost providence that as Isabella walked into the room the music stopped and the crown parted. It was coincidental. However, the parting of the crowd revealed Prince Edward. As he danced with his partner his eyes were roaming, looking for the mysterious Princess from yesterday. He was dressed in burgundy velvet with a dove grey waistcoat and matching cravat.
He saw her standing among the crowd and walked towards her, his hand outstretched. He stood before her and bowed. She placed her hand in his and after her curtsey, together they walked to the centre of the dance floor. No words were spoken as the music swelled around them and they began to dance. They moved together with an elegance reminiscent of a couple who had danced with each other for years.
Dance after dance they stayed partnered until after the last song was played. Many other Princesses and their envoys tried to catch the Prince's eye to interrupt but he only had eyes for the woman in his arms. When the last note fell the Prince bent down low to kiss her hand. He could hear her breath stutter as he did. He then spoke the only words between them that evening.
"Will you be here tomorrow?"
"Yes, Sir, as soon as I can." She curtseyed to him and ran from the room. He watched her as she left and stood staring at the last spot where he had seen her. He came out of his stupor when he heard the sound of his father clearing his throat. Edward turned and beamed at his father.
"Is she the one, then?"
"I don't know, perhaps. There is someone I need to consult with first. I will let you know tomorrow at the end of the Ball." He bowed to his father and dreamily walked from the ballroom.
Isabella flung herself behind the tapestry and struggled to catch her breath. He had seen her in all her regalia, they had danced, and he had stolen her heart anew. She was giddy and could not wait until tomorrow. To dance with him again, perhaps to talk and perhaps for something more.
She wrestled herself out of the dress, sorely missing her ladies maid, and dressed in the uniform again. The folded gown with all it's accessories made for a bulky package and she had some difficulty making her way to her room. So much difficulty that she did not notice the three pairs of eyes that saw her emergence from behind the tapestry. Two pairs were malevolent and plotting, the last benevolent but saddened. There was great trouble ahead for the disguised Princess Isabella.
After stowing the dress successfully under the bed with the other one, she fell into a pleasantly dream filled sleep. Although she did not sleep enough, her happiness carried her through the next day. Again she did not notice the angry glare of the ogre, even though the stare held much more ire than the day before. When her tasks were successfully completed she stole behind the tapestry, hopefully for the last time.
The dress was the most beautiful yet. Midnight blue velvet with a thin sapphire silk ribbon used as edging at the neck, arms, hem and waist. Her slippers were the same sapphire blue, as were the elbow length gloves. A choker of round sapphires rested on the base of her throat. Her hair was piled high on her head in fat curls and held together with a silver band.
She giggled and smiled while twirling around to see the skirt of the dress flare out around her, something she hadn't done since she was a small girl. Slightly dizzy, she stopped and hitched up her skirts to run, and turned down the darken hallway. She stopped and dropped her skirts when she saw the ogre and Queen Esmé standing under a circle of light at the end of the hall, scowling at her, their arms crossed over their bosoms.
The Queen raised one hand and beckoned Isabella to her with one flick of her finger.
With great reluctance, Isabella walked to the pair and curtsey to the Queen. Queen Esmé scoffed at the girl and grabbed her upper arm in a vice-like grip. She hauled Isabella down the stairs and all but shoved her onto the stage where the thrones were located. She fixed her glare at the orchestra and they stopped playing immediately. The dancers halted and pivoted to look at the dais.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have an imposter, a traitor and a thief in our midst." Queen Esmé announced.
"All wrapped up in this pretty package." She sneered.
She pushed Isabella to her knees as Prince Edward stormed from the room, slamming the door after him.
AN: Thank you for reading. Peau de soie is a heavy silk and the name translates from the French as skin of silk. It is a very luxurious fabric but a right bitch to work with. Poor Bella is in some serious doodoo now, but don't worry because A) it's just a story, and B) the cavalry has been called. I guess today would be a bad time to announce that this story is going on hiatus until I return from a very lengthy fishing expedition in Northern Iceland. See you in six months or tomorrow once I remember just how seasick I get. Please don't throw things at me, I can't catch for shit. It is a joke, really.