Over 100 reviews?! When I saw this I almost started crying. I've never had so many people comment on one of my stories before. THANK YOU. That doesn't even seem good enough to describe how much I appreciate all of you. This chapter was one I've really been looking forward to writing. I love what I came up with and I hope you will too. Thanks again for the suggestions about what Kit can give Ella. If anything else comes to mind, feel free to make the suggestion! Now, enough rambling from me! Enjoy!
21
"I must say that I am highly against this, my lady!" Prudence protested for the hundredth time as Ella changed into a servant's uniform; she refused to have anyone help her dress.
"I know you don't understand what is going on but you have to trust me, Prudence," Ella said, trying to appease the Housekeeper. Even though she had a tough exterior, Ella had seen and experienced the woman's tender heart. Prudence may be rough but she was also filled with kindness and that had drawn Ella to her. "This is an assignment from the king."
"Assignment or not, the future queen parading around as a servant girl is outrageous!"
Ella smiled, shaking her head. "Prudence, in case you forgot, not even a week ago I was a servant myself."
"Hmph!" Prudence snorted. "Ragged slave is more appropriate. The nerve of those women! Treating you the way they had was inexcusable!"
Prudence's ferocity towards the Tremaines was due to the fact that she had seen the malnutrition and the bruises on Ella's body the day Kit had rescued her. Ella made her and the other five servants in the room who saw them swear a vow of silence; these things were part of her past and she wanted them to stay that way. Prudence never outright spoke of the bruises but she did voice how terrible Ella's abuse was – this being one of those times.
Ella tucked the long sleeve yellow shirt into the bright blue skirt around her waist before slipping her feet into a pair of soft slippers. Though the servants clothing wasn't embroidered, the fabrics were incredibly soft to the touch and they appeared new. Ella had thought that she might be more comfortable in these clothes but the truth was she still felt out of place. How pathetic, she thought to herself. She even thought palace servants were higher than her. Trying to hide her feelings, Ella turned to Prudence and the other two servant girls standing in the room.
"What do you think?" she asked.
Prudence scowled. Shaking her head, she muttered something that sounded like "inappropriate" before sighing disdainfully, "You look like a servant."
"Excellent!" Ella said happily, turning back to look at herself one more time in the mirror. She pulled her hair over her left shoulder to brush it.
Prudence, ever observant, suddenly gasped. Ella twisted around. "What?" she asked concerned, for Prudence was staring at her in horror and the servant girls behind her had expressions of shocked disbelief.
"What is that?" Prudence demanded, her voice a deathly whisper.
"What?" Ella repeated, bewildered.
"That!" Prudence shrieked, pointing at the side of Ella's neck.
Ella turned her head and looked in the mirror. Below her right ear a red blemish about the size of her upper thumb stood out from her pale skin. Ella's face burned with fervent heat from the memories of Kit's lips lingering as he softly sucked against her skin where the mark now rested. Several moans had escaped Ella's mouth at that point and they only intensified as he moved from the lingering spot down to her collarbone, his silken lips tantalizing her. She'd come to grips with herself when he'd reached her collarbone, realizing he had entered very private territory. She'd stopped any further advances but it had been incredibly hard to pull away when she wanted nothing more than for him to keep going.
Ella had no experience when it came to men but she knew that what Kit had done to her last night, this mark he had left on her neck, was a serious action based off Prudence's reaction. But it had felt so wonderful, she inwardly sighed. Still, from the offended expression of Prudence, Ella couldn't help but think she had allowed Kit to do something she shouldn't have.
"Um… that is…" she flustered, not knowing what to say.
"Lady Ella, where did that come from?" Prudence asked, narrowing her eyes.
Ella's face was now on fire. "From Kit," she mumbled so quietly that Prudence had to lean in to hear what she said. Ella couldn't meet the woman's gaze. In fact, she was gearing herself up for being hit; this intense distress in Prudence she had seen countless times in her stepmother before a beating commenced.
Instead, to her surprise, Prudence let out a frustrated sigh. "That boy," she griped, shaking her head. "I've never, in all his years, seen him bestow a woman with a love mark."
"A what?" Ella breathed, staring at the mark in the mirror again.
"A love mark, my lady," Prudence repeated. "It is given when a lover sucks upon their companion's skin."
"Is it bad?" Ella asked, feeling rather vulnerable.
One of the two servant girls smirked while the other one chuckled. Prudence was fighting a small smile of her own as she said, "That depends on whether you enjoyed it or not." Ella's face, if possible, turned an even deeper shade. "From that reaction there isn't a need to answer," Prudence finished.
Ella shuffled her feet, peeking up at Prudence with hesitant eyes. "So… you're not upset?"
Prudence raised an eyebrow. "I am upset and disappointed that it occurred but who am I to critique the King? If he wishes to mark you as his, and you allow him to, that is his and your choice."
Mark her as his? Why did that elate Ella so much? Unable to contain a happy grin, she turned back to look at the love mark on her neck. He'd given that to her and according to Prudence, Kit hadn't given one to anyone else. How had she not noticed it last night when she got ready for bed? Perhaps it was because she was reliving the moment over and over again.
"The wedding can't come fast enough," she muttered aloud.
Prudence actually snorted. "If this behavior continues, I will be forced to keep the two of you apart until that time. But, we will worry about bringing that to the king's attention later. For now, we need to cover that up."
Motioning to the servant girls, they immediately leapt into action, rushing for the vanity and pulling out a small tin box filled with some kind of cream. The tall and slender blonde began applying the cream to Ella's neck while her short and stout companion held the tin in her small hands. The blonde worked with a silent air until the mark blended in with the rest of Ella's skin.
"Thank you," she muttered.
The blonde simply looked at her in slight disapproval while the stout brunette nodded with a tiny smile.
"Thank heaven," Prudence said, observing their work. "It is good that as a servant your hair is to remain down. However, whatever you do, do not remove that covering, Miss Ella."
"I won't," Ella promised.
"And don't tell anyone of it!" Prudence commanded.
"Not even Kit?" Ella asked uncertainly.
Prudence's eyes narrowed. "Leave the king to me. Now, on to other matters… Daphne and Beatrice are two of the girls assigned to work the Royal Guard corridor today," she said, pointing to the blonde servant first and then the brunette. "I have asked them to accompany you in this ridiculous affair."
Ella smiled at them. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. Again, thank you for your help. I pray that you'll be patient with me as I join you for a couple hours in your morning tasks."
"It is a pleasure to have you along, my lady," Beatrice said stiffly, disapproval in her eyes.
"We'll help you in any way we can," Daphne added with a genuine, yet shy smile.
Ella had the impression that Beatrice didn't like her very much. Maybe she was over-thinking things. At least Daphne seemed cheerful of the idea of her coming with them. The two looked to be around her age and she truly desired to know their stories and how they came to work at the palace.
"Be sure to address Lady Ella in such a way that will not draw attention to who she really is," Prudence grumbled disapproval in every syllable.
"What should we call you?" Daphne wondered.
"Call me Claire," Ella suggested.
Beatrice wrinkled her nose. "I don't know if this is such a good idea."
"Lady Ella says it is the king's orders," Daphne muttered, glancing at Ella in slight embarrassment.
"It's alright," Ella replied lightly as she walked past Prudence towards the door. "I know it seems strange to have me wander around like one of you when I am not but this is for a good cause. Now, come; let's be off shall we? Prudence, tell Kit I'll be sure to join him for lunch."
Prudence shook her head. "I'll see that he gets the message. Be careful, my lady," she added in a softer tone.
There was the kindness Ella had become familiar with. Smiling, she sent her a kind nod before walking out the door with Daphne and Beatrice beside her. The three wandered down the halls for a while before Daphne asked quietly, "What's it like being with the king?"
"Daphne! We're not supposed to talk about such things!" Beatrice chided though Ella could hear the curiosity behind her tone as well.
Grinning, she sighed, "Are either of you married?"
"I am," Daphne admitted. "Beatrice is seeing someone – a member of the Royal Guard."
"Daphne!" Beatrice cried in dismay, her cheeks deepening. "It's nothing, my la- I mean – Claire."
"Of course it is!" Ella corrected gently and a little excitedly. "How charming that you are seeing someone who also works at the palace! Have you been together long?"
Beatrice was surprised by Ella's interest, her pale face pulled into a slightly confused expression. "You… wish to know of such things?"
"Of course," Ella replied. "Why would I not?"
"It's just…" Beatrice looked back and forth before lowering her voice into a low whisper, "We are but servants while you are the king's betrothed. Surely you wouldn't care for such matters."
Ella stopped dead in her tracks, causing the two girls to stop as well. She stared at both of them with such intensity that they actually took a couple steps back. Keeping her voice even, she boldly declared, "I want to make something very clear. The kingdom I envision will dismiss such thoughts from your mind, Beatrice. I have no intentions from distancing myself from people due to class alone. In my mind's eye, brilliance and importance come from everyone. You don't have to be a noble to be socially acceptable and you don't have to be a servant to be a hard worker. Everyone contributes to this kingdom no matter what station, rank, or position they belong to. So, yes, I desperately want to know how long you and this guardsman have been together because it is something that girls would speak to each other about and as we are equal in that status I find it no sin in learning more about the two of you and allowing you to know more concerning me and my life."
Daphne stared at Ella in awe, Beatrice in surprise. They had just seen firsthand the passion Ella possessed that Kit alone had seen since her arriving in this castle. There was a lot that needed to change around here, Ella silently surmised as she once again started walking down the hall. Beatrice and Daphne hastened to catch up to her and to Ella's delight, the former's attitude towards her had drastically changed. Her demeanor now slightly shy, she spoke of her love interest quite tenderly, with soft hazel eyes.
"His name is Victor," Beatrice admitted, blushing deeply, "and he's quite the outstanding gentleman."
Ella smiled. For the first time, she was talking about boys with other girls around her age without patronizing opinions and snobbish retorts. Daphne and Beatrice giggled when Ella confided in how romantic Kit was through physical affection without going into too much detail. In turn, Daphne shared how her husband, though a tough blacksmith on the outside, was actually quite delicate on the inside.
"The way to Hector's heart is through his stomach," she revealed while Ella and Beatrice laughed. "I've baked so many sweets for him that you would think I'd have to use a broom to push him around but the man is as lean and strong as a knight!"
By the time the three girls reached the servant quarters, they determined that they liked each other very much. There had even been some teasing over who would be married first (Ella or Beatrice) and if they would beat Daphne (who'd only been married for a month) on having the first baby out of the three of them.
"I bet my la – I mean – Claire will marry first but Beatrice will have the first baby," Daphne said as they entered the corridor Kit had showed to Ella last night.
As they neared the window they'd kissed behind, Ella blushed scarlet. Luckily neither Daphne nor Beatrice noticed because they were distracted over deciding what Ella should do. After a moment Ella settled the conflict by volunteering to make the beds.
"Are you sure you know how to make them?" Daphne asked hesitantly.
Ella smiled. "I'll be fine."
"Alright," Beatrice muttered. "Ruth is the other servant assigned to make the beds today. Don't be afraid to ask her to show you how it's done if you get confused. We'll be around too. If you need either of us, just let us know."
"I will," Ella said with a firm nod. Not only was she to clean up but she was to figure out which man was Peter. Hopefully this would turn out as easy as she anticipated.
o0o0o
Kit was sitting on his throne, attempting to appear regal when inside he felt his stomach was filled with snakes. He had managed to act normal for Ella at breakfast but now that he was alone, waiting to meet her stepfamily, he was a bundle of emotions. Fury, sorrow, anger, nervousness, impatience, and anticipation stirred within him. This was the time when justice would finally be satisfied but he had to make sure he bestowed the Tremaines' fate appropriately. He reminded himself for the thousandth time to keep his emotions in check.
Captain Alistair placed a comforting hand on Kit's shoulder, making him jump. "All will be fine," he consoled.
Kit swallowed. "I fear my emotions will cloud my dignity."
"You have been training for this your whole life," the Captain reminded. "All those role plays with your teachers prepared you for executing judgment with clear cut focus."
"Those were just practices!" Kit protested. "This is real life, Alistair! And these particular cases I am to face are personally linked to the one thing I care about more than life itself."
The Captain smiled. "Do you remember when the Grand Duke brought you the heel of the broken slipper?"
"Yes," Kit muttered, frustrated.
"You handled that situation with dignity and focus. You kept yourself in line, you didn't speak out of turn, and you diplomatically resolved conflicts. That situation involved the Lady Ella as this one does. You can handle this, Kit."
Kit looked up at him. "You have such faith in me."
"And I always will."
The door opened and Kit's heart skipped a beat, ending the current conversation as Nigel entered. The time had come. Kit glanced at the Captain who nodded to him. Gaining his courage, Kit caught Nigel's eye and signified with an inclination of his head that he was ready to receive the three women who had made the last year of Ella's life a living nightmare.
"The Lady Tremaine and her daughters, Anastasia and Drezella," Nigel announced as the door opened wide revealing Ella's stepfamily.
The Lady Tremaine strolled into the room with her head held high. Her orange hair was curled tight, a fancy hat sitting on the side of her head, mostly black with a deep blue outline, the edge curling in on itself in a rigid twist. An elegant blue bodice clung to her upper body before cascading in flowing folds from her hips, covering the black floor length skirt underneath. Elbow length purple gloves climbed up her thin arms, hiding her pale skin. If Kit didn't know how dastardly cruel she was, he would have considered her rather fair for a lady of her age.
Her daughters, Drezella and Anastasia, were dressed in yellow and pink, different variations of the colors in strips from top to bottom of their gowns. Small bows rested over their chests while long jackets covered their arms. Their bright red curly hair was piled on the top of their head with little bows sticking out amidst the curls.
While the girls seemed nervous, the Lady Tremaine carried herself with confidence, even possessing a small smirk. Kit kept his face neutral but his fingers clenched a little as a wave of anger passed through him. The three women stopped at the base of the steps and curtsied.
"Your Majesty," Lady Tremaine acknowledged with a decorous air.
Kit took a deep breath. "I trust that your journey to the palace was a safe one, Madam?" he asked, deciding to be courteous even if they didn't deserve it.
"It was," Lady Tremaine answered while her daughters nodded. Both shifted nervous glances at their mother before looking back at the king.
"I suppose you wonder why I have summoned you here," Kit said, eyeing the women to gauge their reactions.
Lady Tremaine's bright red lips twitched a little as if they were about to pull into a scowl but she kept them in a slight smile as best she could. Her daughters, however, shuffled their feet and twisted their hands, biting their lips nervously. At least they seemed intimidated but their mother hid her worry well.
"As you know, your stepdaughter, Eleanor Ezzell, is now living here at the palace as my betrothed. I have spent a great deal of time with her since her arrival and after much observation have determined she was treated horrendously in her own home."
"She brought that on herself!" Drezella cried out.
"Drezella!" Lady Tremaine snapped, warning in her tone. The girl, mortified, remained silent. "I apologize for my daughter's outburst, Your Majesty. But, if I may, Ella lived as she did of her own freewill. We didn't force her to do anything."
The smirk on this woman's face caused Kit to thunderously reply, "Your manipulations set that in motion, madam, and physically abusing her added to that as well."
Finally the smirk disappeared. Kit watched in satisfaction as Lady Tremaine's eyes widened. Then, they darkened in anger and the devil dwelling beneath the fair woman burst forth as she viciously replied, "That little wretch told you everything, didn't she? I shouldn't be surprised. She probably hoped you wouldn't dismiss her as the ragged servant girl she is by playing to your sympathies."
"Enough!" Kit roared as he leapt to his feet. Fury coursed through his veins and his hands visibly shook as he stared down at the woman in contempt. He felt more than saw Captain Alistair shift nearer to him, probably as a warning to remain calm. The Lady Tremaine's brave face withered under his intensity and the two daughters actually gasped and took a step back in terror.
"Have courage and be kind…" Ella's voice whispered somewhere in his furious thoughts.
Kit swallowed, regaining his composure. Remaining of his feet, he continued in sharpness. "I will not have you leave this palace with the assumption that Ella revealed everything to me for she has not. Though she admitted to being beaten and forced to become a slave in her own home she did not go into any deeper detail concerning the matter. And I want it understood that she has forgiven you of the horrors you have made her live the last year. Be that as it may, the cruelties you bestowed must be answered to justice. While Ella refused to have anything to do with punishing you in any way, I as King have every right to do so as this concerns one of my subjects who has been grievously mistreated."
The Lady Tremaine cried in outrage, "You will pass judgment on us based off the hearsay of a servant girl and your own observations of her?"
"She, madam, is the future queen of this land and if you wish for me to change your punishment, continue to degrade my future wife," Kit challenged, eyeing Lady Tremaine dangerously.
The woman looked outraged but wisely kept her mouth shut. Satisfied, Kit continued, "I had an in depth investigation made concerning everything that has transpired in the Ezzell household for the last twenty years. I have gained the testimonies of several servants who you dismissed after the death of Richard Ezzell as well as merchants who worked in business with the man since he took over his father's trade. All of their confessions along with the bank statements I have poured over the last week have combined as testimony against you and sealed your fate.
"While still in possession of the late Sir Francis Tremaine's fortune, you have been sending the Ezzell fortune into ruin. Your ridiculous parties, your fine attire, and your overindulgence in the best life has to offer caused Richard Ezzell to leave on frequent business trips to pay for everything for he could see that your antics were causing him to go into debt. While he was away, you began the ill treatment of his daughter, at one point even forcing her to move into the attic so your daughters could have her room.
"Even while the man was away trying to make his livelihood, you continued to spend his family's fortune on unnecessary things and when he died, you continued to dive into his funds, exhausting them to the point where the Ezzell estate is now in debt. Your name is on the will of the late Mister Ezzell so you know full well that everything pertaining to the Ezzell family from the estate to the bank account has belonged to Lady Ella since her father's death."
The sisters gasped in shock behind their mother. This surprised Kit. Could they honestly not have known? Their mother, however, was breathing rapidly and her hands were now repeatedly rubbing against each other. By the fear in her eyes, Kit knew she was terrified. As she should be! Every wrong she had committed against Ella and her family was now being placed out in the open and there was nowhere for her to hide. She was exposed.
The moment had come for Kit to bestow the punishment for the crime. Breathing deeply, he squared his shoulders. "Lady Agatha Tremaine, you have unlawfully drained the Ezzell bank account while the fortune Sir Tremaine left to you has not been touched since his death. Therefore, to compensate the injustice you have bestowed upon the Ezzell family, the amount of money you spent on unnecessary things for the last year will be taken from the Tremaine fortune and restored to the Ezzell account."
"You have no right to do such a thing!" Lady Tremaine shrilly snapped, her face contorted with rage.
"I have every right, madam!" Kit snapped back. "You stole from the owner of the Ezzell estate for a year, using her money for your purposes. That money is to be returned. Whatever is left of the Tremaine fortune you may use in any way you deem fit to secure your livelihood in whichever kingdom you decide to settle in after this meeting."
That last statement confused the witch before him, her eyebrows drawing together. But then it dawned on her and she looked upon the king in fear, outrage, and anger.
Kit decided to make the declaration despite that the woman now knew her fate. "You, your daughters, and all of your future posterity are hereby exiled from the kingdom of Aritess forthwith and forever more. You have until the end of the week to gather your things and use your own fortunes to secure a way out of the kingdom. An armed guard of my most trusted men will accompany you at all times until you have relocated out of this land. You are not to vandalize nor steal any part of the property or possessions of the Ezzell estate in any manner unless you wish for me to alter your sentence to life in the dungeons. I will see to it that the money owed to Ella Ezzell will be transferred from the Tremaine account before nightfall. These are the demands of justice and as king I seal them with approval."
The girls began to wail in unrestrained protests, begging their mother to make the king change his mind. The Lady Tremaine held a silent expression of fury and shock, ignoring her daughters tugs on her sleeves. Kit turned away from them in disgust, unable to look upon them any longer.
"Captain, see to it these women are removed from my sight and that my best men accompany them in all their endeavors until they are out of this land," he said firmly.
He found Captain Alistair staring at him in approval. Silent praise over the way Kit had handled the situation leapt from his eyes before he bowed to him. "I will see that it is done, Your Majesty."
Kit remained standing where he was, his head turned. He no longer wanted to look at the women responsible for scarring his Ella. Justice had been given and that was all that mattered. The doors opened and an armed guard entered the room to escort the women out. It was then that the Lady Tremaine spoke, her voice shrill with mockery.
"I believe you have graced me with a blessing, Your Majesty, for who would want to live in a kingdom ruled by a scullery maid and a man foolish enough to chase after such a wretch?"
Kit twisted around to face her as a collective gasp rang through the hall from the guards. She was baiting him. Her manipulation, her devilish soul, was attempting to rattle him but he was not going to satisfy her. He thought of Ella and his soul warmed from within. Surprising all in the room, a genuine smile lit his face as he responded, "One such as black and misguided as yourself fails to see that which is plain to those who are pure and good. Ella will be the greatest queen this kingdom will ever have and I am honored to rule by her side in courage and kindness. It is a great loss to you for not recognizing her for what she truly is: a woman of utmost value, beauty, and integrity born to one day become a queen."
Silence followed this and the guards immediately set to work removing the women from the throne room. Kit's eyes never left the Lady Tremaine's as she was escorted out with her wailing daughters in tow. He was determined to show the woman that he did not view her as a countess, a queen, or a deity as her manner professed. He saw her as misguided and for the first time pitied her. She had suffered the death of two husbands, her daughters had much to learn still despite their age, and she had turned to cruelty and unhappiness from her misfortune. Her choices had made her into what she was and Kit couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Perhaps her fate would help her change.
The cries of outrage and desperation from Anastasia and Drezella abruptly ended as the doors to the throne room shut behind them, enveloping Kit in silence. Letting out a suppressed sigh, the young king walked back to his throne and sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. The exchange had been more exhausting than he'd anticipated and he wasn't even finished yet. He still had to deal with the Grand Duke. He hadn't seen the man since the day they had found Ella. Would he be just as insufferable as the Tremaine daughters or would he be haughty and proud like their mother in the face of justice? Kit wasn't sure and he found himself dreading the coming meeting. But it needed to be done. Taking a deep breath, he ordered for the Grand Duke to be brought before him. The guard at the door bowed before exiting the room to carry out the order.
Kit closed his eyes and thought of Ella. Her voice had soothed him so much that day when he'd been in the deepest despair, believing she was lost to him forever. Perhaps she would sing to him after this business was over? That happy thought renewing him, Kit focused on the coming meeting, gathering his thoughts and emotions for what was about to occur.
Next up: Ella meets Peter while Kit faces the Grand Duke!
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