Suddenly a faint knock resounded on the oak door. Ella skipped along and
pulled the door open to find a young handmaiden waiting patiently. The girl
clucked her tongue at Ella's travel warn state. She threw open the great
velvet curtains to let light in.
"Miss, it is almost time for the noonday meal and you not even having had a bath," she scolded. "Well, nothing can be done for it now. I suppose we'll just have to get you ready to be introduced at court. Oh by the way, I'm Anna."
Anna went to a drawer and began to pull out fine silk underclothes which she immediately whisked onto Ella. Everything seemed to have been made for her exactly from the petticoat to the corset. Anna whisked into the closet and pulled out a heavy afternoon gown made of peacock blue satin with diamonds in the cuff and bodice. She slipped it over Ella's head in a rush of fabric and made her sit down.
"Now, my lady, we must figure a way to do your hair in the latest styles. You wouldn't want to be seen with your hair hanging loose like a heathen. Let's put it up in a simple bun."
Anna's version of a simple bun was much more complicated than Ella's but she stayed quiet all the same. Soon Ella was lead to a full length mirror and the sight that she saw before her made her gasp. Her auburn hair, more red than brown, was up in a complicated knot on the top of her head. The blue dress highlighted her creamy complexion and made her green eyes jump like emeralds. The bodice was a little too low cut for Ella's taste, but the dress brought out her curvaceous figure.
"I…I…" Ella stuttered.
"You're right. You need jewelry." And Anna whisked away again into the closet. Moments later she came out bearing a set of sapphire jewelry which was probably more expensive than her home in America. Anna delicately placed the necklace on Ella's swan-like neck and sighed.
"Now you are gorgeous. Oh, we'll have the lords' hearts fluttering. You'll be the belle of the ball, yet, with your friend close behind.
************
Ella sighed as once again she gazed at her reflection. Anna had left moments ago with a promise to come get her when it was time for her to be introduced at court. Ella twirled and was pleased with whisper her skirts made as she went round and round. Unexpectedly, she saw the light go on underneath the crack of the unopenable door. Quietly she whisked to the door and pressed her ear to it gently.
"This will be your room, my lord, but whatever you do don't open that door until given permission," a squire announced. Ella assumed he was talking about the door she was leaning on.
No sound of voices could be heard after that. All she could hear was the sound of boots on the marble floor. They stopped right in front of her and Ella jumped back. They went away again and she heard the drawers being pulled.
"My lady! What are you doing? That is unseemly. Come away from there at once!" Anna compelled her.
She noticed the door open and in the hall Rose stood giggling in a violet gown. Ella made a face at her and stood up to her full height of five six.
Anna sighed at their childlike banter. "Girls it is time for you to be introduced and then you will have some free time to yourselves. Come." Anna strode out the door and down the hall with Rose and Ella on her heals.
"So, Ella. What do you think?"
"I think there is something odd going on around here but other than that it is wonderful! I could stay here forever!"
"Yes, so could I! Did you realize your room is bigger than mine? And nicer too?"
"Oh pishposh, Rose…"
Quite suddenly they stopped in a small antechamber where a herald stood with two knights. They all looked up as the girls walked in. The knights bowed deeply and the herald quickly hid his face.
"Girls," Anna said, "these two will escort you down the staircase in a few moments. Good luck." And she was gone.
Ella giggled. "How do I look?" she asked Rose.
One of the knights stepped forward, "Ask him my lady," he said pointing to the herald. "He says that no one's beauty surprises him anymore."
Ella turned to the herald who bowed deeply to both Ella and Rose. "Take that as a very strong compliment, my ladies," he squeaked and turned away to hide his scarlet face.
Rose giggled and whispered to Ella, "I think that's a good sign."
"I think that that is too," Ella responded pointing to the knights who seemed to be egging each other on to talk to the girls. "I think I'll save them the trouble."
She walked over to the knights and curtsied deeply. "How do you do? I'm Ella Bridget McLeod."
One stepped forward, the one who had spoken earlier. His brown curls were short with one curl on the side of his forehead. He was built and had the chiseled face to match it.
"I am Sir Robert Mcgibb, brother to king Jareth, and this is Sir Andrew, brother to queen Holly."
"I'm delighted to meet you. This is my best friend Rosamund Ariana Cynward. Now which of you knights will be taking me down into the court?" Ella asked because the herald was motioning for them to prepare.
"Miss, it is almost time for the noonday meal and you not even having had a bath," she scolded. "Well, nothing can be done for it now. I suppose we'll just have to get you ready to be introduced at court. Oh by the way, I'm Anna."
Anna went to a drawer and began to pull out fine silk underclothes which she immediately whisked onto Ella. Everything seemed to have been made for her exactly from the petticoat to the corset. Anna whisked into the closet and pulled out a heavy afternoon gown made of peacock blue satin with diamonds in the cuff and bodice. She slipped it over Ella's head in a rush of fabric and made her sit down.
"Now, my lady, we must figure a way to do your hair in the latest styles. You wouldn't want to be seen with your hair hanging loose like a heathen. Let's put it up in a simple bun."
Anna's version of a simple bun was much more complicated than Ella's but she stayed quiet all the same. Soon Ella was lead to a full length mirror and the sight that she saw before her made her gasp. Her auburn hair, more red than brown, was up in a complicated knot on the top of her head. The blue dress highlighted her creamy complexion and made her green eyes jump like emeralds. The bodice was a little too low cut for Ella's taste, but the dress brought out her curvaceous figure.
"I…I…" Ella stuttered.
"You're right. You need jewelry." And Anna whisked away again into the closet. Moments later she came out bearing a set of sapphire jewelry which was probably more expensive than her home in America. Anna delicately placed the necklace on Ella's swan-like neck and sighed.
"Now you are gorgeous. Oh, we'll have the lords' hearts fluttering. You'll be the belle of the ball, yet, with your friend close behind.
************
Ella sighed as once again she gazed at her reflection. Anna had left moments ago with a promise to come get her when it was time for her to be introduced at court. Ella twirled and was pleased with whisper her skirts made as she went round and round. Unexpectedly, she saw the light go on underneath the crack of the unopenable door. Quietly she whisked to the door and pressed her ear to it gently.
"This will be your room, my lord, but whatever you do don't open that door until given permission," a squire announced. Ella assumed he was talking about the door she was leaning on.
No sound of voices could be heard after that. All she could hear was the sound of boots on the marble floor. They stopped right in front of her and Ella jumped back. They went away again and she heard the drawers being pulled.
"My lady! What are you doing? That is unseemly. Come away from there at once!" Anna compelled her.
She noticed the door open and in the hall Rose stood giggling in a violet gown. Ella made a face at her and stood up to her full height of five six.
Anna sighed at their childlike banter. "Girls it is time for you to be introduced and then you will have some free time to yourselves. Come." Anna strode out the door and down the hall with Rose and Ella on her heals.
"So, Ella. What do you think?"
"I think there is something odd going on around here but other than that it is wonderful! I could stay here forever!"
"Yes, so could I! Did you realize your room is bigger than mine? And nicer too?"
"Oh pishposh, Rose…"
Quite suddenly they stopped in a small antechamber where a herald stood with two knights. They all looked up as the girls walked in. The knights bowed deeply and the herald quickly hid his face.
"Girls," Anna said, "these two will escort you down the staircase in a few moments. Good luck." And she was gone.
Ella giggled. "How do I look?" she asked Rose.
One of the knights stepped forward, "Ask him my lady," he said pointing to the herald. "He says that no one's beauty surprises him anymore."
Ella turned to the herald who bowed deeply to both Ella and Rose. "Take that as a very strong compliment, my ladies," he squeaked and turned away to hide his scarlet face.
Rose giggled and whispered to Ella, "I think that's a good sign."
"I think that that is too," Ella responded pointing to the knights who seemed to be egging each other on to talk to the girls. "I think I'll save them the trouble."
She walked over to the knights and curtsied deeply. "How do you do? I'm Ella Bridget McLeod."
One stepped forward, the one who had spoken earlier. His brown curls were short with one curl on the side of his forehead. He was built and had the chiseled face to match it.
"I am Sir Robert Mcgibb, brother to king Jareth, and this is Sir Andrew, brother to queen Holly."
"I'm delighted to meet you. This is my best friend Rosamund Ariana Cynward. Now which of you knights will be taking me down into the court?" Ella asked because the herald was motioning for them to prepare.