Ella raced up the stairs to the king's room. It was six-thirty exactly and
she did not wish to face his wrath for the second time today. She tore
through the halls hardly noticing the stares she was receiving. A dream had
come upon her waking world and her heart flew to the ball and left her body
and time to follow along behind.
She barely noticed when she turned into the king's chambers and ran into the king's arms. He caught her in a bear hug and held her tight. Slowly she calmed her racing pulse and mind, enough to realize what was going on.
"Ella, no need to rush! We would have waited for you," he hugged her slightly and let go. "Were you worried I'd be angry? You're like a daughter to me; in fact for the purposes of the remainder of your time here you are my daughter.'
"You look absolutely stunning if I may say so though. Now which lord is it that will gain your attention tonight?" he smiled as she blushed. "Might it be Sir Leslie Elwood?"
Ella's blushed deepened to a fire engine red. Sighing she nodded. Rose, who stood unnoticed in a corner laughed. King Jareth smiled his kind smile.
"I knew he liked you from the way he glanced at you. I assumed you felt the same. This ball should be much more fun than any other I have been to in a long time." Jareth turned to Rose. "I wouldn't be laughing. I'm sure there is someone whom you have feelings for."
Rose turned her head. "No of course not, my lord. I only feel apprehension at this moment."
"Then by all means let us go, my dear. Let us lay your apprehension to rest."
Jareth opened the doors and allowed the girls to precede him into the hall where some of Jareth's good friends were waiting to follow him down the stairs. Jareth held out his arm to Ella who gracefully accepted it. "Shall we?" he asked. Ella nodded and the royal train proceeded into the ballroom.
********
The ballroom was a sight to behold, the light bouncing off the shining crystal candelabras and chandeliers. The wood floor was intricately laid and in excellent condition for a room that was over 500 years old. The walls, made of rosewood paneling were well oiled with conclaves fitted with velvet cushions for those who did not wish to twirl upon the dance floor. People already stood milling about when Jareth and Ella's party arrived. The doors were thrown open to the sound of heralds trumpeting their names as guests bowed as they passed. Jareth led the train to a dais on the opposite side of the ball and motioned for Ella and Rose to sit. They gracefully fanned their skirts around themselves as Jareth sat down. "Continue," he commanded and the party began again as if it were never interrupted by their arrival.
Ella and Rose sat bored for awhile until Jareth decided it was time to let them be approached by the men on the dance floor. He stood and offered and hand to Rose, who gratefully accepted the chance to stand up and dance. Almost immediately Sir Robert, the king's brother came to escort Ella onto the dance floor. They twirled around for three dances, trying to make small talk as Ella squirmed uncomfortably in Robert's arms. When he finally released her she went straight back to the dais to sit beside Jareth.
"Well, Ella, what do you think of my court? Do you like it?" Jareth asked almost too eagerly.
"Well, yes. It's beautiful, my king. The people are kind and the service is amazing. I almost wish I could stay here forever," she said.
Jareth nodded contemplatively, turning to look out the window and ignoring her. She sighed, knowing once again she would be bored as no one dared approach her. She began to close her eyes and fall asleep until she heard a velveteen voice in her ear.
"You have a faint smell of rosemary, my princess. Is that to intoxicate me more than your beauty every moment that I am in any kind of proximity to you?"
"No, Sir. If you do not wish to be near me, than perhaps you had better leave. An intoxicated Sir Leslie would certainly be a very conspicuous sight."
"But, I do not want to leave. I can't bear for you to be out of my sight. The euphoria of being near you keeps bringing me back for more, so I shall ask for your hand on the dance floor."
"The answer to your question is yes, Sir, but I warn you that I do not date, dance with, or kiss drunkards."
"I am not drunk, just impossibly happy." With that statement he held out his hand and led Ella onto the dance floor.
"Where have you been all night? I have been waiting." Ella asked looking deep into his mahogany eyes.
"Shhh, my love, no time for questions now," he answered and they danced until the dawn.
She barely noticed when she turned into the king's chambers and ran into the king's arms. He caught her in a bear hug and held her tight. Slowly she calmed her racing pulse and mind, enough to realize what was going on.
"Ella, no need to rush! We would have waited for you," he hugged her slightly and let go. "Were you worried I'd be angry? You're like a daughter to me; in fact for the purposes of the remainder of your time here you are my daughter.'
"You look absolutely stunning if I may say so though. Now which lord is it that will gain your attention tonight?" he smiled as she blushed. "Might it be Sir Leslie Elwood?"
Ella's blushed deepened to a fire engine red. Sighing she nodded. Rose, who stood unnoticed in a corner laughed. King Jareth smiled his kind smile.
"I knew he liked you from the way he glanced at you. I assumed you felt the same. This ball should be much more fun than any other I have been to in a long time." Jareth turned to Rose. "I wouldn't be laughing. I'm sure there is someone whom you have feelings for."
Rose turned her head. "No of course not, my lord. I only feel apprehension at this moment."
"Then by all means let us go, my dear. Let us lay your apprehension to rest."
Jareth opened the doors and allowed the girls to precede him into the hall where some of Jareth's good friends were waiting to follow him down the stairs. Jareth held out his arm to Ella who gracefully accepted it. "Shall we?" he asked. Ella nodded and the royal train proceeded into the ballroom.
********
The ballroom was a sight to behold, the light bouncing off the shining crystal candelabras and chandeliers. The wood floor was intricately laid and in excellent condition for a room that was over 500 years old. The walls, made of rosewood paneling were well oiled with conclaves fitted with velvet cushions for those who did not wish to twirl upon the dance floor. People already stood milling about when Jareth and Ella's party arrived. The doors were thrown open to the sound of heralds trumpeting their names as guests bowed as they passed. Jareth led the train to a dais on the opposite side of the ball and motioned for Ella and Rose to sit. They gracefully fanned their skirts around themselves as Jareth sat down. "Continue," he commanded and the party began again as if it were never interrupted by their arrival.
Ella and Rose sat bored for awhile until Jareth decided it was time to let them be approached by the men on the dance floor. He stood and offered and hand to Rose, who gratefully accepted the chance to stand up and dance. Almost immediately Sir Robert, the king's brother came to escort Ella onto the dance floor. They twirled around for three dances, trying to make small talk as Ella squirmed uncomfortably in Robert's arms. When he finally released her she went straight back to the dais to sit beside Jareth.
"Well, Ella, what do you think of my court? Do you like it?" Jareth asked almost too eagerly.
"Well, yes. It's beautiful, my king. The people are kind and the service is amazing. I almost wish I could stay here forever," she said.
Jareth nodded contemplatively, turning to look out the window and ignoring her. She sighed, knowing once again she would be bored as no one dared approach her. She began to close her eyes and fall asleep until she heard a velveteen voice in her ear.
"You have a faint smell of rosemary, my princess. Is that to intoxicate me more than your beauty every moment that I am in any kind of proximity to you?"
"No, Sir. If you do not wish to be near me, than perhaps you had better leave. An intoxicated Sir Leslie would certainly be a very conspicuous sight."
"But, I do not want to leave. I can't bear for you to be out of my sight. The euphoria of being near you keeps bringing me back for more, so I shall ask for your hand on the dance floor."
"The answer to your question is yes, Sir, but I warn you that I do not date, dance with, or kiss drunkards."
"I am not drunk, just impossibly happy." With that statement he held out his hand and led Ella onto the dance floor.
"Where have you been all night? I have been waiting." Ella asked looking deep into his mahogany eyes.
"Shhh, my love, no time for questions now," he answered and they danced until the dawn.