Dahlia gently lowered herself onto the pile of straw that lay before the fireplace. She had spent all day sewing and trying to turn the hideous cloth that her step-sisters had chosen into something befitting of a royal ball. She wasn't sure that even the king's tailor could accomplish such a task. It had been a frustrating day to say the least. Now, however, the moon had fully risen and she was glad for the short break.
No sooner had she lain down when she heard a tapping coming from the outside door. Letting out a small groan, she hoisted herself up off the ground and opened up the door.
"Oh, Dahlia, I was so worried!" Before she knew it, Dahlia was wrapped up in a huge hug. The intensity of the hug, however, made her whimper and her friend immediately let go. She was a fairly short girl with long, red, curly hair and bright green eyes that usually sparkled with mischief. "Did I hurt you? She got to you again, didn't she? I heard a commotion two nights ago but I had hoped that she would only yell. I should've known better."
"Gabrielle, you worry too much. I'm fine, honestly. Besides, Mrs. Haverfield is far too concerned with preparations for the ball to do anything further. She hardly even notices I'm here."
"I don't know how you can take it. You know you're better than them. If only you'd let me give them a piece of my mind."
"And then what? They'd say I was ungrateful and put you up to it and then they'd beat me worse than they do now. Or perhaps you think they would suddenly realize that they were in the wrong? After that of course life would be fantastic and I would grow in a state of bliss until the day that I wed a dashing young prince."
"Well, there's no harm in dreaming."
"Of course there is. People get themselves in trouble and even killed from trying to follow their dreams and not realizing that it's impossible. Everyone can't have their dreams come true; it just doesn't work like that."
"Now there's a positive outlook. Besides, who knows, perhaps you shall win the favor of the prince at the ball."
"You must not have all your pieces today, Gabrielle. Do you think I would ever be allowed to attend the ball?" Dahlia saw her friend about to give a retort but did not allow her enough time to speak. "Besides, he'd be much more likely to fall for you with your charm and stunning hair." She gave her friend a playful wink.
"Ah, but you forget, I am part of the bourgeoisie and not of noble birth and therefore am not invited." She said this with such a regretful sigh that Dahlia wished with all sincerity that she could help. However, Gabrielle and her family were well known throughout the region and if she appeared at the ball it would be immediately pointed out that she was indeed not a member of the noble class. "You on the other hand are, and of higher blood than that pig who thinks she runs the house. Seriously, with a new dress and a bath to get that grime off your face you'd be all set. You could simply avoid being near your family since there will be many there, although I doubt she would recognize you. Then you would be free to simply stand there in all your radiance and draw the prince in."
"Ah yes, me with my enormous salary is going to buy a new dress and then hire a coach to drive me to the ball. I appreciate what you're trying to do Gabrielle, but filling my head with dreams just makes the reality harder to live with."
"All right, I'm sorry. I'll drop the subject. Just let me see the bruises. I'm sure you haven't been taking care of them as usual." Dahlia let out an exasperated sigh but obeyed and turned around so that Gabrielle could unbutton the back of her dress. She heard the girl gasp but was grateful that she said nothing.
Gabrielle then sent Dahlia to lie down on the hay while she retrieved the healing solvent from the cabinet. Upon her return, she quickly dug her fingers into the sticky substance and got to work. She carefully spread it onto the blackened bruises scattered over Dahlia's back. She kept a careful balance between pressing hard enough for the substance to stick to the bruises but no so hard that Dahlia would feel any more pain.
"Always where they can be hidden," Gabrielle muttered to herself. When she was done she left the back of Dahlia's dress open so that the solvent could dry. Standing up, she noticed Dahlia's only other dress, torn from her last beating, hanging next to the fireplace. Her eyebrows slowly creased in thought and the left corner of her mouth turned up just a bit.
"Dahlia?"
"Yeah?" Dahlia turned her tired brown eyes to her friend who stood transfixed by the tattered dress.
"Do you mind if I take your dress home and mend it?" Dahlia gave her a funny look.
"If you truly have nothing better to -"
"Thanks!" Gabrielle practically ran to the dress and tore it off it's hanger. A smile spread across her face. She headed towards the door but not before bending down and giving Dahlia a small kiss on the top of her forehead. "'Night, princess," she whispered as she shut the door behind her. Dahlia simply let out a small snort and then fell quickly into a heavy slumber.
**********
A/N: So what do you all think? I admit nothing much happens in this chapter except talking and it is fairly short but....-well it needs to be there. Any guesses on what's going to happen later? What's good? What needs to be fixed? Feedback would be loverly.
And to the chapter two reviewers: THANK YOU!!
Caboodles5588 : I'm glad you like it! Yes, it is a bit different but I'm hoping that makes it a bit more interesting.
Hannah: I am not mean!!...Well ok at times I'm a bit sadistic. Ah yes the question of who were those guys, and this chapter still doesn't answer that question. I promise there will be an explanation eventually.
Notawannabe: Yeah it is rather sad but I think that makes it a bit more realistic. Glad you like it anyway!
Bliss: Thank you! I try to make my stories interesting and I wanted this to have a bit of a dark edge though I'm not quite ready to write a truly depressing story yet.
Kristina: Well, it didn't come out that soon but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for the support.
No sooner had she lain down when she heard a tapping coming from the outside door. Letting out a small groan, she hoisted herself up off the ground and opened up the door.
"Oh, Dahlia, I was so worried!" Before she knew it, Dahlia was wrapped up in a huge hug. The intensity of the hug, however, made her whimper and her friend immediately let go. She was a fairly short girl with long, red, curly hair and bright green eyes that usually sparkled with mischief. "Did I hurt you? She got to you again, didn't she? I heard a commotion two nights ago but I had hoped that she would only yell. I should've known better."
"Gabrielle, you worry too much. I'm fine, honestly. Besides, Mrs. Haverfield is far too concerned with preparations for the ball to do anything further. She hardly even notices I'm here."
"I don't know how you can take it. You know you're better than them. If only you'd let me give them a piece of my mind."
"And then what? They'd say I was ungrateful and put you up to it and then they'd beat me worse than they do now. Or perhaps you think they would suddenly realize that they were in the wrong? After that of course life would be fantastic and I would grow in a state of bliss until the day that I wed a dashing young prince."
"Well, there's no harm in dreaming."
"Of course there is. People get themselves in trouble and even killed from trying to follow their dreams and not realizing that it's impossible. Everyone can't have their dreams come true; it just doesn't work like that."
"Now there's a positive outlook. Besides, who knows, perhaps you shall win the favor of the prince at the ball."
"You must not have all your pieces today, Gabrielle. Do you think I would ever be allowed to attend the ball?" Dahlia saw her friend about to give a retort but did not allow her enough time to speak. "Besides, he'd be much more likely to fall for you with your charm and stunning hair." She gave her friend a playful wink.
"Ah, but you forget, I am part of the bourgeoisie and not of noble birth and therefore am not invited." She said this with such a regretful sigh that Dahlia wished with all sincerity that she could help. However, Gabrielle and her family were well known throughout the region and if she appeared at the ball it would be immediately pointed out that she was indeed not a member of the noble class. "You on the other hand are, and of higher blood than that pig who thinks she runs the house. Seriously, with a new dress and a bath to get that grime off your face you'd be all set. You could simply avoid being near your family since there will be many there, although I doubt she would recognize you. Then you would be free to simply stand there in all your radiance and draw the prince in."
"Ah yes, me with my enormous salary is going to buy a new dress and then hire a coach to drive me to the ball. I appreciate what you're trying to do Gabrielle, but filling my head with dreams just makes the reality harder to live with."
"All right, I'm sorry. I'll drop the subject. Just let me see the bruises. I'm sure you haven't been taking care of them as usual." Dahlia let out an exasperated sigh but obeyed and turned around so that Gabrielle could unbutton the back of her dress. She heard the girl gasp but was grateful that she said nothing.
Gabrielle then sent Dahlia to lie down on the hay while she retrieved the healing solvent from the cabinet. Upon her return, she quickly dug her fingers into the sticky substance and got to work. She carefully spread it onto the blackened bruises scattered over Dahlia's back. She kept a careful balance between pressing hard enough for the substance to stick to the bruises but no so hard that Dahlia would feel any more pain.
"Always where they can be hidden," Gabrielle muttered to herself. When she was done she left the back of Dahlia's dress open so that the solvent could dry. Standing up, she noticed Dahlia's only other dress, torn from her last beating, hanging next to the fireplace. Her eyebrows slowly creased in thought and the left corner of her mouth turned up just a bit.
"Dahlia?"
"Yeah?" Dahlia turned her tired brown eyes to her friend who stood transfixed by the tattered dress.
"Do you mind if I take your dress home and mend it?" Dahlia gave her a funny look.
"If you truly have nothing better to -"
"Thanks!" Gabrielle practically ran to the dress and tore it off it's hanger. A smile spread across her face. She headed towards the door but not before bending down and giving Dahlia a small kiss on the top of her forehead. "'Night, princess," she whispered as she shut the door behind her. Dahlia simply let out a small snort and then fell quickly into a heavy slumber.
**********
A/N: So what do you all think? I admit nothing much happens in this chapter except talking and it is fairly short but....-well it needs to be there. Any guesses on what's going to happen later? What's good? What needs to be fixed? Feedback would be loverly.
And to the chapter two reviewers: THANK YOU!!
Caboodles5588 : I'm glad you like it! Yes, it is a bit different but I'm hoping that makes it a bit more interesting.
Hannah: I am not mean!!...Well ok at times I'm a bit sadistic. Ah yes the question of who were those guys, and this chapter still doesn't answer that question. I promise there will be an explanation eventually.
Notawannabe: Yeah it is rather sad but I think that makes it a bit more realistic. Glad you like it anyway!
Bliss: Thank you! I try to make my stories interesting and I wanted this to have a bit of a dark edge though I'm not quite ready to write a truly depressing story yet.
Kristina: Well, it didn't come out that soon but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for the support.