Chapter 5
I grinned to myself. I thought I looked pretty classy in the gown I was wearing, but I had just been thinking to myself how much I'd have despised wearing something of this material just a few years ago. The gown I wore was pale green velvet with long, billowing sleeves and a waistline that narrowed to a point, and then parted to reveal cream-colored satin petticoats. My wavy auburn hair flowed around my shoulders, with some pearls strung into it, and an emerald pendant was encompassing my neck. All that was left to do was slip on my shoes and wait for my carriage.
The instant I stepped down off the last stair a servant approached me to announce that the carriage had just pulled in. I was just about to go outside when I remembered I'd forgotten my gloves. I dashed hurriedly upstairs in a very non-ladylike manner and found them on a table in my bedchamber. Before I could leave the room, though, the door magically closed, and in the center of the room who should appear but the same enchantress who had cursed the palace.
"Good evening," I said with a sigh. "I'm very sorry, but I can't stay to talk; I'm on my way to the ball that will help me get my mission done."
"Your 'mission' is the reason I came to talk, and you can wait a minute or two to listen to what I have to tell you. I've given you three years to talk to the prince and get him to return, and this evening is your last chance. Feel free to do as you please tonight, but if you have not left the ball by one o'clock you'll be in for a surprise." She walked to a chair and sat down in it casually. I knew what she was waiting for me to say, so I went ahead and said it.
"What kind of surprise?" I asked.
"Well, you won't be dancing, that's for sure."
"So, if I'm to understand this clearly, if I'm not out of the palace by one then you're zapping me back to my old home?"
"Not exactly zapping-though that's a good idea-but that's the basic gist of what I was saying. Pay heed to that warning, and now you may leave." With that, she disappeared, and I left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The palace looked even grander than I thought it would. A servant escorted me up the stairs of the palace, and then I was on my own. The marble floors and walls were polished so they gleamed almost as brightly as the lights did. A staircase covered in scarlet carpeting led down to the ballroom, and the prince's receiving line led all the way around the colossal hall. Many shimmering glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the entire place look as bright as day, despite the late hour. Tables and chairs lined the rim of the room for those not dancing or waiting in line to see the prince. The king and queen sat in their thrones off in the corner, and colorful tapestries hung from the walls. The guests who were there were buzzing with excitement.
Carefully holding my gown as I stepped down the thickly carpeted stairs, I decided against getting in the receiving line. I'd make my move after everyone else had had their opportunities. Somehow it seemed to me that our chances of not being interrupted were greater that way. I sat down at a table with a perfect view of Cynric and waited for my chance. Along the way I had several glasses of wine and many dances. After nearly an hour and a half, the prince was free. (He had not danced with everybody, and some girls were dismissed before they got a chance to start a conversation.) I was very hesitant about approaching him, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I could hear everyone discussing the prince's possible announcement of an engagement tonight. A dear friend of mine, who happened to call out to me at that moment, saved me.
"Oh, Elaine! Do come over here! We positively MUST introduce you to Prince Cynric." Remember how I said all of my "friends" here were all very respectable people? Many had connections with the royal family, though I had never been formerly introduced to any of them (not including Cynric).
"Your Highness, this is my wonderful friend Lady Elaine, of whom I'm sure you've heard about, and Elaine, this is Prince Cynric." I curtsied as my face seared with heat. As I rose from my curtsy and he from his deep bow, I saw deja vu written across his face. A few seconds later a look of realization replaced it. He glanced around us, and then asked me if I would like to dance.
Once we'd stepped out on the floor and the music had begun, he spoke.
"What are you doing here?" he murmured, puzzled.
"You said you would come visit again, and you never did, so I took the liberty of deciding to come visit you." I smiled.
"Disguised as a lady of nobility?"
"I couldn't very well have gotten here if I'd come as a servant, now could I? Annabelle was afraid to come herself, so she sent me." After that we briefly switched partners, but as soon as we were together again he continued.
"I apologize about not coming to visit again. I had trouble finding my way back. honestly." He gave me his most sincere look and squeezed my hand.
"I forgive you, and I have a solution for that problem." I'd thought about that possibility before, and had created a map with detailed instructions on how to get to our palace. (It would have been unwise to just tell him the name of our former kingdom, and verbal directions wouldn't stay fresh in his mind for long.) I slipped the folded paper out of my glove and into the pocket of his overcoat. He thanked me, and smiled.
"You don't seem to be as temperamental as you were before," he said.
"I guess becoming a lady has made me go soft."
"I guess so. How long are you going to stay tonight?"
"Long enough."
"In that case, will you please at least stay until midnight? I have an announcement to make. It probably won't mean much to you, but I'd like to dance with you some more afterwards."
"Oh, yes. The engagement announcement." He winced when I said that, but said nothing until the dance ended.
"I'm going to go be friendly and merry with all the guests now, but I'll be back with you right after that announcement." We started to go off in our different directions, but he turned back and grabbed my hand. "One last thing. Which should I call you? Lady Elaine, or Summer?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As the last chime of midnight rang out, Prince Cynric ran up to the top of the stairs and called for attention. He truly looked amazing with his golden hair shining like the sun, and his dazzling smile.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! I have an important announcement to make. I know that many of the ladies who are here right now came because they heard about a possibility of me choosing my bride tonight. I'm aware of all the fuss that it's created, and now I will tell you what my decision is." Here he paused and looked around the room, his eyes stopping when they reached the place where his parents stood. I heard many ladies suddenly start gossiping about who would be the chosen one. "I apologize that my parents have gotten your hopes up, but the truth is. I'm not going to choose my bride any time soon. I can't pick the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with in just one night! I'm very sorry, but there won't be any news of engagement today."
The entire palace went silent. Everyone stayed exactly where they were, and glared up at him. He cleared his throat and the music started up again. Everyone gradually went back to "normal" and began dancing and gossiping again. I waited at the foot of the steps for Cynric. It seemed like it took forever for him to get there.
"Let's go outside, shall we?" he said, his face perfectly conveying his distress. We stepped out and started toward the gardens, lit dimly by candles placed around the paths. "I feel like a fool," he said to me quietly. "My mother hinted to all these people that I'd choose my wife tonight, when that was the last thing on my mind. I feel awful."
I really had no idea what to say to that, so I just slipped my hand into his and we continued walking. Over the sound of the fountain we could faintly hear the music playing in the ballroom.
"Oh! I nearly forgot! I promised you some dances after that announcement, and that is a promise I have no intention of breaking. May I have this dance?" He held out his hand, smiling at me. I slowly gave him my hand, and clutched my skirts with the other as he rested his free hand on my waist. We danced perfectly in sync with one another, and I lost track of the time. Until Cynric said, "It's been nearly an hour!"
I suddenly remembered what the enchantress had told me, and looked up at the clock, afraid to see what time it would say. It was 12:55.
"Oh my! I need to go, and very quickly! I was supposed to leave nearly half an hour ago!"
"Wait! How do I know that this won't be the last time we meet?" he called out. I paused and turned around. I patted my dress at the same spot his pocket was. He reached into it, clutched the paper, and nodded. I looked, with remorse, back at him, and then took off running.
Clumsily I took off down the stairs, with less than a minute to go. I had almost reached the bottom when I heard a single chime. I hadn't gotten away from the palace quick enough. I tripped and fell, but when I hit the ground it was grass I landed on, not hard marble steps.
I grinned to myself. I thought I looked pretty classy in the gown I was wearing, but I had just been thinking to myself how much I'd have despised wearing something of this material just a few years ago. The gown I wore was pale green velvet with long, billowing sleeves and a waistline that narrowed to a point, and then parted to reveal cream-colored satin petticoats. My wavy auburn hair flowed around my shoulders, with some pearls strung into it, and an emerald pendant was encompassing my neck. All that was left to do was slip on my shoes and wait for my carriage.
The instant I stepped down off the last stair a servant approached me to announce that the carriage had just pulled in. I was just about to go outside when I remembered I'd forgotten my gloves. I dashed hurriedly upstairs in a very non-ladylike manner and found them on a table in my bedchamber. Before I could leave the room, though, the door magically closed, and in the center of the room who should appear but the same enchantress who had cursed the palace.
"Good evening," I said with a sigh. "I'm very sorry, but I can't stay to talk; I'm on my way to the ball that will help me get my mission done."
"Your 'mission' is the reason I came to talk, and you can wait a minute or two to listen to what I have to tell you. I've given you three years to talk to the prince and get him to return, and this evening is your last chance. Feel free to do as you please tonight, but if you have not left the ball by one o'clock you'll be in for a surprise." She walked to a chair and sat down in it casually. I knew what she was waiting for me to say, so I went ahead and said it.
"What kind of surprise?" I asked.
"Well, you won't be dancing, that's for sure."
"So, if I'm to understand this clearly, if I'm not out of the palace by one then you're zapping me back to my old home?"
"Not exactly zapping-though that's a good idea-but that's the basic gist of what I was saying. Pay heed to that warning, and now you may leave." With that, she disappeared, and I left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The palace looked even grander than I thought it would. A servant escorted me up the stairs of the palace, and then I was on my own. The marble floors and walls were polished so they gleamed almost as brightly as the lights did. A staircase covered in scarlet carpeting led down to the ballroom, and the prince's receiving line led all the way around the colossal hall. Many shimmering glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the entire place look as bright as day, despite the late hour. Tables and chairs lined the rim of the room for those not dancing or waiting in line to see the prince. The king and queen sat in their thrones off in the corner, and colorful tapestries hung from the walls. The guests who were there were buzzing with excitement.
Carefully holding my gown as I stepped down the thickly carpeted stairs, I decided against getting in the receiving line. I'd make my move after everyone else had had their opportunities. Somehow it seemed to me that our chances of not being interrupted were greater that way. I sat down at a table with a perfect view of Cynric and waited for my chance. Along the way I had several glasses of wine and many dances. After nearly an hour and a half, the prince was free. (He had not danced with everybody, and some girls were dismissed before they got a chance to start a conversation.) I was very hesitant about approaching him, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I could hear everyone discussing the prince's possible announcement of an engagement tonight. A dear friend of mine, who happened to call out to me at that moment, saved me.
"Oh, Elaine! Do come over here! We positively MUST introduce you to Prince Cynric." Remember how I said all of my "friends" here were all very respectable people? Many had connections with the royal family, though I had never been formerly introduced to any of them (not including Cynric).
"Your Highness, this is my wonderful friend Lady Elaine, of whom I'm sure you've heard about, and Elaine, this is Prince Cynric." I curtsied as my face seared with heat. As I rose from my curtsy and he from his deep bow, I saw deja vu written across his face. A few seconds later a look of realization replaced it. He glanced around us, and then asked me if I would like to dance.
Once we'd stepped out on the floor and the music had begun, he spoke.
"What are you doing here?" he murmured, puzzled.
"You said you would come visit again, and you never did, so I took the liberty of deciding to come visit you." I smiled.
"Disguised as a lady of nobility?"
"I couldn't very well have gotten here if I'd come as a servant, now could I? Annabelle was afraid to come herself, so she sent me." After that we briefly switched partners, but as soon as we were together again he continued.
"I apologize about not coming to visit again. I had trouble finding my way back. honestly." He gave me his most sincere look and squeezed my hand.
"I forgive you, and I have a solution for that problem." I'd thought about that possibility before, and had created a map with detailed instructions on how to get to our palace. (It would have been unwise to just tell him the name of our former kingdom, and verbal directions wouldn't stay fresh in his mind for long.) I slipped the folded paper out of my glove and into the pocket of his overcoat. He thanked me, and smiled.
"You don't seem to be as temperamental as you were before," he said.
"I guess becoming a lady has made me go soft."
"I guess so. How long are you going to stay tonight?"
"Long enough."
"In that case, will you please at least stay until midnight? I have an announcement to make. It probably won't mean much to you, but I'd like to dance with you some more afterwards."
"Oh, yes. The engagement announcement." He winced when I said that, but said nothing until the dance ended.
"I'm going to go be friendly and merry with all the guests now, but I'll be back with you right after that announcement." We started to go off in our different directions, but he turned back and grabbed my hand. "One last thing. Which should I call you? Lady Elaine, or Summer?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As the last chime of midnight rang out, Prince Cynric ran up to the top of the stairs and called for attention. He truly looked amazing with his golden hair shining like the sun, and his dazzling smile.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! I have an important announcement to make. I know that many of the ladies who are here right now came because they heard about a possibility of me choosing my bride tonight. I'm aware of all the fuss that it's created, and now I will tell you what my decision is." Here he paused and looked around the room, his eyes stopping when they reached the place where his parents stood. I heard many ladies suddenly start gossiping about who would be the chosen one. "I apologize that my parents have gotten your hopes up, but the truth is. I'm not going to choose my bride any time soon. I can't pick the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with in just one night! I'm very sorry, but there won't be any news of engagement today."
The entire palace went silent. Everyone stayed exactly where they were, and glared up at him. He cleared his throat and the music started up again. Everyone gradually went back to "normal" and began dancing and gossiping again. I waited at the foot of the steps for Cynric. It seemed like it took forever for him to get there.
"Let's go outside, shall we?" he said, his face perfectly conveying his distress. We stepped out and started toward the gardens, lit dimly by candles placed around the paths. "I feel like a fool," he said to me quietly. "My mother hinted to all these people that I'd choose my wife tonight, when that was the last thing on my mind. I feel awful."
I really had no idea what to say to that, so I just slipped my hand into his and we continued walking. Over the sound of the fountain we could faintly hear the music playing in the ballroom.
"Oh! I nearly forgot! I promised you some dances after that announcement, and that is a promise I have no intention of breaking. May I have this dance?" He held out his hand, smiling at me. I slowly gave him my hand, and clutched my skirts with the other as he rested his free hand on my waist. We danced perfectly in sync with one another, and I lost track of the time. Until Cynric said, "It's been nearly an hour!"
I suddenly remembered what the enchantress had told me, and looked up at the clock, afraid to see what time it would say. It was 12:55.
"Oh my! I need to go, and very quickly! I was supposed to leave nearly half an hour ago!"
"Wait! How do I know that this won't be the last time we meet?" he called out. I paused and turned around. I patted my dress at the same spot his pocket was. He reached into it, clutched the paper, and nodded. I looked, with remorse, back at him, and then took off running.
Clumsily I took off down the stairs, with less than a minute to go. I had almost reached the bottom when I heard a single chime. I hadn't gotten away from the palace quick enough. I tripped and fell, but when I hit the ground it was grass I landed on, not hard marble steps.