The noise down in the main hall gets louder every minute. Guests upon
guests are arriving by carriage, by boat, and even by foot. It's hard to
believe that I've lived in the Ketchum palace for about two weeks now and
Ash's mother hasn't seen me yet. Ash tells me that it's all for the better
good. He wants me to be a surprise. I don't know how to take that. I'm
dressed like a present that's just waiting to be opened by a young child on
Christmas Eve. My hair filled with tiny curls here and there, with a small
golden tiara on top. Elegant to anyone who sees from a distance. But once
you get closer you can see the rat that is wrapped in pink silk, wearing
dazzling shoes, and trying to pass as a care-free cute mouse. I feel as
though I should try and hide my tail. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn
to see Ash.
"You look wonderful, Misty." He compliments. "Thank you." Replied the Rat. "Why you look so glum?" Ash asked. "It feels I don't deserve this. I gave up my life as a Princess.why are they giving me a second chance?" I said. Ash just smiles that handsome smile. "Because everybody deserves a second chance." "I'm just a peasant girl in a pretty dress." Ash laughs mockingly. "No, you are a sweet girl in an ugly dress. You just have too much beauty and kindness, it tends to rub off on things near by." "You're too nice to me." I tell the truth. "I love you." Ash says plainly. "Now, my mother just told me that most of the guests have arrived. Are you ready to go down to the ballroom? You don't have to dance or anything.just be yourself." "What else would I be?" I ask blithely.
Ash smiles and takes my hand as we descend the final staircase to the main hall that leads to the ballroom. As we come down I can see other guests that are arriving stare. Some of the younger ladies cross their hands over their chests and scowl at me as if I were touching part of their property. Others were actually kind and said a good evening, or smiled with a small curtsy or bow. I wondered if they recognized me. Ash and I approach the ballroom doors where two butlers stand to greet or maybe even check for invitations or something. A bright light separates the main hall with the ballroom. I walk through it and feel like every worry was lifted. It was too beautiful to explain with words inside. Crystal and gold chandeliers with each stem holding a tiny candle. Brilliant stained-glass windows on the west and east sides and tables were set up with small foods and drinks for the guests to nibble on. The floor was so polished it reflected everything that stood upon it perfectly. All the hard shoes the ladies wore clicked across it as they danced or just talked with one another. Bouquets of flowers of several shapes, shades, and types sat together in stunningly huge vases. Each petal shimmering with the light given off by the hundreds of candles. I look around anxiously, trying to find that one familiar face of my father. I scan all the clumps of company and my eyes finally fall on a familiar face. Though it was not my father, I was at least a little happy that I knew a face. It was Esmeralda. She was wearing a blood-red, skin- tight dress with bunchy sleeves that were tied to her arms in even spots with gold-braided thread. A very interesting, yet beautiful dress. She glares at me through the curly bangs that covered half of her face with tight lips. I smile meekly and wave with my free hand. Esmeralda doesn't wave back. She just takes the cup she was holding in her hand and crushes it. I slowly turn my glance away as not to anger her any longer. There was one more person I didn't see in the crowd that should be.
"Ash," I begin. "Where is your mother?" "She is outside greeting the guests as they come, so she should come in last you'd think." Ash replies. "You don't need to worry about her and her overreactions." "There's one more person I don't see, Ash." I point out. "And who is that?" "I don't see my father." I said. "He's coming, Misty. He replied to our invitation, so he should be." Ash reassured me. The small symphony band started to play over in the corner and I could hear the large wooden doors close behind me. All of the guests had finally arrived and the ball was officially started. "Ash! Oh, Ash!" Ash turned around, but I stayed put. "Hello, Mother." Ash says. I freeze. "You must tell me who you're introducing tonight." Ash's mother says in a frantic yet happy tone. "She must be alluring!"
Ash rests his hand on my shoulder as a small tap. I took it as a signal to turn around and I do so slowly. A loud scream rings throughout the ballroom as Queen Delia throws her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were so big, it looked as if she'd just heard her death wish. Her skin was pale and the whole room was now quiet. I can't bring my eyes to look away from her, but I can feel every other person in the room looking at me. Queen Delia finally takes one hand away from her mouth and moves it gradually towards me. She rests it on my cheek and runs it down and off my chin. She then feels my hair.
"P-p-princess." She stumbles, her chin quivering. She goes to touch my face again. "I'm not a ghost, Queen Delia." I say and then realized that talking might have been a mistake for Queen Delia squeals once more. "Mother!" Ash tries to calm her down. "Oh, Princess!" Queen Delia exclaims and throws her arms around me in a giant hug. Her whole body shook from her sobs. I put my arms around her as well. "Princess . you're . you're alive!" "Yes, I Am." Are the only words I could find. "All these years. All these years!" The queen cries. "I thought you were dead. Nobody knew what had happened to you. And here you are today standing before me. Oh, Misty, I'm so happy to see you alive. But I must force myself to ask. can it be?" "I find myself asking the same thing." I said. "Can it actually be that I am finally here were I was supposed to be to begin with." I hear whispering through the crowd. "Could that really be her?" , "Princess Misty? Princess Waterflower?" , "Everyone in our town heard she was dead."
So this is how it is, I think to myself, everybody thinks I'm dead. I frankly don't blame them. I was missing for three years, isolated from reality. Now, being revealed to what I wasn't aware of, I feel uneasy. My head is light and my vision is getting fuzzy on the edges. I feel I might faint. I close my eyes and swallow hard. Queen Delia lets go of me and wipes the tears from her eyes, then smiles at me. Ash puts me in his one- armed embrace. I rest my head on his shoulder and gently open my eyes, hoping for the dizzy feeling to go away.
Ash takes a deep breath. "Lords and Ladies. Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses. On this very special occasion, I'd like to introduce you all to my bride-to-be. A wonderful woman who has not only captured my heart by my mind and soul as well. Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, the girl whom my heart belongs to, Princess Misty of Waterflower."
An applause slowly grows in the ballroom as Ash lets go of me. I stand there with my hands folded in front of my lap. Some people where 'aww'ing, as if to say, how cute. I glance over at Queen Delia, clapping one hand on top of the other with that teary smile. I start to smile myself. I scan the crowd once more, not able to see Esmeralda anymore. I wonder what she thought about all of this. The King and Queen of Spain where there though. They were talking to each other in that fast Spanish language. They didn't exactly look furious, but their faces where tensely pulled into a forced smile. The clapping ends and the band strikes up again. Ash takes my hands and we begin to dance. Memories were sweeping over me. I could almost see the hors d'oeuvre table that I was going to trip him into. I rest my head on Ash's broad chest and sigh.
"I love you, Ash." "I love you too, Misty."
I smile on the outside, but inside, I still worry.about my father. I do miss him. I really wish to see him again. It's highly possible that he was late. But I wanted him to see me introduced as Ash's bride. I wanted him to be happy that I was his daughter. I wanted him to be proud to say he was my father. Most of all, I wanted to apologize, and give him a kiss on the cheek. I wanted him to say, if only your mother could see you now. I try to clear my mind, as the ball continues on through the night of pure bliss.
"You look wonderful, Misty." He compliments. "Thank you." Replied the Rat. "Why you look so glum?" Ash asked. "It feels I don't deserve this. I gave up my life as a Princess.why are they giving me a second chance?" I said. Ash just smiles that handsome smile. "Because everybody deserves a second chance." "I'm just a peasant girl in a pretty dress." Ash laughs mockingly. "No, you are a sweet girl in an ugly dress. You just have too much beauty and kindness, it tends to rub off on things near by." "You're too nice to me." I tell the truth. "I love you." Ash says plainly. "Now, my mother just told me that most of the guests have arrived. Are you ready to go down to the ballroom? You don't have to dance or anything.just be yourself." "What else would I be?" I ask blithely.
Ash smiles and takes my hand as we descend the final staircase to the main hall that leads to the ballroom. As we come down I can see other guests that are arriving stare. Some of the younger ladies cross their hands over their chests and scowl at me as if I were touching part of their property. Others were actually kind and said a good evening, or smiled with a small curtsy or bow. I wondered if they recognized me. Ash and I approach the ballroom doors where two butlers stand to greet or maybe even check for invitations or something. A bright light separates the main hall with the ballroom. I walk through it and feel like every worry was lifted. It was too beautiful to explain with words inside. Crystal and gold chandeliers with each stem holding a tiny candle. Brilliant stained-glass windows on the west and east sides and tables were set up with small foods and drinks for the guests to nibble on. The floor was so polished it reflected everything that stood upon it perfectly. All the hard shoes the ladies wore clicked across it as they danced or just talked with one another. Bouquets of flowers of several shapes, shades, and types sat together in stunningly huge vases. Each petal shimmering with the light given off by the hundreds of candles. I look around anxiously, trying to find that one familiar face of my father. I scan all the clumps of company and my eyes finally fall on a familiar face. Though it was not my father, I was at least a little happy that I knew a face. It was Esmeralda. She was wearing a blood-red, skin- tight dress with bunchy sleeves that were tied to her arms in even spots with gold-braided thread. A very interesting, yet beautiful dress. She glares at me through the curly bangs that covered half of her face with tight lips. I smile meekly and wave with my free hand. Esmeralda doesn't wave back. She just takes the cup she was holding in her hand and crushes it. I slowly turn my glance away as not to anger her any longer. There was one more person I didn't see in the crowd that should be.
"Ash," I begin. "Where is your mother?" "She is outside greeting the guests as they come, so she should come in last you'd think." Ash replies. "You don't need to worry about her and her overreactions." "There's one more person I don't see, Ash." I point out. "And who is that?" "I don't see my father." I said. "He's coming, Misty. He replied to our invitation, so he should be." Ash reassured me. The small symphony band started to play over in the corner and I could hear the large wooden doors close behind me. All of the guests had finally arrived and the ball was officially started. "Ash! Oh, Ash!" Ash turned around, but I stayed put. "Hello, Mother." Ash says. I freeze. "You must tell me who you're introducing tonight." Ash's mother says in a frantic yet happy tone. "She must be alluring!"
Ash rests his hand on my shoulder as a small tap. I took it as a signal to turn around and I do so slowly. A loud scream rings throughout the ballroom as Queen Delia throws her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were so big, it looked as if she'd just heard her death wish. Her skin was pale and the whole room was now quiet. I can't bring my eyes to look away from her, but I can feel every other person in the room looking at me. Queen Delia finally takes one hand away from her mouth and moves it gradually towards me. She rests it on my cheek and runs it down and off my chin. She then feels my hair.
"P-p-princess." She stumbles, her chin quivering. She goes to touch my face again. "I'm not a ghost, Queen Delia." I say and then realized that talking might have been a mistake for Queen Delia squeals once more. "Mother!" Ash tries to calm her down. "Oh, Princess!" Queen Delia exclaims and throws her arms around me in a giant hug. Her whole body shook from her sobs. I put my arms around her as well. "Princess . you're . you're alive!" "Yes, I Am." Are the only words I could find. "All these years. All these years!" The queen cries. "I thought you were dead. Nobody knew what had happened to you. And here you are today standing before me. Oh, Misty, I'm so happy to see you alive. But I must force myself to ask. can it be?" "I find myself asking the same thing." I said. "Can it actually be that I am finally here were I was supposed to be to begin with." I hear whispering through the crowd. "Could that really be her?" , "Princess Misty? Princess Waterflower?" , "Everyone in our town heard she was dead."
So this is how it is, I think to myself, everybody thinks I'm dead. I frankly don't blame them. I was missing for three years, isolated from reality. Now, being revealed to what I wasn't aware of, I feel uneasy. My head is light and my vision is getting fuzzy on the edges. I feel I might faint. I close my eyes and swallow hard. Queen Delia lets go of me and wipes the tears from her eyes, then smiles at me. Ash puts me in his one- armed embrace. I rest my head on his shoulder and gently open my eyes, hoping for the dizzy feeling to go away.
Ash takes a deep breath. "Lords and Ladies. Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses. On this very special occasion, I'd like to introduce you all to my bride-to-be. A wonderful woman who has not only captured my heart by my mind and soul as well. Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, the girl whom my heart belongs to, Princess Misty of Waterflower."
An applause slowly grows in the ballroom as Ash lets go of me. I stand there with my hands folded in front of my lap. Some people where 'aww'ing, as if to say, how cute. I glance over at Queen Delia, clapping one hand on top of the other with that teary smile. I start to smile myself. I scan the crowd once more, not able to see Esmeralda anymore. I wonder what she thought about all of this. The King and Queen of Spain where there though. They were talking to each other in that fast Spanish language. They didn't exactly look furious, but their faces where tensely pulled into a forced smile. The clapping ends and the band strikes up again. Ash takes my hands and we begin to dance. Memories were sweeping over me. I could almost see the hors d'oeuvre table that I was going to trip him into. I rest my head on Ash's broad chest and sigh.
"I love you, Ash." "I love you too, Misty."
I smile on the outside, but inside, I still worry.about my father. I do miss him. I really wish to see him again. It's highly possible that he was late. But I wanted him to see me introduced as Ash's bride. I wanted him to be happy that I was his daughter. I wanted him to be proud to say he was my father. Most of all, I wanted to apologize, and give him a kiss on the cheek. I wanted him to say, if only your mother could see you now. I try to clear my mind, as the ball continues on through the night of pure bliss.
