A/N: I had to split the fifth chapter into 2 parts, because otherwise
Fanfiction wouldn't let me upload it for I don't know what reason. ??
Anyway, thank you for all of the helpful and kind reviews! I like seeing
what other people think. =) I was also kind of re-thinking my decision to
skip all of that stuff that happens after the menagerie, but its too late
to turn back now. Oh well. (Characters belong to Gail Carson Levine, etc.)
- - - HOMECOMING - - -
The remaining six months of my stay at Ayortha dragged by without much event. Without Ella's letters to entertain me, the rest of my stay was excruciatingly boring. I often wished that I could go out among the common Ayorthaian folk, but duty kept me in the company of the nobles, who always had very (very!) little to say.
I was so lonely, and without a friend to talk to, I longed for home more than anything. Even if it would bring me closer to Ella and possibly more heartache than I could deal with.
And so, I managed to cope with the endless array of Ayorthaian banquets, counsels, and occasional sings, even if through them all I felt like I was half-asleep, or in a waking dream. It seemed like my life was not whole without Ella in it. Even if she was just writing me letters. But I had to keep reminding myself:
"No, Char. That Ella that you knew, she was not real. She didn't exist. Stop torturing yourself. Forget her."
No matter how many times I told myself this, I couldn't forget her. No matter what. It seemed that I was doomed to have the ghost of Ella haunt me forever.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -
I woke with a start, in my own bed, in my own chamber, in my father's palace in Kyrria. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My heart was beating like a drum.
I was home. I had forgotten where I was. We had arrived at the palace late last night, to my utter relief. The long stay at Ayorthaian court was over.
But oh, what a nightmare.
I had been walking through the menagerie, and I saw Ella, playing with a baby centaur colt. She had been smiling happily (it hurt so much to remember her smile), petting its mane and feeding it pieces of an apple. I had walked up to her, sat down, and she looked at me. I blurted out that I loved her, and she began to change. She turned into an ogre, right before my eyes. "Do you love me now?" she had shrieked, and then she lunged at me.
I sat in my bed a little bit, letting my breathing return to normal. I hated these recurrent nightmares. I was never going to escape her, she was even going to torture me in my dreams!
I started to get out of bed, and then I remembered. Tomorrow was the first of three balls held in honor of my homecoming. . . and during one of the three days, I would also supposedly choose a bride. I groaned, and rubbed my temples. How was I going to deal with all of those fawning maidens, oozing admiration? (I've never understood that, and never will, frankly.) I reluctantly got out of bed, stretched, and donned my everyday tunic. I was not looking forward to all of the preparations involved with these balls. My mother was surely going to keep me busy all morning and afternoon with the fitting of my tunic and whatnot.
"Char, darling!" My mother, Queen Daria, entered my chamber. Her skirts and robes swished as she hurried across the room. She threw her arms about me and squeezed me tightly in a warm, motherly hug. "I'm so glad you're home, dear. Your father and I have missed you so!"
I returned the hug, although she had already smothered me with hugs the night before when I had first arrived home.
"I missed you too, Mother."
After an extra squeeze, she released me. "Are you ready to prepare for your ball? The royal seamstress is waiting to fit you for your tunic. I hope you like blue, it makes you look so dashing, dear."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, Mother."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - HOMECOMING - - -
The remaining six months of my stay at Ayortha dragged by without much event. Without Ella's letters to entertain me, the rest of my stay was excruciatingly boring. I often wished that I could go out among the common Ayorthaian folk, but duty kept me in the company of the nobles, who always had very (very!) little to say.
I was so lonely, and without a friend to talk to, I longed for home more than anything. Even if it would bring me closer to Ella and possibly more heartache than I could deal with.
And so, I managed to cope with the endless array of Ayorthaian banquets, counsels, and occasional sings, even if through them all I felt like I was half-asleep, or in a waking dream. It seemed like my life was not whole without Ella in it. Even if she was just writing me letters. But I had to keep reminding myself:
"No, Char. That Ella that you knew, she was not real. She didn't exist. Stop torturing yourself. Forget her."
No matter how many times I told myself this, I couldn't forget her. No matter what. It seemed that I was doomed to have the ghost of Ella haunt me forever.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -
I woke with a start, in my own bed, in my own chamber, in my father's palace in Kyrria. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My heart was beating like a drum.
I was home. I had forgotten where I was. We had arrived at the palace late last night, to my utter relief. The long stay at Ayorthaian court was over.
But oh, what a nightmare.
I had been walking through the menagerie, and I saw Ella, playing with a baby centaur colt. She had been smiling happily (it hurt so much to remember her smile), petting its mane and feeding it pieces of an apple. I had walked up to her, sat down, and she looked at me. I blurted out that I loved her, and she began to change. She turned into an ogre, right before my eyes. "Do you love me now?" she had shrieked, and then she lunged at me.
I sat in my bed a little bit, letting my breathing return to normal. I hated these recurrent nightmares. I was never going to escape her, she was even going to torture me in my dreams!
I started to get out of bed, and then I remembered. Tomorrow was the first of three balls held in honor of my homecoming. . . and during one of the three days, I would also supposedly choose a bride. I groaned, and rubbed my temples. How was I going to deal with all of those fawning maidens, oozing admiration? (I've never understood that, and never will, frankly.) I reluctantly got out of bed, stretched, and donned my everyday tunic. I was not looking forward to all of the preparations involved with these balls. My mother was surely going to keep me busy all morning and afternoon with the fitting of my tunic and whatnot.
"Char, darling!" My mother, Queen Daria, entered my chamber. Her skirts and robes swished as she hurried across the room. She threw her arms about me and squeezed me tightly in a warm, motherly hug. "I'm so glad you're home, dear. Your father and I have missed you so!"
I returned the hug, although she had already smothered me with hugs the night before when I had first arrived home.
"I missed you too, Mother."
After an extra squeeze, she released me. "Are you ready to prepare for your ball? The royal seamstress is waiting to fit you for your tunic. I hope you like blue, it makes you look so dashing, dear."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, Mother."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -