*******Lela*******
The door swung open and Aunt Lily burst inside. She looked out of breath and she nearly collapsed on the chair across from Mother and me. It took her a moment to regain her composure and then she turned to us. She gasped.
"Lela! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I live here," I said, looking at Mother to see if she knew what was going on, she shrugged.
"How did you get home before me? I left right after I heard the news! Why didn't you tell me you were going? We could have gone together! I tried to corner you of course. I wanted to talk to you but I didn't want to interrupt you and the prince. He's quite taken with you, you know. I heard it the morning after the ball. He's coming here to Bast to make you his bride!" she said, jumping in excitement.
I froze. The wool I had been carding fell out of my hands. What was she talking about? Aunt Lily is a terrible gossip and she was known to add to stories but the prince wanting to marry me?
"What on earth are you talking about?" Mother asked.
"You mean Lela hasn't told you? She danced with Prince Charmont the whole of the three balls!"
"But I didn't go to the balls," I said.
She stared at me, "What do you mean? I saw you. You were wearing that mask the entire time. You danced with the prince. Didn't you?"
"Lela has been here at home for the last nine days. She didn't go to Frell."
"But Prince Charmont is coming here in a week to ask you to be his bride! Lela, you were born into a poor family. This could be the answer to all our problems!" Aunt Lily cried.
I could see the greed in Mother's eyes, "Yes dear. When the prince comes you mustn't let him know you weren't there. Lily, tell us everything. We only have a week to make Lela the girl the prince danced with."
"But I don't know if I want to marry the prince!" I said.
"Oh honestly Lela! Do this for your family!" Mother cried, "So what happened, Lily?"
"Well first she, I mean you, arrived in an orange carriage."
The door swung open and Aunt Lily burst inside. She looked out of breath and she nearly collapsed on the chair across from Mother and me. It took her a moment to regain her composure and then she turned to us. She gasped.
"Lela! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I live here," I said, looking at Mother to see if she knew what was going on, she shrugged.
"How did you get home before me? I left right after I heard the news! Why didn't you tell me you were going? We could have gone together! I tried to corner you of course. I wanted to talk to you but I didn't want to interrupt you and the prince. He's quite taken with you, you know. I heard it the morning after the ball. He's coming here to Bast to make you his bride!" she said, jumping in excitement.
I froze. The wool I had been carding fell out of my hands. What was she talking about? Aunt Lily is a terrible gossip and she was known to add to stories but the prince wanting to marry me?
"What on earth are you talking about?" Mother asked.
"You mean Lela hasn't told you? She danced with Prince Charmont the whole of the three balls!"
"But I didn't go to the balls," I said.
She stared at me, "What do you mean? I saw you. You were wearing that mask the entire time. You danced with the prince. Didn't you?"
"Lela has been here at home for the last nine days. She didn't go to Frell."
"But Prince Charmont is coming here in a week to ask you to be his bride! Lela, you were born into a poor family. This could be the answer to all our problems!" Aunt Lily cried.
I could see the greed in Mother's eyes, "Yes dear. When the prince comes you mustn't let him know you weren't there. Lily, tell us everything. We only have a week to make Lela the girl the prince danced with."
"But I don't know if I want to marry the prince!" I said.
"Oh honestly Lela! Do this for your family!" Mother cried, "So what happened, Lily?"
"Well first she, I mean you, arrived in an orange carriage."