*******Lela*******
A butler entered my room later that night, "His highness, Prince Charmont wishes your company on the grounds."
"Please tell him I will join him in a moment," I replied.
When the butler had left I changed into a different dress. It was lavender with embroidered flowers along the bottom and sleeves. I looked at myself in the mirror. I would tell him now. I wouldn't let him woo me. I had to do it. I left my room and made for the grand entrance.
Char smiled at me as I approached, "Lela, how nice to see you."
"How was your dinner?" I asked.
"Dreadful. Madame Olga and her daughter Hattie are simply wretched. I've come to like Miss Olive though, she's a rather amusing simpleton. But let us not discuss it further."
"Whatever you wish, Char, I simply asked out of politeness. Now there is something I have to tell you."
"And I have something to tell you too. Just a moment," he led me to the old palace. We went inside and I followed him up to a high tower.
"Char I really need to tell you this," I said, almost ready to scream the truth at him.
"Let me go first, please. Ever since we met at the ball I have loved you. I have loved everything about you. I know we have not really had that much time together since the balls but I fell in love with you at the balls so I don't need to know anything else to know that you are the one for me. Lela I love you with all my heart. Please be my bride," he knelt and held a diamond ring out to me.
I had been crying since the beginning of his little speech. I wiped the tears from my eyes, "No Char, you do not love me with all your heart. You do not love me at all. I'm not who you think. I am Lela, yes, but I am the daughter of a poor farmer and seamstress. We are farmhands in the city of Bast. I was not at any of your royal balls, my Aunt Lily was. She and my mother forced me to pretend I was the Lela you danced with. Family honor and duty is very important in Bast. I didn't want to do this. I am sorry. I cannot marry you, you are in love with the masked dancer and I am not her."
"What do you mean you are not her? You look just like her! You live in Bast! How could you not be her!" he cried.
"Char, I am sorry, I should not have led you on like this. It was terrible of me to toy with your heart. I am sorry."
"Leave me. Pack your bags. I will have Sir Stephan escort you to Bast in the morning."
"Yes your highness. Farewell." I left the tower and went back to my room. I threw myself on the bed and cried. What had I done? Char was a good friend and I had ruined it. He had right to be upset, and he was justified if he never wanted to see me again. I just wished there was something I could do to make it up to him. But there was nothing. Char would most likely never love again. His heart had been played too many times. Oh what had I done?
A butler entered my room later that night, "His highness, Prince Charmont wishes your company on the grounds."
"Please tell him I will join him in a moment," I replied.
When the butler had left I changed into a different dress. It was lavender with embroidered flowers along the bottom and sleeves. I looked at myself in the mirror. I would tell him now. I wouldn't let him woo me. I had to do it. I left my room and made for the grand entrance.
Char smiled at me as I approached, "Lela, how nice to see you."
"How was your dinner?" I asked.
"Dreadful. Madame Olga and her daughter Hattie are simply wretched. I've come to like Miss Olive though, she's a rather amusing simpleton. But let us not discuss it further."
"Whatever you wish, Char, I simply asked out of politeness. Now there is something I have to tell you."
"And I have something to tell you too. Just a moment," he led me to the old palace. We went inside and I followed him up to a high tower.
"Char I really need to tell you this," I said, almost ready to scream the truth at him.
"Let me go first, please. Ever since we met at the ball I have loved you. I have loved everything about you. I know we have not really had that much time together since the balls but I fell in love with you at the balls so I don't need to know anything else to know that you are the one for me. Lela I love you with all my heart. Please be my bride," he knelt and held a diamond ring out to me.
I had been crying since the beginning of his little speech. I wiped the tears from my eyes, "No Char, you do not love me with all your heart. You do not love me at all. I'm not who you think. I am Lela, yes, but I am the daughter of a poor farmer and seamstress. We are farmhands in the city of Bast. I was not at any of your royal balls, my Aunt Lily was. She and my mother forced me to pretend I was the Lela you danced with. Family honor and duty is very important in Bast. I didn't want to do this. I am sorry. I cannot marry you, you are in love with the masked dancer and I am not her."
"What do you mean you are not her? You look just like her! You live in Bast! How could you not be her!" he cried.
"Char, I am sorry, I should not have led you on like this. It was terrible of me to toy with your heart. I am sorry."
"Leave me. Pack your bags. I will have Sir Stephan escort you to Bast in the morning."
"Yes your highness. Farewell." I left the tower and went back to my room. I threw myself on the bed and cried. What had I done? Char was a good friend and I had ruined it. He had right to be upset, and he was justified if he never wanted to see me again. I just wished there was something I could do to make it up to him. But there was nothing. Char would most likely never love again. His heart had been played too many times. Oh what had I done?