********Ella********
I opened the magic book to a story. It was about Snow White. I read it quickly; I wasn't in the mood for stories. On the next page was a picture. It was of a beautiful faerie. I looked closer and realized it was a young Mandy! She was sitting on a bench in tears. She must have been waiting for Drakin to return. He had really hurt her then, but now? Could she ever forgive him? It would make her so happy!
I turned the page. It was an invitation to Char's birthday ball. It was to be a masquerade. I knew he wanted to meet me there; the masked dancer. I knew he wanted to find out my true identity. I knew he and Lela had cooked it up together. I knew I couldn't go. But I knew I wanted to.
I turned the page again. It was a picture of Char. He was standing in a tower of the old palace. It was the tower we had found my slippers in. He stood looking over the kingdom. He looked sad and lonesome. I ran my finger over his hair.
"Oh Char, I wish this curse had never been placed on me. I wish I could run to you now. I wish." the tears began to fall.
I must have fallen asleep because I was awoken by a soft touch on my shoulder and a soft voice whispering, "Tell me your woes."
I sat up, expecting to see Mandy, but instead, "Lucinda!"
"Hello darling. What is the matter?" she asked, concerned.
I couldn't help it, it all came pouring out. I told her everything. I told her about the ball, I told her about Lela, I told her how much I wanted to go. She just sat there, hugging me and listening.
When I had told her everything she said, "I think you should go."
I moved out of her grasp, "What? I can't! He'll be looking for me!"
"If I change your mask and give you a new dress, yes," she seemed to be plotting it all out, she began circling me, "Besides, you wouldn't make the mistake of dancing with him again. Darling, it will be fine. Trust me."
All reason left me. Lucinda was going to get me to the ball! I jumped up and hugged her. I couldn't wait. The ball was in two days. I was so excited!
"Well Drakin's coming so I'd better leave. Tata Ella dear!" She vanished.
"Wait!" Drakin! Mandy! They'd never let me go. I had to think of something. Just then the door opened and they both came in. That gave me an idea.
"Mandy, did you bring me some of your chicken soup?" I asked.
"No, did you want some?" she asked.
"Well my ears have been ringing and my throat hurts," I lied.
"Well I'd better make some," she said, feeling my forehead for fever.
"I can make it," Drakin offered.
"Don't be silly, I specialize in healing. I'll be back in a moment, it just so happens Hattie isn't feeling well either and I made her some. It's bubbling on the stove now," she disappeared.
"Drakin, I think you should take her back to the star park. It's obvious she still has feelings for you! I can make sure she isn't busy say, two nights from now, and you can take her!"
"I don't know," he said, looking at his feet.
"It's worth a shot. You're both suffering and it isn't worth it, trust me I should know."
"You really think she'll agree?"
"Well you shouldn't come right out and say you want to take her there. Be sly about it."
"Well."
Mandy reappeared with a steaming bowl of soup. I sat down and began to eat it. I winked at Drakin. He smiled at me and then turned to Mandy.
"Mandy, a bunch of the faeries are going out in a couple days. Why don't we go and join them."
"I haven't heard about it," Mandy said.
"Well its sort of a 'tell your friends' thing. What do you say?"
"Well why not, that is if you feel like you can take care of yourself, Lady," she said, turning to me.
"Oh of course! I'll probably just take a nice long nap," I said, yawning.
"All right then, I'll meet you here in two days did you say?" she asked.
"Right. Now if you're not feeling well we'd best leave you alone," Drakin said, leaving the room.
Mandy followed him out. Everything would be perfect. I could go to the ball and see Char again. I finished the soup and went back to sleep.
I opened the magic book to a story. It was about Snow White. I read it quickly; I wasn't in the mood for stories. On the next page was a picture. It was of a beautiful faerie. I looked closer and realized it was a young Mandy! She was sitting on a bench in tears. She must have been waiting for Drakin to return. He had really hurt her then, but now? Could she ever forgive him? It would make her so happy!
I turned the page. It was an invitation to Char's birthday ball. It was to be a masquerade. I knew he wanted to meet me there; the masked dancer. I knew he wanted to find out my true identity. I knew he and Lela had cooked it up together. I knew I couldn't go. But I knew I wanted to.
I turned the page again. It was a picture of Char. He was standing in a tower of the old palace. It was the tower we had found my slippers in. He stood looking over the kingdom. He looked sad and lonesome. I ran my finger over his hair.
"Oh Char, I wish this curse had never been placed on me. I wish I could run to you now. I wish." the tears began to fall.
I must have fallen asleep because I was awoken by a soft touch on my shoulder and a soft voice whispering, "Tell me your woes."
I sat up, expecting to see Mandy, but instead, "Lucinda!"
"Hello darling. What is the matter?" she asked, concerned.
I couldn't help it, it all came pouring out. I told her everything. I told her about the ball, I told her about Lela, I told her how much I wanted to go. She just sat there, hugging me and listening.
When I had told her everything she said, "I think you should go."
I moved out of her grasp, "What? I can't! He'll be looking for me!"
"If I change your mask and give you a new dress, yes," she seemed to be plotting it all out, she began circling me, "Besides, you wouldn't make the mistake of dancing with him again. Darling, it will be fine. Trust me."
All reason left me. Lucinda was going to get me to the ball! I jumped up and hugged her. I couldn't wait. The ball was in two days. I was so excited!
"Well Drakin's coming so I'd better leave. Tata Ella dear!" She vanished.
"Wait!" Drakin! Mandy! They'd never let me go. I had to think of something. Just then the door opened and they both came in. That gave me an idea.
"Mandy, did you bring me some of your chicken soup?" I asked.
"No, did you want some?" she asked.
"Well my ears have been ringing and my throat hurts," I lied.
"Well I'd better make some," she said, feeling my forehead for fever.
"I can make it," Drakin offered.
"Don't be silly, I specialize in healing. I'll be back in a moment, it just so happens Hattie isn't feeling well either and I made her some. It's bubbling on the stove now," she disappeared.
"Drakin, I think you should take her back to the star park. It's obvious she still has feelings for you! I can make sure she isn't busy say, two nights from now, and you can take her!"
"I don't know," he said, looking at his feet.
"It's worth a shot. You're both suffering and it isn't worth it, trust me I should know."
"You really think she'll agree?"
"Well you shouldn't come right out and say you want to take her there. Be sly about it."
"Well."
Mandy reappeared with a steaming bowl of soup. I sat down and began to eat it. I winked at Drakin. He smiled at me and then turned to Mandy.
"Mandy, a bunch of the faeries are going out in a couple days. Why don't we go and join them."
"I haven't heard about it," Mandy said.
"Well its sort of a 'tell your friends' thing. What do you say?"
"Well why not, that is if you feel like you can take care of yourself, Lady," she said, turning to me.
"Oh of course! I'll probably just take a nice long nap," I said, yawning.
"All right then, I'll meet you here in two days did you say?" she asked.
"Right. Now if you're not feeling well we'd best leave you alone," Drakin said, leaving the room.
Mandy followed him out. Everything would be perfect. I could go to the ball and see Char again. I finished the soup and went back to sleep.