*******Ella*******
I looked in the mirror. My dress was long and silver. The sleeves were so long they trailed on the floor; they were slit from my elbow down. Lucinda had put my bow into a braided bun on top of my head. Tiny white flowers poked out of the braid. I wore a choker with crystal flowers that matched the ones on my head. The small tiara matched also, as did my new mask. I wore the glass slippers on my feet.
"Oh Lucinda! Thank you! Thank you!" I cried, and hugged her.
"You're welcome my sweet. Now you had better leave soon. I'll meet you at the gates at midnight. Good luck!" she waved and I was twirled around and around and landed right outside the palace gates. I walked in and gulped. My head came back to me and I realized it was a mistake to be there. Char would see me for sure! I began to panic, unable to move. I had to get out! I turned back to the door. "Would you like to dance?" An old Lord asked me. "It would be my pleasure," I said calmly. He took my hand and led me to the dance floor. While we danced he told me how rich he was. I pretended to be interested but I couldn't help but look out for my dear Char. I was grateful when the dance ended and I could sneak away. "Thank you, My Lord," I curtsied and walked away. I stood by the wall and searched the room for Char. I craned my neck to see if he was dancing with someone. I jumped when someone from behind me spoke. "Are you a lady or a swan?" I turned on my glass heels. I was face to face with a lad about my age, "Swan? I am looking for a friend. It was not your business to comment and I'll ask you to apologize." He laughed, "I'm sorry. I actually came over here to ask you to dance, if you're not too offended." Well he was no gentleman but still, there was something charming about him, "I suppose you can have the privilege of dancing with me." He led me out to the dance floor, "I'm sorry I called you a swan. You are, no doubt, a peacock, for only a peacock could be as proud as you." "You don't talk to a lot of women do you? You're certainly not a flatterer," I told him. "Which would you prefer, the words of an honest man or that of a deceiving flatterer?" "I would prefer being told the name of my ridiculer." He smiled, "Matthew of Frell. I meant no offense, my Lady." I smiled back, "I'm Ella, also of Frell." "What is wrong, Ella?" he asked concerned. My heart had skipped a beat. My name! I had told him my name! And that I lived in Frell. How had my tongue been so loose? I had to do something. Quick! "But. but most people call me Elle. I spent some time in Ayortha and the name stuck. Please call me Elle." "As you wish, Elle of Frell. Did you hear that bell? What a funny smell," he winked at me. "How many lucky girls get to dance with a poet?" I asked, "Have you written any real poems?" "A few. I'm a painter mostly but every now and then I'll put a few words on paper," he said, modestly. "Fascinating!" Matthew was much more interesting than my previous dance partner. I stared into his dreamy eyes and listened to him talk about his profession.
I looked in the mirror. My dress was long and silver. The sleeves were so long they trailed on the floor; they were slit from my elbow down. Lucinda had put my bow into a braided bun on top of my head. Tiny white flowers poked out of the braid. I wore a choker with crystal flowers that matched the ones on my head. The small tiara matched also, as did my new mask. I wore the glass slippers on my feet.
"Oh Lucinda! Thank you! Thank you!" I cried, and hugged her.
"You're welcome my sweet. Now you had better leave soon. I'll meet you at the gates at midnight. Good luck!" she waved and I was twirled around and around and landed right outside the palace gates. I walked in and gulped. My head came back to me and I realized it was a mistake to be there. Char would see me for sure! I began to panic, unable to move. I had to get out! I turned back to the door. "Would you like to dance?" An old Lord asked me. "It would be my pleasure," I said calmly. He took my hand and led me to the dance floor. While we danced he told me how rich he was. I pretended to be interested but I couldn't help but look out for my dear Char. I was grateful when the dance ended and I could sneak away. "Thank you, My Lord," I curtsied and walked away. I stood by the wall and searched the room for Char. I craned my neck to see if he was dancing with someone. I jumped when someone from behind me spoke. "Are you a lady or a swan?" I turned on my glass heels. I was face to face with a lad about my age, "Swan? I am looking for a friend. It was not your business to comment and I'll ask you to apologize." He laughed, "I'm sorry. I actually came over here to ask you to dance, if you're not too offended." Well he was no gentleman but still, there was something charming about him, "I suppose you can have the privilege of dancing with me." He led me out to the dance floor, "I'm sorry I called you a swan. You are, no doubt, a peacock, for only a peacock could be as proud as you." "You don't talk to a lot of women do you? You're certainly not a flatterer," I told him. "Which would you prefer, the words of an honest man or that of a deceiving flatterer?" "I would prefer being told the name of my ridiculer." He smiled, "Matthew of Frell. I meant no offense, my Lady." I smiled back, "I'm Ella, also of Frell." "What is wrong, Ella?" he asked concerned. My heart had skipped a beat. My name! I had told him my name! And that I lived in Frell. How had my tongue been so loose? I had to do something. Quick! "But. but most people call me Elle. I spent some time in Ayortha and the name stuck. Please call me Elle." "As you wish, Elle of Frell. Did you hear that bell? What a funny smell," he winked at me. "How many lucky girls get to dance with a poet?" I asked, "Have you written any real poems?" "A few. I'm a painter mostly but every now and then I'll put a few words on paper," he said, modestly. "Fascinating!" Matthew was much more interesting than my previous dance partner. I stared into his dreamy eyes and listened to him talk about his profession.