Discalimer: the bits of fairy tales that you recognize aren't mine, what you don't recognize as anything already written/published/copyrighted is. :o) on with the story!
"What have you done to him?" I looked up the spear that was pointing at me and whimpered.
"T-t-to who?" I shrank back, terrified of the sharp metal object that was inching ever closer to my throat.
"The Prince!" The man holding the spear said this as if I should have known.
"Which Prince?" I was so bold as to ask.
"Prince Cedric, of course! He's the one lying there and not waking up!" The armed man poked me with the tip of the spear.
"Cedric! Is he dead?" I tried to see, but the man was in my way, and blocking me from everything else in the tower room.
"I don't know!" he glowered at me, "But you would, wouldn't you?"
"N-no," I stuttered. "Can I see him?"
"If you promise to undo what you did. It's been half a day since he came in." The man let me get up and walk over to Cedric.
He was lying there, in all his handsome splendor. A lock of raven hair had settled across his forehead in an untidy fashion. His lips were parted slightly. He looked like a dream.
I stared at him disinterestedly. "He looks like he's sleeping," I commented. Seemingly to punctuate my statement, Cedric snored long and loud. "See?" I said in a tone that said 'I-told-you-so'.
"Then wake him up," the guard growled at me.
I rolled my eyes and shook Cedric's shoulder. He only snored louder. I bit my lip in panic. I shook him harder, and whispered, "Cedric!" I leaned in closer to his ear, "Cedric!" I said a bit louder.
The guardsman chuckled behind me, "I knew you couldn't do it, at least, not without your magic," he chuckled darkly, and whacked me on the back.
I'm pretty sure it was meant to be a pat, but it was of no consequence. The force of the blow sent me careening into Cedric.
My lips touched his ear.
Cedric opened his green eyes and yawned. "Well, how long was it- Sparrow!" His eyes opened wide in surprise. I wondered why, until I noticed the position we were in.
I was lying on top of him, my arms around his neck from trying to break my fall.
"Erm," I stuttered embarrassedly. I pushed myself off of Cedric and glared at the guardsman. "Sorry, your highness."
"Sparrow, just don't do it again," Cedric said with a sigh. I scrambled back over to my cot with a nod and curled up there. We sat in silence for a few minutes until the guardsman returned, even though I hadn't seen him leave.
He returned with a majestic woman.
"Cedric my darling! I was so afraid for you! Asleep for hours under her spell, witch." The woman glowered at me.
"Mother, calm down, I'm fine." Cedric placed a placating hand on her arm.
"Humph." The Queen said derisively, although she did not pursue the matter. "Guardsman!"
The man walked over and bowed, "Yes, my Queen?"
"Take this prisoner," she spat in disgust, "To my daughter Eleanora's chambers. Make certain that you retain full guard over her." The Queen waved her hand imperiously.
"Come here, prisoner!" The guard motioned for me. I went.
"Sparrow-" Cedric made a move to get up, but his mother pushed him back down.
"Don't move until I have had the Healer ascertain that you are healthy." Cedric rolled his eyes and sat back stiffly.
Trembling, I got up and walked over to the man at arms. "Don't hurt me," I muttered under my breath. He tied my hands together with rope so tightly that I squirmed in pain.
"Stop moving!" My efforts to get comfortable earned me a slap upside the head. Next came my ankles. By the time the man was through, I couldn't stand, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. It was altogether uncomfortable.
I held my silence, under glares from the Queen, curious glances from the Prince, and leers from the guardsman.
The guardsman picked me up and carried me down a winding flight of stairs. With every step he took, his shoulder blade dug into my shoulder, and I gasped. It seemed to take an eternity until we got to Eleanora's rooms.
"Oh! My prisoner!" Eleanora fluttered around the room, while the guard still held me on his shoulder. I could feel all the blood rushing to my head. Spots started to explode before my eyes.
I was dropped on the floor with a thump that jerked me back to reality.
"Mmph!" I said in protest.
"Shove it," came the reply.
"Guard! Untie her at once!" Eleanora demanded loudly. I waited patiently as he cut the ropes that bound me. The last thing to come off was the gag, and I made sure to spit insolently in the guardsman's face.
"Hey!" He cursed and swiped at me. I looked innocently at him
"That's enough of that!" Eleanora said primly as she dragged me to my feet. "Stand there." She turned to the guard and said pointedly, "You're dismissed."
I was standing on a block of wood. It held me about a foot off the ground. "Um," I murmured, "What're you going to do with me?"
"Never you mind that!" Eleanora twittered happily. I didn't like the sound of that. "Ladies!" she called in a singsong voice.
Instantly, four determined looking women surrounded me. I smiled weakly at them, but they only glared back.
First they took my measurements, making choice comments at everything.
"My what a small waist, is she anorexic?" or: "What thin hips! Are you sure she's a girl?" I was back to the gender problem again.
Another favorite was: "A small bust line: she's either a he or still a child." Well, I was fairly certain that I wasn't a male, and I had turned seventeen earlier that spring, so I figured that I wasn't a child either.
"She certainly has long arms; I wonder if she's an ape?" I just forced a smiled a tried not to kick them.
In a few hours, they had the dress I was to wear for the ball.
It was a dark green, and very simple, and yet elegant. I loved it. I had never worn a dress before. I had always just run about wild with the boys, in their kinds of clothes.
Now I had a dress. I was all-powerful. I was feminine.
"OW!" One of the seamstresses had jabbed me with one of her pins. She giggled dementedly. A few minutes later, another one did it. I cursed at her until Eleanora intervened.
"Now, now," she trilled, "That's no way for a lady to behave."
I grumbled and made a face. She just laughed. Therefore, I endured the pin pricking for another hour before the dress was complete and properly fitted. In the end, it was all worth it.
"Oh you look beautiful! Now, for the other dress," I blanched. Another dress?
"M-m-more?"
"Of course silly!" Eleanora giggled. "This one will be black, I think."
Another two hours, this time, of pinpricking. No, it was more like stabbing. I was in pain, and no longer smiling when the next marathon session of dress fitting went on.
In the end, I looked good.
From listening to the small talk of the seamstresses, I gleaned that Alejandro would become King right after the ball, at twelve midnight precisely. I was to be presented to him as a gift from Eleanora. I also learned that the ball was tonight.
I was redressed in the green dress after a long, hot bath. It felt good to be clean again.
Eleanora did what she could with my shoulder length hair. She swept it into a simple knot at the nape of my neck. She left one tendril hanging down on the side of my face.
She put face paint on me as well, red lip paint, a light line of kohl around my eyes, and grey eye shadow. She brushed my cheeks with rouge. For the final touch, she twisted emeralds into my hair.
I managed to walk over to the mirror without tripping. I looked at my reflection. I looked stunning. Not to sound conceited, but I did. Eleanora had done her job well. I looked somehow older and more sophisticated. In short, I was beautiful.
I whirled around, and stubbed my bare toe on a chair. I cursed under my breath and hopped up and down.
"Oh! You need shoes! Of course!" Eleanora brought out a pair of tiny shoes that were completely transparent.
"What are those?" I asked dubiously.
"Diamond shoes. Shoes made of the purest diamonds." She said proudly. "They have been in the family for generations, and they're priceless."
"Then why are you letting me wear them?" I raised one eyebrow ever so slightly.
"Because the Foreseer said you should." Well, that explained it. The people here seemed to be at the beck and call of a woman in a mirror. I slipped one shoe on my foot and stood on it gingerly. I put the other one on and walked daintily across the room to a comfortable chair. As soon as I sat down, Eleanora smiled.
"Don't sit down! It's time to go! It's half past the eighth hour already!" So I stood up and walked over to her as if I were on hot coals.
"Alright, then, let's go." I was surprised that I was still upright. "Are you sure that these things won't break?" I asked her, motioning toward my feet.
"Of course they won't! They're diamonds! Hardest thing known to humans you know." She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come on!"
I was going to a Lamaran Royal Ball. Me, a Syrlandan peasant!
a/n: next chapter here...i know it wasn't a whole lot of action, but i think you will be satisfied in the next few chapters. for all of you who read my warning: have no fear, empty threat.
oooh i love writing!!!!!! would any of you like to see a certain something in this story? you have three wishes...well probably a whole lot more than 3, but anyway....review it please! tell me what you think. good/bad are both welcome. i now have 36 mw pages!!!! happy happy!!!
now reviewreviewreviewreview!!!!!!
(o:Review!!! All!!!! :o)
(you can press that little button down there some where...)
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"What have you done to him?" I looked up the spear that was pointing at me and whimpered.
"T-t-to who?" I shrank back, terrified of the sharp metal object that was inching ever closer to my throat.
"The Prince!" The man holding the spear said this as if I should have known.
"Which Prince?" I was so bold as to ask.
"Prince Cedric, of course! He's the one lying there and not waking up!" The armed man poked me with the tip of the spear.
"Cedric! Is he dead?" I tried to see, but the man was in my way, and blocking me from everything else in the tower room.
"I don't know!" he glowered at me, "But you would, wouldn't you?"
"N-no," I stuttered. "Can I see him?"
"If you promise to undo what you did. It's been half a day since he came in." The man let me get up and walk over to Cedric.
He was lying there, in all his handsome splendor. A lock of raven hair had settled across his forehead in an untidy fashion. His lips were parted slightly. He looked like a dream.
I stared at him disinterestedly. "He looks like he's sleeping," I commented. Seemingly to punctuate my statement, Cedric snored long and loud. "See?" I said in a tone that said 'I-told-you-so'.
"Then wake him up," the guard growled at me.
I rolled my eyes and shook Cedric's shoulder. He only snored louder. I bit my lip in panic. I shook him harder, and whispered, "Cedric!" I leaned in closer to his ear, "Cedric!" I said a bit louder.
The guardsman chuckled behind me, "I knew you couldn't do it, at least, not without your magic," he chuckled darkly, and whacked me on the back.
I'm pretty sure it was meant to be a pat, but it was of no consequence. The force of the blow sent me careening into Cedric.
My lips touched his ear.
Cedric opened his green eyes and yawned. "Well, how long was it- Sparrow!" His eyes opened wide in surprise. I wondered why, until I noticed the position we were in.
I was lying on top of him, my arms around his neck from trying to break my fall.
"Erm," I stuttered embarrassedly. I pushed myself off of Cedric and glared at the guardsman. "Sorry, your highness."
"Sparrow, just don't do it again," Cedric said with a sigh. I scrambled back over to my cot with a nod and curled up there. We sat in silence for a few minutes until the guardsman returned, even though I hadn't seen him leave.
He returned with a majestic woman.
"Cedric my darling! I was so afraid for you! Asleep for hours under her spell, witch." The woman glowered at me.
"Mother, calm down, I'm fine." Cedric placed a placating hand on her arm.
"Humph." The Queen said derisively, although she did not pursue the matter. "Guardsman!"
The man walked over and bowed, "Yes, my Queen?"
"Take this prisoner," she spat in disgust, "To my daughter Eleanora's chambers. Make certain that you retain full guard over her." The Queen waved her hand imperiously.
"Come here, prisoner!" The guard motioned for me. I went.
"Sparrow-" Cedric made a move to get up, but his mother pushed him back down.
"Don't move until I have had the Healer ascertain that you are healthy." Cedric rolled his eyes and sat back stiffly.
Trembling, I got up and walked over to the man at arms. "Don't hurt me," I muttered under my breath. He tied my hands together with rope so tightly that I squirmed in pain.
"Stop moving!" My efforts to get comfortable earned me a slap upside the head. Next came my ankles. By the time the man was through, I couldn't stand, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. It was altogether uncomfortable.
I held my silence, under glares from the Queen, curious glances from the Prince, and leers from the guardsman.
The guardsman picked me up and carried me down a winding flight of stairs. With every step he took, his shoulder blade dug into my shoulder, and I gasped. It seemed to take an eternity until we got to Eleanora's rooms.
"Oh! My prisoner!" Eleanora fluttered around the room, while the guard still held me on his shoulder. I could feel all the blood rushing to my head. Spots started to explode before my eyes.
I was dropped on the floor with a thump that jerked me back to reality.
"Mmph!" I said in protest.
"Shove it," came the reply.
"Guard! Untie her at once!" Eleanora demanded loudly. I waited patiently as he cut the ropes that bound me. The last thing to come off was the gag, and I made sure to spit insolently in the guardsman's face.
"Hey!" He cursed and swiped at me. I looked innocently at him
"That's enough of that!" Eleanora said primly as she dragged me to my feet. "Stand there." She turned to the guard and said pointedly, "You're dismissed."
I was standing on a block of wood. It held me about a foot off the ground. "Um," I murmured, "What're you going to do with me?"
"Never you mind that!" Eleanora twittered happily. I didn't like the sound of that. "Ladies!" she called in a singsong voice.
Instantly, four determined looking women surrounded me. I smiled weakly at them, but they only glared back.
First they took my measurements, making choice comments at everything.
"My what a small waist, is she anorexic?" or: "What thin hips! Are you sure she's a girl?" I was back to the gender problem again.
Another favorite was: "A small bust line: she's either a he or still a child." Well, I was fairly certain that I wasn't a male, and I had turned seventeen earlier that spring, so I figured that I wasn't a child either.
"She certainly has long arms; I wonder if she's an ape?" I just forced a smiled a tried not to kick them.
In a few hours, they had the dress I was to wear for the ball.
It was a dark green, and very simple, and yet elegant. I loved it. I had never worn a dress before. I had always just run about wild with the boys, in their kinds of clothes.
Now I had a dress. I was all-powerful. I was feminine.
"OW!" One of the seamstresses had jabbed me with one of her pins. She giggled dementedly. A few minutes later, another one did it. I cursed at her until Eleanora intervened.
"Now, now," she trilled, "That's no way for a lady to behave."
I grumbled and made a face. She just laughed. Therefore, I endured the pin pricking for another hour before the dress was complete and properly fitted. In the end, it was all worth it.
"Oh you look beautiful! Now, for the other dress," I blanched. Another dress?
"M-m-more?"
"Of course silly!" Eleanora giggled. "This one will be black, I think."
Another two hours, this time, of pinpricking. No, it was more like stabbing. I was in pain, and no longer smiling when the next marathon session of dress fitting went on.
In the end, I looked good.
From listening to the small talk of the seamstresses, I gleaned that Alejandro would become King right after the ball, at twelve midnight precisely. I was to be presented to him as a gift from Eleanora. I also learned that the ball was tonight.
I was redressed in the green dress after a long, hot bath. It felt good to be clean again.
Eleanora did what she could with my shoulder length hair. She swept it into a simple knot at the nape of my neck. She left one tendril hanging down on the side of my face.
She put face paint on me as well, red lip paint, a light line of kohl around my eyes, and grey eye shadow. She brushed my cheeks with rouge. For the final touch, she twisted emeralds into my hair.
I managed to walk over to the mirror without tripping. I looked at my reflection. I looked stunning. Not to sound conceited, but I did. Eleanora had done her job well. I looked somehow older and more sophisticated. In short, I was beautiful.
I whirled around, and stubbed my bare toe on a chair. I cursed under my breath and hopped up and down.
"Oh! You need shoes! Of course!" Eleanora brought out a pair of tiny shoes that were completely transparent.
"What are those?" I asked dubiously.
"Diamond shoes. Shoes made of the purest diamonds." She said proudly. "They have been in the family for generations, and they're priceless."
"Then why are you letting me wear them?" I raised one eyebrow ever so slightly.
"Because the Foreseer said you should." Well, that explained it. The people here seemed to be at the beck and call of a woman in a mirror. I slipped one shoe on my foot and stood on it gingerly. I put the other one on and walked daintily across the room to a comfortable chair. As soon as I sat down, Eleanora smiled.
"Don't sit down! It's time to go! It's half past the eighth hour already!" So I stood up and walked over to her as if I were on hot coals.
"Alright, then, let's go." I was surprised that I was still upright. "Are you sure that these things won't break?" I asked her, motioning toward my feet.
"Of course they won't! They're diamonds! Hardest thing known to humans you know." She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Come on!"
I was going to a Lamaran Royal Ball. Me, a Syrlandan peasant!
a/n: next chapter here...i know it wasn't a whole lot of action, but i think you will be satisfied in the next few chapters. for all of you who read my warning: have no fear, empty threat.
oooh i love writing!!!!!! would any of you like to see a certain something in this story? you have three wishes...well probably a whole lot more than 3, but anyway....review it please! tell me what you think. good/bad are both welcome. i now have 36 mw pages!!!! happy happy!!!
now reviewreviewreviewreview!!!!!!
(o:Review!!! All!!!! :o)
(you can press that little button down there some where...)
|
|
|
\/
(am i close?)