Chapter 21 – My Fairy Godmother
I walked down the stairs to the dining hall the next morning; I didn't even bother to slide down. I didn't sleep well last night, so I was quite tired still. And I knew what was greeting me at breakfast: I had to explain myself.
I thought about it all last night, debating whether to tell my parents about John or not. I ended up deciding that I needed to tell them sometime. I loved John. I had to confront them. I think it would be better to tell them both at the same time; Mother might be able to help me calm down Father if needed. Or maybe I could just not tell them at all, but they'll find out eventually.
I took a deep breath and entered the dining hall. I was taken by surprise: the table was heaped with presents, for me. I felt a pang of guilt; people were probably looking for me. My parents must've been embarrassed.
"Good morning." said Mother.
"Morning."
I was tense all though breakfast, waiting for the blow of scolding. But it never came. I was scared and relieved at the same time. I wondered if something was wrong.
After breakfast, I was called into Father's study. Uh oh. I knew I was in for it. At least they didn't embarrass me in front of all my brothers and the servants.
"Dee. Do you know why you are here?" Mother asked sternly.
"Yes." I squeaked in a tiny voice.
"Good. So I don't need to tell you anymore. You are to stay inside and embroider a dress. You are not to go outside until you finish, understand?" I nodded
Oh, she was ruthless! She knew how to punish me all right.
Father cleared his throat. "On another issue. Um, do you like Oreto?" not that again! But I just nodded.
"Good." Father nodded. "Now Dee, you are now sixteen, and old enough to marry. Are you willing to marry for the good of Kyrria?" his looked at me. Then his voice softened, "You don't have to."
I didn't know what to say. I knew I wasn't willing to marry Oreto. In fact, I didn't want to marry anyone but John. But the way Father put it, "for the good of Kyrria", I felt guilty for not being willing. Also I realized how much embarrassment I caused for them last night, and I wanted to make it up to them.
I started to say yes, but couldn't make myself. "I need more time to think." I said finally. Father nodded understandingly.
"Father," I called.
"Yes Dee?"
"Um, nothing. Never mind." I wanted to tell him about John, but as soon as I called out, my courage went with it.
"Okay, you can go now."
I shuffled out of the room, ashamed of myself for chickening out. I wondered aimlessly throughout the castle, ignoring the looks from the servants and forgetting about the presents. I wanted to see John, or ride, which was something I did when I was depressed or sad or angry, to ride out my feelings. But alas, I wasn't allowed outside.
I'd been defiant for most of my life, which was where I got my nickname. But this time I didn't know if I dared to defy. This was too big; it would affect the rest of my life. Deep down I knew what I would chose, I would chose love over duty, I couldn't help it. John was so good to me. Father didn't say I had to marry Oreto, he only suggested. I couldn't find courage to tell him though, not knowing what to expect, disappointment or anger, or both.
I supposed I could elope, and abdicate, but I didn't want to hurt my parents. I sighed, why didn't choices have to be so difficult? I was frustrated, I needed to tell someone and get a second opinion.
I stopped and looked around. My feet had taken me to the kitchen. Inside, a plump lady with gray hair in a bun was working on some desserts for lunch. Mandy.
Before I knew it, I found myself spilling my guts to her. "What am I suppose do Mandy?" I sobbed into her shoulder.
"Don't fret Sweet. You don't have to be obliged to marry Prince Oreto for your country. Your father is a reasonable man, he'll understand." Mandy patted my back.
"But I can't bring myself to tell him, I don't know why. " I sniffed "I can't seem to find the courage."
"Give it a bit more time, you'll find a way." Mandy released me. "Go on now, don't worry, they'll understand." I nodded and wiped the tears from my face and started out of the kitchen.
"Oh, Dee, wait a second, I need to tell you something." I turned around and faced her. "Yes?"
She beckoned me over before lowering her voice, "Your mother told me to tell you this when you are sixteen. So I'm going to tell you a secret," she paused for emphasis. "I'm your fairy godmother." Then she went back to her apple pie.
It took me a while to comprehend this, "What? Really?"
Mandy nodded and took a cooked pie out of the oven. "Taste this." I did as I was told. The pie was delicious. Then it hit me.
"So that's why your cooking is so extraordinary!" I exclaimed. Mandy gently shushed me.
"That's great then, your can use your fairy magic to make Father understand." I said in a more quiet voice.
"Oh, you don't need magic to let your father know."
"Then give me courage. Or better yet, make John come from a different family."
Mandy shook her head, put down her work and faced me. "I love to help you Sweet, I really do. But I can't use that kind of magic."
I didn't understand, "Then what kind of magic can you use?"
"Small magic, like cleaning up. Oops." She accidentally dropped an egg and it broke. My eyes widened as I saw the broken egg floated by itself and dropped into the garbage can.
"Wow" was all I could manage.
"Fine, you can't help me with Father, then can you at least help me get my embroidery done so I can go outside and talk to John?" I pleaded
She smiled, "Come on, embroidery can't be that bad."
"Yes it is!" I argued.
"Now go along now, and remember," Mandy put a finger to her lips, "It's a secret."
I walked out of the kitchen, disappointed. I grumbled to myself, what were fairies good for anyways. Sure it was convenient not to have to pick up messes, but I'd rather have them fix bigger problems. I sighed, there was no easy way out of a problem.
~*~
About a couple more chaps to go and I'll be done.
I wrote this because I want Dee to find out about Mandy.
I need suggestions for a male name for the main character of the sequel to my other story!!!
Thanks to everyone for reviewing and suggesting for the ending. I've made my decision, but I'm not going to tell you right now, you'll have to read to find out.
Olenochka: I'm sorry it wasn't what you expected, but I though a spy or murderer would be too obvious, so I went through the book and pulled something out. If John was a murderer, Char would have to sentence him because he was just and he was the leader of the country, so Dee couldn't be with him. A family feud would be easier to solve, and would be a personal thing, also it's sort of like Romeo and Juliet.
I walked down the stairs to the dining hall the next morning; I didn't even bother to slide down. I didn't sleep well last night, so I was quite tired still. And I knew what was greeting me at breakfast: I had to explain myself.
I thought about it all last night, debating whether to tell my parents about John or not. I ended up deciding that I needed to tell them sometime. I loved John. I had to confront them. I think it would be better to tell them both at the same time; Mother might be able to help me calm down Father if needed. Or maybe I could just not tell them at all, but they'll find out eventually.
I took a deep breath and entered the dining hall. I was taken by surprise: the table was heaped with presents, for me. I felt a pang of guilt; people were probably looking for me. My parents must've been embarrassed.
"Good morning." said Mother.
"Morning."
I was tense all though breakfast, waiting for the blow of scolding. But it never came. I was scared and relieved at the same time. I wondered if something was wrong.
After breakfast, I was called into Father's study. Uh oh. I knew I was in for it. At least they didn't embarrass me in front of all my brothers and the servants.
"Dee. Do you know why you are here?" Mother asked sternly.
"Yes." I squeaked in a tiny voice.
"Good. So I don't need to tell you anymore. You are to stay inside and embroider a dress. You are not to go outside until you finish, understand?" I nodded
Oh, she was ruthless! She knew how to punish me all right.
Father cleared his throat. "On another issue. Um, do you like Oreto?" not that again! But I just nodded.
"Good." Father nodded. "Now Dee, you are now sixteen, and old enough to marry. Are you willing to marry for the good of Kyrria?" his looked at me. Then his voice softened, "You don't have to."
I didn't know what to say. I knew I wasn't willing to marry Oreto. In fact, I didn't want to marry anyone but John. But the way Father put it, "for the good of Kyrria", I felt guilty for not being willing. Also I realized how much embarrassment I caused for them last night, and I wanted to make it up to them.
I started to say yes, but couldn't make myself. "I need more time to think." I said finally. Father nodded understandingly.
"Father," I called.
"Yes Dee?"
"Um, nothing. Never mind." I wanted to tell him about John, but as soon as I called out, my courage went with it.
"Okay, you can go now."
I shuffled out of the room, ashamed of myself for chickening out. I wondered aimlessly throughout the castle, ignoring the looks from the servants and forgetting about the presents. I wanted to see John, or ride, which was something I did when I was depressed or sad or angry, to ride out my feelings. But alas, I wasn't allowed outside.
I'd been defiant for most of my life, which was where I got my nickname. But this time I didn't know if I dared to defy. This was too big; it would affect the rest of my life. Deep down I knew what I would chose, I would chose love over duty, I couldn't help it. John was so good to me. Father didn't say I had to marry Oreto, he only suggested. I couldn't find courage to tell him though, not knowing what to expect, disappointment or anger, or both.
I supposed I could elope, and abdicate, but I didn't want to hurt my parents. I sighed, why didn't choices have to be so difficult? I was frustrated, I needed to tell someone and get a second opinion.
I stopped and looked around. My feet had taken me to the kitchen. Inside, a plump lady with gray hair in a bun was working on some desserts for lunch. Mandy.
Before I knew it, I found myself spilling my guts to her. "What am I suppose do Mandy?" I sobbed into her shoulder.
"Don't fret Sweet. You don't have to be obliged to marry Prince Oreto for your country. Your father is a reasonable man, he'll understand." Mandy patted my back.
"But I can't bring myself to tell him, I don't know why. " I sniffed "I can't seem to find the courage."
"Give it a bit more time, you'll find a way." Mandy released me. "Go on now, don't worry, they'll understand." I nodded and wiped the tears from my face and started out of the kitchen.
"Oh, Dee, wait a second, I need to tell you something." I turned around and faced her. "Yes?"
She beckoned me over before lowering her voice, "Your mother told me to tell you this when you are sixteen. So I'm going to tell you a secret," she paused for emphasis. "I'm your fairy godmother." Then she went back to her apple pie.
It took me a while to comprehend this, "What? Really?"
Mandy nodded and took a cooked pie out of the oven. "Taste this." I did as I was told. The pie was delicious. Then it hit me.
"So that's why your cooking is so extraordinary!" I exclaimed. Mandy gently shushed me.
"That's great then, your can use your fairy magic to make Father understand." I said in a more quiet voice.
"Oh, you don't need magic to let your father know."
"Then give me courage. Or better yet, make John come from a different family."
Mandy shook her head, put down her work and faced me. "I love to help you Sweet, I really do. But I can't use that kind of magic."
I didn't understand, "Then what kind of magic can you use?"
"Small magic, like cleaning up. Oops." She accidentally dropped an egg and it broke. My eyes widened as I saw the broken egg floated by itself and dropped into the garbage can.
"Wow" was all I could manage.
"Fine, you can't help me with Father, then can you at least help me get my embroidery done so I can go outside and talk to John?" I pleaded
She smiled, "Come on, embroidery can't be that bad."
"Yes it is!" I argued.
"Now go along now, and remember," Mandy put a finger to her lips, "It's a secret."
I walked out of the kitchen, disappointed. I grumbled to myself, what were fairies good for anyways. Sure it was convenient not to have to pick up messes, but I'd rather have them fix bigger problems. I sighed, there was no easy way out of a problem.
~*~
About a couple more chaps to go and I'll be done.
I wrote this because I want Dee to find out about Mandy.
I need suggestions for a male name for the main character of the sequel to my other story!!!
Thanks to everyone for reviewing and suggesting for the ending. I've made my decision, but I'm not going to tell you right now, you'll have to read to find out.
Olenochka: I'm sorry it wasn't what you expected, but I though a spy or murderer would be too obvious, so I went through the book and pulled something out. If John was a murderer, Char would have to sentence him because he was just and he was the leader of the country, so Dee couldn't be with him. A family feud would be easier to solve, and would be a personal thing, also it's sort of like Romeo and Juliet.