hello!! thanks all you who reviewed and gave me helpful hints for making my story better!! i will try to include more description and explanation. this chap should be better, and if its not, tell me whats goin on!! :D have a nice time reading it

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The next few days were pure torture. Hattie was giving me commands every spare moment, making sure I got rightful punishment for "making" Char fall in love with me. She didn't want to tell Mum Olga for fear of depletion of her overly large ego, so I didn't get too much punishment.

As for Olive, she was stricken with a severe cold. Mum Olga was desolate, as she said she was, not only because her daughter was ill, but because her other daughter would be devoid of a handmaiden. I was to stay home every moment and attend to Olive's needs.

The day of the wedding was drawing closer. Hattie and Mum Olga were desperate for Char to call it off, so they invited the happy couple over for dinner one night.

I stole a few moments from Olive's bedside to watch through the banister as they entered. Char looked brilliant, of course. His bride to be looked hideous, in my opinion. Her dress was gorgeous, and her smile gleaming, but anyone who took my love from me was ugly.

What a fool I was for watching. Char was removing his light cloak when Olive screamed, "ELLA! GET IN HERE!"

I clenched my teeth. Hard. Char looked up with alarm, and Hattie rescued the moment by saying, "Oh silly Olive. Shes so delirious, missing Ella so. It was Ella that used to take care of her when she was sick, and now that Ella is gone, all she has is Clarise."

Char knew it was me, I could tell. The way he nodded to acknowledge Hattie's remark implied it. He glanced up the stair curiously as he passed, and I backed into Olive's room slowly.

When I went back into the room, Olive was on the verge of sleep. "Ella, I want soup." She coughed. "Get me some soup."

I nodded and walked out of the room before realizing that I would risk being seen if I went in the kitchen. No doubt Mum Olga would want to impress Char by introducing him to Mandy. I took the chance.

Mandy was alone in the kitchen, thank goodness, stirring a pot full of bubbling tomatoe sauce. I dipped a spoon in and blew on it before eating. "Mmm, Mandy, that must be the best you've ever made."

"Thanks, sweet," she said. "Now what can I help you with?"

"Olive wants soup," I said, taking a seat at the wooden table. There was a platter of steaming rolls on it, and I took one, throwing it up and down to cool it off.

"What kind?" Mandy asked.

"I don't know." I took a bite out of one of the rolls. "Are you going to serve these to Char?"

Mandy nodded while gathering ingredients.

I waited for Mandy until I heard voices outside our kitchen door.

"Oh, you MUST meet our cook, she's positively wonderful."

"We might take her away, though, Dame Olga."

"I would be desolate if you did!"

"Mandy, do something!" I squealed, jumping up from my seat and bouncing on the balls of my feet. "They'll find me out!"

Mandy tossed me a towel and, without thinking, I placed on my head. I could still see shadows and light, but not faces or details.

The kitchen door squeaked open, and for a moment there was silence. "Who is that?" I heard a high female voice. Ataniea, of course.

I heard someone stuttering, then Hattie's voice cut in. "Oh, that's Clarise. I dare say you've met her. Quite the idiot, actually. What did she do, Mandy, to get that towel on her face?"

"She slipped," I heard Mandy say.

"Slipped?"

"Y-yes. She splashed in the sink."

I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder. "The child can answer for herself, but right now she must attend to Olive."

"I need soup for her," I said, silently thanking the towel for muffling my voice.

"Oh, well Mandy will bring it up, won't you?" At this, I was ushered from the room. Mum Olga must have known that Hattie wanted my name hidden and my face never revealed to Char, or she would have insisted I take the towel off.

When the door closed behind me, I was in the dining room. The table was exquisitely laid, with a red cloth and our best silver. Our most well crafted napkins were placed beside every china plate. One napkin stood out from the others.

I looked closer at it. Instead of a white, it was a lavender color. Two intertwined names were in the corner. The embroidery was beautiful, but the names left me angry. Char and Ataniea were the names staring back at me.

I took the napkin. You might say I stole it, but I didn't. I was taking it, taking it away from Char so he wouldn't have the idea engraven in his head that Ataniea was actually in love with him, because she obviously was not.

This napkin needn't stay in this house, it needn't stay with Char and Ataniea. It needn't exist, even. So, when I entered Olive's room, I thrust it in the fire without a thought in my mind.

Olive was asleep, but when the crackling of the logs collapsing woke her, she yelled at me. "Where is my soup? Bring it to me now, Ella. You have to do what I say."

Yes, I did have to do what she said, so I was forced downstairs to fetch her food.

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wow short chapter... hehe but i promised a reviewer that i would get it up this weekend, and i did, didn't i? its just a little short. my play will be over at the end of next week, so i should have more time to work on this story!!

if any of you have any idea where this story is going, tell me. i want to hear what you think. (and no im not saying that to get ideas. i already know what is going to happen!!! :D)

have a GREAT day!