***i do not own any characters except for mable, william, ataniea, hens, blah blah blah yah you know. keep reading.********

Mable asked me many questions when she wasn't waiting on people. Where was I from? Why had I come to Dneprov? Did I have a family? Was Mandy a relation? And so forth. I answered all of them truthfully, because she had said, "Come now, Ella, tell me the truth."

William listened in while he made more stew, and even commented a few times. When Mable was out in the dining, he would talk with me about Frell, asking me what it was like there and confessing that he had always wanted to travel there but never had the money. After they questioned me, I questioned them. It turned out that Mable was William's sister. Their parents had owned the inn, but were murdered, so Mable and William took over the inn. Mable had been engaged to be married a few months before, but had called it off when she discovered that her soon-to-be husband was the one that had killed her parents.

As for William, he was very young. Nineteen, he said, but he looked much younger. He had never married and said that he wasn't going to be anytime soon. He was the cook for the inn, and managed the money that it brought in. Mable was the watress and innkeeper, you could say, and managed the KJ's that her job brought in. Together, they ran the most popular inn in town.

After a while of talking, Mable was struck with an idea. "Would you like to be a waitress, Ella?" she asked. "I need help, and you look like you would be a good waitress!"

I was excited about the idea, but didn't know if Mandy would like it. I told them to wait there and rushed up the stairs to ask her.

"Mandy!" I said the moment I opened the door. She had lit a lamp and was tidying up the room.

"Oh, you're back!" she said, smiling. "I took a nice long nap and you still weren't back, so I started to clean. This room is very dusty."

"I've been talking with Mable and her brother, William, the cook," I said. "They've got a wonderful idea, Mandy! They asked me to be a waitress! We could bring in some money and help them out. They are the only two running this place!"

Mandy sat on her bed and studied me, frowning. "I don't know, sweet. Didn't you see how Mable was treated when she was waiting on people? Some of the customers may even command you to do things for them--horrible things--and you would have to do it. I don't know if you should."

I sat on the bed opposite her. "That's true," I said, my heart sinking, "but how are we going to bring in money?"

"I'll just have to find work as a cook." Mandy sighed. "I CAN cook, you know." She laughed.

"What if you work with William? He's busy most of the time, and I know he would appreciate your help!" I looked hopefully at Mandy.

"All right, sweet, I'll come talk to your William."

I led her downstairs, practically bouncing all the way. Mandy would work for our new friends, and we would have enough money for a home! We could stay here, away from Mum Olga and Char. The thought of Char made me stop bouncing, and I walked solemnly into the kitchen and almost stopped dead when I saw the back of William's head, thinking it was Char.

When I recovered, I said, "Will! This is Mandy, my friend." They nodded to each other. "She would like to be your assistant cook."

"And what of your waitressing?" he asked.

"I don't--" I said, "I can't."

William shrugged. "Ah, but can Mandy cook?" he asked, directing the question more at me than at Mandy herself.

"Of course she can!" I exclaimed. "She is the best cook I have ever met!"

Will pretended to be insulted, and I consolled him by adding "lady" to the cook part. He laughed, then said, "Let's try her out."

Mandy whisked around the kitchen, seeming to know where everything was, and came up with the ingredients for carrot soup. While she was bustling about, Mable entered.

"Have you decided to be a waitress?" she asked, looking a little wind-blown.

"I can't," I said. "What's a matter."

"Well, now that you've said no," she said, "I can tell you. If I told you before you said no, you WOULD say no." I was confused, so she simply said, "One of the drunkards out there pulled me down and kissed me." She shuddered and shook her head. "I never want to go through with this again."

"I'm sorry I can't help you," I said.

"Oh, but you can!" Mable patted the counter next to where she was sitting and I sat next to her. "You can clean and be the innkeeper! This may seem strange, seeing as I just met you today, but Will and I have always seemed to know who was trustworthy and who wasn't."

I looked hopefully at Mandy, who nodded slightly. It hit me then that Mandy was like a second mother for me. I beamed at her, then said to Mable, "I would love to."

"You could also stay here for free in our little inn," offered William.

"No," said Mandy. "I'm afraid not. We are going to live in our own home. Thank you though."

As Mandy said, we lived in our own home. For a few days, we stayed in the inn until we got word of a cottage just outside the city borders. On the same day, both Mandy and I started our work at the inn.

As the innkeeper and maid, I would clean a room, then come down and look for new faces to provide rooms for. If I found none, I would return to the rooms, and if I found one, I would take care of them and then proceed to clean the rest of the rooms. This was my daily routine. Every once in a while, I would pop in the kitchen to say hello to Mandy and William. During lunch I would eat in the kitchen, and Mable would come in as much as possible.

One morning, after about a month of living in Dneprov, I entered the inn to hear much excited chatter.

"What's going on?" I asked Will the moment I entered the kitchen. Mandy was buying produce in the market.

"The prince is in town," said Will, making my heart drop. "He's staying here at the inn. Supposedly, this is the most proper inn."

I sunk into a chair beside the table and put my face in my hands. "Oh, no," I muttered through them.

William, who was the most caring person in my life at that moment, sat down beside me and put his hand on my back. I felt a wave of happiness flow from where his hand was resting. "What's wrong, Ella?" he asked quietly.

I groaned. "He is the last person I want to talk to, and the person I want to talk to the most all at the same time!"

Will was silent for a moment, then, sadly, he said, "I know what you mean," gave me a hug, and went back to cooking. I sat there staring at him, feeling tingly inside, and sighed. After a while, I got up and left to do my job.

I dodged around, trying not to run into Char and getting jumpy whenever someone spoke to me. It was midday when I finally ran into Char.

I was bending over a book of records of the residents when someone bumped into me. I jumped as I had all that day and turned around to see Char standing there, looking embarrassed. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at the floor as though bowing his head in apology.

"Char!" I exclaimed while placing a few whisps of hair in front of my face. I bent my neck but looked up with my eyes. He was looking at me oddly. "Forgive me, your highness."

"No..." he said. "Forgive ME." He then continued on his way and I was left to gape at him. This was the man I truly loved and the only conversation we ever had was formal and without him knowing who he was talking to.

I ran into the kitchen where Mandy and Will were laughing together. "Mandy!" I said hurridly, and she stopped laughing abruptly at the expression on my face.

"What is it, Lady?" she asked.

"I just ran into Char," I said.

Mandy pulled me into a chair as she sat down in one herself. "What happened? Did he recognize you?"

"No, I looked at the floor and covered my face with my hair. We only talked for a moment, but--" I wailed, "Oh, Mandy, I can't stand it!"

Mandy held me in her arms as I wept. William stood by and watched, ignoring his work. "Are--are you in trouble with the law?" he asked timidly.

I shook my head rapidly, pulling away from Mandy and drying my eyes. "No, it's just that I l--" I stopped myself from telling Will my whole life's story, and instead said, "I have had bad experiences with him that I would rather not tell anyone."

William nodded solemnly and turned back to the counter, where he was kneading dough for bread. "Oh, Mandy," he said. "We don't seem to have any more cinnamon."

"I'll go get some," said Mandy. "You don't mind, do you, sweet?" she asked me. I shook my head and she left.

I stayed in the kitchen the rest of the day, not talking at all to William and staying in the same seat. Mable came in to ask me if I was okay, and I didn't know what to say. William, as the kind soul he was, said, "She doesn't feel too good, Mable."

"All right," she said. "I'll take care of everything."

I thanked her and turned back to the bowl of soup and the breadstick I was eating. Halfway through a mouthful of bread, William said, "You love him, don't you?"

I was caught by surprise. I knew what he was talking about, but still I said, "What?"

"Prince Charmont. You love him, don't you?" Will repeated. When I didn't answer, he said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but--"

"Yes," I said quickly. "I DO love him."

"May I ask why you want to stay away from him?" Will said politely. He took a seat beside me and grabbed my hand. I felt my face flush at his touch.

"I.." I said, "I don't think he loves me." I did not want to add the word "anymore" to that sentence. Even if I did, Will wouldn't have heard it anyway. He cut me off right after the last word.

"Then you know how I feel, don't you?" he said, almost angrily.

I looked straight into William's bright blue eyes. They were full of sadness. "What do you mean, Will?" I asked slowly.

"I have loved you since that first day in this very room, do you remember?" he asked, speaking quickly. His grip on my hands was firm, but both comforting and soothing. I did not speak. "Of course you remember. I have loved you since then, and I know your feelings towards me are no more than friendship, so I know how you feel about Prince Charmont."

I looked at him, then at the wooden table. I sorted my thoughts quickly. I remembered dancing with Char at the balls. Every time our hands touched, every time he placed his hand on my back, the moment we hugged the very last time... Every one of those times I felt a tingling all up and down my spine--a happy feeling. I had felt almost the exact feeling every time Will touched me. I looked back at William. "Will, I'm sorry you feel that way. But I suppose--" here I stopped, then drew breath and started up again. "I suppose I might love you back."

Will kissed me.

*************

AGH NO!!! ELLA, YOU TRAITOR!!! EVIL!!! EVIL FROM THE FRUITS OF THE DEVIL!! DIE DIE DIE!!! WILLIAM DOESNT DESERVE YOU!!!!!!! okay why am i saying this if im the one that wrote it. agh... well i guess i just thought it would put an interesting twist into it... ah well.

gee willickers, that must have been the longest chapter i have ever written. if its not, im gonna cry!! i spent like what, three days on it??? but then again, it was only like fifteen minutes a day or something like that. well its odd how this little noggin works.

have a great day,

PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I SHALL PERISH IF YOU DONT!! not really, but remember, my mind is odd. buh-bye now.