I know! I know. I promised an update like a month ago. But oh well, I broke my promise.


Sadly, there are only two more chapters . . . possibly three, but that's doubtful. So, enjoy!

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Revealed

Starina stood in the large crowd, satisfied. Her work was almost complete.

But then Katie, clad in a ball gown, shoved Starina out of the way and the Prince brought her up on the stage – he was calling off the engagement and asking to marry Katie instead!

No! thought Starina. No, it mustn't happen this way! The Prince must marry Berengaria, not Katie! NO!

Starina's thoughts took over and before she could prevent herself, she turned to Loreen, Callista, and Fayre. She barked at them to ready their coach and soon was making her way to the stage. She gave the royal family a small, wicked smile and a barely noticeable curtsy before seizing Katie's hand and pushing through the crowd.

"Starina, no!" Katie cried as Starina yanked her off the stage. Katie fell to the ground and one of the diamond slippers Janie had loaned her. "Starina, please! Please!"

Katie looked around at the crowd, looking for Janie. "JANIE!" she screamed. "JANIE WHERE ARE YOU?!" Janie didn't produce herself, the crowd didn't stir.

Alisa! "ALISA!" Katie yelled. "Alisa, I need you now more than ever! ALISA!"

"Shut up, foolish girl!" Starina snapped. They were away from the crowds now, away from Kenny's help, and Janie's help, away from the music, spinning gowns of velvet, satin, and silk, away from everything. Katie was doomed.

Starina continued dragging Katie through the corridors of the palace until they were at the coach. She shoved Katie in, climbed in after. Callista, Fayre, and Loreen were in the coach as well and Katie had been able to notice there was no driver sitting in the front.

So how was the coach moving?

"It's time," Starina said, glaring evilly at Katie, "you knew."

"Knew what?" Katie didn't really want to know, but she asked anyway.

"My plan. You can't destroy me now. I'll be killing you as soon as we get to the mansion."

Katie remained silent. She would soon be with her father and mother again. But she would never see Kenny ever again.

"I found myself falling in love with your father, its true. I killed your mother to marry him. I later realized you and your father would get in the way of my becoming Queen. So I murdered your father and framed that cook."

"I knew you did it."

"Don't speak until we're at the mansion or I'll kill you right here in this coach! Understood?" Katie nodded.

Starina continued. "I made you a servant because I didn't want to kill you – not yet, you might be able to help me to get to the royal family. But four years past and I realized that no, I wouldn't need you. So we took a trip to the palace and I left you there to get you out of my way.

"But while we were there, you befriended Lady Jane. When she disappeared from your view in the window, I murdered her as well. For months I've been switching forms between Lady Jane and myself. Yes, Katie. All of your secrets were being confided in your enemy – me."

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

"But there's more! Oh yes, more, Katie, more!" Starina broke into a wicked laugh and ended it with a sigh of contentment. "I'm Alisa, too. I appeared to you in the garden, I brought you the pumpkin, I turned the mice into horses, lizard into driver, and pumpkin to coach. I did it all!"

"I hate you, Starina."

"I know. But then, before the ball, before I brought you back to the mansion because you were getting in the way there, I sent Gale as Princess Berengaria  -- after I murdered the real Princess, of course – and planned on marrying Gale off to the Prince, killing the royal family, and then crowning myself Queen. Then you got in the way again. So I'm taking you back to the mansion, will murder you, and then convince the King and Queen to force the Prince into marrying Gale, also known as Berengaria."

"It hate you more."

The coach halted.

"Home already?"

"I'm magical, Katie," Starina reminded. "Now, let's take you inside and kill you."

Katie went in silently, knowing her time had come.

But of course, as always is the way, her time hadn't come.

Just as Starina had raised a knife in the air and was about to stab Katie to death, the doorbell rang.

"Why now?" a frustrated Starina asked nobody in particular. She stood up, and then smiled playfully. She shoved Katie forward. "Answer the door, Katie. Maybe it's your beloved Prince, coming to save you!"

Katie slowly made her way forward and turned the knob. The door opened and who should it be but Katie's beloved Prince, coming to save her!

END CHAPTER 11

Yeah, I know. It's sort of the typical Prince-saves-helpless-girl thing. But what can I say? I think Katie's been saving herself a lot! Sort of. Kind of. Oh well. Next: The shoe fitting!

By the way: Were you surprised? ;-) Oh, and sorry it was so short. :-(